Page 3 of Protected By The Green Berets

I’d always made friends easily, but they’d never been the quarterback or the head cheerleader, which was a shame since my sister Rose had been that cheerleader. Daisy had been on the squad as well and when I refused my mom had pouted for a month. Her perfect daughters were supposed to follow the life plan she’d laid out for them. Two of them had lived up to her expectations. I’d gone my own way.

Upping the speed on the treadmill, I let my mind go blank. There was no use in crying over the past and no point in being nervous about what was going to happen in my near future. I’d find out how it would go soon enough.

CHAPTER2

Zinnia

Pulling up to the gate, I rolled my window down so the soldier working the guard post could question me. I had already driven onto the base, but the Green Berets headquarters had its own secure compound on the base.

I’d made my phone call with my informant over in Iraq on the drive down. That hadn’t gone at all to plan. Turned out it wasn’t SSG Harris the man had seen.

“Name?”

“Special Agent Zinnia Hart,” I told him and handed over my credentials. This would be one of those times that having a badge would probably help, but the CIA didn’t have them.

The kid eyed my creds and frowned. He looked all of twenty years old. “Who are you here to see?”

“Captain Keller King, down at fourth group.” I didn’t even want his name rolling past my lips, but Colonel Williams had instructed me to ask for Keller when I got here.

I’d been attracted to Keller right up until he’d opened his mouth. The fact that he’d been comfortable putting me into what he saw as my place in front of both our superiors had spoken volumes to his arrogance. It’d been embarrassing and I’d promised myself I wasn’t going to let him make me lose my cool. I just hoped I could remember that today. Worse, his arrogance made him that much more attractive, even when I wanted to punch him in his aristocratic nose.

The kid’s eyes flashed up to mine and his lips kicked up into a grin. “You’re the CIA chick?”

I made a face at his phrasing—and also because my credentials clearly stated my status with the CIA—then nodded. “That’s me.”The CIA chick.

He must have caught the look on my face because he cleared his throat and handed back my creds. “Charlie!” he barked over his shoulder. “Call Captain King. His visitor is here.”

Turning back to me, he smiled and pointed. “You can pull off into that space over there. The Captain will be here soon to get you.”

“Thank you.” I started the car and pulled into the space as directed. Shutting the engine down again, I leaned my head back on the rest and closed my eyes. The meeting began in thirty minutes, so I figured the soldier was right, Keller would likely be here any minute.

The next thing I knew, someone cleared their throat, jerking me awake. I sat up and tried to make it look like I hadn’t just dozed off in my car.

“Ms. Hart,” Keller said, that infuriating smirk on his lips.

There was another man standing behind him, staring at me. There was no smirk on his lips. No hint of a smile. Just a miffed expression on his handsome face. What was in the water around this place? Both men looked alert and gorgeous, standing there in their uniforms. Gone was the dress uniform, this was the one that most soldiers wore. The multi-camo pattern, now called ACU’s, Army Combat Uniform.

Ugh, please don’t be another team member.

“It’s Special Agent Hart,” I told Keller in a snide tone.

“This is Alden,” he said, ignoring my comment and pointing at his companion. “You’ll meet the two other members of our team here in a bit. Follow us.”

Without another word, they turned and got into their car. I pulled out onto the road behind them.

Our team. Great.The angry looking guy was one of the four. It was like being teamed with the seven dwarfs, only they were all Grumpy.And not dwarves. And gorgeous.

We parked in front of a large building and the men waited as I walked over to them. I was in my usual slacks, blouse, and blazer, but I was looking forward to dressing down while in the field.

Both men’s eyes wandered over me as I approached and I arched a brow at them. Alden averted his eyes, looking bored, but Keller held my gaze—once his made it back to my face—and gave me a look that told me he gave no fucks that I’d caught him checking me out.

In all fairness, you picked the bra that tests the strength of the buttons on this blouse.

“We still have twenty minutes until the meeting starts. We’d begin early, but we’re waiting on one of our teams to get in from a field exercise,” Keller explained.

“Teams?”

“We have several that make up our unit. We’re Alpha Team. Bravo’s Captain had to break off and leave early this morning. I’m in charge of making sure they’re back on time.” He lifted his arm and glanced at his watch.

---