Page 41 of Sloane

Sloane nodded toward Craig’s beer. “I’ll have one of those, thanks.”

“A vodka spritz, thank you.”

“One Pacifico, one vodka spritz, coming right up.”

Once Craig walked away, Sloane asked Maddie, “Did you guys work today?”

“I did. But Craig works every other Friday, so he was off.”

“How’s his new assignment working out?”

“I think he misses SWAT, but he still sees plenty of action in Special Ops, so he’s never bored.”

“Is it hard being the only woman on SWAT?” I asked.

Maddie looked so delicate with her red hair cascading around her shoulders and framing her heart-shaped face with bright blue eyes. It was hard to imagine her decked out in SWAT gear, kicking ass.

“It was at first, but once I proved myself, it got a lot easier. And luckily, I didn’t take nearly as much grief as I thought I would when it got out that I was sleeping with my former captain. It probably helped that Craig had already put in for a transfer before word got around.”

“Yeah,” Sloane chuckled. “I imagine sleeping with your commander is frowned upon in the SDPD.”

“It’s not in the Marines?”

“Oh, it most definitely is. Officers who disobey the fraternization policy can be charged with a crime and discharged.”

Maddie’s blue eyes grew wide. “A crime?”

“Yeah, for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

“Damn, and I was worried about getting kicked off the SWAT team.”

I liked finding out it was a crime for him to sleep with one of his subordinates.

“Fortunately, it’s not something I have to worry a lot about monitoring with my company right now. I don’t have any women on this tour.”

I liked hearing that even more—for selfish reasons, of course.

Maddie’s free hand went to her hip. “None?” and Ryan murmured, “Oh boy. Here we go,” before taking a seat.

“It’s not like I’m denying anyone. There just aren’t many female Marines to begin with.”

“That’s bullshit.”

Sloane held his hands up in front of him. “I don’t disagree. And I think things are changing.”

Craig returned and handed me my drink and Sloane his beer as he asked, “What’s changing?”

Maddie, with her hand still on her hip said, “Did you know there are no women on Sloane’s tour right now?”

The other man shook his head solemnly, like he was treading carefully. “I didn’t.”

“Don’t you think that’s bullshit?”

Sloane interjected. “I was explaining to Maddie it wasn’t like I denied anyone, the numbers just aren’t there.”

She whirled back to look at him. “So, you’re telling me there are no women at Camp Pendleton?”

“Of course there are. Now.”

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