Page 12 of Mated to Team Shadow

"Pump the fuel line bulb, Damon," I said.

"What about Gunner?" he said.

"He's busy being nice," I replied snarkily.

"Someone needs to take care of our passenger," said Gunner.

Jeanine rolled her eyes.

"Only because you kidnapped me and put me on this boat. I was doing fine before someone slung me over his shoulder like a caveman."

"Ma'am," said Ryker in his deep rolling voice, "as soon as we can, we'll get you back to the United States. Until then, just sit back."

"Yeah," said Gunner with a grin, "and enjoy the ride."

Jeanine gave him an incredulous glance for which I did not blame her. I knew these men and put my life in their hands every day. But she did not.

"Kane," rumbled Ryker. "Tick, tock."

How can this one woman distract me this much?

"Aye, aye, Chief," I said.

"And Gunner, pack up the resources and get our backpacks in one location. We may need to bug out soon."

"Aye, aye, Chief," replied Gunner.

With Damon's help, I finished cleaning that part of the fuel line. Then clean diesel pumped out of the hose and splashed on my clothes.

"Okay, Damon, stop pumping the bulb now."

"Yeah, right," he grunted oddly, and I twisted my head to see of all damned things, the outline of his cock straining against his pants. What the fuck?

"Holster your weapon, Darkman," I said in a low voice.

"It's my jaguar. He's got a wild hair going."

"Seems to be going around," I replied. I flicked my gaze to Ryker who sat, at least in my estimation, too close Jeanine.

"Yeah," grumbled Damon.

I reinstalled the connector giving good twists to the nut that held the hose clamp. I glanced up at the sky, but in the downward sweep of my eyes, I caught Jeanine staring at me in fascination. The intensity of her gaze caused my heart to pound as driving electricity pulsed through my blood. If I couldn't touch her, I might go insane. But, the job comes first, not some hair-brained, or rather beast-driven lustful thoughts.

Bending my head to my work, I snapped the connector back into the fuel line assembly.

"Okay, Damon. Crank her up again."

"Again?" he croaked.

Darkman is as stoic as the rest of us. Living and working with a guy for twenty-four-seven you get to know him, and I could tell he was struggling with his cat's attraction to Jeanine, just as was I. Ryker looked grumpier than usual, and Gunner kept throwing glances to those two. We were all on edge, and not just from a mission that went sideways.

A crack of thunder rolled over the seas. We'd officially run out of time and had to concentrate on the mission.

"Dude," I said in a low voice. "Keep it freaking together."

"I know, man. I do. This has never happened to me."

"Yeah," I grunted. I was running baseball stats in my head, but my inner jaguar wanted to get near the woman and keeping him down was an exercise in extreme self-control. You would think that a Navy SEAL would have that down, but this pull was strong. My hands shook as I pumped the primer valve to get diesel to the engine.

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