Page 67 of Lucky Charm
“Worried about Baxter,” he lied, not ready to share any more of his sappy thinking. He needed to straighten this path out by himself. He had always wanted to be a SEAL after he found out who they were. He’d followed their code when he’d left his parents, found himself another home, and stood his ground when things got so nasty anyone else would have folded. The sheriff of the small Montana town he came from had complimented his grit.
When he was old enough and finished with high school, he joined the Navy, and it had been a whole new challenge. He stayed focused, worked hard – physically and emotionally. The first few years had been tough. He’d gotten his college degree, become an officer, and remade himself to become one of the elites. He had no life outside this. He had a tiny apartment with a bed, a television, and a coffee maker. How did he offer Doc anything when there was nothing there to offer?
“We’re down another man.” Doogie’s shift to work conversation saved him from sinking into his own abyss.
“Yeah. And we’re 0-2 for the last two missions.”
“We achieved mission success by getting Doc back home without a scratch, so to speak. We’re 1-1, then.”
Hunt shrugged. “Seems like someone is winning, not sure who. It wasn’t Haquiri.”
“Where did those two trucks with men come from? Overwatch didn’t have them. We searched. Didn’t find anyone. The mountains? Are they hiding up there? Folding their vehicles and stuffing them in a cave? Are the weapons there, too? IQS?” Doog’s frustration matched his own.
Hunt checked the surgical door for movement again. “I don’t know. Not that I agree with Stocker, but we’re going to need to dig deeper.”
Doogie kept his voice low. “Ever since Doc did the surgery on the kid, things have escalated into the bizarre. This is an organized army with weapons. Up on the mountain, I’d swear they were locals. But those guys today? They weren’t. And why? That place is as barren as it comes.”
Hunt pushed off the wall, relieved to be discussing geopolitics, the least innocuous of subjects. Surprisingly, he wasn’t worried about Baxter. The minute Carter had passed him off to Cait, he knew the man would be okay.
He was about to say more about their current situation when Cait came through the door, pulling her gown off as she moved and tossing it to a chair.
She looked tired, determined, and beautiful striding into the room.
“Doc? Baxter all right?” K-Rock got to his feet, the black cast on his arm standing out.
Hunt smelled her before she stopped right in front of him. Even after the long day and surgery, her apple blossom scent with a mix of coconut and antiseptic washed over him.
She waited for the others to gather around. “He’s going to be fine. He’s going to have to go to Germany, though. I’ve repaired his femoral artery which was nicked with a bullet. He needs a thorough assessment for complications, physical therapy, and recovery time. We’re going to hold him until we’re sure he’s stable, then we’ll get him on the next transport to Germany.”
The relief was palatable.
She looked from Doog to Hunt. “You can contact his family? Tell them?”
Hunt nodded. “His mother, Bess. Yes, I’ll do that when you have the time of his flight.” Surprise flashed through him when Doc grabbed his shirt shifting him so close her breasts touched his chest.
“I need to talk to you.”
Confused, he glanced at her hand and swallowed against a sudden surge of … lust. Not wanting any feelings chat in front of the men, he made up an excuse. “We need to report back…”
“No, I need to talk to you now.” She glared at him. Suddenly, he realized she was pissed – not coming on to him.
“What about?” He didn’t do confusion. Hated it so much he put himself in fact gathering mode immediately.
She pointed a finger and stalled his confusion. “Wait.” She exited the room in a rush.
Doogie raised his brows. “What did you do?”
Hunt huffed and raised his hands. “Nothing. I promise.”
She came back into the room with a binder and carefully shut the door. Her motion didn’t stop, though. She swung right back to her place in front of him, so close he could have bent and kissed her.
Swearing at himself for the lack of focus, he widened his eyes to shake off the tiredness.
The tense lines of her face pierced his awareness, and he opened his mouth to utter some soothing words. Not sure what would come out, he stopped.
She didn’t let him talk anyway. “Since I got into a mess on that mission, the Commander ordered the entire staff to review security protocols and the local bad guys. Hence, this ridiculous book.”
“Okay, I already know who you’re seeing in there.” The guys had all crowded close making his position to her not so personal, but he wanted to reach out and touch her. Instead, he kept his hands to himself with a ruthless yank on his emotions.
