Lindsay McKenna - His Woman in Command & Operations - Forbidden - His Woman in Command / Operation - Forbidden

“That’s awful that the politicians in Kabul wouldn’t help these people. Can you imagine that happening in the USA or Greece? There would be a helluva uprising.”

“Abbas doesn’t accept his government’s lack of care,” Gavin said. “When you realize Afghanistan is cobbled together out of about four hundred different clans or tribes, you can see why they wouldn’t place trust in a Kabul government. Our job is to try and persuade Abbas that his own government does want to work with him.”

“How are you going to convince him Kabul’s listening and willing to pitch in some medical help out here in the border area?”

“I told Abbas that the report I write up regarding our visit will be given to the health minister of the government. This minister is trying hard to change old, outdated policies. I pointed out to Abbas other border villages south of him already have intervention, supplies and funds on a routine schedule from Kabul.”

“Does he believe you?”

“No, but over time he will.”

“And you and your team will stay here four weeks?”

“Yes. From the satellite photos, we know that the Taliban uses the north end of this valley twice a month. We’ve set up to be here when they try to cross it a week from now.”

“And then what?” Nike grew afraid for Gavin and his team.

He shrugged. “Do what we’re good at—stopping them cold in their tracks and denying them access across this valley.”

“What will Abbas do?”

“I don’t know. He knows if we stop the Taliban from crossing, they could take revenge on this village. This is what Abbas is worried about.”

“He’s right about that.” Nike leaned against Gavin a little more. The dusk air had a real bite to it. His arms came around and bracketed her. For a moment, she questioned her silent body language. Why had she done this? Something primal drove her like a magnet to this military man. Fighting herself, Nike finally surrendered to the moment. She had been too long without a man in her life, and she was starved for male contact. Yet, what message did this send to Gavin? Was he reading her correctly or assuming? Unsure, Nike remained tense in his embrace.

“Comfy?” he teased quietly. Surprised by Nike’s unexpected move, Gavin hungrily savored her nearness. He had wrapped his arms around her but resisted pressing her tightly against himself. Right now, just the fact she’d allowed this kind of intimate contact was enough of a gift. Even though they sparred like fighters in a ring, he’d seen something in her gold eyes that he could never quite accurately read. Maybe this was the result of that smoldering look he’d seen banked in her expression. Only time and patience would tell.

“Yes, thank you.”

Gavin wasn’t about to do anything stupid. She had given herself to him in a way that he’d never entertained. Maybe it was the pink beauty of the clouds across the valley that had inspired her in this wonderful moment.

“What are you going to do here?” Nike asked.

“We know from satellite reconnaissance that the Taliban uses the north end of this valley at the new moon, when it’s darkest. We’ll be intercepting them if they try it next week.”

“There’s only ten of you. There could be a hundred or more fighters crossing that border and coming down into this valley.”

“Are you worried?” Gavin ventured.

“Any sane person would be.”

Laughing quietly, Gavin closed his eyes for a moment and simply absorbed the curves of Nike’s womanly body against him. What an unexpected reward. It was precious in his world of ongoing war and violence. A sweet reminder of peace, of love and nurturance. Something he hadn’t experienced for a long time. “You’re right,” he admitted. “But we look at it this way—our base camp where you’re assigned isn’t that far away. We have BJS here with Apache helos to help us out if we’re attacked. We know you gals will hightail it in our direction and drop the goods on the Taliban so we’ll survive to fight them another day.”

“I have never met such an optimist,” Nike said.

“I don’t like the other possibility. Do you?” Gavin asked. He watched the clouds reflect pinkish light across the valley. In the background, he could hear the bleating of sheep and goats from their pens within the village. At dusk, boys tending the herds brought them into the village to protect them against wild animals and roving Taliban. Both two- and four-legged predators were always hungry for village meat.

Feeling uneasy and caring too much for Gavin even though she didn’t want to, Nike said, “No, I don’t like the alternative. This is a dangerous mission.”

“Yeah, it is. We’re out in the wilderness and the bad guys are right over that mountain to the east of us.” He lifted his gloved hand to point at the darkened peaks. Bringing his hand down, he wrapped his arms around her once more. “Don’t worry, we know our job, Nike. We’ve already survived a year here.”

“And you’re on your second tour.”

Hearing the flatness in her tone, Gavin nodded. “We’re slowly making a difference. I’d give my right arm to find bin Laden. All of us would. It would change the tempo of this war against the terrorists.”

Nike understood army hunter-killer teams were all about finding terrorists and Taliban. “So, how are you feeling about this more peaceful assignment of working in this village as an ambassador of goodwill?”

“I like it.”

“But it takes you off the front lines.”

“Not really.” Gavin looked to the north of the village. Kerosene lamps were lit and the mud and stone homes that had windows glowed golden. He liked dusk, even though from a wartime perspective, it was a killing time, when the enemy sneaked up and took lives. “With General Chapman coming here to Afghanistan, the priority has shifted to focus on these boundary villages. If we can get these people to trust us, they will let us know when Taliban are coming through. The villagers could be our eyes and ears. If we can stop the Taliban’s advancement into this country, that’s a good thing for everyone. In the end, it will save a lot of lives.”

“I like your general’s philosophy.”

“So do I. If I could, I’d have world peace. As it is, there’s world war.”

Nike shook her head. “I grew up in a peaceful Greece.”

“And yet, Greece has had its fair share of revolutions, too.”

“Granted.” Nike observed the pinkish sky, now fading. Darkness began to encroach across the narrow valley. “I wish for the day when there are no more wars anywhere. No more killing. I’ve seen enough of it. All people want to do is live in peace and get on with their lives.”

“It’s the same here,” Gavin acknowledged. “Abbas was saying that all he wanted for his people was to be left alone to eke out their survival in this valley. He’s grown old before his time because of the Russians and now the Taliban intrusion.”

“Afghanistan needs decades of peaceful downtime,” Nike agreed. But there had been none for them.

A wonderful sense of happiness bubbled up within her but it warred with sadness at her loss of Antonio. Suddenly bothered by her proximity to Gavin, she frowned. “I don’t know what’s going on between us,” she admitted quietly.

Gavin gazed down at Nike. Even in the semidarkness he could see the worry register in her face. “Why try to decipher it? Why not just let it be natural and flow?”

Her stomach was filled with those butterflies. The only other man to make her feel this way had been Antonio. “It’s not that simple,” she told him.

“When I first saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Most of all, I liked your gold eyes,” Gavin confided softly. “You have the look of a lioness.”