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

Her heart beat a little harder. Gavin was sincere. Or at least, he sounded sincere. That meant she had to take his compliment seriously. Antonio had been so much like him: a gentle warrior, a man of philosophy, of much greater depth and breadth than most men. “Thank you. My grandmother had the same color eyes. They run in the women of our family.”

“You’re feeling tense. Why?”

Nike pulled out of his arms and faced him. Oh, she didn’t want to do that, but if she remained in the protection of Gavin’s arms, she would lose all reason. Did this man realize the mesmerizing power he had over her? She searched his hooded blue eyes. The shadows of the night made his face dark and fierce-looking. “Look, I’ve got a lot of past history, Gavin, and I don’t want you to think the wrong things about us.”

Hearing the desperation in her tone, he nodded. “What happened to make you feel this way?”

It was the right question. Again, Nike squirmed inwardly. She’d talked to no one about the loss of her beloved Antonio nearly two years ago. Only Dallas, who had been executive officer of BJS in Peru, knew the full story. She had been her confidante, her healer up to a point. A heaviness settled into Nike’s chest and once more she felt old grief discharging from her wound. Opening her gloved hands, Nike said, “I fell in love with a Peruvian army officer whose job it was to locate and capture drug-runners.” The next words were so hard to say, but Nike felt driven to give Gavin the truth. “Antonio was an incredible person. He had graduated from Lima’s university in archaeology, but the men in his family all had served in the army. So he went in and I met him when he was a captain. He loved his country and he saw what the drug-running was doing to it. Without fail, he would volunteer for the most dangerous missions to eradicate the dealers.”

“He sounds like a fine man,” Gavin said. “Courageous.”

“Yes, well, that courage got him killed,” Nike bit out. Looking down at the dark, muddy ground, she added, “I told him that he was going to get killed if he kept it up. But he wouldn’t listen. And then…it happened. Two years ago.”

Gavin measured the look in her wounded eyes and heard the hurt in her husky voice. Reaching out, he placed his hand gently upon her drooping shoulders and whispered, “I’m sorry. He must have been one hell of a man to get your attention.”

Tiny ripples of heat radiated from where his hand had momentarily rested on her shoulder. Looking up, Nike searched Gavin’s narrowed, intense blue eyes and shook her head. “Listen, I learned the hard way—in our business if you fall in love with a military person, you’re going to lose him.”

“That’s not always true.”

“Yes, it is.”

Gavin heard the stubbornness in her tone. Looking into Nike’s eyes for some hint that it wasn’t the truth she really believed, he felt a sinking sensation in his gut. Something hopeful and newly born shattered in his chest. After all, he had been burned but good by Laurie Braverman a year ago. Gavin had sworn off military women for another reason. He hadn’t lost someone he loved to death. He had lost her because they simply could not compromise with one another.

“Maybe you just need time,” Gavin counseled gently, removing his hand. He ached to kiss Nike. The set of her full lips, the way the corners of her mouth were drawn in, told him the pain she still carried over the death of the Peruvian captain.

“No,” Nike said grimly, “time isn’t going to change my mind.” She stared up at him, her voice firm. “You need to know the truth. I shouldn’t have led you on. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not sorry at all, Nike. Look, we all need someone at some time.”

His mouth was so beautifully sculpted. Good thing he couldn’t read her mind. He had the lips of Apollo, the sun god. And wasn’t Gavin a bit of sunshine in her life? Nike didn’t want to admit that at all. But he was. All day, she’d longed to have a few quiet, uninterrupted moments with him. She was hungry to find out who he was, his depth and what mattered to him. Far more curious than she should be, Nike said, “I can’t need any man who is in the military, Gavin. Never again.”

Looking toward the village that was barely outlined by the dying light, the windows gleaming with a golden glow, Nike sighed. “You deserve to know the truth.”

“And I’m glad you trusted me with it.” Gavin smiled down at her upturned face. Her lips parted and almost pleaded to be touched by his mouth. “It’s a good first step, don’t you think?”

Seeing that gleam in his eyes, Nike knew Gavin wanted to kiss her. Yet, he hadn’t made a move. The tension swirled between them and her heart screamed for his kiss. Her past resurfaced, frightening her. If she surrendered to her desire for Gavin, she would be right back where she was before—heartbroken. “There are no other steps,” she warned him.

“I don’t believe that,” Gavin said, his voice a low growl. Reaching out, he took that step forward, his arms coming around her shoulders. Surprise flared in her golden eyes, her need of him very readable and yet, as he closed the distance, Gavin could see her fear. As he gently brought Nike against him he wondered if she would resist. If she did, he’d instantly release her, of course. Gavin didn’t want that to happen and he sensed she wanted him, too. He leaned down, searching, finding her parted lips.

The world exploded within Nike as her arms swept across his shoulders, his mouth capturing hers. It was a powerful kiss, yet gentle and welcoming. His lips were tentative and asking her to participate fully in the joy of connection. The moisture of his ragged breath flowed across her face. The whiskers of his beard were soft. Gavin’s mouth guided her and slid wetly across her opening lips. He cajoled, passing his tongue delicately across her lower lip. Instantly, Nike inhaled sharply as the throbbing sensation dove deeply down between her thighs.

He smelled of sweat, of wool and the sharp, clean mountain air. She reveled in his weather-hardened flesh against her cheek. His arms were cherishing and Nike surrendered as he swept her hard against his body. Their breaths mingled as they explored one another like hungry, greedy beggars. Well, wasn’t she? It had been two long years since she’d kissed a man. And how different Gavin’s kiss was! Nike tried not to compare him to Antonio. Gavin’s mouth wreaked fire from within her as his lips molded hotly with hers. One hand moved sinuously down the back of her jacket, following the curve of her back. His other hand held her close. Her nipples hardened instantly as he deepened their kiss.

Nike was starved! Her entire body trembled just as he reluctantly withdrew his mouth from her wet lips. Nike saw the glint of a hungry predator in his eyes as surely as it was mirrored in hers. Knees like Jell-O, Nike felt weak. Inwardly, her body glowed brightly and she yearned to know his touch upon her aching breasts, and how he would feel entering her.

All of these crazy sensations exploded through her now that they stood, watching each other in wonder. The night air was cold and their breath was like white clouds between them. Nike noted the satisfaction glittering in Gavin’s narrowed eyes. He held her gently and didn’t try to kiss her again.

“Now,” Gavin rasped, “let’s start all over. I’m me and you are you. I’m not the man from your past. I’m the one standing with you here in the present. Judging from the kiss, I think we have something to build upon. I’m a patient man, Nike. I wasn’t looking for a woman, but you walked into my life.” His hand against the small of her back tightened. “And I’m not about to let you walk out of my life.”