She was in one of the most dangerous countries in the world; she didn’t speak the language and had no idea where to go.
His eyes fluttered open. “Get Afsana…” he mumbled, his head lolling to the side. She reached for his face to bring it back to her and gasped. He was burning up. Oh, God, he was feverish, delirious and losing blood.
Chapter Four
“Dex!”
He opened his eyes and the sky seemed too blurred and gray. The face above his was a woman’s face. A wowzer, freaking beautiful face. He frowned. He knew her from somewhere. He reached for the elusive thought, but it tumbled around in his fuzzy brain.
Her delicate features were concerned, her whiskey eyes wide and…frantic, her skin glistening. He tensed, automatically bracing for the danger he couldn’t see. In the back of his mind, he realized he was always ready for danger.
Something told him she was the dangerous one.
He was so hot. So thirsty.
Where the hell was he?
He tried to sit up and his side sent white-hot agony through his body. He winced, falling back, moaning and clutching his side. It was wet with blood and everything rushed back at him. Piper. The insurgents. Saving her life. Her DS agent tried to kill her! The desert. Afsana and help.
“Help me up,” he said, and she leaned into him, her body soft and strong at the same time. She smelled good, musky and female. He hadn’t been with, or close to, a woman in a long time, and she pushed his buttons. Every single one, even those that hadn’t been pushed in a very long time.
Cupping his back and using her forearm, she helped him to sit. He was breathing hard, and waves of dizziness and disorientation crashed through his brain.
But his brain was his best and truest weapon, even fuzzy. He didn’t think he could move. He was delirious, probably had an infection and ripped stitches, but his wound was manageable, and their lives depended on getting out of the sun and to the safety of that village three miles away.
Would he make it because he was a cocky son of a bitch? Hell, yeah. But would he make it because he intended to survive, and he intended for Piper to survive? Hell, yeah, times two! His edicts were simple. Protect the weak. Defend the innocent. Stand up to tyranny and unjust behavior.
It didn’t hurt that he was attracted to Piper on a huge freaking scale. The only drawback, and it was a big one—she was Tyler’s big sister.
That sucked big-time.
She helped him to stand and he liked that she kept her hands on him, mostly out of concern that he would fall on his ass again.
“Can you make it, Dex? It’s so far away.”
“I can and will make it. We’re in this together and there is no failing.” His brain, even feverish, latched on to the three things. Shade, water, shelter. That’s what it took to survive in the desert.
“I’m glad you’re so sure about this.”
“I am, sweetheart.” He reached for the head scarf that was currently around his neck and with slow, painful movements, wrapped it expertly around his head, making sure the back was flopping over his neck. “It will take some work, but everything worthwhile does. Staying alive is the goal.”
She looked up at him and what he saw bolstered him. He smiled. “Those are warrior eyes, Senator. Are you thinking about rushing that hill?”
“You’re not in any shape exactly for rushing, but a good, solid shuffle sounds great to me.” This was delivered with a wry tone and a wicked sidelong glance. “I’m thinking about getting you where we need to go.”
He chuckled. The woman had backbone and humor in a dire situation. Two weapons that would work for them. He thought immediately of DJ and his chest tightened. He could almost hear the man’s voice.
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, LT. I’ll cut you some slack for the fever. But get your head out of your pants. Shade, water, shelter. Then, if you’re lucky, sex.
“I think our first priority would be to find shelter and then proceed at night, but we don’t have that luxury. We have assholes after us who want to kill us. Thank God we have enough water.”
He laughed again. She was a riot. She helped him over to a rock and lowered him down. Pulling the pack off her back, she pulled out three water bottles and handed him two. “Drink all of that.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She unscrewed the cap of hers, brought the bottle to her lips and chugged the whole thing. He got caught up in watching her.
“Drink, Dex,” she prodded, taking one of the bottles and opening it. He could smell the water, groaning at the sudden damp feel of it on his lips and tongue, craving the hydration for his overheated body. He didn’t need any prodding to down the second one.
She shouldered the pack again and reached for the burka. She settled it over her head and turned to look at him. “I’m not going to let you die because I held you back. I’m never the weakest link. That’s a promise.”
She bent down enough to get her shoulder under the arm of his uninjured side and helped him to his feet. “Well, I’ll hold you to that campaign promise, ma’am. If I fall, do whatever you need to do to get me up. I also don’t want to hold us back.”
“That’s good, Dex. Because I really need you.” She nodded. “I’ll owe you dinner when we get back to the States,” she said. With a set look on her face she took the first step and he stumbled, his mind still reeling. She was there, steadying him.
He loved that she was already projecting into the future. This was a woman after his own warrior heart. Think ahead. Strategize. She was a gem.
“Deal. I know this great place in DC.”
“All right. Less jawing and more walking,” she said.
He chuckled, then gasped as fire laced his side. It wasn’t that she wasn’t scared. That was evident. But courage could easily be described as doing what needed to be done in the face of that fear.
“Keep talking to me,” he said. “That will help me to focus.”
“How long have you been a Navy SEAL?”
“I think I was born in combat gear.”
“That must have been hell on your mom.”
He laughed, lost his thread of the conversation as he was suddenly in a field of dead men, everywhere. He shook his head to clear his vision and Piper looked up at him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are there dead bodies here?” he mumbled, swinging his head around, the faces of the dead grotesque.
“What?” She looked around and said, “No, just brush, rocks and dirt.” Her voice was hushed.
“Damn, I must be hallucinating. Don’t let me go running off if I lose it.”
“Don’t lose it, Dex. I’m only cracking jokes because I’m scared as hell.”
He closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. Focus. “Keep talking.”
“Why do you say you were born in combat gear?”
“I come from a long line of military heroes. My dad is an admiral who served as a SEAL, working out of the Pentagon, and I have two retired uncles that also served as SEALs. War is in my blood.” She was so close to him, supporting his body, and he turned his head. His eyes focused on her mouth and even in the midst of running for their lives, the heat, the danger, the need for speed, he wanted to kiss her.