Page 2 of Hearts Under Fire
“I know. I know. She is dreamy though, I must warn you,” Izzy sighed and groaned. “Anyway, you’re no fun, but you are the best damn combat certified nurse I know, so I guess I’ll have to give you a pass.”
Relaxing back into her seat, Kate laughed softly. “Thank you. I’ll take the compliment. What’s your deal, anyway? Have you not gotten laid yet over there? You’ve been there for how many weeks now?”
A frustrated groan morphed into a shout. “No! I’ve been here five weeks.” Izzy’s distress was apparent, and Kate rolled her eyes.
“You’ll be fine.”
“I know,” Izzy said, then paused. “You will be, too. It may take some time, but I think you should consider getting back out there, too. It’s been a really long time for you Kate. What happened was just beyond heartbreaking. You deserve to be happy, and who knows. Maybe going a round or two withLieutenant love ‘em and leave ‘emmight just be exactly what you need.”
Crisp, sterile air filled Kate’s lungs, and she lowered her forehead to the desk and clenched her eyes shut. She pushed away the painful thoughts and memories of her last partner. Acid filled her mouth, and the rush of feelings choked her.
“Let’s not do this right now, Izz. Please.”
“Okay, then what do you want to talk about?”
“Talk to me about Kunsan. You like it?”
Given the chance to wax poetic about how much she’d been enjoying Korea, Izzy filled the previously uncomfortable silence with her vivacious hunger for life. Kate listened attentively, grateful for the change of subject. She hated talking about her late partner, even with her best friend or in therapy, and only spoke about her when she was forced to.
Their conversation was cut short by an email announcing Kate had a mission brief to get to. Izzy secured a promise that Kate would call again before deploying out for the upcoming mission and hung up after shouting, “Good luck.”
Clear hallways greeted the patter of her footsteps. The entire building was empty. Kate’s mind skipped a beat before she remembered. It was a holiday weekend. Most people were off base or already enjoying their time off even though it was technically Friday. She grunted softly in realization, nervously flicked a stray golden strand of her hair out of her eyes and smoothed it back into place. The linoleum reflected fluorescent lights, casting shadows on rows of photographs that lined sterile white walls. She took the stairs, heading for the mission briefing room in the basement. Nerves bubbled up in Kate’s stomach as she neared the room.
As the door swung into view at the bottom of the stairwell, Kate steeled her spine, paused, and took several deep breaths. Rolling her shoulders, she cracked her knuckles and reached for the handle, ready to do battle.
The second before the handle was in reach, the door swung open, and Kate was greeted by a tall, muscular woman with dark chestnut hair and piercing blue eyes. Her sleeves were rolled up haphazardly, revealing rich, olive forearms covered in inky black tattoos. The name printed on her left breast read COLE in big, dark letters.
Kate understood at once why Izzy hadn’t wanted tospoil itfor her. Everything about Lieutenant Alexis Cole broadcasted sexy, irreverent charm, and Kate sucked in a breath, stunned at Alexis’s unique masculine beauty.
Electricity crackled down the back of Kate’s neck and she clenched her jaw. Her eyes didn’t know where to start, so she flitted her gaze to the back of the room, where a familiar face jumped out at her. Relief spread through her limbs, and she sidestepped Lieutenant Cole. Colonel Williams, a tall, lean, striking black woman, stood amongst the controlled chaos of the mission briefing room. Maps, plans, diagrams, and files littered the entire space, covering the massive wooden conference table and walls, which surrounded the fierce woman like a cocoon.
Kate approached, grateful to escape the heat at her back that announced Lieutenant Cole had not left but rather had turned around and loomed behind her.
“Colonel Williams. It’s good to see you, ma’am. Have we been assigned a mission?”
The colonel didn’t respond verbally or acknowledge her with a glance, just waved Kate over with a slice of her tiny hand. She then motioned to her ear where an earbud rested. Kate’s eyebrows shot up. The colonel was on the phone, and clearly, Lieutenant Cole had intended to leave to give her privacy but had abandoned the notion when Kate had arrived.
Crisp, commanding, and as clear as day, Colonel Williams spoke. “And I’m tellingyou,Commander, I don’t give a goodgoddamnwho you have to wake up. I want you to get my people the supplies I need before they’re ready to leave, or I swear I will make things difficult for you in the future.”
Silence descended, and a shiver rolled down Kate’s spine just as goosebumps broke out on her forearms. Colonel Williams was the nicest woman Kate knew, but she could be terrifying when she wanted to be.
Kate swallowed the lump in her throat and assumed the position of parade rest, tucking her hands behind her back and standing with her feet shoulder-width apart. Whatever they’d been assigned for was happening soon, and it had the colonel’s hackles up. It took a lot to agitate the woman, and Kate’s curiosity burned away at her resolve. She inched closer, hoping to overhear what the recipient of the ass chewing was promising to fulfill.
The heat at her back moved with her, and Kate froze, trying to ignore the warmth that spread through her limbs. Air whispered on the nape of her neck, and she swallowed down a gasp as Lieutenant Cole whispered next to her right ear, “God she’s awesome. Is she always like this?”
The lieutenant’s warm breath tickled the soft, fine hairs on Kate’s neck, and she bit down hard on her lip and fought the urge to groan. Cole’s voice was rich and melodic, a pure alto that dripped like honey over chocolate. Kate took a small step forward and nodded with a jerk of her chin. Lieutenant Cole followed, stepping closer, her piercing blue eyes locked on Colonel Williams.
“When she needs to be,” Kate forced out between stubbornly clenched teeth.
A deep groan paired with a grunt had Kate practically breaking her neck to turn around and see Lt. Cole biting her lip, her eyes closed, her hands clutched over her chest, and her knees bent, giving the illusion she was being knocked over.
“What a woman. I want to be her when I grow up.”
The temperature rose a few degrees, and Kate forcibly tore her gaze from where Lt. Cole was biting her lip. The inane thought intruded that she wished her own lip was pinned between Lieutenant Cole’s teeth.
Even though it seemed dramatic, Kate had to agree with Lt. Cole. Colonel Williams was amazing, and she couldn’t blame Cole for having stars in her eyes.
Colonel Williams’ voice silenced Kate’s thoughts. “Good. See to it that the medical supplies are on the tarmac and ready to be loaded by 0400 tomorrow. My team will be on site and ready to take off at 0600.”