Warm and alive and in his arms, kissing him with a fierceness that caused every cell in his body to stand at attention.
He knew he should push her away, but he was incapable of breaking the delicious contact.
Every fantasy heâd ever had of Holly Durantâand heâd had more than his shareâwas playing out in front of him, and he wasnât about to do anything to ruin it. He couldnât breathe. Couldnât think straight. Desire slammed into him, fierce and hard. Sweet Christ, she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen.
The microscopic part of his brain that still functioned was firing warning shots. He was all wrong for her.
âHolly,â he finally said, his voice strained and thick. âWe canât do this.â
But she only moved closer. âYes, we can,â she contradicted him softly, pressing a moist kiss against his collarbone.
To hell with doing what was right. Nothing could prevent him from reaching for Holly, not even the sound of his cane as it clattered onto the floor. The warning shots had come too late; heâd just taken a direct hit and he was going downâ¦.
Dear Reader,
It seems just yesterday that I was sitting with my editor, brainstorming ideas for this exciting miniseries, which revolves around four soldiers and how each of their lives is altered by the events of a single day. And suddenly, here I am, writing the final book.
I loved coming up with the heroine of this story. Lt. Holly Durant is so strong and never wavers in going after what she wants, even if it means risking enemy fire to save the man she loves. Holly is hailed as a hero for her actions, but itâs up to Sgt. Shane Rafferty to keep her safe when the enemy follows her home.
I hope you enjoy reading Holly and Shaneâs story as they discover the true meaning of what it takes to be a hero!
Happy reading!
Karen Foley
Karen Foley is an incurable romantic. When sheâs not watching romantic movies, sheâs writing sexy romances with strong heroes and happy endings. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters, and enjoys hearing from her readers. You can find out more about her by visiting www.karenefoley.com.
For Lt. Col. Kathy Lauden, Maj. Kristi Lowenthal,
and Lt. Erika âMoâ Schoenthal: your selflessness and dedication are an inspiration. Thank you for your service.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Anbar Province, Iraq
NAVY LIEUTENANT HOLLY Durant blew out a hard breath of frustration and glanced into the passenger mirror of the five ton cargo truck. The five or six days that it would take to complete this particular assignment meant that the mountain of paperwork waiting for her back at Al Asad Air Base would be twice as high when she returned. At this rate, sheâd never catch up.
Behind her, a convoy of military supply vehicles stretched for a quarter of a mile along the dusty road. She didnât typically accompany the movement of supplies to the outlying posts, but this assignment was unique. She was personally escorting her senior supply clerk, Sergeant Ramon Martinez, from Al Asad Air Base to Camp Fallujah, a forward operating base located a hundred kilometers away. She no longer trusted him with the responsibility of overseeing the massive supply operations in Iraq. At Camp Fallujah, he would work under the direct supervision of a senior officer in supplying repair parts and construction equipment to the Seabees in western Iraq. Technically, it wasnât a demotion, but she was sure he didnât see it that way. A quiet man by nature, heâd been even more so during the two hours that theyâd been driving together.
Her gaze slid sideways toward the sergeant, noting the sheen of sweat that coated his skin. As if sensing her silent appraisal, he turned his dark eyes to her and Holly had to push down her own misgivings and feelings of guilt about having initiated an investigation into his activities. He had the largest, most expressive eyes she had ever seen on a man, and right now they reminded her of a dog that had just been kicked. He obviously didnât understand why he was being moved to a new location and Holly couldnât tell him the truth. Sheâd merely told him that Fallujah needed an experienced sup ply clerk, but his unhappiness was apparent in the defeated slump of his shoulders, and the way he repeatedly sighed.
âIf youâre getting tired, we can switch at the next turnoff and I can drive,â she offered, although she knew he would refuse. Despite her suspicions, Sgt. Martinez was unfailingly polite and respectful of her rank.
His eyes widened. âOh, no. Iâm fine driving, maâam. But thank you for the offer.â
Holly nodded and turned her attention away. Maybe she should have confronted him directly. Maybe, after all, there was a reasonable explanation for what was going on. It was difficult to imagine the mild-mannered sergeant was capable of any wrongdoing. But it was too late; she had already initiated an investigation into the supply process at Al Asad and now it was up to the Inspector General to determine if any crime had been committed.