Protecting His Own
His job was to keep her safe. Dr. Samantha Andrews, the head of E.R. at Camp Reed–and Captain Roc Gunnison's nemesis. But as the world-weary marine led the lady M.D. across the earthquake-ravaged landscape, unexpected passions flared. For Roc had never seen such compassion, such strength, in a woman before.And though he'd believed he would never give his heart, he was suddenly in danger of losing it to a certain stubborn beauty who'd gotten under his skin. This siren he had been assigned to protect was quickly becoming the one woman he hungered to claim as his own….
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âNice to see you again, Lieutenant,â Roc drawled.
âLiar.â
Stunned, Roc stared at Dr. Samantha Andrews. âExcuse me?â
Sam met and held his surprised gaze. âYouâre a liar, Captain Gunnison. And donât try and sweet-talk me, because it wonât work. I call a spade a spade.â
Lips tightening, Roc stared at her. âOkay, Doctor, have it your way. I was just trying to be social.â
âYeah, right. I saw the look you gave me. I know where I stand with you on this mission.â
He glared down at her. âWe need to talk. But not here. And not now. Once we get to Area Five, you and I are going to chat. Alone.â
Giving him a cutting smile, Sam said, âFine with me, Captain. Because frankly, youâre the last man on earth Iâd ever want to have with me on a mission.â
Dear Reader,
Things are cooling down outsideâat least here in the Northeastâbut inside this monthâs six Silhouette Intimate Moments titles the heat is still on high. After too long an absence, bestselling author Dallas Schulze is back to complete her beloved miniseries A FAMILY CIRCLE with Lovers and Other Strangers. Shannon Deveraux has come home to Serenity and lost her heart to travelinâ man Reece Morgan.
Our ROMANCING THE CROWN continuity is almost over, so join award winner Ingrid Weaver in Under the Kingâs Command. I think youâll find Navy SEAL hero Sam Coburn irresistible. Ever-exciting Lindsay McKenna concludes her cross-line miniseries, MORGANâS MERCENARIES: ULTIMATE RESCUE, with Protecting His Own. Youâll be breathless from the first page to the last. Linda Castilloâs A Cry in the Night features another of her âHigh Country Heroes,â while relative newcomer Catherine Mann presents the second of her WINGMEN WARRIORS, in Taking Cover. Finally, welcome historical author Debra Lee Brown to the line with On Thin Ice, a romantic adventure set against an Alaskan background.
Enjoy them all, and come back again next month, when the roller-coaster ride of love and excitement continues right here in Silhouette Intimate Moments, home of the best romance reading around.
Yours,
Leslie J. Wainger
Executive Senior Editor
Protecting His Own
Lindsay McKenna
LINDSAY McKENNA
A homeopathic educator, Lindsay teaches at the Desert Institute of Classical Homeopathy in Phoenix, Arizona. When she isnât teaching alternative medicine, she is writing books about love. She feels love is the single greatest healer in the world and hopes that her books touch her readersâ hearts.
To Lynda Curnyn, my editor, who works so hard
on my behalf and always makes my day.
Contents
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
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
Chapter 1
February 2: 0700
âHow do you get oil and water to mix?â Morgan Trayhern asked out loud as he stood looking out the window of his office at Camp Reed. The marine base near Los Angeles had been operating twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week since an earthquake registering 8.9 on the Richter scale, had hit the Orange County area on New Yearâs Eve. The devastation had left millions of people without food, water or medicine. Only this base had the air facility and personnel to even begin to try and save lives in that destroyed region. As an ex-marine and the head of Perseus, a covert agency that provided top-secret assistance to the government, Morgan had signed on to help with the recovery efforts. It hadnât been easy. And with this next problem on his plate, his job had gotten a bit tougher.
Tucking his hands into the back pockets of his jeans, Morgan scowled. How was he going to get two very strong, bullheaded people to work as a team out in area 5 without killing one another? Morgan studied the faint pink color along the desert horizon, the sight of the new dawn filling him with hope.
The airport, a mile below the hill where the headquarters and logistics buildings sat, hummed like a stirred-up beehive. Fifty helicopters, mostly Sea Stallions and UH-1N Hueys, were lined up for takeoffâthe backbone of the relief fleet. They had all been loaded the night before, and today two pilots would man each one, to fly goods into assigned areas. The flights would continue nonstop all day. Hardworking marine crews were also unloading huge Air Force cargo planes coming in regularly from points east. It was backbreaking work.
Absently, Morgan adjusted the collar on his red Polo shirt. Even though it was winter in Southern California, with temperatures dropping down to the thirties and forties at night, he wore short-sleeved shirts most of the time. His wife, Laura, always teased him about being so warm-blooded.
Turning, Morgan sighed, glancing around the tiny room and taking in the standard-issue green metal desk, the maps tacked to every inch of wall so he could plan and organize the flights. The radio on his desk was connected with each of the supply and rescue camps theyâd already established in the devastated area. Each channel was designated for a specific region. It was also connected to the brain of the operation, in HQ, where the generals convened to create workable strategies along with federal and local government officials.
