“That’s if Cantara doesn’t have a change of heart,” Raoul cautioned.
“Now see here, Washington, don’t you go interfering.” Pool puffed out his chest, but still looked puny against Raoul and Zeke’s rock-hard physiques. “Your wife has agreed to go, and you need to learn to follow orders.”
“Unlike Cantara, who is not a part of this man’s army, which leave her free to change her mind any time she feels like it,” Zeke reminded the colonel, heading for the door without waiting to be dismissed.
“Fuck,” Raoul said as they strode away from the commander’s office. “You shoulda let me throttle the asshole, Zeke.”
“Nah, the army takes a dim view of that sort of thing. I think it’s called insubordination. Ask Pool, he’s big on all that shit. He’s bound to know.”
“If they don’t want us offing people who deserve to be offed because they’re too stupid to live, then they shouldn’t have trained us to be killing machines.” Raoul threw back his head and groaned. “When I get my hands on Cantara I’m going to…”
“Yeah, buddy, me too.” Zeke flashed a brief smile. “Where do you suppose she’s hiding?”
“Training ground is my guess.” Both men turned in that direction. “It’s where she always goes prior to a mission.”
“Or when she’s done something to get us mad at her.”
“Yeah, then too.”
Their collective bad mood gave a little as they caught sight of a very familiar figure, taller than average for a woman, dark hair pulled up on top of her head, green eyes sparkling with determination, her body bathed in a thin film of perspiration. She was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a guy twice her weight and strength—and landed him on his ass. She laughed at his surprised expression and offered him a hand up.
“Gotta hand it to our babe,” Zeke said, nodding in admiration. “She knows how to kick ass.”
“She’ll fucking need to if we can’t talk sense into her.”
The fight recommenced beneath the eagle eye of the army instructor. This time the guy didn’t make the mistake of underestimating Cantara and his superior strength eventually won the day. Laughing, Cantara elevated herself gracefully from the canvas and acknowledged her opponent. She saw the guys watching her and hesitated, just fractionally, before waving and walking over to them. She had a way of moving that hypnotized Raoul, but for once the provocative sway of her slender hips didn’t put paid to his bad mood. She knew she was in trouble and he wasn’t about to cut her any slack just because his cock got hard whenever he was anywhere near her.
“Hey, guys,” she said, a little too casually. “Come to take me to dinner?”
Dinner was not what Raoul had on his mind, but he knew better than to raise that subject of the suicidal mission she had so blithely accepted while they were in public. This was a high-security facility, but still. He slung an arm over Cantara’s shoulders and steered her in the direction of their living quarters.
“We need to talk,” he said curtly.
Cantara’s gaze slid pleadingly in Zeke’s direction.
“How come you guys get to be demonstrative in public and I get left out?” he joked, coming to Cantara’s rescue. Raoul couldn’t blame Zeke for bailing her out, albeit temporarily. When she turned the full artillery of her enormous eyes upon anyone—all vulnerability and smokin’ hot woman—the recipient became putty in her hands. Even so, Raoul dropped his arm, as though it had been intended as nothing more than a friendly gesture. It didn’t do to flaunt the relationship they were trying hard to keep a lid on.
“Aw, don’t feel bad, baby,” she cooed. “Once we get inside you shall have my undivided attention.”
See, Raoul,” Zeke said smugly. “She likes me better than she likes you.”
Raoul flipped him off.
“Not better,” Cantara replied, flashing a tentative smile Raoul’s way, probably conscious of the anger radiating from him since he sure as hell wasn’t trying to hide it. “Just differently, is all. You Native Americans can be very creative with your hands…” She giggled. “Well, with all sorts of your body parts. I like that about you.”
“Is that right?” Zeke sent her a flirtatious smile. “So what do you have planned for me when we get inside?”
“How about one of my special hum jobs? I know you like those.”
Zeke placed both hands over his heart and sighed. “Geez, darlin’, just the thought of it is enough to make me come in my pants.”
“Oh, don’t do that. I’d much rather you came in my mouth.”
Raoul and Zeke shared a look over Cantara’s head. How the fuck was he supposed to remain mad at her when she talked that way? More to the point, how could he possibly let her go on this mission when there were no rules of engagement within their control? If they lost Cantara, it would be like cutting of their own right arms. She’d cleverly brought the conversation around to sex, knowing it would buy her some time. It would, of course. Raoul was already as hard as Zeke claimed to be, just thinking about it. They’d have their fun with the woman they would both give their lives for without hesitation, if that’s what it took to keep her safe. And then they’d talk some sense into her.
Somehow.