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“Don’t question the boss. I’ve only ever asked him once if he wanted company, and I’ll never ask him again.”
“Why?”
“Because he might just shoot you. He’ll never answer you, anyway. If it brings him peace, what do you care?”
Ty
I dropped my duffle bag on the floor next to my other belongings and took a breath before I entered the living room. I’d met a few of them outside, but it was time to meet the rest.
“Not a fan of crowds?” A guy came up behind me and smiled.
“Just getting used to being around people who don’t want to kill me.” I went with honesty as I held out a hand. “Ty Beckett.”
“John Black.” He folded his arms and looked back at the room.
“I’ve heard a little about you, Black.”
“You as well. I’m looking forward to seeing you in action. Your resume is impressive.”
“Don’t believe all you hear.”
“Spoken like a true soldier.” He smiled. He was right. Most soldiers didn’t want the attention for what we did. We all did the job for our own reasons, but mainly because we believed in making a difference. It sounded so patriotic, but it was the truth. “I didn’t spend as much time away from the United States as you did, especially consecutively, but I can promise you this place is great, especially after being over there.” I shifted uneasily and tried to push back the image of Brown’s face. “Welcome to the family.” He sounded sincere.
“Thanks.”
“A word of advice, watch out for that one.” He pointed to a woman who had just stepped out the door. She rolled her eyes, and he laughed as he hurried off.
“Don’t listen to John.” She grinned and held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Sloane, that big lug’s wife. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ty.”
“You too, Sloane.” I took a step into the room and let my eyes adjust as I surveyed the exits.
“Hey, Ty.” Dr. Roberts suddenly appeared, no doubt sensing my unease. “I can take it from here, Sloane.” He smiled, and she inclined her head and moved away. “Let’s make this really easy on you.”
“Okay.”
“That’s Colonel Logan’s wife, Savannah, now talking with Sloane. That woman pretending not to look at you is Catalina.” He chuckled. “Lexi’s not home right now, but she’s Keith’s wife. Keith’s the guy in gray by the window.” He pointed to each person as he talked. “They’re all trying to give you some space while the women, on the other hand, can’t wait to sink their claws into you.” He laughed again, and I assumed this was the norm. I got it.
“I get that.” I went for a smile. “My sister is the same way.”
“The kids are out on an adventure with Abigail and her sister June, who you’ll meet later. And,” his smile softened as he looked over my shoulder at someone behind me, “this is the newest addition to the house, besides you, of course, Dr. Ivy Knight.”
Ivy…
I turned to see her, that drop-dead gorgeous woman I’d met earlier in a sliver of porch light. If I hadn’t already met her, I mightn’t have caught her glossy eyes. This time I took in her whole look and not just those eyes. She was dressed in a sexy business look. Her slender shoulders and small waist were wrapped in a gray blouse that dipped just low enough to show a little cleavage. Her long blonde hair reached all the way down to her waist. I drank her in. I couldn’t help it. She was incredible. I’d lived among soldiers for the past eight years, and it had obviously affected my judgement. I couldn’t help my eyes as they traveled down her body. Her slender, tanned legs under that tight skirt ended in a set of incredibly sexy heels. I really missed the female body. I knew I had to speak, but my tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth. I managed to take a breath.
“Dr. Knight,” Dr. Roberts coughed as I remained silent, “this is Tyler Beckett, our newest recruit.”
“Nice to meet you, Dr. Knight.” I found my voice, but it sounded odd even to my own ears. I acted like our previous encounter had never happened. No one needed to know.
“You as well, Beckett.” Relief took over her face and she seemed to relax. Her pink lips stretched into a warm smile, and her green eyes lit up when she made eye contact again. “You just returned from Afghanistan, correct?”
My gut twisted, but I pushed past it.
“Yes, ma’am. I just came off a special ops assignment.”
“Congratulations on your promotion.” Dr. Roberts held his glass up to me. “Beckett was just promoted to major.”
“Oh, you’re a major now.” She smiled. “That’s impressive.”
