One Man's War by Lindsay McKenna Page A

beat of her heart against his chest wall, the firmness of her small breasts. He was wildly aware of the shallow rise and fall of her breathing, and even more aware of how Tess fit beautifully—perfectly—against his tall frame.
    Tess slowly extricated herself from Pete’s tight embrace. Shocked by her own impulsive gesture, she touched her flaming cheek as she looked shyly up into his hooded eyes, smoldering with raw need of her. “I—I’m sorry...I don’t know what happened....”
    â€œI’m not sorry at all,” Pete rasped, his voice roughened with desire. Tess looked incredibly vulnerable right now, wide open for any attack he might make on her. But something stopped him from taking advantage of her—for now. She was shaken. So was he.
    The moment was broken when the shortwave radio in the jeep began to squawk. Cursing the bad timing, Pete picked it up and called in.
    Tess stepped away and crossed her arms, as if to hold herself together after the unexpected embrace. Disappointment washed through her: Pete was needed immediately back at base to fly an urgent mission.
    Apologetically, Pete put the radio on the seat of the jeep. He began to transfer the goods from the vehicle and Tess pitched in to help him. “Sorry I can’t stay, Tess.”
    â€œI am, too,” she admitted. They placed the sheets of plywood against the trunk of a rubber tree. In moments, the jeep was unloaded. Tess wiped her dusty hands against the thighs of her uniform. “Will it be dangerous, this mission?”
    Pete shrugged, not wanting to leave. The need to capture Tess’s provocative mouth was real, overriding. “I don’t know.”
    â€œWell,” she cast about, “Gib said you guys fly one mission a day. This would be your second one.”
    Forcing himself to climb into the jeep, Pete started up the cantankerous vehicle. “Don’t worry about me, honey. I’m too damn mean to die. Didn’t you know? Only the good die young. I’m going to be around until I’m a dirty old man of ninety.”
    She laughed and stepped away from the jeep. “You’re such a hard case, Mallory. When will I see you again?”
    Pete grinned belatedly. “When do you want to see me?”
    â€œAs soon as possible. I could use another set of strong, capable hands to turn that plywood into a small room we could use as a school.”
    With a groan, Pete complained, “So you only want me for my body.”
    It was her turn to smile. “Isn’t that what you only want from me? What an interesting turn of the tables....”
    In that instant, Pete liked Tess more than ever. She had spunk and wit, not to mention an unquenchable spirit. He laughed. “All’s fair in love and war, and honey, we’re in a war. I’ll drop by and loan you myself as soon as possible. Okay?”
    Sobering, Tess said, “Be careful, Pete.”
    â€œI always am.”
    â€œNo, I mean, be really careful.”
    â€œFor you, I will be, honey. See you later.”
    Tess watched the jeep disappear, leaving a cloud of reddish dust in its wake. So much was happening to her when it came to Pete. He was incredibly complex—one moment the jokester; the next, hauntingly human and emotionally fragile. Turning around, Tess looked at all the equipment he’d brought. A number of children had come up to eagerly sift through the contents and finger the soft, clean material. Their faces were filled with awe over the array of rainbow colors. With a shake of her head, Tess moved toward the expectant and excited children.
    â€œYou’re something else, mister. Something else,” she muttered, hoping against hope that she would see Pete much sooner rather than later.

CHAPTER FOUR
    â€œY ou’re turning into a bear,” Gib Ramsey noted of Pete as they slowly walked off the tarmac toward the line shack to finish off their flight reports. The afternoon sun