his lips had slid against hers.
“They’ll notice.”
Was this how Mary Long and Ben Louis would part?
She brought herself closer to him again and stole another kiss. Even if she wouldn’t be there, she was backing him up. Trusting him to take care of himself. The way he trusted her to operate in her sector.
A kiss between a man and a woman. A kiss between soldiers.
He let out an appreciative growl when they parted. Her frustration wasn’t sexual this time as she moved away from him. She burned to stay and help him finish the fight. But he was right. She had to force herself out of the coming conflict. She got into her car and jabbed the key into the ignition. He held the door open for a moment to lean down and give her a wink, then closed it securely.
She turned the engine over, and the radio started blaring pop. She immediately killed the volume as Ben chuckled at the music. But she didn’t need to apologize, and his levity was gone in the silence.
The tires rolled slowly out of the parking lot. She had to go. She wanted to stay. Through the rearview mirror she saw Ben turn from watching her and walk toward his car. There was a bounce in his step, as if he’d just kissed the girl and had no idea the fight was coming. The three truckers detached from their rigs and approached him. She turned a corner and lost sight. Her frustration rose, laced with anger. Was it because of their operation? Or the kiss? She made a silent promise to Ben, one she’d never tell him, that she’d never leave him without backup again.
Chapter Five
Cold weather always made the hard points of a fight ache more. Knuckles and knees and elbows were already raw from the chill. Get them hit, and the pain was like frozen lightning bolts. He blew in his hands and rubbed them together as he approached his car.
Did he still taste her? Was it his imagination that filled his head with the scent of hot roses? The kiss had hit him like one of her sniper rounds. Out of nowhere, and he was on the ground. Flirting was one thing, and the little touches they’d shared had reinforced the act for anyone watching. But there was more to that kiss than their cover. Honest need. And a challenge that he had to be truthful.
He had been. She’d taken his breath away.
He’d wanted another, and he’d gotten it. Totally unexpected. The mysteries of Mary did not end. Pursuing them would take him way out of the safe and distant life he’d been leading, leaving him exposed.
Way more exposed than standing in this half-empty parking lot while three truckers sauntered their thick selves toward him. None of them appeared to be carrying handguns. All three had pocketknives clipped to their pockets. He had two knives on him. If the bullies wanted to get things deadly, Ben could reach for the compact 9mm strapped to his ankle, but that escalation would change the whole profile of the operation. One shot fired, and he’d have to go completely dark until extraction or a larger force could arrive to take on a full fight.
“You guys hear I was giving away the performance bands?” He opened his bag. Either the compact flashlight or the collapsible baton inside could be used to dissuade an attack. “I’ve got enough for you. Perfect for your circulation during those long days in the captain’s chair.”
They didn’t look interested. They just looked mean. Two were around the same size. Broad shoulders and thick arms. One of them wore a knit cap, and the other was shaved bald. The third trucker licked his lips and blinked hard. Whatever he was cranked on kept him lean. Heavy boots on all three men.
The big guys made the first wave of the attack while the tweaker hung back, shifting from side to side eagerly. The men were brawlers, rushing Ben with closed fists. Wild fury reddened their eyes. A primal show of force meant to intimidate the victim and win the fight before any punches were thrown.
Ben stood his ground, stayed loose and let the wave of violence
“They’ll notice.”
Was this how Mary Long and Ben Louis would part?
She brought herself closer to him again and stole another kiss. Even if she wouldn’t be there, she was backing him up. Trusting him to take care of himself. The way he trusted her to operate in her sector.
A kiss between a man and a woman. A kiss between soldiers.
He let out an appreciative growl when they parted. Her frustration wasn’t sexual this time as she moved away from him. She burned to stay and help him finish the fight. But he was right. She had to force herself out of the coming conflict. She got into her car and jabbed the key into the ignition. He held the door open for a moment to lean down and give her a wink, then closed it securely.
She turned the engine over, and the radio started blaring pop. She immediately killed the volume as Ben chuckled at the music. But she didn’t need to apologize, and his levity was gone in the silence.
The tires rolled slowly out of the parking lot. She had to go. She wanted to stay. Through the rearview mirror she saw Ben turn from watching her and walk toward his car. There was a bounce in his step, as if he’d just kissed the girl and had no idea the fight was coming. The three truckers detached from their rigs and approached him. She turned a corner and lost sight. Her frustration rose, laced with anger. Was it because of their operation? Or the kiss? She made a silent promise to Ben, one she’d never tell him, that she’d never leave him without backup again.
Chapter Five
Cold weather always made the hard points of a fight ache more. Knuckles and knees and elbows were already raw from the chill. Get them hit, and the pain was like frozen lightning bolts. He blew in his hands and rubbed them together as he approached his car.
Did he still taste her? Was it his imagination that filled his head with the scent of hot roses? The kiss had hit him like one of her sniper rounds. Out of nowhere, and he was on the ground. Flirting was one thing, and the little touches they’d shared had reinforced the act for anyone watching. But there was more to that kiss than their cover. Honest need. And a challenge that he had to be truthful.
He had been. She’d taken his breath away.
He’d wanted another, and he’d gotten it. Totally unexpected. The mysteries of Mary did not end. Pursuing them would take him way out of the safe and distant life he’d been leading, leaving him exposed.
Way more exposed than standing in this half-empty parking lot while three truckers sauntered their thick selves toward him. None of them appeared to be carrying handguns. All three had pocketknives clipped to their pockets. He had two knives on him. If the bullies wanted to get things deadly, Ben could reach for the compact 9mm strapped to his ankle, but that escalation would change the whole profile of the operation. One shot fired, and he’d have to go completely dark until extraction or a larger force could arrive to take on a full fight.
“You guys hear I was giving away the performance bands?” He opened his bag. Either the compact flashlight or the collapsible baton inside could be used to dissuade an attack. “I’ve got enough for you. Perfect for your circulation during those long days in the captain’s chair.”
They didn’t look interested. They just looked mean. Two were around the same size. Broad shoulders and thick arms. One of them wore a knit cap, and the other was shaved bald. The third trucker licked his lips and blinked hard. Whatever he was cranked on kept him lean. Heavy boots on all three men.
The big guys made the first wave of the attack while the tweaker hung back, shifting from side to side eagerly. The men were brawlers, rushing Ben with closed fists. Wild fury reddened their eyes. A primal show of force meant to intimidate the victim and win the fight before any punches were thrown.
Ben stood his ground, stayed loose and let the wave of violence
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