LITMIR.BIZ

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locked in the cabin next door with some beef jerky treats to keep him occupied for now.” Even though Kathlene had reserved this cabin on their behalf, Jock had Ralf book another one next door in case they needed additional space. And cover. Like now.

      “Good. Then let her in.”

      Ralf approached the wide wooden door attached to the cabin’s fake log walls and opened it. “Jock?” said a woman’s voice in a low, husky tone.

      “You must be Jock’s friend Kathlene,” Ralf said more loudly, obviously in case there was anyone outside eavesdropping. “Come in. I’m his good friend Ralf Nunnoz.”

      “Good to meet you, Ralf.” The female voice was louder now, too. Higher in tone, as well, in her apparent embarrassment.

      The woman who had to be Kathlene Baylor, deputy sheriff of the local Montana county and seeker of Alpha Force help, walked in the door, looked around and approached Jock.

      Not that she truly knew what Alpha Force was about. Jock was certain of that.

      “Hi,” she said, sounding relieved now as Ralf shut the door behind her. “Jock? I’m Kathlene.”

      “Good to see you, buddy,” he said, donning their cover as if it was who they all truly were. He strode over to the woman and, ignoring her unappealing law-enforcement uniform, gave her a big hug.

      She was tall, though not as tall as he was. She was slender. And those curves—his body reacted immediately as if their cover was that they were long-separated lovers instead of friends.

      Hell, if he had known her in the past they would have been more than friends. He’d have had sex with her as fast as he could have seduced her.

      Then.

      But not now. They had a joint mission to accomplish. One that, if she was correct about what was going on around here, definitely needed Alpha Force’s unique touch to straighten it out. And if Kathlene found out the truth about him, he felt sure that making love with him would be the last thing she would ever want.

      Unless his seduction could convince her otherwise...

      She backed up. Quickly. Her face was flushed. She was one good-looking woman, despite how severely her dark hair was pulled back from those reddened cheeks. That face didn’t need adornment. It was smooth, with sexy, full lips and sparkling eyes that peered out from beneath black brows that helped to frame them.

      Her gray uniform wasn’t the sexiest thing he had ever seen a woman wear—and yet Kathlene filled it out in all the right places. A definitely appealing bustline—as he had felt pressed against him. A small waist.

      Of course the holster she wore at her hip didn’t exactly turn him on, but it went with the rest of her gear. He wondered where her weapon was, figured she’d locked it up since she wasn’t currently on duty, or so he assumed.

      But admiring her—or not—wasn’t why Ralf and he had come.

      Right now he needed to get this woman’s description of what was going on here.

      And then Alpha Force could get to work.

      * * *

      Jock Larabey. Her old college buddy. Or so the rest of the world should believe.

      The guy did look military, muscles bulging from beneath his snug University of Montana T-shirt. It appeared that he had indeed come here prepared to play the cover-story role they had decided on. They were supposed to have gone to the U of M, Missoula campus, at the same time and become friends there.

      That was, in fact, the part of the state where she had grown up. And then had her life turned utterly upside down, when her parents—

      No. She wouldn’t think about that now. It was why she hadn’t actually remained friends with people she had known back then, but she didn’t tell anyone that.

      And at the moment, she had something a lot more pressing to think about. But she hadn’t expected someone as hot-looking as this man, with his wide shoulders, chiseled face and sexy hint of pale brown facial hair. His piercing hazel eyes surveyed her as if assessing whether she, too, was all she was cracked up to be. She forced herself to smile and was rewarded with a grin that suggested he had been assessing more than that about her.

      And that hug? Appropriate for the situation, sure, but it had set her insides very inappropriately on fire.

      She had to back away from those kinds of thoughts. Cool off. Or at least try to.

      “We need to talk, Kathlene,” Jock said.

      She glanced toward the door. It was closed, and the other man, Ralf, stood nearby. They could, in fact, talk now.

      “I know what the story is that you described to get Alpha Force’s interest,” Jock continued, “but I want to hear it directly from you.”

      “Of course.”

      This could take a while. She glanced around for someplace to sit. This cabin was as rustic in here as it was outside. Near one wall there were a couple of narrow beds with green plaid blankets, pale green sheets and pillows with matching covers.

      Beds? Her mind again darted to that hug and the feel of his body against her. She quickly looked away.

      In one corner was a kitchenette, and beside it a small table with two chairs. Should she sit there with Jock to go over the situation? Safer than anywhere near the beds, of course.

      But what about Ralf?

      Good thing he was still around. That also helped Kathlene focus on what was important, and not how her libido had been stoked.

      Ralf stood near Jock, arms crossed, watching her. He was shorter than Jock and not quite as muscular, but he, too, looked strong. The gray in his black hair was surprising since he didn’t look older than mid-thirties, only a few years older than Kathlene. Ralf’s facial features were wide and suggested, like his last name, a Hispanic background. Like Jock, his casual outfit didn’t even hint that he was currently in the military and on assignment.

      Jock must have caught her indecision. He gestured with one muscular arm toward the table. “You and I can sit there, and Ralf will hang out near us.”

      Ralf strode toward the nearest wall and leaned against it, arms crossed over his chest. It appeared that he was used to taking orders from Jock. All Kathlene had been told about them was that they were members of a covert military unit called Alpha Force, her “friend” Jock was a lieutenant, and he would be accompanied by a noncommissioned officer.

      She only hoped that the two of them could at least provide whatever juice was needed to bring in more help if needed.

      And she expected it would be.

      For now she, like Ralf, followed the sort-of instructions that Jock gave and sat at the table.

      And decided how best to begin this conversation.

      * * *

      Jock sent Ralf to the kitchen area to grab bottles of water for all of them. Until he rejoined them, this would be a good time to learn Kathlene’s background.

      Like, did she believe in shapeshifters?

      He laughed internally at the thought. That was a question that would never get asked.

      As she spoke, she told him she had always lived in Montana, moving from Missoula after college.

      Despite their cover story, Jock had never been in Montana before. He had grown up in Wisconsin, another state where there were more rural areas than city life. Where wilderness was the primary topography.

      That was where his family had settled long ago. The remoteness helped to hide what they were. But what he was had made him gravitate toward the U.S. Military as soon as he first heard of Alpha Force.

      Ralf returned and placed a bottle of water on the smooth but unpolished wooden table before each of them.

      “Here’s to our

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