LITMIR.BIZ

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over all the drones and flies them out of Camp Bravo. I’ve been on their ass every day by radio, begging them to give us one over the valley. They keep stonewalling me.”

      Bay frowned. “Sir, have you contacted Chief Phillips? He’s running the new SEAL platoon that just rotated into Camp Bravo. I worked with the SEALs over there last year. Different platoon, but I think if you can fly in and see the chief, he might be able to swing a drone your way.” She shrugged. “It’s worth a shot, sir.”

      He smiled, rising and rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess I can go lower myself to the SEAL Chief, get down on my knees and grovel for mercy,” he grumbled.

      Bay realized Anderson was teasing her. “They’re good guys, sir. Kept my butt out of a sling a number of times last summer.”

      “Yeah, they always take the fight to the enemy. They don’t blink when there’s gunfire. Anyone else who has any brains is running away from it. But those guys get a gleam in their eye, grab their M-4s and they’re running as fast as they can toward the damn fight.”

      “They wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said with a smile, feeling pride for them and for Gabe. “They’re very brave warriors in my book, sir.”

      He sighed and studied the map across the planning board. “No disagreement, Doc. We might be Army and they are Navy, but we’re Americans and that’s what really counts. We’re over here doing the same job.”

      “Sir?”

      “Yes?”

      “About a sniper? You said the Taliban are hitting the villages in this valley?”

      “They are. I don’t have a sniper on my team.”

      “Well, sir, why not ask the SEAL Chief if he’s got any guys who might want a little extra hunting challenge over here? They like doing sniper work.”

      “Any chance your fiancé, Griffin, was one?”

      She laughed. “Yes, sir, he is. I learned a lot from him.”

      “It’s not a bad idea, Doc. I’ll give the Chief my sad song, and maybe he’ll feel sorry for an Army son of a bitch and lend me some SEAL help, since I can’t get a drone assigned to us.” He regarded her and said, “Glad you’re here, Doc. Go get situated. Any one of my sergeants will be more than happy to help you adjust to your new digs here. Any problems, see me directly. Okay?”

      Bay stood up. “Yes, sir.”

      “Dismissed, Doc.”

      Bay turned, set her cup on the planning board and shrugged the heavy ruck over her shoulder. She exited the stifling confines of the windowless house.

      Reza stepped from between the houses, grinning like a fox. “Well, did you like Captain Anderson?”

      “Very much,” she said, walking with him. “Do you know where my house is?” Reza knew everything. She’d come to rely on his almost photographic mind.

      His face brightened. “I do! This way!”

      * * *

      GABE WAS EXHAUSTED as he sat down at his computer in his condo. Bay had been gone a week, and he was worried because she hadn’t checked in with him. She’d promised to try and Skype him. He knew she could only do that at Camp Bravo, not in the valley where she was located.

      His fingers itched to type an email to Chief Phillips to see if Bay had gotten to Bravo yet. He’d called Phillips shortly after Bay had flown out of Lindbergh Field. Phillips had rule over the entire platoon and was the man who could make anything happen by coordinating with the three officers above him. When Gabe had told him Bay was his fiancée and that she was in the area, he promised to keep an eye on her. He slept a little better knowing that. SEALs took care of their own.

      His computer beeped. His heart raced. It was a Skype call from Bay.

      “Hey,” Bay said, smiling happily, “how are you?”

      His heart crashed in his chest, powerful emotions nearly choking off his reply. Staring hard at Bay, he noticed how her cheeks were flushed pink, her soft, curly hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore SF cammies.

      “I’m good. Good. How are you?” All calls and emails were run through SEAL HQ back in Coronado. Gabe couldn’t say much and had to keep their communication bland. Hell, he wanted to reach through that screen and haul Bay into his arms and kiss her senseless. Just seeing the light dancing in her blue eyes made him feel an avalanche of relief. She looked good. And happy.

      “I’m getting acclimated to my new digs over in the valley. Got a really squared-away SF captain over there. His team could care less whether I’m a woman or not.”

      Gabe chuckled. “Right on. You’re an 18 Delta, so they don’t care if you have two heads and sprout horns.” He heard her laughter, husky and sweet. His euphoria deepened as he saw her wrinkle her nose, her beautiful lips pulling up into a huge smile over his comment. He loved her. His lower body ached, needed relief. Gabe couldn’t think two thoughts on any given day without thinking of Bay, remembering the times they’d hotly loved one another until they were utterly exhausted.

      “Did you get with Chief?” he demanded.

      “Oh, yeah, I did.” Bay hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “He’s been wonderful, Gabe. When I can manage to get a helo hop over here, he lets me use the team computer. Really sweet of him.”

      Sweet had nothing to do with it, but Gabe nodded and said nothing. “You’re now part of the SEAL family, Bay. He’s gonna treat you right.”

      “He sure has. And, hey, the guys in this platoon have been really nice to me, too.” And then she gave him a wicked grin. “Unlike your team who wanted to burn me at the stake.”

      He absorbed her laughter, drinking in the beauty of her face. “Your nose is sorta red. Been outdoors a lot? Patrols?”

      “I’ve been working clinics outdoors. No patrols, though. The captain wants me to stay in the village where it’s safer.”

      “Smart man. Tell him thank you.” That was profound news and a relief to Gabe.

      She grinned. “Well, the captain said he didn’t want an angry SEAL climbing his ass, so he really wanted to keep you happy.”

      Gabe’s hands were sweaty. He’d had such fear for Bay going out on patrols, his imagination going wild, having a nightmare about her being killed. “Hey, tell that captain I appreciate him watching your back. But you’re right, I’d damn well climb anyone’s ass if they didn’t properly take care of you.”

      “Well,” she murmured, “I think you guys in the SEALs have such a tough reputation, that it’s already a done deal.”

      He sobered. “I love you.” Gabe didn’t give a damn who heard him. Bay’s face softened, and so many emotions crossed her very readable face. She struggled.

      “I love you, too. And I miss you so much, Gabe....”

      “It’s mutual, believe me.” He saw longing in her expression. And sadness that they were once more separated from one another.

      “It has to be hard on you, too.”

      Gabe snorted. “Hell, I’m stateside. What’s gonna happen to me? Get bit by a pissed-off rattler because I ran too close to the manzanita bush he was resting under? Find a scorpion in my sleeping bag and get stung?”

      Bay shook her head, laughing. “God, you make my day, Griffin.”

      How badly Gabe wanted to reach out and simply touch her flushed cheek, kiss her lips, feel Bay lean into him, her arms sliding around his neck. His throat tightened with those intense memories.

      “I’m glad I do,” he said. “I want to see you smiling and happy over there.” He wondered if she felt him come to her at night when she slept.

      “You

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