Collateral Damage (3 page)

“Yeah, go ahead,” he said, waving her away with one hand without looking up from the wrenches he was gathering, intent on his task.

Glancing back at the helo, she called out to the rest of her crew. “Be back in a few.” When they nodded and resumed their work she slid on her shades and pulled the brim of her soft cap lower on her forehead to keep the sun off her face.

Her boots crunched over the dusty gravel as she headed to the Boardwalk, a covered, wooden-constructed walkway lined with shops and restaurants. As she approached the coffee shop she glanced around, looking for a man in civvies.

She spotted a man in khakis and a polo shirt coming toward her with another soldier but the guy didn’t so much as glance her way when she stopped just ahead of him. Scanning the area, she didn’t see anything but people in multi-cams, PT gear and flight suits. People were playing soccer on the field in the center of the yard and the Canadians had started up a game of ball hockey on the outdoor rink. They’d no doubt be lined up at the Tim Horton’s afterward, to sip on their coveted Ice Caps and eat donuts.

She kept going, had just passed Green Beans coffee when a familiar deep voice sounded behind her.

“Hey, Sarn’t.”

Honor gasped and whirled around, part of her convinced she was imagining that voice. But nope, Liam stood there grinning at her wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans, his Oakleys dangling from one hand.

“Oh my God!” Without thinking she rushed over and threw her arms around him.

His soft chuckle ruffled the hair at her temple as his heavy arms engulfed her and squeezed tight, pressing her against that long, hard body she’d been fantasizing about for months. And the way he held her, so close, like she was precious to him, made her melt.

Honor closed her eyes and clung for a long moment while her heart tried to pound its way out of her chest. She couldn’t believe he was actually here, holding her this way, definitely more than friends. He smelled like soap and warm, spicy male.

Though she could have stayed in his embrace forever, they likely had an audience. After a long moment she forced herself to ease her grip long enough to pull away and look into his gorgeous face. His bright green eyes were full of amusement. “What are you doing here?” she asked breathlessly.

He shrugged those broad shoulders, the muscles bunching deliciously beneath her hands. She knew he’d be like that all over, couldn’t wait to explore his body once she finally got him naked. She’d been dreaming about it for so long. “Got a few unexpected hours off and decided to catch a transport down to see you.” His teeth flashed in the midst of his five o’clock shadow as he grinned. “Surprise.”

He’d hopped a transport from Bagram just to see her for a few hours? Best surprise
ever
. Part of her was still convinced she was dreaming though. He’d already been deployed when she’d received her orders to come here, so it had been weeks since they’d last seen each other. “It’s great to see you.” He looked amazing as always. Strong enough to take on the world, and capable enough to do it.

Smiling, she released his shoulders then started to step back to put a little space between them and tried not to melt when he didn’t release her right away. Instead he kept his hands at her waist, his fingers stroking over the small of her back. The deliberate touch was a discreet caress, and charged with the same possessiveness she read in his eyes. Before now, Liam had only ever looked at her like that in her wildest imaginings.

Her mouth went dry as tingles erupted across her skin and her nipples tightened against her bra. Was he finally going to kiss her?

Don’t be stupid; you’re in uniform standing in the middle of base.

After a moment he let his hands slip away, his palms brushing against the sides of her hips in a way that made her insides flutter as he lowered his arms. So many times she’d imagined his hands gripping her hips while his weight pinned her to the bed and he pumped into her. “You settling in okay?”

She was barely aware of the people walking past them on the boardwalk, her eyes only for him. “Yeah, everything’s great. Weather and climate reminds me a lot of Iraq.” Same shit, different sandbox.

He nodded, amusement still bright in his gaze. “Yeah but soon you’ll be out of the Chair Force, all coddled and soft, and be one of us.”

She grinned at the teasing jab. In a couple months she’d be finished her blue-to-green program that allowed her to officially transfer from the Air Force into the Army. “Yep, but look at me now in the meantime, living it up here in Kandahar.” She was grateful for the privacy her shades afforded her because she couldn’t help staring at him. He had a ridiculously square jaw and sharp features that gave him an intensely masculine look.

“Pretty cushy down here, all right.”

“I’d offer to show you around but you probably know the lay of the land here better than I do,” she said.

One side of his sexy mouth curved upward. “Pretty sure I do, yeah.” The muscles in his arms flexed as he slid his shades back on, completing the sexy picture before her.

Liam radiated power and authority, traits innate to him and his fellow SOF brothers. He’d been promoted to major a couple months ago, after only three years with SOAR. He’d tried to downplay it in his e-mail to her when it happened but she knew how much the promotion meant to him. She couldn’t be prouder of him.

“Why the civvies?” she asked, drinking in the sight of his powerful frame in those jeans and snug shirt.

Another shrug. “Figured it would make things easier for us without rank being in the way. Because there’s no way you’d have hugged me like that if I was in uniform.”

“True,” she said with a grin. Honor also knew part of the reason for the casual dress was because he didn’t like drawing attention to himself, or that he was with SOAR. Being out of uniform would help him fly under the radar a little easier, so to speak.

He put his hands on his hips. “So, what did I steal you away from in your day?”

“We were just changing the blades on a sixty. My staff sergeant gave me permission to leave for a bit.”

“Yeah?” He raised one dark eyebrow. “So how long do we have?”

The sensual undertone to the question filled her with butterflies. She wanted to feel that beautiful mouth on hers, experience what it was like for those strong hands to roam over her body. “I don’t know. Not long enough.” She wouldn’t shirk her duties, not even for him. “But you knew that before coming down and still made the trip anyhow,” she said with a smile, shaking her head in wonder. “That’s a lot of hassle to go through just to see me.”

He reached out a long finger and trailed it down the length of her nose, the gesture tender and intimate. “Any amount of hassle would be worth it for the chance to see you.”

Her heart turned over at his words and she shook herself, remembering they were out in the open. “Have you eaten? I can grab a quick bite with you.” It wasn’t like they’d have much privacy anywhere on base, so here on the Boardwalk was as good a place as any, and at least that way they’d have a good excuse to sit and talk for a while.

“Sure, sounds good.” He fell in step with her on the way back to the coffee shop.

Honor was still amazed that he’d gone to all this trouble just to see her. They’d been building toward something more than friendship for months now and though she’d never come out and said the words, he must know how strong her feelings were for him. She’d love to know exactly where she stood with him.

“So how are things going up at Bagram?” she asked to spur conversation after she placed their orders. He’d insisted on paying and she’d let him. Not the first official date she’d envisioned for them, but this had a special magic she’d never forget. Every cell in her body was attuned to him, how close he was.

He gave her a secret smile that made her belly flip. “Good. We’ve been busy.”

“I can imagine.” She’d love to know exactly what he’d been up to on his recent missions but wouldn’t ask because he couldn’t tell her even if he wanted to. A sappy smile stretched across her face. “Still can’t believe you’re really here.”

He reached past her to grab their drinks from the window. “Yeah, and that’s partly why I came down too.”

Frowning, she followed him over to a picnic table set up off to the side of the boardwalk in the shade. “What do you mean?” She set their muffins down.

He swung a long leg over the bench and put the drinks down. “I’m well aware that actions speak louder than words to you. So here I am.”

She sat down. Had he realized she was unsure of his intentions before now? He’d been paying closer attention to her all this time than she’d realized. And damn, she wanted to touch him so badly, put her hand on the side of his face to feel that shadow of stubble against her palm and glide her thumb across his full lower lip.

But she couldn’t. That hug earlier had been risky enough but displaying affection out here where anyone could see them…no. That kind of fraternization was a punishable offense and she wouldn’t risk getting either of them in trouble. Liam had far more to lose on that count than she did though. It made his coming down here even more special.

For a moment she didn’t know what to say. “I guess I wasn’t sure what you…wanted,” she finished, not knowing how else to phrase it without blurting out all her feelings and leaving herself vulnerable.

His grin flashed again, dissolving the sudden tension inside her. “Well now you do.”

There was no mistaking he meant her.

Honor’s heart thudded as a wave of arousal washed over her. She sucked in a deep breath and kept up the chatter as they ate across from each other, doing her best to focus on the conversation while her entire body burned with anticipation. The man had hopped a transport just to come sneak in a short visit with her. She didn’t know how their relationship would progress from here; all she knew was today marked the definitive turning point from friends to much more.

The intent way he watched her, his full attention focused on her, sent a delicious thrill up her spine. It was a subtle form of torture to sit across from him and imagine being able to run her hands over his powerful male body and map those sculpted muscles with her fingertips. To imagine the feel of his skin against hers and his weight atop her someday soon. She gripped the bottle of water and drank half of it to ease the sudden dryness in her throat, nodding in response to something he’d just said.

Liam set his own water down, took off his shades and leaned back a little on the bench seat. “How’re your sister and parents doing?”

The question startled her. This was a touchy, almost taboo subject for them and she was surprised he’d asked. “Fine. Same old same old.”

He nodded, his expression even. “You gonna tell them about me?”

“What about you?”

He gave her a long, pointed look. “That I came to see you, for starters.”

Best if she didn’t, to avoid stirring up that hornet’s nest, because they’d know what it signified. “If it comes up,” she said easily, trying to make light of it. She’d been so careful to keep her growing feelings for him a secret from Charity and her parents.

Liam watched her for a long moment, those keen eyes studying her, male hunger glowing in their depths. “They’re gonna find out about us sooner or later.”

Charity would freak if she knew they were together. Her parents, too.

Honor hid a wince but quickly focused on the heart of the matter. “Us,” she repeated, wanting to be clear on what that meant exactly. She held her breath as she awaited his answer.

“Yeah,
us
,” he said, leaning forward to rest his thick forearms on the scarred wooden surface of the table. He lowered his voice to an intimate murmur. “Unless I’ve been reading you completely wrong for the past five months and you don’t want there to be an us.”

She couldn’t deny it so she shook her head. She wanted him more than anything, even with the impending shit-storm their being together would cause in her family. “I’ll tell them.” Eventually, if things really did progress from here. “But how’s this going to work, anyway?” She glanced around to make sure no one was listening and immediately felt stupid because Liam would never talk about this with an audience. “I mean, you and me? We’ll both be over here for months yet.”

His expression softened, his lips twitching in a little smile. “Where there’s a will there’s a way, sweet pea.”

The endearment made her heart flutter and sent a rush of warmth through her. She adored this man and she wanted him all to herself. As in exclusive, every other woman on the planet off limits to him. If she was being honest, someday she wanted a ring, a home, the vows and a family with him. He couldn’t know all that though, because she’d never told him. Did he have any idea how hard she’d been falling for him this whole time?

She glanced away. “It’s gonna be hard.” Especially if he had different ideas about where their relationship was headed.

“Yeah,” he acknowledged. “You’re worth it though.”

At that she looked back up at him, got lost in his eyes as he gazed across the table at her. Liam smiled and picked up his water, his throat working as he swallowed the rest of it. Then he stood, still watching her. “Guess I’d better let you get back to work.”

Oh, work. Right.

Honor scrambled to her feet and adjusted her cap before rounding the end of the table and following beside him back up the boardwalk. What she wouldn’t give to be able to reach out and link their hands together right now.

She walked slowly, hating for her time with him to end. There was so much left unsaid, so many things to be nailed down between them and she was afraid to ask, afraid that what she wanted was too much to demand of him.

“When will I see you again?” she asked finally. They e-mailed each other all the time and talked over the phone when they could but even then they had to be careful with what they said. Man, Honor would have given an entire year’s salary to be alone with him in total privacy for a few minutes right now.

“I’ll come down whenever I can. When your deployment’s done I’ll likely still be stateside, so we’ll be together then for sure.”