Model Soldier (16 page)

Jai raised a brow in her direction. He had worked with her enough to know her obsessive organizational issues, too. And Emily felt fairly certain that it was becoming increasingly obvious to Mel, also.

Was she that transparent to the male race?

“Why yes, Emily. I think it is an excellent idea to go over things with Mel. Sergeant, would you and your men like to join us while we brief our new cameraman?”

Hawk nodded. “Sure. Just let us grab some chow.”

Jai smiled. “Great.”

“We’ll be right back,” Wally said, specifically to Emily, with a wink and a grin.

Hiding a smile, she nodded. “Okay, we’ll wait for you.”

Hawk, Wally and Pettit left and when the overwhelming presence that was Hawk moved further away, Emily could finally breathe freely for the first time in minutes.

“So, you and the Staff Sergeant, huh?” Mel grinned.

“Jai!” Emily squealed the accusation, spinning to frown at him.

“What? I didn’t tell him! My hand to God, Emily, I swear,” Jai defended.

“Don’t blame him, love. Fair dinkum, Emmie, Jai didn’t tell me. You did. You should never play poker. You don’t have the face for it.”

Emily sighed. No use hiding it now.

Mel continued, “Whatever happened, there’s a bit of tension between you two now, I think.”

Emily laughed at that understatement. “Yeah. There is. He emailed me exactly once afterwards and now, after months of no contact, he’s acting like I’m his territory. You’re both men. What’s up with that?”

Jai shrugged and suggested, “Just men being men?”

Mel nodded. “Right, mate. And if you use it to your advantage, he’ll play directly into your hands.”

About to ask what he meant, and reiterate she was so angry that maybe she didn’t want him in her hands, further conversation was interrupted because Hawk and his men returned, trays of food in hand.

Changing the subject, Emily grabbed her briefcase off the floor. “Okay, let’s get started.”

“Super. So what have you got for me, love?” Mel asked, hooking an arm around the back of Emily’s chair. His fingers stretched to gently run up and down her arm.

It took Emily a moment to recover from the shock of that, and after one look at his wicked grin, she realized Mel was trying to make Hawk jealous for her benefit. And as petty as Emily felt, she kind of liked that idea. It would serve him right, after all. Maybe if he had bothered to email her, things could have been different.

A glance in Hawk’s direction and how his gaze remained focused on Mel’s fingers still touching her told her the plan was working and also raised another issue—what if Hawk decided to beat up Mel over what was really a sham?

Hmm. She’d have to consider this carefully. On one hand, the shoot would be more difficult if the model took a swing at the cameraman. On the other hand, she loved that Hawk was jealous.

She watched as Pettit and Wally attacked their food like starving men while Hawk had yet to touch his, and she was certain jealousy was practically killing the man.

His face growing more stony by the second, Emily really began to fear for Mel’s well being.

Deciding there was nothing she could do about it now without making a scene, she ignored Mel and his wandering fingers, refused to look at Hawk and his possessive anger and took out her papers to review the schedule with all involved. When all else failed, resort to work mode, that was Emily’s usual modus operandi in times of personal crisis, and she saw no need to change it now.

“Okay. First thing after breakfast with the troops tomorrow morning is Wally’s promotion ceremony with Hawk and Kerri London,” Emily began.

Hawk would surely need dental work done by the time he left Bagram, because pretty much since he’d arrived, he’d had to keep his teeth grit tightly together in an attempt to not tell that damn Aussie to get his fucking hands off of Emily.

The cameraman had been all handy with her at dinner, then even worse the next morning when the bastard had the nerve to kiss her cheek hello at breakfast, leaving Hawk to wonder precisely where the bastard had spent the night and with whom.

Exactly how long had Emily and Crocodile Dundee been here in Bagram together? Hawk didn’t know but he sure as hell wanted to find out.

In spite of their history together, or maybe because of it, Hawk would never take Emily as the kind who would sleep around with a guy she’d just met. He knew he’d been the exception in Germany, not the rule. But damn, with this guy anything was possible. She might see him as different…smooth, sexy (not that Hawk could judge such things in other men) and he had that foreign thing going. Chicks always dug guys with foreign accents.

The possibility of Emily being with this Mel Townsend character was all Hawk could think about, and now he had to participate in Wally’s promotion ceremony in front of a hundred and fifty, maybe two hundred, soldiers.

They were all gathered there, not for him or for Wally’s promotion, but instead to get a look at this supposedly famous Kerri London singer babe.

“I can’t believe Kerri London is going to help promote me!” Wally hissed in his ear.

“You’ve heard of her?” Hawk asked softly, surprised.

“Hell, yeah! You haven’t? Oh come on, Hawk. You’ve heard her songs, I’m sure of it.
Red Lipstick and a New Pair of Shoes
?”

Hawk raised a brow. “Must have missed that one.”

“
Only Your Dog Loves You Now
?” Wally suggested further.

Hawk laughed. “Nope. Sorry. But that’s a good title, though.”

Wally let out a frustrated sigh. “What do you listen to?”

“You bitching, mostly,” Hawk grinned and then stood at attention when the superior officer who’d be promoting Wally climbed the stairs to the makeshift wooden stage followed by the red lipstick wearing star herself. At least they’d put her in a flak jacket for the day so perhaps Wally would be able to avoid drooling on her during the ceremony.

"Attention to Orders!" The sound reverberated through the crowd. The gathering of soldiers on the ground in front of the stage snapped firmly to attention in unison.

A few hundred men in formation all in their camo uniforms, looking sharp and professional; Hawk knew that sight would make Emily happy for her shot. He located her blonde head and cute figure quickly in the crowd. Then he found that bastard cameraman nearby her and scowled.

Hawk forced himself to pay attention as the ceremony began and the officer read the promotion warrant.

"The Secretary of the Army has reposed special trust and confidence in the Patriotism, Valor, Fidelity, and Professional Excellence of Trent Shirley Wallace…”

Shirley
? Oh, Wally was never going to hear the end of that! 

“…In view of these qualities and his demonstrated leadership potential and dedicated service to the U.S. Army, he is therefore promoted from Specialist to Sergeant…”

As the reading of the warrant continued and finally came to a conclusion, Hawk had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at Wally’s middle name and the look of horror on his face when he realized Hawk had heard it.

For the final piece of the promotion, the officer who’d read the warrant whispered instructions to the singer, who, to Wally’s great pleasure, personally put his new stripes on his uniform.

“Congratulations, Sergeant Wallace,” she cooed to the accompaniment of a few cameras flashes and the collective cheer of the assembly.

The promotion part of this gig was over but unfortunately Hawk’s job was far from done. Next came the picture taking part of the program because every one of those many soldiers standing out in the cold was there to get his picture taken with Kerri London and Hawk was supposed to stand there next to her for each and every single shot, whether they wanted him there or not.

He glanced down at her now as she addressed him directly. “Hey there, sugar. Sorry we didn’t get to meet earlier. I’m Kerri.”

Hawk took her extended hand. “Staff Sergeant Hawkins.”

She raised one thin eyebrow. “That’s a mouthful, darlin’, although I am sure you are just that.” She smiled seductively. “What should I call you?”

Hawk raised a brow of his own. “You can call me Hawk.”

“Mmm. I like that. Hawk. Nice. Now, Sergeant Trent Shirley Wallace. Since you’re the man of the hour, you get your picture made first.” She turned her solicitous smile on Wally, who visibly melted beneath her gaze.

“Shirley’s a family name, ma’am. My mama’s maiden name. We take family seriously where I’m from,” he explained, standing so close to Kerri for the pose they looked glued at the hip.

The Army photographer motioned for Hawk to step closer to her also and he did so, although leaving a good six inches between his leg and hers.

“A fine man such as yourself, I’m sure you do take family serious, sugar. Now smile pretty for the camera.”

The snap of the camera heralded one picture down, two hundred or so more to go.

Actually, the entire process took less time than Hawk anticipated, especially considering Kerri took the time to personally flirt with each and every one of the men who climbed up next to her for a picture, all under the watchful eye of her bodyguard, of course.

By the end, if Hawk never heard the word “sugar” again, it would be too soon.

When the long line of soldiers finally disappeared and Kerri and Hawk were left alone on stage with no one but the base photographer, the woman still amazingly had the capacity to smile at him.

“Well, thank you, Hawk. It was nice to have company for this one. I’m usually alone.”

Hawk had to laugh. He somehow doubted Ms. Kerri London was ever alone unless she wanted to be. “We both know not one of those soldiers was here to have their picture taken with me. They probably have their knives out cutting me out of the prints as we speak.”

She laughed and smacked his chest playfully. “You’re a funny one. But I can tell you I wouldn’t be throwing your photo away. I bet just your picture could keep a girl warm at night.”

Shaking his head at her with a slightly embarrassed grin, Hawk broke eye contact with Kerri and noticed Emily next to the stage. She was telling Rasta-photographer and Crocodile Dundee something, but judging from the look on her face as she noticed Kerri touching him, she was pissed.

Wasn’t that interesting…

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Hawk played right into her jealousy. “Then maybe we should have the photographer snap a shot of just the two of us. One copy for you and one for me. What do you say, Miss London?”

“I’d love that, sugar. But only if you call me Kerri.”

From the corner of his eye he watched Emily’s face redden. Hawk replied with a grin, “You got it, Kerri.”

Then he draped one arm around the star and for the first one of all those many, many pictures, Hawk actually smiled.

Life was short. Hawk had learned that from watching too many lives ended too soon. Emily may be pissed, she may even be sleeping with the Aussie, but he knew one thing for certain, he wouldn’t give up a chance such as this to be with her.

They’d been thrown together again for this USO thing by fate or luck or frigging Dalton for all he knew. But whoever or whatever had put them together, Hawk wouldn’t waste the opportunity.

Disengaging from Kerri, Hawk turned toward a seething Emily. “Okay, boss. What’s next on the agenda?”

He knew exactly what was on the schedule next, it was a tour of the base facilities, but he wanted Emily to have to talk to him.

With a withering look that might wilt a less determined man, Emily answered, “I don’t know. Ask Jai.”

Hawk hid his smile. She knew. She had that schedule memorized, just like he did. She was just too mad to answer him. Yup, this jealousy thing just might work to his advantage.

Loud enough so she would hear, Hawk said, “Come on, Kerri. Off to our next stop.” Then he extended his hand to help the singer down the steps just as Emily turned in a huff and stalked away.

Hawk watched her go and grinned. He always did enjoy a challenge and if nothing else, winning back a fuming Emily would be that.

“Bring it on. I’m ready, sweet thing,” Hawk said to himself.

“You say something, Hawk?” Kerri cooed, nearer to him than he’d realized.

“Hmm? I’m just talking to myself. Bad habit I picked up from being deployed so much. You ready for our tour?”

“Ready and willing, sugar.” She winked and extended her arm for him to take.

Strolling arm in arm with her, like the gentleman he sometimes pretended to be, Hawk shook his head at himself as they walked. In the not so distant past, this woman would have been right up his alley. A hot and willing redhead, a pre-set and definite date of departure, deployment as the ideal excuse to not call her again... The perfect set-up for a short-lived, hot and heavy fling, and Hawk wasn’t at all interested.

Hawk had to wonder about why he had this sudden change of heart. Then he glanced up and saw Emily’s irate, quick stride ahead of them in the distance and Hawk figured he already knew.

Chapter Fifteen

Emily stared down at her copy of the schedule on the desk. One more day for a few more staged photo ops and then back to New York.