Stranger Mine: a Base Branch novel (17 page)

T
he Varrera’s
plied them with food, drink, and stories until he was beyond the definite line of gluttony. His face and stomach ached from laughter. Outside the sun sidled toward the horizon. Ryan rubbed damp palms against his jeans. He’d officially put this off long enough to be considered a coward. Sure, he could use the boisterous family as an excuse, but that’s what it would be.

He stood and held his hand out to Piper. “I hate to interrupt this, but I need to steal her away for a little while.”

The old man had started snoring twenty minutes ago. Before that Manuel had taken to his room and toys. The lovers smiled at one another.

“I’ll make sure he knocks,” Gabriella said.

“Ah, it’s the little one I’m worried about.” Ryan laughed.

“Oh, Madre Maria, help me,” she said, burying her face in Matthew’s shoulder.

Ryan tugged Piper from her seat and toward the screened door.

She gave a small wave before turning to follow. Her raised hand moved to a lock of her loose copper strands, twirling it as she walked beside him. With a small tug he angled her away from the bunkhouse and into the vines.

“Walk with me?” As they ambled down the green-cordoned path, his nerves quivered.

“I’m liable to lapse into a food coma, if I sit again. But…I could be okay with a sex coma. At least I’d get some physical activity.” The seductress wound her hair and bit her bottom lip as she gave him a sidelong glance.

“I almost blew you up, Piper.”

Her steps faltered. Dust wafted from gritty earth. Afraid of what he’d see in her eyes, Ryan continued walking.

“But you didn’t.” Her sweet voice crossed the distance between them.

His steps ground to a halt, but he continued to stare at the infinite rows of green. “I knew about the shipment and had decided to leave them. It wasn’t my mission,” he scoffed. “I didn’t want to step foot inside the prison because I was a guilty coward. Didn’t want to see the future I’d doomed them to. Alma. Alisa. I only saved them because of you.”

The truth tasted bitter on his tongue.

“That’s not true. You wouldn’t do anything you didn’t believe to be right. No matter the orders.”

“I’d like to think so, but I’ve done so many bad things in the name of good.”

Her head nuzzled between his shoulder blades and her long, surprisingly strong, arms hugged his middle. “Your good outweighs the bad. The needs of the many outweigh that of the few. It doesn’t make the decisions any easier. Most people don’t have the courage to make those difficult judgments. And the hardest part is living with them.”

Through his shirt she kissed him, and then stretched onto tiptoes. Her soft lips brushed his nape. “You are good. Honest. Brave. Caring. Selfless. Loyal.”

“Because of you. For you.” Ryan turned toward Piper and held her face. Every question found its answer in her eyes. He smothered her face in kisses. “I’ll be right back.” He stepped around her with a big, stupid grin on his face.

“Oh, hell no.” Her hands shot to her hips. She tried for pissed, but couldn’t quite hide the smirk. “I’m done with this cloak and dagger business. What is it? Where are you going?”

“Seriously, you didn’t like it? The adrenaline? Sense of accomplishment at the end of the mission?”

“Sure, scared out of my mind. Heart beating out of my chest.” Her voice laced with sarcasm. Her forceful huff billowed a few strands around her hair, and then she shrugged. “Aside from the fear of you getting shot again and the killing part, I love it.”

“I love you,” he blurted.

Her mouth gaped. She brought her hand up to cover it, but stopped. She pointed. “
I
said, I love it. What did you say?”

Ryan ran at her and caught her below her perfect ass. He hoisted her up high on his chest. Her legs cinched around his torso. Locking on her bronze eyes, he spoke slowly. “I love you, Piper Vega. I don’t want to live a day without you.”

Her teeth gleamed in the final rays of sunset. “I knew it. Well, hoped it really.”

He kissed between her breasts, turned, and headed for the bunkhouse.

“Sex coma was a good idea, huh?” she asked, her fingers sliding gently through his hair.

“Perfect, but first I have to make two calls. One to tell my mother I’m moving to Los Angeles. The other to my commander to make certain Izar is eliminated, tell him I’m transferring to the L.A. office, and see about getting you a job. If you want it?”

“You think I’m cut out for this line of work?”

“Hell yes. I’m not keen on you dodging bullets, but you’re a natural problem solver, quick on your feet, and ballsy.” He set her down inside the door and snagged the phone. “You have ten minutes to get naked, sweet. If I go missing, one of the two of them has snatched me through the phone.”

She stretched up and pulled his lower lip through her teeth. “I’d travel through hell to find you, Ryan.”

“I know you would.”

With one hand, she shoved him back. “I’ll be waiting.” She smiled and closed the door in his face.

He chuckled and hit redial, putting off the call to his mother as long as he could. Old habits and all. After beeps and his call sign and more beeps, Rhonda answered. “Voice confirmation complete. Agent Noble,” she sniffled, “how may I direct your call?”

“Commander Tucker, please. Are you okay?”

“Commander Tucker…is dead, sir.”

I hope you liked reading Stranger Mine as much as I did writing it. If you did, why not leave a quick review for Stranger Mine?

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B
ASE BRANCH NOVELS

ENEMY MINE

JUSTICE MINE

STRANGER MINE

WARRIOR MINE - JANUARY 2015

DANGER MINE - JULY 2015

B
UREAU SERIES

FOR ALL TO SEE - APRIL 2015

PAINTED WALLS - OCTOBER 2015

A
NTHOLOGIES

SEX OBJECTS: EROTIC ROMANCE FOR WOMEN - 2015

COWBOY HEAT: WESTERN ROMANCE FOR WOMEN

HIGH OCTANE HEROES: EROTIC ROMANCE FOR WOMEN

WILD AT HEART VOLUME II

A
silver fox
learns new tricks.

The Base Branch office in Washington D.C. is so heavily fortified it makes Fort Knox look like a 7-11. After twenty years in covert ops, nothing fazes Commander Vail Tucker. When a lighting bolt of feminine fury crashes into the interrogation room, holds him at gunpoint, and takes over the task with his prisoner, he’s more than surprised. Even his elite operatives would have one hell of a bad day breaking into the fortress and a harder time leaving.

She escapes without a trace, but Vail is unable to remain dispassionate. He must know what is so important the beguiling woman would risk her life to find. Following instinct, he’ll stop at nothing to find the answer.

Carmen Ruez is deadly and desperate—a combustible combination. Born into the remnants Arellano Felix Organization, drugs and violence kept her in a gilded cage. Until a turn of fates showed her the roots of their riches, making her yearn for freedom. She works for it. Fights for it. But her brother crosses the line to keep her loyal to the treacherous family she is determined to leave behind.

Vail struggles as a bond he never expected forms. It’s not with the woman who stirs his every desire. But with one, young and vulnerable, who galvanizes a protective instinct he hadn’t known he possessed. Now, he just has to get the other one to come around. Though none of it will matter, if they can’t work together to take down those loyal to Carlos Ruez and the AFO.

O
ne determined to avoid it
. One determined to conquer it. Both on a wayward mission and unable to deny it.

Khani Slaughter has dealt with danger from the day of her conception. Thirty one years of dealing with the bullshit and she knows how to attack it, defeat it, and avoid it. Yet, for some unfathomable reason, she gravitates toward. When you’re the head and sometimes deadly hands of the Base Branch, the special operations force for the United Nations, hazard pervades. Her personal life, though, is restricted territory for trouble. No strings flings. That’s what she went for. Uncomplicated rolls in the sack. That was all she allowed. Or it had been until, the rookie showed up.

Base Branch operative, King Street takes danger and molds it to his benefit. Only, there’s not much advantage in screwing the boss when apparent regret sends her across an ocean. The desire to make her see him for more than the a mistake on her and humanity’s part places his wide frame directly in her path.

He’s cocky and way too brash. Not at all what she wants. But when her brother goes missing he is who she needs. Someone willing to navigate a jungle, dodge bullets and her prickly demeanor to help rescue her only family. And maybe, in the process, they can save each other from their painful pasts.

Megan Mitcham was born and raised among the live oaks and shrimp boats of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where her enormous family still calls home. She attended college at the University of Southern Mississippi where she received a bachelor's degree in curriculum, instruction, and special education. For several years Megan worked as a teacher in Mississippi. She married and moved to South Carolina and began working for an international non-profit organization as an instructor and co-director.

In 2009 Megan fell in love with books. Until then, books had been a source for research or the topic of tests. But one day she read
Mercy
by Julie Garwood. And oh, Mercy, she was hooked!

Megan lives in Southern Arkansas where she pens heart pounding romantic thriller novels and window-steaming erotic romance. For information on releases and giveaways, subscribe at
meganmitcham.com!