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  ***

  The hot sun beat down on Frisco’s head as he and his men finished putting together the makeshift shelter. He knew they still had several more to complete because Jax had spoken with the man who was heading up the MSF volunteers, and he’d said they had five more to place in the area.

  As long as he could keep Brooke and Piper in his sights, he was happy to help out where he could. And since the MSF tent was set up in the middle of the town center, that wasn’t going to be difficult. The area reported a population of over thirty thousand people, but most of them lived in outlying villages and not in the area that was considered the “city,” so keeping an eye on the women wasn’t going to be difficult.

  Bryce, in fact, wanted to reinforce the ladders that leaned against the water towers, because he thought they were an accident waiting to happen. So, it looked like that was what he was going to be doing tomorrow, along with some of the boys he’d been playing soccer with. “Bryce, what were you talking to your sister about on the SAT phone earlier?”

  “I asked her to use some of her contacts and put together some sports equipment for the kids. I figure since she works with a bunch of top athletes, she should be able to get enough stuff to keep these kids in balls and nets for a while.”

  “Nice gesture,” Jax commented as he laid down the base they’d just finished.

  “Seeing these kids with one lousy beat-up soccer ball doesn’t seem right, and I figure my sister would love nothing more than to help them out.”

  “Wish we could be here when the box arrives,” Frisco said as he wiped his face.

  “Bree promised me a crate of supplies, and I know she meant it.”

  “Meant what?” Piper asked as she and Brooke walked up.

  Frisco rested his hand on Brooke’s shoulder when she got close enough and grinned. “Bryce is having some sports equipment sent over by his sister, and we’re figuring it’s going to make a lot of kids happy.”

  “To say the least,” Brooke commented as she looked up at Frisco.

  Feeling her eyes roam all over him like he was an ice-cream cone, Frisco wondered what in the world had sparked the desire in her eyes. Maybe it was seeing him with the babies earlier. Deciding it didn’t much matter, he gave her a similar look back and saw her face flush. “You gonna have dinner with me tonight by the river?”

  “I am if you’re asking.”

  “Oh, I’m asking all right.” Her small hand ran up his arm and sent a spark of heat and desire that made the ninety-degree heat seem like a winter storm. When she rested her fingers over his tattoo and licked her lips, he figured every prayer he’d ever uttered had just been answered. “So, is that a yes to a second date?”

  “Yes, Frisco. I would love to go on a date with you tonight.” Leaning up on her tiptoes, she pressed a very sweet kiss to his lips that had him almost falling on his ass. Before she moved away, he took her hand and gave her a wink. “Can’t wait.”

  “Piper and I have to go take care of some folks, and we’ll be done in a couple of hours.”

  “We’ll be here.” Watching her give him a little wave before she walked away had his mind conjuring up three different things he wanted to do to her the moment they were alone. Before his fog of desire and lust lifted, Piper took his hand and gave him a serious smile. “It goes without saying that if you hurt her, I will hurt you.”

  “Understood.”

  “Also, don’t be smooching and fooling around by the river, because gators have been spotted roaming around.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Motioning between her eyes and his, she gave him a nod and then sauntered off toward the tent. “Shiiiit.”

  “Exactly,” Jax responded. “I felt like I was seeing something I shouldn’t. Holy hell, the sparks between you two could set a city on fire.”

  Frisco turned toward his men and noticed that Bryce was quiet. “Spit it out, Lieutenant.”

  “The market is still open, and I was thinking maybe a small gift would be appropriate.”

  Slapping Bryce hard on the shoulder, he grinned. “You have the best damn ideas.”

  “I know, sir.”

  Frisco looked over at Jax and shrugged. “The new ones are going to kick our asses unless we stay sharp.”

  Jax let out a snort. “They may do it anyway.”

  “True,” Frisco responded. Looking over, he saw Brooke lead a man into the tent who was almost doubled over. How she dealt with pain and sickness every day was astounding to him, because he hated being helpless. It took a very special human being to help people the way she and Piper did, and he needed to remember that she not only had an enormous heart but an unimaginable amount of strength.

  How freaking lucky could he get?

  “Let’s finish this one up so I can go and find something for Brooke.”

  “Shopping, my favorite thing,” Jax replied sarcastically.

  “I didn’t say you were invited.” He jutted his chin toward Bryce. “I’m taking the A team in so I can find just the right thing.”

  All he heard was laughter as they began working on the top of the structure that would protect the cistern. As Bryce laid out the wood they’d scrounged up, he thought about wanting to protect Brooke and wondered why she was the first woman outside his family who’d made him feel that way.

  Looking across the dusty road, he caught a glimpse of her and knew it simply was. Sort of like gravity. You might not understand it, but you better damn well accept it.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Monday, September 11th

  Frisco waved to the departing group and then slung his arm over Brooke’s shoulder. “We finally got rid of them.”

  “Piper is beyond excited to go on the night drive because it’s going to allow her to see elephants up close. She’s obsessed with the animals and has an adopted one in Kenya. Every time she gets a video of Gigi, she makes me watch it at least a dozen times.”

  “And what are you obsessed with?” Seeing her mouth tilt up, he waited and wondered how much she was going to reveal to him.

  “Right now…Egg McMuffins. I’ve been dreaming about them for a couple of months and I plan on driving straight to McDonald’s as soon as I get off the plane in San Diego.”

  Leaning back, he tried to determine if she was being serious; when he saw that she was, he let out a loud laugh. “Didn’t see that one coming.”

  “It’s the most perfect breakfast sandwich in all the world. I haven’t spent much time in the States in the last couple of years, so I often find myself dreaming of air-conditioning, reality television, and McDonald’s.”

  Taking a step toward the lodge, he took her hand and led her in the direction of a surprise he’d set up earlier. “Let’s go have dinner, and you can tell me about some of your other dreams.”

  “Maybe,” she replied with a smile.

  As they skirted the lodge and moved toward the river, Brooke gave him a questioning glance, and he decided to ignore it because he wanted to see the look of surprise on her face. As they got closer, he saw that the staff had outdone themselves. They had set up a colorful mat with a small table and two chairs close to the riverbank, along with some lanterns hanging in the tree branches overhead. They had their own private oasis away from the rest of the guests, and he planned on making the most of it.

  Hearing her intake of breath, he knew he’d succeeded. “Thought we’d have a special dinner out here.” When her hand settled on his arm, a flash of satisfaction flew through his body because she seemed happy. Which he now considered his main job.

  “This is lovely, Frisco. How did you manage it?”

  He pulled out her chair and gave her a smile. “A man who is motivated can accomplish just about anything.” He waited until she settled into the chair before taking his own, and when he sat across from her and saw her sparkling eyes, he knew he’d done the absolute right thing. “The second date is almost more important than the first, because that’s when you know if you’re truly interested and want to
continue.” Sweeping his arms around, he gave her a wink. “I want to make sure I give you a whole lot of reasons to be interested.”

  Leaning forward, she studied him closely. “So, are you testing the waters and seeing if I’m a girl you want to keep seeing?”

  “No!” he replied firmly as he tipped back in his chair. “I know I’m interested in seeing you when we get back to the States. Not one doubt in my mind.”

  “Why?”

  He let his chair fall back to the ground and then stood. “I’m going to move next to you.” Lifting his chair, he set it down on her right side so they could both look at the view and still hold hands. After he was happy with the placement of the chair, he took her hand. “I’ve got a lot of crazy feelings and desires running around in my brain and body, so I’m thinking I better spend as much time with you as I can so I can figure them out.”

  “Good crazy or bad crazy?”

  “Good crazy. I feel like a live wire when I’m around you, and that’s never happened before.” Tilting his head, he measured her response. “Remember that crazy connection we had the other day when we were in N’Djamena?”

  “Sort of.”

  “That feeling,” he pressed their conjoined hands against his heart, “has never happened before. It felt like we were on our very own plane of existence and the rest of the world disappeared. It was as though we were inside each other.”

  “You too?” she asked quietly.

  Leaning forward, he rested his head against hers. “Yeah, Brooke. Me too.”

  “Your dinner is ready,” a hearty voice called out.

  “We’ll come back to this,” he said quietly.

  They sat up as their dinner was placed in front of them. “Tonight, we have rice and a delicious fish stew.”

  Frisco gave the manager a smile. “Thank you, Brahim.”

  “My pleasure.” Clapping his hands, he motioned to a man standing nearby. “We also have some cold beer from the Gala Brewery.” Opening the bottle, he poured them each a glass. “Enjoy.”

  Frisco lifted his glass and waited for Brooke to do the same. “Here’s to second dates and romancing your girl under the Chadian moon.”

  Brooke tipped her glass against his and then leaned forward for a kiss. When their mouths were pressed together, she said, “Not your girl, yet.”

  “Soon,” he replied as he pressed their lips together. She was his girl, and he hoped she accepted that fact quickly, because there was no way he was going to give up until she did.

  ***

  Brooke pushed her plate forward and then sat back and listened to the sound of the water rushing in the river. She hadn’t felt so relaxed in ages and decided the man sitting next to her was good medicine. The sadness and despair that had filled her back in Baga Sola had seeped away and been replaced with something that felt very much like happiness.

  And hope.

  “Thank you again for setting this up.”

  Lifting her hand, he pressed his mouth against her skin. “My pleasure.”

  “What did you think of Am Timan today?”

  “I was surprised to see a place they consider a bustling city to be not much more than one main street. I expected it to be a smaller version of N’Djamena.”

  “It has a hospital and an airport and a large bazaar, so as far as anyone is concerned, this is a city.” Draining her glass of beer, she set her glass back down. “The hospital is actually one room, and the airport is a long strip of dirt with a small cement hut, but they work.”

  “I’ve spent most of my time over the last couple of years in places that were so remote, you can’t find them on Google maps, and we would’ve considered a cleared strip of dirt heaven.”

  “Did you always want to be a SEAL?”

  “I wanted adventure first and foremost, and the SEALs seemed like my best option.”

  “Did you go into the Navy after college or straight from high school?”

  “I grew up in a small town in Northern California called Modesto, and I was ready to get out of there the moment the ink dried on my diploma. I didn’t end up getting very far, because I had a baseball scholarship to Cal State Stanislaus, which was only twelve miles away from where I grew up. My mom rode me hard until I gave in and decided to attend. Turned out to be a great experience, and I joined the Navy the month after I graduated.”

  “I like baseball.” Running her hand over his arm that was covered in muscles, she gave him an appreciative smile and wondered if giving in to the attraction made her…what? What label should she affix to herself for feeling perfectly normal carnal hunger? There was nothing wrong in wanting someone and to think otherwise was foolish.

  There, she told that voice in the back of her head what was what.

  The antiquated notion that you had to be in a relationship to be physical with someone was never something she ascribed to, and why she was hearing the voice of some old biddy tell her she shouldn’t indulge made no sense.

  Because all she wanted to do was indulge.

  In every single one of the very delicious, naughty pictures in her mind.

  With Frisco.

  Tonight.

  So what if it had been ages since she’d been with a man? Had to be like riding a bicycle. Only Frisco was no damn bicycle, he was a souped-up Indian motorcycle with all the upgrades.

  Shiny, beautiful, and with more power than she knew what do with. But…she could learn.

  If things went as well as they had the other night, she had nothing to worry about except holding on and enjoying the ride.

  All she had to do was make the suggestion and see what he did.

  “I was thinking…”

  “That we should go find a quiet place to make out?” He covered her hand and grinned. “Great idea.”

  “I didn’t say it, you did.”

  “Okay, what were you going to say?”

  “Well…”

  Turning so they were looking directly into one another’s eyes, he cleared his throat. “We like each other, and I’ve never felt this attracted to another human being in my life, so I’m not going to waste time and play games.”

  “I’m not playing games; it’s just that I haven’t really dated much over the last several years, and I’m a little nervous.” Waving her hand around, she let her shoulders slump. “Give me a second so I can say this right.”

  “There is no right with us, there’s only what is. And that’s damn perfect.” He played with the small ring on her finger and shrugged. “I want to find out everything about you, and then I want to ravage you until there’s nothing left of our bodies. Just the dusty remains are all we’ll leave behind.”

  When his face lit up in a smile, she let out a laugh. “I suppose there’s some value in knowing what the plan is.”

  “See, Brooke…I knew you’d get it.”

  Taking her face gently with his hands, he cupped her head and slid his tongue through her lips, sparking a desire that left her limp. His touch created a hum of pleasure across the surface of her skin as the voice in her head chanted more.

  Wrapping her arms around his waist, she stroked the muscles covering his broad back and realized what happened between them was exactly right, and pretending otherwise was dumb.

  He stroked his thumbs over her cheekbones and pulled her closer, making her gasp. When he released her mouth and smiled against her lips, she knew he had all the power, not because he took it, but because she had given it to him willingly. “I have a lovely hut all to myself, and I was wondering if you might like to share my mosquito netting.”

  Lifting his face away so he could gaze into her eyes, he replied, “Absolutely.”

  Standing slowly, she felt her knees wobble as she stood. No going back now; whatever happened…happened. “Follow me.”

  “Always,” he said quietly as he took her hand. Stopping abruptly, he groaned. “I almost forgot to give you the trinket I picked up today.” He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet. “It’s called
a gris-gris.” Running his fingers over the small leather squares that decorated the band, he smiled. “I was told the charms are a voodoo amulet that is believed to protect the wearer from evil and bring luck.”

  Holding up her arm, she watched him slide it on. “It’s lovely.”

  “I might’ve just given you a bunch of squares of dried cattle butt, but I figure it’s a good souvenir either way.”

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave him a kiss. “It’s perfect.” She pulled his head down and said, “I’m ready to start the kissing if you are.”

  He lifted her up and walked in the direction of the huts. “More than ready.”

  ***

  Standing inside the door of Brooke’s small hut, Frisco found himself trying to steady his nerves, something he’d never had to do.

  Brooke Foster had knocked him on his ass from the moment he’d seen her picture, and he had yet to recover.

  Maybe he never would.

  Certainly, seeing her in the glow from the small lantern wasn’t helping. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes were wide with anticipation, and her hands were held tightly together. Nerves. Seemed she had them too.

  “So…” she said quietly.

  He could see that she wanted him; it just seemed she didn’t know how to be okay with it. “We don’t have to do this.”

  Shaking her head sharply, she let out a breath. “But I want to… It’s just that I can’t remember what the next move in the dance is.”

  Taking two large steps, he circled his arms around her waist and pulled her toward him. When she didn’t resist and put her hands on his forearms, he let out an internal sigh of relief. “We can make it up as we go along.”

  “Okay, I’d like that.” She slid her hands up his arms and rounded his shoulders, and pulled the corner of her bottom lip into her mouth, then slowly released it.