Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“I’d get your name, rank, and serial number, but reporting dumbasses ain’t my thing,” Mike told him. “You tell Colonel Gill that Dr. Josephine Peyton is here to see him. You tell him she ain’t forgot about Laos and has come to collect a debt. You tell him that word for word, then come back and tell us he won’t see us.”
The guy looked wary now. Like he knew he’d just sprung a trap but couldn’t see it or figure out a way out of it before it closed in on him. “If you’re wasting my time, I’ll arrest you both.”
“I’ll waste your fuckin’ time,” I muttered before I could stop myself. Mike clapped a hand back on my knee. “What?” I tried to look all innocent but neither man was buying it. “He’s being stupid.”
“Jo…” Mike gave me a warning glance. Which just made my chin go up.
“Bitch,” the guard muttered.
To my surprise, Mike climbed off the bike in one smooth move, reaching the guy’s retreating form in two long strides. He grabbed the guard’s shoulder and spun him around, catching him with a right hook.
“You don’t talk to a lady that way, soldier. I don’t care what the fuck she says or does. Do it again and you won’t have to worry about getting called to Nam. I’ll beat the fuckin’ shit outta you right here in the good ol’ U. S. of A. so bad you’ll be lucky to walk again.”
Several other guards in the vicinity ran toward us. The guard in question rubbed his jaw but had only staggered back before regaining his balance. He gave Mike a withering look but backed off.
“There a problem, Sarge?” one of the other men asked. He didn’t look at all ready to take on Mike. I mean, Mike’s a big guy. Tall and thickly built. But there was a total of four guys surrounding him. None of them looked like they were eager to take him on. Which meant I needed to get a look at my new friend, because I had a feeling whatever I saw on his face might just be panty melting.
“No. I was just going to give the colonel’s secretary a message.” He waved a hand toward us. “Let them wait here until I get off the phone.”
The guards each took a few steps backward, not turning around, not standing down a single bit. Mike waited a couple of heartbeats before reaching out to rub my upper thigh in a soothing gesture. Wasn’t sure if it meant to soothe me or him. Then he crossed his arms over that mouthwateringly thick chest. He planted his feet shoulder width apart and stood there, staring at the group of soldiers. Finally, he turned his head to look at me, and the fierce expression on his face made my breath catch.
Mike nodded at me slowly. “You like seeing me all riled up on your behalf?” The man obviously saw way more than I wanted him to. Which made him doubly dangerous.
“I ain’t your problem. You didn’t have to do that.” I knew I sounded breathless. Hell, I was breathless. The man’s swift defense of me with such passion that he looked like he was ready to kill a motherfucker went straight to my clit and throbbed.
“You’re my woman. That most definitely makes you my problem.”
I shook my head. “I never agreed to that.”
“Yes, you did. When you didn’t castrate me after I kissed you.”
Chapter Three
Mike
It didn’t take long before Colonel Gill instructed the dumbasses at the gate to escort us in. OK, so I wasn’t being fair. Those guys weren’t dumbasses. They were doing their job. Besides, I wasn’t too high and mighty to admit that, had I been in the sergeant’s position, I wouldn’t have bothered a colonel either. What I took exception to was the disrespect to Josephine. I wasn’t above killing a woman if necessary. Lord knew I’d done it more than once in Nam. But even if a woman needed killing, I did it as quick and painless as I could. A simple bullet to the head. The sergeant wasn’t impressed with Jo’s credentials and probably thought he could get away with disrespecting her because she was a woman. Not on my watch.
Once inside the reception area of the colonel’s office, Josephine sat stiffly on the edge of her chair. She’d worked herself up to a good pissed off and I found myself looking forward to the confrontation that would soon follow. While I hoped she didn’t get us landed in jail, I’d enjoy the shit out of seeing her spar.
“This way, please, Dr. Peyton.” A tall, thin man with sharply pressed service greens approached us. He was perfectly groomed, not a hair out of place. The poor guy had a shave so close it had to have hurt. He didn’t smile but was completely professional. I pushed off from the wall where I leaned, watching from the background. “Not you, sir. Only Dr. Peyton.”