undercover. Damn, sexy didn’t even begin to describe her.
“I’m impressed, Lindsey. No wonder you’re so damn good at your job.”
Lindsey snorted. “Come on. You can’t mean that. SEALs never say good things about the Army.”
“That’s not true.” He finished his coffee and set the mug down with mock censure. “We’re grateful you’ve done all the grunt work so we can swoop in, clean up the mess, and take all the understated glory.” He grinned to take the sting out of his words.
Lindsey laughed like he hoped she would , and rose. “Do you want some more coffee, hot stuff, or are you set for now?”
“I don’t want more coffee. I would like some water, though.”
“Roger that. Stand by.” She turned toward the kitchen and he grunted.
“It makes sense now.”
“What does?”
“Why you respond with military calls. I thought it kinda odd comin’ from a civilian, but comin’ from a vet like you, it fits.”
“Heh, old habits die hard.”
She returned and handed him a bottle of water. Condensation laced the plastic surface and slicked his hands, making it difficult to hold. He couldn’t grip the lid to twist it off and cursed as the bottle slipped.
“Here, let me get that.” She deftly removed the lid and handed the bottle back to him, but his hands shook so much some of it spilled.
“Dammit.”
“Crap. I think you’re coming down off the drugs and your body’s reacting. Let’s get the water into you, then get you to bed.”
Lindsey settled beside him on the couch and helped him hold the bottle steady at his lips. It galled him to be so weak still, but he knew recovery from drugs wouldn’t be easy. And the only easy day was yesterday.
He swallowed as much of the water as he could before the tremors took over his whole body and even his head wouldn’t stay still. Lindsey capped the bottle and set it aside before she stood and offered him her hand.
“Come on, sailor. Let’s get you in your rack. Do you think you can still stand?”
“Might be a bit choppy, but I’ll make it to the other room.”
“Copy that. Lean on me and we’ll get you there.”
Lindsey offered him resistance to pull him to his feet then ducked under his arm to steady him. Shivers wracked his body and dizziness assailed his head. He groaned and hunched over, giving her more weight than he meant to.
“ Easy, bronco. Let’s just take it one step at a time.”
“Wh-wh-why did y-you c-c-call me th-that?” Damn, his body had grown cold just between sitting and standing.
“’Cause I rode you hard, remember?” He couldn’t see her face, but her voice held humor.
“I-it’s my n-n-nickname.”
“In the SEALs?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn, I’m good.” She hugged him closer to her side as she half-dragged him down the hallway. “I’ll remember that for when I need a pick-me-up when this is over. Something to make me smile when you head off to your team.”
An odd sadness sparked in his chest, echoed in her voice as she helped him to the bedroom with red and green plaid curtains over the window. Wood-paneled walls matched the rough pine bole furniture and the worn quilt covering the double bed. She’d added a cheap camping bag on top, but she jerked the quilt back one-handed before she sat him in the bag.
“Okay, Chief, listen to me here. I know you’re starting the withdrawal process and it’s gonna make you feel weaker than a newborn kitten, but just hold on while I get you undressed. Got me?”
Bronco nodded as Lindsey knelt in front of him and pulled off his shoes. He tried to work on taking off the suit jacket and shirt, but his hands shook so hard he couldn’t grasp the buttons. His frustration mounted as he swayed and he had to use his arms to hold himself up.
“Easy, John. I got it. Just be patient.” Lindsey’s soothing voice settled some of his anger and he closed his eyes. At least that stops the world from spinning.
Her deft touches calmed him and he fell into her
“I’m impressed, Lindsey. No wonder you’re so damn good at your job.”
Lindsey snorted. “Come on. You can’t mean that. SEALs never say good things about the Army.”
“That’s not true.” He finished his coffee and set the mug down with mock censure. “We’re grateful you’ve done all the grunt work so we can swoop in, clean up the mess, and take all the understated glory.” He grinned to take the sting out of his words.
Lindsey laughed like he hoped she would , and rose. “Do you want some more coffee, hot stuff, or are you set for now?”
“I don’t want more coffee. I would like some water, though.”
“Roger that. Stand by.” She turned toward the kitchen and he grunted.
“It makes sense now.”
“What does?”
“Why you respond with military calls. I thought it kinda odd comin’ from a civilian, but comin’ from a vet like you, it fits.”
“Heh, old habits die hard.”
She returned and handed him a bottle of water. Condensation laced the plastic surface and slicked his hands, making it difficult to hold. He couldn’t grip the lid to twist it off and cursed as the bottle slipped.
“Here, let me get that.” She deftly removed the lid and handed the bottle back to him, but his hands shook so much some of it spilled.
“Dammit.”
“Crap. I think you’re coming down off the drugs and your body’s reacting. Let’s get the water into you, then get you to bed.”
Lindsey settled beside him on the couch and helped him hold the bottle steady at his lips. It galled him to be so weak still, but he knew recovery from drugs wouldn’t be easy. And the only easy day was yesterday.
He swallowed as much of the water as he could before the tremors took over his whole body and even his head wouldn’t stay still. Lindsey capped the bottle and set it aside before she stood and offered him her hand.
“Come on, sailor. Let’s get you in your rack. Do you think you can still stand?”
“Might be a bit choppy, but I’ll make it to the other room.”
“Copy that. Lean on me and we’ll get you there.”
Lindsey offered him resistance to pull him to his feet then ducked under his arm to steady him. Shivers wracked his body and dizziness assailed his head. He groaned and hunched over, giving her more weight than he meant to.
“ Easy, bronco. Let’s just take it one step at a time.”
“Wh-wh-why did y-you c-c-call me th-that?” Damn, his body had grown cold just between sitting and standing.
“’Cause I rode you hard, remember?” He couldn’t see her face, but her voice held humor.
“I-it’s my n-n-nickname.”
“In the SEALs?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn, I’m good.” She hugged him closer to her side as she half-dragged him down the hallway. “I’ll remember that for when I need a pick-me-up when this is over. Something to make me smile when you head off to your team.”
An odd sadness sparked in his chest, echoed in her voice as she helped him to the bedroom with red and green plaid curtains over the window. Wood-paneled walls matched the rough pine bole furniture and the worn quilt covering the double bed. She’d added a cheap camping bag on top, but she jerked the quilt back one-handed before she sat him in the bag.
“Okay, Chief, listen to me here. I know you’re starting the withdrawal process and it’s gonna make you feel weaker than a newborn kitten, but just hold on while I get you undressed. Got me?”
Bronco nodded as Lindsey knelt in front of him and pulled off his shoes. He tried to work on taking off the suit jacket and shirt, but his hands shook so hard he couldn’t grasp the buttons. His frustration mounted as he swayed and he had to use his arms to hold himself up.
“Easy, John. I got it. Just be patient.” Lindsey’s soothing voice settled some of his anger and he closed his eyes. At least that stops the world from spinning.
Her deft touches calmed him and he fell into her
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