Delta Bear (Rogue Bear Series 2) by Meredith Clarke, Ally Summers

1
    Jax
    J ax threw his pack on the bed, looking around the dusty room. It should feel good to be home, but it didn’t. The Army had forced him to take leave. After two years in Razastan and a failed mission that almost cost him his entire team, he was back in the U.S., unwilling and restless.
    Nothing about it felt right.
    He tried to remember what it was like to live under a roof. The desert sky had been his ceiling. The conditions were rough, but his bear liked being outside. He was trained in the worst conditions. The men around him were tough and fearless. They had to be if they were going to be part of Delta Force.
    He closed the bedroom door behind him, inspecting the cabin as he moved room to room. No one had been here since he had left. It wouldn’t be long before his clan knew he was home. He didn’t want to think about the obligations he had to them.
    He opened a cabinet door in the kitchen. It was bare. As much as he hated it, he was going to have to drive into town for groceries. He slammed the cupboard, scattering dust around the kitchen. There were a lot of things he could live without, but food wasn’t one of them.
    Jax walked to his truck, slid into the driver’s seat, and started the ignition. He could make a quick trip into town to pick up a few things.

----
    H e threw a few things in the shopping cart. He felt like all the other customers were watching him. Maybe he was used to being paranoid. Everyone in Razastan was a suspect. Even children carried bombs. He didn’t look at people the same way as everyone else. As far as he was concerned they were all walking weapons.
    He tossed a few loaves of bread into the cart on top of everything else and wheeled it to the register.
    He reached into his wallet to pay for the bags of groceries.
    The woman smiled at him. “Let me guess…you are back with that unit at Fort Phoenix back from overseas. I know an Army man when I see one.”
    “How did you know?”
    She ran the items over the scanner. “Well, your haircut for one.” She started placing the food in paper bags. “And I saw on the news last night a lot of the soldiers came home.”
    Jax rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t like talking about the Army.
    “It’s nice to see you home.” She smiled.
    He nodded. “Thanks.”
    “Did your family plan a big welcome home?” she asked, loading packages of steak into a paper bag.
    “Here.” He handed her the money. “No. Not really their thing.”
    She opened the register to give him change. “It’s nice when our soldiers come home. I love the banners and the flowers. I wish we could have a parade for you.”
    “That’s not necessary.” He knew he sounded gruff, but she was quickly getting carried away.
    “Do you at least have a girl waiting for you? Someone to cook you a hot meal?”
    This woman was damn nosey. “No, ma’am.” He took the receipt from her.
    “Well, it’s not much, but thank you for your service.”
    He tried to smile, but he felt eyes on him, and he didn’t like the attention the conversation was drawing.
    He loaded the bags in his arm and deposited them in the back of his truck. He couldn’t peel out of the parking lot fast enough. He wasn’t comfortable in the store. He wasn’t comfortable talking to the clerk. And he sure wasn’t comfortable giving her any information about his military status.
    He threw the truck in drive and headed back to the cabin. At least there he would have solitude. He didn’t know who needed it more: he, or his bear.

2
    Haley
    H aley looked at the clock . It was close to midnight. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Her shift was almost over. The fluorescent lights overhead made everything look washed out. She wondered why hospitals still used them. They didn’t make the staff happy and they certainly weren’t good for the patients.
    She walked to the nurses’ station. “Any new patients?” she asked.
    “No, you better get out of here before that changes,” the