Enticed by the Operative (Doctors in Danger, Book 1) by Lara Lacombe Page A

they could cripple Fantasmas del Mal, it would go a long way to reducing the amount of cocaine entering the country. They’d never been able to get close to the cartel’s operations before, but now...
    He slid another glance at Olivia, tracing the delicate lines of her brow and cheekbones with his gaze. He hadn’t really talked about just how important this operation was because he didn’t want to put any added pressure on her. She was under enough stress already, worrying about the lives of her friends. But if the DEA could confirm the location of one of the cartel’s jungle super-labs? It would be a huge coup for them. The Colombians could shut the operation down, which would cause the cartel some major pain. Furthermore, the lab itself was most likely an intelligence gold mine.
    He let his mind wander, imagining how one bust would lead to another, and another... If they played their cards right, they might even be able to bring down the whole organization. The power vacuum wouldn’t last long, but they could do a lot of good in the interim and it would send a message to the other cartels that the DEA never gave up.
    Olivia shifted again and Logan tucked his daydreams away. He couldn’t let himself get caught up in that imagined future, or else he’d miss what had to be done in the present. As much as he wanted to be the one to lead the charge, his job on this operation was to gather the necessary intelligence so they could mount a successful takedown. It was vital to find out as much as possible now so there were no surprises later. Normally, this part of the job went smoothly.
    But then again, he normally didn’t have to worry about protecting a civilian.
    Fortunately, he didn’t think Olivia would be much of a burden. Sure, she had no operational training to speak of and didn’t know the first thing about gathering the type of information the DEA needed, but she was an intelligent woman who kept her cool under pressure. It was an important skill, one that not everyone possessed. In fact, in Logan’s opinion, it was the only thing that mattered. Everything else was trainable.
    Not that they would have much time for that kind of thing. He might be able to teach her some basic self-defense moves, but that was about it. Certainly not enough so she could hold her own in a fight, if it came to that. All the more reason to stay close to her. The thought filled him with a perverse satisfaction that he didn’t want to examine too closely. Keep it superficial , he reminded himself.
    It was a message he was going to have to keep repeating if he wanted it to sink in.
    * * *
    Olivia inhaled deeply, drawing the rich, loamy scent of the jungle into her lungs. The air was thick with humidity, but it still felt refreshing after spending so much time in the cold, stale air of the plane. She slid a glance at Logan to gauge his reaction and hid a smile as he mopped at his brow. Hopefully it wouldn’t take him too long to adjust to the climate—she didn’t want him to be uncomfortable the entire trip.
    The Jeep hit a divot in the road so hard it made her teeth clack together painfully. She grabbed the door for support and tightened her grip on the backpack at her feet. The cartel’s money lined the bottom of the bag, and while she had managed to put it out of her mind on the plane, now that they were in Colombia she was acutely aware of the risk she was taking. If the bag was lost or stolen, it would mean the death of her friends.
    Fortunately, Logan was here to help her keep an eye on it.
    He laid his hand on her arm and squeezed, the gesture a sweet reassurance that she wasn’t alone. “You can relax,” he said softly. “It’s not going anywhere.”
    She nodded, acknowledging his point. Besides, if she didn’t stop worrying, she was going to drive herself mad. She let go of the bag and put her hand back in her lap.
    Logan reached over and threaded his fingers through hers. A thrill shot through her at the contact, but