Flash Bang by Meghan March

had become her mantra. And one added bonus: she’d be proving Graham wrong. Something Ro figured didn’t happen very often. Humility. Learn it, Conan . Checking the trees again for lookouts and coming up clear, as far as she could tell, Ro made her decision and hefted her bag. She hobbled toward the stream and the wall it flowed under, careful to keep as much weight off her now-burning ankle as possible. A pine tree offered decent cover, so Ro dropped her bag and started to unlace her boots. Might as well keep as much of her stuff dry as possible. She peeled off her socks and then stripped off the borrowed sweatpants and hoody. She kept the t-shirt on because otherwise she’d be skinny-dipping. She tied her hiking boots onto her backpack and shoved the clothes inside. She heaved the pack upward as hard as she could, watching it sail over the razor wire. The thump on the other side meant she was committed. Ro studied the stream. She really, really hoped it was deep enough.
    Ro took a steadying breath and looked around the branches of the pine to make sure no one had noticed her. Not seeing anyone paying attention to her or her impromptu strip show, Ro stepped barefoot into the stream, shivering at the icy cold and—hell, yes!—hip-deep water. She slipped on the rock bottom and winced as a jagged edge gouged into the side of her right foot. Another tentative step toward the wall and Ro almost lost her balance on the moss-covered rocks. She felt a sharp stab of pain as her ankle rolled and swallowed her curse. Fuck it, she was determined. Taking a deep breath, Ro slid beneath the surface and pulled herself under the wall.

Graham’s radio squawked. “G-man, I think your pretty little chick has flown the coop.”
    Graham jerked his head away from the wiring diagram he’d been studying and reached for his radio. “Say again?”
    “I’ve got a bead on a half-naked girl just outside the wall pretending to be a mermaid.”
    “What the fuck are you talking about?” Graham roared into his radio.
    Zach burst into the command post.
    “Ro’s gone. I went to take a leak and she wasn’t in the mess hall when I came back. She’s not in the cabin. She’s not in the bathhouse.”
    Graham gripped the desk to keep from throwing his radio across the room.
    “G-man, I suggest you get outside the wall right fucking now.”
    Graham glared at Zach and shoved to his feet.
    “Go get a fucking towel. And get someone to cover my shift.”
    “No way in hell, huh?”
    Graham didn’t reply as he shoved the door open and headed for the bolt hole.
    He reached the stream on the outside of the wall just as Rowan was trying to pull herself out and onto the bank. He stopped next to her bag and watched as she stood, eyes closed, wiping the water from her face. The wet black t-shirt was like a second skin, outlining her generous breasts and the nipples jutting out from the cold water. The fabric stuck to her stomach, and Graham’s fury evaporated as he realized that she was nearly naked, and her movements flashed him a peek at her completely bare pussy. His cock twitched, and it was all he could do to stop himself from dropping to his knees to lick every drop of water from her skin. Instead, he reached for Rowan. She blinked, eyes widening as she caught sight of him, but Graham had her settled over his shoulder before she had a chance to open her mouth.

    “Hey! Put me d—” Rowan’s words became a screech as Graham’s heavy hand came down, smacking her on her cold, wet, and very naked ass.
    “What—” Another smack connected.
    “Stop—” Smack.
    Ro gave up on trying to talk and began to struggle instead.
    “What did I tell you about following orders, little girl? And what part of ‘ You aren’t going anywhere’ did you misunderstand?” she heard Graham say over his shoulder. “Although,” he said, “I can’t say I haven’t wanted you soaking wet and ready for me.”
    Speechless at the abrupt change in the direction of