Hot Shot (A Hostile Operations Team Novel)(#5) by Lynn Raye Harris Page B

happen, and you need to be strong. That’s one of the rules on a mission. Take care of yourself or you’re no good to your team.”
    “I’m not part of your team. I’m just me.”
    “You aren’t alone on this. We’re here, and that makes you part of the team. I’m ordering you to eat, same as I’d order my spotter or anyone else under my authority, and then I’m ordering you to rest.”
    “I’m not under your authority.” Maybe she should be angry at the way he was talking to her, but she was oddly touched. God, just blame it on stress and a situation outside her control. She needed to push this man away, but she couldn’t seem to do it.
    “Think of this like the island. I’m the one with the experience. I know what I’m doing. I got you out of there, didn’t I?”
    She nodded.
    “Trust me to get you out of here too, okay?”
    “All right.”
    He lifted an eyebrow. “You gonna eat when the food gets here?”
    “Depends on what you ordered. I hate squash, for instance.”
    “Then I’ll call and cancel the squash sandwich.”
    She couldn’t help but laugh even though it had an edge that could turn into panic at any moment. “You didn’t order anything of the sort.”
    “No.” He backed away and reached for the door handle. “Put on your pajamas. Get comfortable.”
    “I don’t wear pajamas. I don’t wear anything.”
    He stopped in mid-swing and she wanted to laugh again. She did wear pajamas, but she’d wanted to rattle him. Just because.
    “Well, honey, you can come out here in nothing if you want, but it’ll probably be embarrassing for you and the delivery person both. Still, you can tip him good and I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
    He shot her a grin before shutting the door behind him. Gina stood there with her heart pounding and her pulse skipping and wondered just what it was about him that made her want to get beneath his skin.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

    JACK WAS STARTLED AWAKE in the gray light before dawn. He had always been an early riser, and even though he hadn’t had much sleep the night before, old habits had him awake as usual. He blinked a few moments until he remembered where he was. And then he pushed himself upright on one elbow and gazed out at the glowing Vegas Strip arrayed below the expensive suite perched at the top of the hotel. The couch hadn’t been half-bad, he decided, as he pushed himself the rest of the way up.
    The remnants of the fruit-and-cheese platter he’d ordered last night were on a table nearby. He’d known Gina wouldn’t eat much, but he’d wanted her to have something. She’d obliged him by eating cheese and strawberries and nibbling on a slice of pita bread. She had not been naked though. Not that he’d expected she would be, but when she’d said that to him about not wearing anything to bed, his body had responded immediately.
    But then she’d come out of the room in a pair of silk pajamas that were actually pretty modest. He’d been disappointed, but whatever. She’d nibbled the fruit and talked about Eli until her eyes started sagging. He’d told her to go to bed, but she’d insisted she was all right.
    And then he’d ended up carrying her into the room and putting her into the bed after she fell asleep on the chair. She was lighter than he’d expected, but she wasn’t too thin. Her body was solid, if slight. She’d wrapped her arms around his neck and burrowed her head against his chest. He’d had to stop and close his eyes for a second at all the memories she brought up. He hadn’t carried a woman to bed in years. Not since Hayley…
    When he’d pulled the sheets back and placed Gina on the bed, she hadn’t wanted to let him go. But she finally had, and he’d pulled up the covers and retreated to the couch. He’d checked in with the team first, and then he’d sat there staring at the lights and thinking he’d never get to sleep.
    He’d taken off his shirt and jeans and stretched out with a blanket, but he didn’t remember