Retribution (SSU Trilogy Book 3) (The Surgical Strike Unit) by Vanessa Kier Page A

again.”
    Oh, God. The rough sound of his voice tightened parts of her body as if he’d physically stroked her. When was the last time she’d desired a man like this? Had she ever felt her heart race from just touching another man? From knowing that her caress had such a powerful effect?
    No wonder women got drunk on their sexual power. She felt lightheaded and bold. Sliding her fingers deeper into his hair, she tugged until his chin lifted. Then she placed a kiss in the hollow at the base of his neck. She tasted him with the tip of her tongue and couldn’t hold back her groan of approval.
    Alarm bells blared somewhere in the back of her head, but she didn’t care. This felt too good. After living so long with fear, she wanted heat. She wanted passion.
    “Ah, Christ, you’re burning me alive,” Rafe said an instant before he took her mouth in another kiss.
    This time she opened for him. The feel of his tongue inside her mouth, the spicy taste of him, had all her senses clanging. Shrilling in—
    Rafe lifted his head. “Your phone,” he gasped.
    “Wha-?”
    He nodded over her shoulder. “Your phone is ringing.”
    Trying to remember what a phone was and why she should care it was ringing, Gabby turned around and spotted the cordless phone sitting on the corner of her workspace.
    Right. Lab. SSU. Patients!
    She lunged and snatched up the receiver. “Hello?”
    “Dr. Montague, Dr. Smith would like to see you as soon as possible. One of the patients is showing advanced symptoms.”
    Gabby bit back a curse. “Of course. I’ll be right there.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “Uh…which patient?”
    “Gibson.”
    Gabby blew out a relieved breath. Not Rafe’s friend, thank heavens. “I’m on my way.”
    She gently set the receiver back in its cradle. Talk about a harsh return to reality. Her body still sung from Rafe’s kiss, and for the first time in her life the woman resented moving aside for the scientist.
    “Bad news?” Rafe asked.
    She nodded without turning around. “Gibson is doing worse,” she said. “I need to go see Dr. Smith.”
    Rafe’s hands settled on her shoulders and gave a comforting squeeze. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll walk you down. These corridors can be confusing until you’ve been here a while.”
    “Thanks.” She forced herself to step away from Rafe, when what she really wanted was to pivot and feel his arms enfold her against his warmth and strength. But she had to stay focused. Had to remember that her place here was still shaky, so she didn’t have time for indulging her personal weaknesses.
    Besides, she had patients to treat.

Chapter 9
    R afe took a sip of Ryker’s special blend of dark roast coffee and watched his boss spin the antique globe in the corner of his office while he spoke on the phone. Ryker nodded, even though the senator on the other end of the line couldn’t see him. From listening to Ryker’s side of the conversation, Rafe understood that the senator wanted the SSU to find his missing college-age daughter, even though she’d only been missing for twelve hours.
    Ryker chose his words with extreme care, politely pointing out that the SSU was a counter-terrorist and national security organization. That, given the daughter’s history of running away whenever she had a fight with her father, the senator would be better served by waiting a few days and then hiring a private investigator if she remained missing.
    Ryker was freaking amazing, never losing his respectful, polite tone. Rafe would have told the man to get lost five minutes ago. Yet as the conversation drew to a close, Rafe couldn’t see any tension in Ryker’s expression or detect any sign of frustration or impatience in his voice.
    “Why the hell did you pick me to train as your successor?” Rafe demanded when Ryker hung up the phone. “I hate crap like that.” He’d been working with Ryker for seven months and still didn’t think he’d be half as