operating procedure clearly states…
How could he be so cold and businesslike after the night they’d shared? His quoting SOP to her after what they’d done together had left no doubt in her mind that what she’d been stupid enough to assume was a real attraction between them had been nothing more than a job to him. Maybe it was her pride hurting more than anything else, which was exactly what she deserved for breaking her own rules and letting herself succumb to temptation.
In any case, he was still waiting for her to say something. “I know I have to go in. You already told me. Believe me, I’m as anxious as you are to have this thing over and done with so I can get back to my life and forget it ever happened.”
His calm demeanor didn’t crack at her comment or the less-than-nice tone in which it was delivered. No surprise there.
At least she’d been able to change into her own clothes on the flight. That helped her feel more grounded, more normal. She’d had enough of Candi’s clothes, especially those damn high heels. They caused too many memories, not to mention blisters.
With blisters that made even her sneakers hurt, Carly limped into the meeting room behind Trey. There she faced five men whose heads all swiveled immediately in her direction when she entered. Wishing she could crawl beneath the linoleum, she wondered again exactly how much they all knew.
From the doorway she spotted Matt and felt her face heat at the knowledge he for certain had watched the whole sordid performance Trey had put on the night before. That pissed her off all over again until the sight of Jack made her forget her anger and embarrassment took over.
She didn’t have long to feel ashamed however, because they were barely inside the room when Jack leapt forward, red faced.
“You rotten son of a bitch.” He pulled back his fist and let the punch fly, clocking Trey with a blow that would have leveled a smaller man.
Carly hopped to the side to avoid Trey who took a step back when the blow threw him off balance. The entire team seemed to hold its collective breath, but no one moved a muscle to either help or stop the fight. Carly too stood frozen in place except for the wild pounding of her heart.
Trey’s head had whipped back from the hit, but he stayed put and didn’t even raise a fist. He stared calmly at Jack as if waiting for the next punch, but it never came. Instead, Jack stepped forward and grabbed Trey in a bear hug, audibly squeezing the breath out of him. “Thanks for saving my brother.”
She saw the expression of shock cross Trey’s face as he accepted the embrace. When they broke apart, he touched his jaw, working it from side to side. “You’re welcome.”
Jack came to her next. He raised a hand to her cheek and smiled. “Hey, darlin’.”
Carly returned his smile hesitantly. How exactly should she act in this situation? This guy had an obvious crush on her and had just seen his best friend screwing her on camera. She’d like to know the standard operating procedure for handling that one. “Hi, Jack.”
He leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss across her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re home safe.”
The commander stood in his office doorway, watching the whole exchange and not looking very happy. “You three, in my office.”
“Three? Me too, sir?” Jack sounded surprised.
“Yes, you.” The man turned and walked to his desk obviously assuming they’d follow, which they did.
Carly walked behind Trey and Jack when Matt grabbed her hand and slipped a pill bottle into it. Managing an embarrassed nod, she clutched the prescription in a tight fist. Could this get any more embarrassing? As she entered the office behind Trey and Jack, she had a feeling it could.
“Close the damn door, McAfee.” The commander delivered his order like a man who was used to being followed without question.
“Yes, sir.” She did as she was told.
He waited until she had before he laid into Jack. “What the
How could he be so cold and businesslike after the night they’d shared? His quoting SOP to her after what they’d done together had left no doubt in her mind that what she’d been stupid enough to assume was a real attraction between them had been nothing more than a job to him. Maybe it was her pride hurting more than anything else, which was exactly what she deserved for breaking her own rules and letting herself succumb to temptation.
In any case, he was still waiting for her to say something. “I know I have to go in. You already told me. Believe me, I’m as anxious as you are to have this thing over and done with so I can get back to my life and forget it ever happened.”
His calm demeanor didn’t crack at her comment or the less-than-nice tone in which it was delivered. No surprise there.
At least she’d been able to change into her own clothes on the flight. That helped her feel more grounded, more normal. She’d had enough of Candi’s clothes, especially those damn high heels. They caused too many memories, not to mention blisters.
With blisters that made even her sneakers hurt, Carly limped into the meeting room behind Trey. There she faced five men whose heads all swiveled immediately in her direction when she entered. Wishing she could crawl beneath the linoleum, she wondered again exactly how much they all knew.
From the doorway she spotted Matt and felt her face heat at the knowledge he for certain had watched the whole sordid performance Trey had put on the night before. That pissed her off all over again until the sight of Jack made her forget her anger and embarrassment took over.
She didn’t have long to feel ashamed however, because they were barely inside the room when Jack leapt forward, red faced.
“You rotten son of a bitch.” He pulled back his fist and let the punch fly, clocking Trey with a blow that would have leveled a smaller man.
Carly hopped to the side to avoid Trey who took a step back when the blow threw him off balance. The entire team seemed to hold its collective breath, but no one moved a muscle to either help or stop the fight. Carly too stood frozen in place except for the wild pounding of her heart.
Trey’s head had whipped back from the hit, but he stayed put and didn’t even raise a fist. He stared calmly at Jack as if waiting for the next punch, but it never came. Instead, Jack stepped forward and grabbed Trey in a bear hug, audibly squeezing the breath out of him. “Thanks for saving my brother.”
She saw the expression of shock cross Trey’s face as he accepted the embrace. When they broke apart, he touched his jaw, working it from side to side. “You’re welcome.”
Jack came to her next. He raised a hand to her cheek and smiled. “Hey, darlin’.”
Carly returned his smile hesitantly. How exactly should she act in this situation? This guy had an obvious crush on her and had just seen his best friend screwing her on camera. She’d like to know the standard operating procedure for handling that one. “Hi, Jack.”
He leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss across her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re home safe.”
The commander stood in his office doorway, watching the whole exchange and not looking very happy. “You three, in my office.”
“Three? Me too, sir?” Jack sounded surprised.
“Yes, you.” The man turned and walked to his desk obviously assuming they’d follow, which they did.
Carly walked behind Trey and Jack when Matt grabbed her hand and slipped a pill bottle into it. Managing an embarrassed nod, she clutched the prescription in a tight fist. Could this get any more embarrassing? As she entered the office behind Trey and Jack, she had a feeling it could.
“Close the damn door, McAfee.” The commander delivered his order like a man who was used to being followed without question.
“Yes, sir.” She did as she was told.
He waited until she had before he laid into Jack. “What the
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