“I am.”
“Good.”
She laid her head on his chest and listened to the beat of his heart. Wasn’t there a new country song about this very situation? Her lips curled up, and she closed her eyes. His thumb brushed back and forth across her fingers, keeping time with the music. Everything else ceased to exist. It was just the two of them wrapped in firelight and darkness. She sighed when the song ended, switching back to a higher tempo song.
“I need a drink,” she said. He walked her over to the folding camp chairs set up around the fire.
“Tampax.”
Bree’s head snapped up and the bottom dropped out of her stomach. She hated that damn call sign.
Jordan stared right at her. “I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure. Not until you did that thing with your hat. You always did it with your booney hat down range. You’re her.”
Bree swallowed hard. “Yeah.” She’d recognized him when they’d arrived. He hadn’t said anything, but he’d been quiet since they came back from the woods. She’d caught him watching her, studying her, like he was trying to figure out where he knew her from. So much for hoping he wouldn’t remember until after the weekend.
“What? What’s her?” Cole asked.
“She was a CST,” Jordan said. “Imbedded with our team. On a mission, riding in a convoy. It wasn’t that far – fifty or so miles, but like most fucking routes, only one way to go. Three-quarters of the way there, we get hit. Coordinated attack. IEDs, RPGs, small arms fire. Insurgents were just waiting for their chance.”
Jordan took a pull of his beer as he stared into the fire. The other guys were quiet. Waiting for him to continue.
Bree closed her eyes and swallowed hard.Please, god, don’t.She didn’t want to see the looks on everyone’s faces. The assessment. Or the judgment. She opened her eyes, trying to stave off the tears.
“Lead vehicle made it through. Second and third Humvees got caught in the center of the ambush. Ten guys. All of them took hits. Tore ‘em up.” He locked eyes with Bree. “We were in the second-to-last vehicle. I turned around to tell her to stay put and her crazy ass has her door open. You looked down to check the road. I remember thinkingat least she knows enough to do that. Then you were out and running to the third vehicle.”
Bree’s lip trembled and she sucked in a breath. The screams echoed in her head. Could smell the burning metal and flesh. She flinched when hands rested on her shoulders.Jase.
“You managed to pull the door open. Had to put your boot on the side of the vehicle to get enough leverage. Pulled your cutter out. Got Dantes out of his seat belt and dragged him out of the back. Pulled him down onto the road, back to our vehicle, out of the line of fire. Must have been thirty, forty yards. I didn’t think you’d be able to do it, but you did. Did it five more times.” He took another pull of his beer and looked away.
“We were laying down cover fire, fighting off the ambush, and she just kept dragging guys out of the wreckage.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Denise reached over and grabbed her hand. Bree clutched it like it was her last lifeline.
“Fucking angels watching over you.” Jordan looked back at Bree. “Didn’t get hit once.”
“No,” Bree whispered. She’d come close. Some small pieces of shrapnel, but that was it.
“We finally got some air support. Attack’s over. Twelve of us took hits. Four guys dead. Sawyer took a round to the leg. Nicked a vein. Dark red blood bubbling out of his skin like lava flowing over the top of a volcano. Couldn’t get it under control. We’re all thinking he’s going to bleed out.” He took a pull from his beer, then let out a short laugh. “This crazy bitch pushes through, kneels down next to him, and pulls out a tampon. We’re all likewhat the hell is she going to do with that, right? She pushes it into his leg and plugs the hole.” He rubbed his free hand through his hair, making it stand up on end. “Damn things are designed to expand. Put pressure on the wound from the inside.” Jordan let out a small snort and looked back at Bree. “Damndest thing I ever saw. Medic trick. Saved his life. He got to go home to his wife and kids.”
Her chest compressed as she tried to keep the sobs from escaping. “Yeah.”
Jordan started laughing. A little drunk and a little crazy. “We all gave him shit about having a tampon stuck in his leg, but we sure as hell hit up the exchange when we got back to base and stocked up.” His laughter died off. “Bronze star with valor, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Should’ve been a fucking medal of honor.” Jordan finished his beer and threw it in the trash before heading in the direction of his tent.
Matt pushed up from his camp chair. “I’ll check on him.” He paused and stopped in front of Bree. He reached down, setting his beefy hand on the back of her neck before kissing her on the forehead. He put his head against hers. “Sawyer’s youngest is my goddaughter. Thank you.”
Bree closed her eyes and swallowed hard. Matt let go and headed after Jordan.
Jase lifted his hands from her shoulders and came around to her front. He scooped her up in her arms. “’Night guys.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.
A chorus ofgood nightsfollowed them as Jase carried Bree to their tent.
“You okay?” he asked.
Bree nodded against his neck.
