Pure Heat by M. L. Buchman

Author:M. L. Buchman
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2014-03-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Carly sat way in the back of the Firehawk and wondered how in blazes Emily had talked her into coming. They had another twenty minutes roaring through the skies until they reached the Rogue River, up in the heart of the Umpqua National Forest.

One moment she’d been mostly asleep under the covers at six in the evening, in the privacy of her own cabin. The next she’d been holding a cheerfully burbling Tessa in her arms while Emily and Aunt Margaret were getting out her fishing gear, sleeping bag, and tent, and folding some clothes into a knapsack. Her cabin was small—bedroom, kitchen and a small great room. So they didn’t have far to go to find everything.

Now she was wedged between TJ’s ice chests and Betsy’s cooking gear. Henderson and Emily were flying; Emily had her daughter. Carly hadn’t realized the ICA also flew choppers, though it made sense. Two SOAR pilot majors. Bet they had some stories to tell.

Aunt Margaret and TJ, along with Chutes and Betsy, were having a gay old time sitting on a couple of jump seats installed in the middle of the cargo bay. Akbar the Great and a cute windsurfer blond named Tori, who was a good foot taller than he was, were perched on the tents and sleeping bags discussing ancient Greek dramas, as far as Carly could tell.

And Merks bloody Mercer sat up in his little control seat and pretended he wasn’t massaging his leg. He was also pretending that they weren’t sitting like two boxers who’d retreated to their opposite corners of the roaring aircraft.

She covered her eyes with her palms.

He’d tried to be nice when she showed up in Margaret and Emily’s tow, still carrying Tessa. That was the one thing that made sure she couldn’t bolt, having someone else’s baby in her arms. Had that been intentional? Margaret sat with her back toward Carly. Emily was invisible up in Carly’s spotter seat in the copilot position. Maybe Carly didn’t want to know just how thoroughly she was being manipulated.

Steve had tried to be nice.

“I’m sorry for… you know.”

Yeah, she knew. For making her feel like shit.

She’d liked his body. Enjoyed it. Liked the way it felt against hers and the way it made her feel. She’d also been surprised at how good he made her feel. A whole part of her had been closed off for the year since Linc’s death, a part she’d somehow forgotten.

And in the light of the morning she could see what she’d also felt in the night, the damage to his leg.

The rest of him was so tan, it made his leg a stark, pale contrast. Of course, he’d clearly spent a long time in a cast. Muscle atrophy explained some of what was wrong, but the long scar, as well as his mood, said there was way more to the story.

She’d mused about how magnificent he must have looked when whole. The women must have flocked. Actually, she liked him this way.

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