Ethan’s feet were glued to the floor. Even if he’d wanted to leave, he couldn’t have. The minute he’d heard her voice his body had reacted, his heart had tripped, knowing it was her on a deep, visceral level.

This was his Becca.

The passage of time disappeared. He was slammed back to ten years ago as if the intervening years of heartache and anger had never existed.

She was the same woman, with those dark, innocent eyes that contrasted with a sensual mouth made for sin. He’d been drawn to her from the first day he’d laid eyes on her at the freshman mixer at college, watching her from the other side of the hall as she’d chatted to some nerd in a brown sweater who ran the badminton club.

And he’d known.

She was his.

His body had reacted to her in a way it had never responded to anyone before.

And damn. It still did.

She was all grown up, still petite, nearly a foot shorter than his six foot four. Her hair was longer, tousled, just brushing her shoulders in layers that revealed hints of russet and copper. The baby roundness of her cheeks was gone; now they were high and defined, accentuating lips that were still hardwired to every sexual nerve in his body. When she pressed them together, it looked like she was concealing some salacious secret that she’d share only with him.

His eyes burned to look away, to look anywhere but at her, but he couldn’t. His gaze was locked on her, on the woman who’d taken every piece of his heart and broken it. His pulse accelerated, threatening to crack his rib cage.

Finally, he got a word out. “Becca.”

Her reply was cool. “Ethan.”

Chief squinted at him. “You two know each other?”

Ethan nodded, still unable to look away from Becca. “Long time ago.”

Chief narrowed his gaze at Ethan. “This going to interfere with your work, soldier?”

Becca studied the toes of her boots.

Ethan shook his head, still struggling to bring air into his lungs, but his voice was professional, rock steady. Emotionless. “No, Chief. It’s nothing.”

Becca flinched like he’d flayed her bare skin with a whip, and he instantly regretted it.

She flashed him a steely glance, her eyes stormy with suppressed anger. As if she thought he should be apologizing to her. And deep down, he thought that too. For what he’d just said, denying what they’d meant to each other and everything in the past. God, he wanted to lay it all to rest, but it rose in a raw torrent that stung the back of his throat.

At last, Chief turned his attention back to Becca, releasing Ethan from his scrutiny. “Dr. Johnson, while Cade’s establishing communications regarding evacuation and research permissions, perhaps you’d be kind enough to direct us to your labs.”

Becca visibly bristled. “I appreciate you have your orders, Chief Haynes, but I’ve already said I’m not going to hand over or show you anything until I have verification from Triton. Your arrival wasn’t announced to us in any way and with all due respect, I only have your word for it that you are who you say you are.”

Chief grinned, took a ratty pencil out of his breast pocket and clamped it between his teeth. “Fair enough,” he agreed. “Let’s wait to hear from Triton.”

Becca turned to a pulsing blue and white screen behind her. “Aimee, any news from Triton?” Ethan couldn’t detect a hint of a tremor in her voice. Didn’t seeing him affect her? He tightened his grip on his weapon.

“Negative, Dr. Johnson. Weather conditions are difficult. Still establishing contact.”

Becca took a sideways step, indicating for Chief to follow her. “Come with me to Operations. As soon as your man Cade’s made contact, we can take it from there. Let me just check on Dr. Redd before we leave.” She headed toward the scientist’s bed, releasing Ethan from the moment.

Chief stabbed a finger at the unconscious Dr. Redd. “Luca, I want you there.”

Luca swaggered over. “I don’t do no babysitting.”

Chief shot him a dismissive look. “No one’s asking for your opinion.” He glared at Luca. “You have your orders.”

Luca tutted and stomped over to where Becca was speaking to the doctor with the glasses. Soh, Ethan thought her name was. Becca didn’t rush, clearly taking her time with the unconscious man she’d called Redd to make sure everything was as it should be.

“Betty’s going to stay with Redd. In case he wakes up.”

The middle-aged woman sank into a seat next to Redd, relief that she wasn’t accompanying the Wolves painted all over her face.

Luca hovered nearby, his left leg tapping out an agitated rhythm on the polished floor.

Ethan’s heart restarted at a gallop as Becca brushed past him. He resisted the urge to follow her immediately. Instead, he scraped a hand over his face, bringing his body back under control. This had to be the last time. He couldn’t let her get under his skin like this. She eroded his self-control, and if he was out of control, lives were at risk.

That wasn’t going to happen.

Ethan stalled, waiting till she’d left the room. He needed distance. From her scent, from the heat radiating from her that called to his body. Far enough away that she wouldn’t notice the tremble in his hands.

Luca sidled up to him, his gaze darting all over Ethan's face. “Dark horse, Carter. Past history?”

Ethan grabbed Luca’s throat, shoving him in three quick strides against the smooth sterile wall of the infirmary. He was vaguely aware of a gasp of surprise from the pretty Asian-looking engineer, but he was beyond caring what anyone thought of him anymore.

Luca gagged, his eyes widening as Ethan rammed his thumb and fingers against soft meat and bony Adam’s apple.

“Just so we’re crystal, Luca. She is most definitely not on the market, especially to you. You lay one hand on her and I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

Ethan released him, wiped his hands on his thighs and headed for the door.

Luca gagged and coughed. “What’s she to you?”

Ethan glanced over his shoulder, the words bitter on his tongue.

“My ex-wife.”