Dan, Rich, Derrick, and Thom stepped out of Dan’s Chevy Tahoe. They’d spent four hours after extracting Fug in debrief with Tasha, going over the mission in detail. When it was over, Rich had pulled the rest of the members of the team aside and apologized. He wouldn’t admit he’d fucked up in front of Tasha, but he knew he had.

The rest of the team had laughed it off, but they had taken the lesson to heart because Tasha was right. The SEALs knew all about stealth. But when the shit hit the fan, the instinct was to warn their buddies then go Rambo on every asshole they saw, a tried and true plan that had served the SEALs—and the rest of the armed services—well for many years.

After washing the sweat and desert off themselves, Dan had picked them up. He was taking them out to show them his town. He’d brought them to Pokey’s, a bar and grill which was one of his favorite spots for a burger and beer. Derrick and Rich would have to buy their own burgers, but the beers were on him and Thom tonight.

They settled at a table in the middle of the room and quickly placed their orders.

Derrick looked around. “Fuck. I chose the wrong service.”

Dan snickered. “What?”

“I should have joined the damned Air Force or something. Check out all the prime pussy in this place. Is it always like this?”

“Yeah, pretty much. Southwest women are the prettiest around.”

“I’ll say,” Rich added. “Too bad there isn’t a naval base close by. These poor women don’t know what they’re missing.”

Dan snickered again.

“What was it like falling on Fug?” Thom asked as he sipped his beer.

“Soft,” Dan replied with a small smile.

“Lucky bastard,” Derrick sneered with a grin. “She was looking good in that t-shirt.”

“Tell me about it,” Thom said. “Probably why that MP snuck up on us. Rich couldn’t keep his eyes off her tits.”

“Fuck you, Ranger Rick,” Rich snarled before downing a swallow of beer.

“If it was anybody’s fault, it was mine,” Dan said. “This is what I do. I should have known better.”

“It was nobody’s fault,” Thom corrected. “You heard Tasha. We weren’t supposed to succeed. She put that time limit on us so we had to haul ass and not take it slow and careful. We did the best we could with shitty ROEs.” The other men nodded. The Rules of Engagement had been stacked against them from the start.

“Enough about work,” Rich said when the waitress dropped their burgers off. “I’m going to eat this burger”—his tone fell off on the last word as he smiled— “then I’m going to find something else to eat later…if you know what I mean,” he finished with a lecherous smile.

“To eating out,” Derrick toasted, hoisting his mug.

The men laughed softly as they clinked their mugs together.

“I haven’t seen you boys around,” a stunning blonde said as four women paused at their table. “You stationed at Davis-Monthan?”

“He is,” Thom said with a jerk of his chin at Dan. “He’s showing us around.”

“But you’re all Air Force?” the woman with the raven-black hair asked.

“Navy,” Derrick said.

“Same,” Rich added.

“Army,” Thom finished.

“And you’re Air Force?” one of the brunettes asked, holding Dan’s eyes.

“Yeah.”

“Care to join us?” Derrick asked.

“Sure,” the blonde said.

The men pulled another table to theirs, and the group distributed themselves around the larger table.

“I’m Rachel,” the blonde and boldest of the bunch said as she settled next to Derrick and leaned in close. “That’s Karen, Misty, and McKenzie,” she continued, naming the two brunettes and the raven-haired woman who had settled next to Rich. “We don’t get many Navy, or Army for that matter, around here.”

“Just in town visiting our pal Dan here,” Thom said with a nudge. “Buy you ladies a drink?”

“We’d love one,” Rachel said. “Beers.”

Derrick ordered another round for the table.

“Going to be around a while?” Misty asked as she gave Thom the once over.

“A while,” Thom replied.

“What about you?” Karen asked.

“I’m stationed here. Part of the 48^th Rescue Squadron.” Dan smiled as her eyes glazed over. She obviously had no idea what he was taking about.

“I always thought the Army, Navy, and Air Force didn’t get along,” Rachel wondered aloud. “But you guys seem to be having a good time.”

“Just out having drinks with friends.”

“Been friends long?”

“Not long. But we’ve been in the shit together. That makes friends fast.”

Karen nodded. “Dangerous missions?”

“If we told you, we’d have to kill you,” Rich said softly as he looked around, his eyes narrow and suspicious. Then he grinned.

McKenzie twittered out a laugh as she leaned in a little closer and put her hand on his arm. “It looks like you know how to handle yourself.”

He shrugged. “I do okay.”

Rachel drew her finger down Derrick’s bulging arm. “I bet you’ve seen a lot of action.”

Derrick smiled. “Our share.”

“Anyone at home?” McKenzie asked Thom.

“No.”

“What the fuck!” a man’s voice snarled. “Rachel, what the fuck are you doing?”

“Shit,” Rachel muttered. “What’s he doing here?”

“Friend of yours?” Derrick asked as a massively muscled man marched across the bar.

“Ex-boyfriend,” she replied softly before she turned to face the man. “Get lost, Chad. I told you, we’re done.”

“We’re not done until I fucking say we’re done.”

“You’re jacked again. Leave me alone.”

“Fuck you, you skanky bitch,” Chad growled as he reached for Rachel’s arm.

Derrick intercepted it. “The lady asked you to leave her alone,” he said as he rose, holding Chad’s arm by the wrist. The five guys who were with Chad hardened, their oversized muscles tensing. Thom, Rich, and Dan rose to back Derrick up.

“Get your fucking hand off me, you fucking ape.”

“I don’t want any trouble,” the bartender yelled. “I’m calling the cops.”

“No need for that,” Rich called. “There won’t be any trouble, will there, boys?” he asked, his voice low and threatening.

“Go away. Leave me alone,” Rachel hissed. “Just accept we’re finished!”

Chad jerked his hand away. “Yeah, okay, we’ll go, but you’re coming with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Leave,” Derrick said, his tone threatening.

Chad licked his lips. “We’ll be waiting for you outside,” he hissed, getting in Derrick’s face.

“Then let’s go. We’ll settle it right now,” Rich sneered.

“Out back,” Chad growled and stomped away, his entourage turning and following him out.

“Fuck,” Dan muttered. “We don’t need this.”

“What’s his story?” Thom asked.

Rachel grimaced. “He’s lost his fucking mind. He started getting jacked up on steroids, and it’s made him mean and aggressive. I got sick of his shit and left him, but he won’t leave me the fuck alone.”

“’Roid rage,” Rich said with a knowing nod.

“Yeah.”

“And the guys with him?” Rich asked.

“He calls them his posse. They work out together.”

“We need to let them cool off,” Dan cautioned. “We don’t need our asses thrown in jail.”

He could tell that Derrick, and especially Rich, didn’t like it. “Yeah, okay. You’re right,” Rich conceded. “Stay with us,” he said to Rachel, “and we’ll make sure you get home okay.”

“Thank you,” Rachel murmured as everyone settled back at their table.

Less than five minutes later, Chad returned. “You chicken-shit fucks,” he snarled as he stormed in. “I’m going to kick your ass.”

“We don’t want any—” Dan began as the four men rose, but Chad didn’t give them any choice.

He took a swing at Derrick, a sloppy roundhouse that he ducked under easily. The patrons scattered, Rachel and her friends scrambling to get out of the way as Chad’s posse waded into the brawl.

Dan ducked under the wide swing of the tattooed gorilla and fired a hard right straight into the man’s face. He staggered back, his face bloody, then came back at him with a roar. Dan sidestepped his charge, grabbed his wrist as he passed, and turned with the charge, twisting the wrist and bringing the arm up hard behind the man’s back. With five on four, this was no time to hold back. He shoved the arm up as hard as he could and heard the pop as the man’s shoulder let go.

The gorilla screamed in pain as Dan shoved him to the floor. He turned to face another attacker, but three of the men were already down. Thom had his arm across the throat of one the men, his other hand behind his head, forcing his head forward. As he watched, the man sagged as he slipped into unconsciousness. Derrick’s left cheek was red where he’d obviously taken a punch, but as Dan watched, he punched the final assailant in the gut with a hard left. As the man doubled over, he grabbed him by the back of the head and drove his face downward into his rapidly rising knee. The man hit the floor like a sack of potatoes.

The fight was over in seconds. Except for one chair, the furniture was still upright, and all the glassware was unbroken. The man Thom choked out began to stir as he came around, and the other four moved slowly on the floor as they grunted in pain. It appeared to Dan that everyone had used the minimum amount of force necessary to end the fight quickly and with finality.

“Get up,” Rich snarled, hauling a groggy Chad up by the arm. “Take your buddies and get your asses out of here before you piss us off.”

The four men roused their attackers out, tossing the men into the parking lot outside. “Get out. All of you. I’ve called the cops,” the barkeep snarled. “This is a respectable place.”

“We didn’t start it,” Dan protested.

“I don’t care. Get out.”

The four men tossed two twenties on the bar to cover their food and beers, glaring at the barkeep, then stomped out. Rachel and her friends hurried after them, clinging to their arms as they escorted them past Chad and his goons. Derrick paused.

“Leave her alone, or the next time, I won’t go so easy on you,” he growled at Chad.

“I’m so sorry,” Rachel murmured as she stayed close to Derrick.

“Not your fault,” he muttered.

“Can I drop you off somewhere?” she asked. “Maybe…my place?”

He stopped and stared at her, then smiled. “Am I going to have to worry about Chad busting in again?”

She smiled and relaxed. “No, I don’t think so. If he does, you can kick his ass properly this time.”

“Dan! Rachel is going to give me a ride, okay?”

“No problem.”

McKenzie and Misty paired off with Rich and Thom. Karen looked at Dan and smiled. “That was something back there.”

“Stupid fucks.”

“Yeah, but you gave them a chance. That fucking Chad has been hassling Rachel for weeks.”

“What the fuck did she see in that asshole?”

“Well…he’s hot, for one thing.” Dan snorted, and she grinned. “He hit her a few weeks back, and that was it. They were already having trouble. The steroids were making it so he couldn’t get it up anymore. Add to it he was getting bat-shit crazy…”

“Stupid fuck is going to kill himself. Good riddance.”

She licked her lips. “Can I give you a ride somewhere?”

“I have my car.”

“You…want to follow me home?”

He felt a twitch in his manhood. Karen was attractive as hell, but for some reason, running with Fug as they tried to make their escape came up from the depths of his memory and he felt the attraction wither and die. He smiled at her softly.

“Maybe some other time.”

She watched him, a small pout on her lips. “What’s wrong?”

He touched her face softly. She felt good under his fingertip. “Nothing. You’re beautiful and sexy but—never mind. I’d love to, but I can’t.”

“You’re not married, are you? You’re not wearing a ring.”

He chuckled. “No. Not married.”

“Then why?”

“It’s complicated.”

“At least kiss me goodnight?”

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her softly. She tried to draw him in, but he pulled gently back from the kiss. “I’m sorry.”

She frosted over. “Yeah, so am I. I thought you were a nice guy. I liked how you were willing to walk away rather than fight. What are you, gay?” He didn’t answer, and she glared at him. “Okay, if you don’t want to fuck me, then you can just go fuck yourself.”

She spun on her toe and stomped away. He felt a sick sinking in his stomach. “Not gay,” he murmured softly to himself. “Merely a stupid shit.”

He turned and walked to his Tahoe, slamming the door. He stared out of the windshield as he bounced the meaty part of his hands off the steering wheel.

“You stupid fuck,” he snarled to no one.

He opened his door, intending to go after Karen, but he’d only made it three steps before a car pulled into the road and roared away, the driver giving the car hell. It had to be Karen.

“Fuck,” he muttered and returned to his vehicle. He was so fucked up. He crawled into his rig and slammed the door hard, his lips tight as he started his truck. He yanked it into gear and stomped on the throttle, the SUV lunging away with a chirp of tires. It wasn’t the Tahoe’s fault he was a fuck up, but he was taking it out on the vehicle anyway.

He’d had time to cool off before he turned into the base, the airmen giving him a crisp wave through the gate, and he wondered if he was one of the MPs who had shot them to shit earlier in the day.

The headlights of his car picked up a figure running along the side of the road, the woman’s red ponytail swinging with her stride. He slowed as he pulled up beside Tasha and rolled the passenger window down.

“Want a ride?”

Tasha glanced at him, smiled, and slowed to a stop. The sun was down, but he could see enough to know that his first impression of her—that she was a goddamned knockout—was correct. She wore a sweat-soaked sports bra that hugged her perfectly. Her face glowed with her exertions, and he liked the way her breasts heaved as she leaned on the door and panted.

“No, but thanks for the offer.”

“Kind of late to be running, isn’t it?”

“Too fucking hot to be running during the day. Actually, it’s too fucking hot to be running now.” She smiled and wiped at her face. “But a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.”

“The NSA must expect a lot from their people.”

She grinned. “I wasn’t always an analyst. I’ve done some field work, and I want to stay in shape.”

“Are you shitting me? You were a spy?”

“Sure was.” She grinned at him. “Don’t look at me like that. Remember what I said about the CIA moving in and spreading a lot of money around, buying information? Yeah, it’s really like that. My life as a spy wasn’t nearly as glamorous as it looks in the movies.”

“Where were you stationed?” She smiled at him but didn’t answer. “Ah. Got it. Forget I asked.”

“It’s okay. It probably wouldn’t matter now if I told you, but some habits die hard. Like staying in shape.”

“Why don’t you use the gym? It’s air-conditioned.”

She spluttered. “Run on a treadmill? No thanks. I have to be going somewhere to run.”

“Sure I can’t give you a ride?”

She grinned. “Thanks, but no. Why don’t you get out of that air-conditioned truck and run with me? Misery loves company.”

He chuckled. “Maybe some other time. I like to run in the boneyard. It gives me time to think.”

“You run?”

“Yeah. Surprised?”

“No, I guess not. You look more like a guy that hits the weights.”

“Well, I do that too. But running, it frees my mind.”

“Yeah, I get that. I get in the zone and the miles just pass. It’s why I don’t run on a treadmill. I can’t get into the zone. Too many distractions. Next time you think about running in the boneyard, if you want some company, call me. I’ll join you.”

“I run in the day.”

“Fuck. Forget it then.” She snickered. “Seriously, call me. I’d love to see whatcha got.”

“Okay. Deal. Last chance for a ride back to the guest quarters.”

She slapped the side of the truck and stepped back. “I’m good.”

He nodded. “See you tomorrow.”