CHAPTER 8
“So, when were you going to tell me you’ll be leaving?” Mike asked. Outside the cave, the dawn sky was gray. The worst weather had passed as they slept in one another’s arms. It had been the best night of his life.
Dallas had just climbed back into her flight suit, and so had he. She stared at him across the fire, which he was bringing to life with some twigs. Her heart thudded in response to the serious look in his eyes. Pulling the zipper up to her throat, she sat down on the twisted silver blankets, where they’d made love twice. She took one olive-green sock and pulled it onto her right foot.
“I was trying to think of a way to broach the subject,” she admitted quietly.
Mike continued to add bits of twigs, which flamed to life on the coals. “I finally found out why you’d been so standoffish for so long.”
“It was top secret. How did you find out?” She put on the other sock and watched a slight smile crawl across that wonderful mouth of his.
“I can’t tell. I have my sources, though. Don’t forget I was an Apache helo pilot myself before I left the U.S. Army and joined the Border Patrol. Ten years in the military teaches you a lot.” He snapped a couple more twigs and dropped them on the growing flames. “I still have friends in the Pentagon.”
“I see. They must be heavyweights, then.”
“You could say that.”
“You’re enjoying this too much, Murdoch.”
“Am I?” He rose lithely and went to the stash of larger limbs he’d gathered the night before.
Dallas sat there, legs drawn up, arms resting across her knees. She watched him walk back to the fire. Outside, the day was dreary but not rainy. At 0700 it was cool but not freezing. “Yes, you are.”
“I’m sorry, darlin’. I shouldn’t be teasing you like this.”
“Especially before I’ve got coffee percolating through my veins.”
His mouth curved briefly. “You’re going to get orders on January 2 to head up Black Jaguar Squadron 60.” He looked up and held her narrowed eyes. “They’ve given you a number designation. Did you know that?”
“No.” Frowning, she studied Murdoch in the gathering silence. Only the wood popping, snapping fire broke it. “Okay, wise guy, how come you know so much?”
He gloated. “Major Dane York is a friend of mine. Has been ever since we flew Apaches together back at flight school.”
“Oh.” Dallas quickly put the rest together. Dane York had married Maya Stevenson, commanding officer of the Black Jaguar Squadron in Peru. “It appears you and Dane talk often.”
Mike shrugged. “We do keep in touch. He called me a week ago to let me know that Maya was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and both of them are leaving Peru and heading to the Pentagon for a two-year assignment.” Murdoch held her gaze. “Maya and Dane will be your ops and planning contacts when BJS 60 goes live.”
Surprised at the information, Dallas digested it a long time before speaking. “Where are they putting the new squadron?”
“Afghanistan. At a secret base near Mazar-e-Sharif. It will be a jump-off point for you and your women to get to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Tajikistan in a hurry. That’s the next area the Pentagon thinks terrorists are going to try and destabilize. They will continue to eat away at the edges by fomenting havoc with all the newly formed countries in that region.”
She shook her head. “Damn good thing you work for our side, Murdoch. This is black ops stuff.”
“Well,” he hedged, rising and dusting off his hands, “I had to know, Dallas.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to lose you.”
Her heart bounded, reacting to the sudden emotion in his low tone. It was his eyes, however, that gave him away. Dallas saw the love shining in them—for her. Gulping, she said, “I guess that’s a good reason.”
“Want me to come along? I’ll even pack your bags—and mine.”
She grinned belatedly as he smiled. Holding out her hand, she said, “Come and sit with me.”
“An offer I can’t refuse.” Murdoch ambled over and settled beside her. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he drew Dallas against him. As he kissed her mussed hair, he whispered, “Well? Can I crawl into your luggage and come along? Did you know I speak excellent French? The secret base will be in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. I could come in handy, you know, if you need a translator.”
Chuckling, Dallas eased back enough to catch the glint in his eyes. “You are such a tease, Murdoch.”
“But you love me anyway?”
Silence hung between them.
Dallas moistened her lips, which still held the taste of him. “I don’t know when it happened, Mike. The first day, I really didn’t like you. But now…”
“The first day was bad,” he agreed, holding her warm gaze. “I love you, Dallas. I don’t know when it happened, either, but you rubbed off on me.” Lifting his hand, he swept a few silky strands of hair off her brow. “And if you say no, I’m coming anyway. Dane said you were going to need a good ops coordinator. You don’t know this, but I have lots of training in that department. So I’m coming along no matter what you say.” He flashed his teeth in a broad smile.
Laughing lightly, Dallas shook her head. “You really are incorrigible, Murdoch. Yes, I’d love to have you come along. Because I love you.” There, the words were out. Dallas had waited so long to say that to a man. The last time she had, the Peruvian medical doctor had left her. She didn’t think Mike would. And seeing the pleasure in his face, the joy in his eyes, her heart soared with happiness.
“That sounds right to me,” he growled, and leaned down to kiss her smiling mouth. Her lips were wonderfully soft, and hungry once more. Resisting temptation, he eased back and said, “I have a special surprise for you when we get home to my apartment.”
Groaning, Dallas said, “Don’t tell me. A turkey.”
“Well, that’s not all.” He gave her a squeeze. Resting his chin on her head, he said, “I guess I can tell you now. It really won’t spoil the surprise. I noticed a while back that you often wear small pink diamond earrings. I got in touch with my friends in Mexico, and they know a jeweler who creates one-of-a-kind wedding rings.”
Dallas grunted and sat back, amazed. “You didn’t.”
“Yeah, I did. I had him make a channel setting of small pink diamonds for your engagement ring. I have it in a box back at the apartment. I was going to give it to you for Christmas dinner dessert.”
She saw the pride in his face. “I’ll bet it’s beautiful. I can hardly wait to see it. I love pink diamonds.”
“You’re the diamond in my life. In a couple of hours, we’ll be home, darlin’. You’re going to live with me until we get reassigned. The C.O. is going to miss us, but he’ll get replacements. My life is with you—wherever they send you in this world of ours.”
Reaching up, Dallas kissed Mike tenderly, then framed his face with her hands. “You know what you are to me?”
“Beside a huge pain in the ass at times?”
She remained sober. “I love your humor, Mike. But to me, you’re my forever man.”
He grasped her hands and held them. “Count on it, Dallas. But only if you’ll be my forever woman.”
She met his warm gaze, her heart melting. “Forever, Mike.”
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