The tracker had caught sight of Mack’s footprints leading away from the wall. The two newcomers walked in that direction, exactly as Mack had hoped they would. But the tracker squatted down, using a finger to trace the tracks beneath him. Shit. The man had noticed Marley’s much smaller footprints. If he was that good, he might realize there was only one pair of prints leading away. The man’s shoulders tensed and Mack jerked back as the soldier looked up at the rock face. Mack plastered himself to the ground and controlled his breathing. Even that small variation from the normal sounds of the environment could give him away.

He glanced over his shoulder at Marley. She was huddled behind him, far from the ledge, her eyes squeezed shut, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. Any person would be afraid in this situation, but she controlled her fear.

He’d seen plenty of men and women lose their shit when their lives were threatened or when they’d been backed into a corner. Marley could give in to it at any moment, but she wouldn’t. Mack had come to realize that about her in their short amount of time together.

And under other circumstances—say, if they weren’t being hunted by a bloodthirsty band of outlaws in the middle of the Congo after their plane was blown up by a secret implant of his mortal enemy—he was sure he’d find her little idiosyncrasies cute. Not irritating as they had been earlier.

Mack listened intently for any indication that the tracker was climbing the wall. There was no way he could ascend the thick vines without making some noise. Meanwhile, he kept his gaze locked on Marley’s profile, soaking in the sight of her. Her nose was dainty and curved, with a light sprinkle of freckles just across the bridge. With the setting sun glinting off her hair, he could see the multitude of warm golden highlights and deep fiery red streaks mixing in with the brown. As if sensing his perusal, Marley let go of her bottom lip and turned to stare right back at him.

He noticed those gold flecks in her rich mahogany eyes again, and how they mirrored the layers in her hair. He found himself wondering about her life. How she’d gotten to be an Air Force pilot. What her daughter was like. From the way she’d talked about her child, Mack was pretty sure the father wasn’t in the picture. She didn’t wear a ring—he’d looked—though most operatives didn’t while they were in the field.

Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips, and he followed that tiny movement, his mind immediately filling with thoughts of how soft she’d been. How much he’d like to get another taste of her. He wanted to explore her depths, find out her secrets.

Confusion swirled through him. He shouldn’t care about her personal life. He had a mission to complete. This little—okay, huge—obstacle had sidetracked his plans, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t finish what he’d started. Marley Mitchell was a temptation, no doubt about it, but he didn’t have the time or the room in his life to contemplate a relationship with a woman.

Distractions equaled danger.

He’d made a vow to himself and his unit that he would avenge them. Jack Mankel was going to die, and he would die by Mack’s own hand. Which meant Mack had to stay on task. Stay focused. He had to keep his eyes on the goal, not on the sexy woman inches away from him. Looking for a reason to break their gaze, and because he needed to find out if the guerilla had left, Mack crawled toward ledge on his stomach and peered over, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw the empty ground below. A few seconds later, he heard a vehicle fire up and speed off, heading in the direction Mack had led them.

“They are gone.”

“Are you sure?”

“That was their Jeep pulling away.” But he wouldn’t sleep much tonight. He’d have to keep an eye out in case the men double-backed on foot.

“Do you think we should find somewhere else to hole up for the night?”

He didn’t miss the hint of worry in her voice.

Mack sat up, riffling through the Velcroed pockets of his cargo pants legs for his flashlight. “This is definitely the safest place. Even if they do come back, I’ll be able to pick them off with my rifle. Plus, this will provide us with shelter from the animals and the environment.” His fingers closed around the heavy steel of the light and he clicked it on. The setting sun only highlighted about a foot into the cave, and it would drop below the tree line within the next few minutes, shrouding them in total darkness. “Let’s see what the inside of our home looks like, shall we?”

Mack panned his light around the mouth of the cave. Although the entrance was small, he realized, it opened into a large cavern a few feet in. He put the flashlight in his mouth and crawled into the opening on his hands and knees, continuing on that way until the space opened up and he was able to stand, the ceiling a few feet from his head at full height. Marley hovered outside the cave and he gestured for her to follow. “Come on. It’s bigger in here than I realized.” She hesitated and then followed suit, crawling until the ceiling opened up and she was able to stand. She stood close enough for him to feel her heat, but he’d no sooner realized that than she took a step back.

“Wow, you know how to pick them.”

“You up for a little exploration?

“Follow you into the deep, dark, scary cave? It’s exactly what I want to do on my Saturday night.” Then she smiled—it was the first smile he’d seen on her face, and the effect was like a punch. The air left his lungs and his brain blanked and suddenly he found himself wanting to make her smile more.

“Thought I’d impress you since this is our first date. Let me take you on the grand tour of the mansion.”

First date? Had he really just said that? Her irritation with him would return, no doubt, and he would be stuck dealing with a hostile female the rest of the night because suddenly his dick had started thinking instead of his brain.

Marley’s grin grew wider and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I have to say, this is the best first date I’ve been on in over a year.”

Mack’s shoulders straightened and his chest swelled up a split second before he got his emotions back under control. “And how many first dates have you been on in the past year?”

“Just one. And so far, you’ve definitely piqued my interest.”