thing he couldn’t even begin to understand. That was probably a recipe for completely losing his mind.
His lizard brain though—hell yes, it was still there and being very creative. He had the makings of a hard-on by the time he took his seat in the briefing room. He was shifting in his chair like a horny kid after one single thought: he’d need to head to maintenance after his flight and grab a few more zip ties.
Maybe more than a few.
Surprisingly, Major Haverty, call sign Fang, wasn’t in. That meant Princess Leah delivered the morning briefing. Dash and Eric liked to give Mike shit about how hot she was, which sure wouldn’t change once she replaced Haverty as head of the squadron. Rumor had it that the All-American never-get-it-wrong major was on to bigger and better things. Lieutenant colonel would sit well on the man.
The squad was going to struggle through some growing pains as it adjusted to new leadership. A woman major. A beautiful woman major. A woman major who was in a serious relationship with one of her pilots.
No wonder Dash was reluctant to fly. Lots of changes. And what awaited the Aggressors ranked well below the hell waiting for him when he got home.
End of the world. End of the world. End of the world.
Now wasn’t that a fabulous mantra?
What the hell would he be without her? A lesser man. Wrecked. Lost. The thoughts spilled down out of his head and into his bloodstream and his muscles and his guts. Everything churned to the point of actual pain.
“First things first,” Princess said, reading off a printout. “You all know Colonel Bandry’s party is later this month. Everyone will be there. Everyone .”
A groan worked through the room, but Dash put plenty of heart into his. The retirement party for Colonel Laura Bandry was the reason for his father’s upcoming visit. He expected a dinner or two with Dash and Sunny while he was in town. Not that he’d asked. He’d informed , in that autocratic way of his. That was exactly what Dash did not need—Colonel Gene and his antagonism, right up in the middle of the trouble he was having with Sunny. It seemed unavoidable.
Unless she got tired of Dash before then and headed back to DC early.
Well, well. That thought was shit on top of shit.
After Leah finished reading off the rest of the announcements and reminders, she flipped the paper on her clipboard. “Here are your assignments, bandits. Kisser and Tin Tin on the southern perimeter. You boys play nice or I’ll have your goddamn dicks.”
That was certainly a change of style from Fang. Dash had never heard the man cuss. When his pilots were at risk, he could lose his temper like a bull charging a red cape, but he was a controlled character. Leah would be…interesting.
Thing was, she didn’t sound like she was play-acting her leadership role. She was stepping up. Dash had accused Mike of being a fuckup, but it wasn’t too long ago that the Princess was the squad’s A-number-one wild girl. Being in command looked good on her.
“Dash, eyes front,” she snapped.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You’re with the pretty boy.” Her gaze touched on Mike only briefly, before returning to brass-balls business. “Square off against those two numbnuts and make sure they don’t take objective number two. You know the drill, folks. It’s all in your flight packets. Fall in behind your team leaders and raise some hell.”
“What’ll you be doing, Princess?” called Tin Tin.
With Haverty absent, the kid was the only man in the room who could poke at her and get away with it. Not even Mike did. When on duty, he and Leah were scarily professional.
“Today, bandits, I am the rogue element in your midst. Anyone I see with their guard down, either team—you’re mine. An object and an enemy force isn’t the only threat we face in the air.” She smiled almost sweetly. “Today, that threat is me.”
“Damn, she’s being a bitch,” Eric whispered to Dash.
“Get used to it. She’s
His lizard brain though—hell yes, it was still there and being very creative. He had the makings of a hard-on by the time he took his seat in the briefing room. He was shifting in his chair like a horny kid after one single thought: he’d need to head to maintenance after his flight and grab a few more zip ties.
Maybe more than a few.
Surprisingly, Major Haverty, call sign Fang, wasn’t in. That meant Princess Leah delivered the morning briefing. Dash and Eric liked to give Mike shit about how hot she was, which sure wouldn’t change once she replaced Haverty as head of the squadron. Rumor had it that the All-American never-get-it-wrong major was on to bigger and better things. Lieutenant colonel would sit well on the man.
The squad was going to struggle through some growing pains as it adjusted to new leadership. A woman major. A beautiful woman major. A woman major who was in a serious relationship with one of her pilots.
No wonder Dash was reluctant to fly. Lots of changes. And what awaited the Aggressors ranked well below the hell waiting for him when he got home.
End of the world. End of the world. End of the world.
Now wasn’t that a fabulous mantra?
What the hell would he be without her? A lesser man. Wrecked. Lost. The thoughts spilled down out of his head and into his bloodstream and his muscles and his guts. Everything churned to the point of actual pain.
“First things first,” Princess said, reading off a printout. “You all know Colonel Bandry’s party is later this month. Everyone will be there. Everyone .”
A groan worked through the room, but Dash put plenty of heart into his. The retirement party for Colonel Laura Bandry was the reason for his father’s upcoming visit. He expected a dinner or two with Dash and Sunny while he was in town. Not that he’d asked. He’d informed , in that autocratic way of his. That was exactly what Dash did not need—Colonel Gene and his antagonism, right up in the middle of the trouble he was having with Sunny. It seemed unavoidable.
Unless she got tired of Dash before then and headed back to DC early.
Well, well. That thought was shit on top of shit.
After Leah finished reading off the rest of the announcements and reminders, she flipped the paper on her clipboard. “Here are your assignments, bandits. Kisser and Tin Tin on the southern perimeter. You boys play nice or I’ll have your goddamn dicks.”
That was certainly a change of style from Fang. Dash had never heard the man cuss. When his pilots were at risk, he could lose his temper like a bull charging a red cape, but he was a controlled character. Leah would be…interesting.
Thing was, she didn’t sound like she was play-acting her leadership role. She was stepping up. Dash had accused Mike of being a fuckup, but it wasn’t too long ago that the Princess was the squad’s A-number-one wild girl. Being in command looked good on her.
“Dash, eyes front,” she snapped.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You’re with the pretty boy.” Her gaze touched on Mike only briefly, before returning to brass-balls business. “Square off against those two numbnuts and make sure they don’t take objective number two. You know the drill, folks. It’s all in your flight packets. Fall in behind your team leaders and raise some hell.”
“What’ll you be doing, Princess?” called Tin Tin.
With Haverty absent, the kid was the only man in the room who could poke at her and get away with it. Not even Mike did. When on duty, he and Leah were scarily professional.
“Today, bandits, I am the rogue element in your midst. Anyone I see with their guard down, either team—you’re mine. An object and an enemy force isn’t the only threat we face in the air.” She smiled almost sweetly. “Today, that threat is me.”
“Damn, she’s being a bitch,” Eric whispered to Dash.
“Get used to it. She’s
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