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Authors: Amy Ruttan
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commanding officer.”
Thorne’s face remained expressionless. “You’re right. Of course you’re right.”
Even though he didn’t show any sign of anger, there was tension in his voice and possibly a sense of rejection. She knew that tone well enough from other guys she’d turned down, because there just wasn’t time for romance.
And because you’re frightened.
Erica stood. “I should go. Good night, Captain Wilder.”
Thorne nodded but didn’t look at her. “I’ll see you in the morning, Commander Griffin.”
* * *
Thorne watched her leave the bar; even though he shouldn’t, he did. It was good that she’d turned him down. He didn’t know what had come over him.
Probably the beer.
“You’re looking for trouble with that one,” Scooby said.
Thorne snorted. “I’m not looking for trouble.”
“Good, because that one is strong willed. Why did you tell her I can’t speak English?”
Thorne chuckled. “I was playing with her.”
“Ay-ay-ay. Perhaps I should warn her off of you, Captain Wilder. Perhaps you’re nothing but trouble.” Scooby smiled and set another bottle of beer down on the counter. “I’m sorry to hear about the corporal. He was a good man.”
“He was.”
“I would like to send something to his family.” Scooby reached behind the bar and pulled out a picture. “This was from last month. Corporal Ryder led our bowling team to victory.”
Thorne smiled at the picture of Scooby, Corporal Ryder and some other officers in horrific bright-orange bowling shirts holding up matching color marble balls.
“I’m sure they’d like that.”
Scooby nodded and walked away. Thorne carefully placed the framed picture down and then set the shark tooth on top of it.
Damn you, Ryder.
“You hold on, Liam. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
“It’s not as bad as you think. You can live.”
Liam shook his head. “No, little brother.”
“Stop calling me little. I’m three minutes younger than you.”
Liam chuckled, his pupils dilating, his breathing shallow. “You’ll always be my little brother, Thorne. Remember that.”
Thorne cursed under his breath and finished off his beer. He didn’t want to think about Liam right now.
When do you ever?
It was true. Since Liam had died in his arms, he didn’t like to think about him.
But then, who would want to think about a loved one they couldn’t save?
One who could’ve been saved.
One that would still have been alive if he hadn’t made such a foolish mistake.
CHAPTER SIX
D AMN AND DOUBLE DAMN.
Erica turned on her heel and tried to walk away as fast as she could, even though the little voice inside her head told her that she couldn’t avoid Captain Wilder for the rest of her life. She was his second in command.
Needless to say, she was damn well going to try.
“Commander Griffin—a word, if you will.”
Erica grimaced and cursed under her breath.
Damn.
She turned around slowly as Thorne walked toward her. He wasn’t wearing his usual scrubs; he was in uniform. Not the full dress and not the fatigues—the service khaki and it didn’t look half bad on him.
The khaki brought out the brilliant blue color in his eyes.
Damn.
“Of course, Captain Wilder. How can I help you?”
He shook his head. “Not here. Let’s go to my office.”
Erica’s stomach knotted. Oh, great. What was going to happen to her now? Last time she’d been involved with a commanding officer she’d been sent packing. That was why she didn’t mix work and relationships.
They walked in silence to his office. He opened the door for her.
“Please have a seat.”
“I prefer to stand, if you don’t mind, Captain.”
Thorne frowned. “Why are you standing at attention, Commander?”
“Aren’t I being called up on the rug?”
“It’s called ‘out on the carpet’. I think that’s what you mean.”
Erica sighed. “Right.”
“No, Commander. You’re not being scolded. At ease.”
She relaxed, but not completely.
Thorne’s face remained expressionless. “You’re right. Of course you’re right.”
Even though he didn’t show any sign of anger, there was tension in his voice and possibly a sense of rejection. She knew that tone well enough from other guys she’d turned down, because there just wasn’t time for romance.
And because you’re frightened.
Erica stood. “I should go. Good night, Captain Wilder.”
Thorne nodded but didn’t look at her. “I’ll see you in the morning, Commander Griffin.”
* * *
Thorne watched her leave the bar; even though he shouldn’t, he did. It was good that she’d turned him down. He didn’t know what had come over him.
Probably the beer.
“You’re looking for trouble with that one,” Scooby said.
Thorne snorted. “I’m not looking for trouble.”
“Good, because that one is strong willed. Why did you tell her I can’t speak English?”
Thorne chuckled. “I was playing with her.”
“Ay-ay-ay. Perhaps I should warn her off of you, Captain Wilder. Perhaps you’re nothing but trouble.” Scooby smiled and set another bottle of beer down on the counter. “I’m sorry to hear about the corporal. He was a good man.”
“He was.”
“I would like to send something to his family.” Scooby reached behind the bar and pulled out a picture. “This was from last month. Corporal Ryder led our bowling team to victory.”
Thorne smiled at the picture of Scooby, Corporal Ryder and some other officers in horrific bright-orange bowling shirts holding up matching color marble balls.
“I’m sure they’d like that.”
Scooby nodded and walked away. Thorne carefully placed the framed picture down and then set the shark tooth on top of it.
Damn you, Ryder.
“You hold on, Liam. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
“It’s not as bad as you think. You can live.”
Liam shook his head. “No, little brother.”
“Stop calling me little. I’m three minutes younger than you.”
Liam chuckled, his pupils dilating, his breathing shallow. “You’ll always be my little brother, Thorne. Remember that.”
Thorne cursed under his breath and finished off his beer. He didn’t want to think about Liam right now.
When do you ever?
It was true. Since Liam had died in his arms, he didn’t like to think about him.
But then, who would want to think about a loved one they couldn’t save?
One who could’ve been saved.
One that would still have been alive if he hadn’t made such a foolish mistake.
CHAPTER SIX
D AMN AND DOUBLE DAMN.
Erica turned on her heel and tried to walk away as fast as she could, even though the little voice inside her head told her that she couldn’t avoid Captain Wilder for the rest of her life. She was his second in command.
Needless to say, she was damn well going to try.
“Commander Griffin—a word, if you will.”
Erica grimaced and cursed under her breath.
Damn.
She turned around slowly as Thorne walked toward her. He wasn’t wearing his usual scrubs; he was in uniform. Not the full dress and not the fatigues—the service khaki and it didn’t look half bad on him.
The khaki brought out the brilliant blue color in his eyes.
Damn.
“Of course, Captain Wilder. How can I help you?”
He shook his head. “Not here. Let’s go to my office.”
Erica’s stomach knotted. Oh, great. What was going to happen to her now? Last time she’d been involved with a commanding officer she’d been sent packing. That was why she didn’t mix work and relationships.
They walked in silence to his office. He opened the door for her.
“Please have a seat.”
“I prefer to stand, if you don’t mind, Captain.”
Thorne frowned. “Why are you standing at attention, Commander?”
“Aren’t I being called up on the rug?”
“It’s called ‘out on the carpet’. I think that’s what you mean.”
Erica sighed. “Right.”
“No, Commander. You’re not being scolded. At ease.”
She relaxed, but not completely.
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