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Authors: Lindsay McKenna
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safety in his voice. Taking several deep breaths, she calmed herself.
It was another ten miles before she trusted herself to speak. As she looked over at Sam, she saw the rugged features of his face. His profile looked as if it had been hewn by the sun, wind and rain. There was nothing compromising about him at all.
“I know you’re upset, Sam,” she began. “I’ll stay out of the way so you won’t have to worry about me. I’m not a complete idiot. I’ve had training on H2S gas wells. My Dad dealt with more of them than I care to think about. I know the dangers.”
His expression softened slightly as he slid a glance in her direction. The chignon she normally wore had loosened. He had a momentary urge to pull the rest of the pins free, allowing that red hair of hers to flow across her shoulders. “Did you hear me? I said a terrorist group blew up that well. There are always border disputes between the Arab Emirates and the Saudis. You may be knowledgeable about breathing apparatus and gas wells, Kelly. But you’re no match for a sniper’s bullet or a band of guerillas who are out to destroy everything around their neighbor’s oil and gas wells.” His mouth became grim. “I spent two tours in Nam. I know what it’s like to get shot at and wounded. You’re a woman going into a hostile environment.” He clenched his teeth, silent for a minute. He couldn’t say anything more. Not yet. It was too soon and maybe too late. How could he tell her that she haunted his dreams every night? And that he never ceased to think about her during his waking hours? He needed time to assuage some of her fears of men, time so that she could come to know him better. Now this whole damn thing in the Middle East had erupted and she was walking into a situation where she might get killed.
Sam tried to ignore the ache in his chest caused by that last thought. She was too vital, too alive to die in such a stupid, wasteful manner. Damn her bullheadedness. Her foolhardiness…
* * *
By the time they arrived at the airport, the heavy equipment was in the process of being loaded. Kelly remained close to Sam, nearly running to keep up with his long stride. The plane being loaded was a C-130 Hercules painted in the camouflage colors of green, brown and beige. Kelly’s skin began to crawl as they drew closer. The shouts, directions and roar of equipment blended in a cacophony of discordant noise to her ears. There were three other men in white coveralls besides Sam. She spotted Boots Hansen immediately, his white baseball cap perched on the back of his head as he consulted with the pilots and navigator of the plane.
Sam gripped her arm, bringing her to a halt. His eyes were still filled with anger as he looked down at her. “Get into your coveralls,” he said tightly. “Use that building over there to change.” It was a small building away from the main terminal area of the airport. Kelly nodded and picked up her suitcase.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she zipped up the front of the coveralls. She had lost most of the pins in her hair and decided to free it. There was a tension about the entire operation that she could not ignore. Questions whirled through her mind as she quickly walked back across the concrete ramp to the C-130. She spotted Sam conferring with Colly and joined them, waiting for further instructions.
Sam glanced down at her. He drew in a breath, mesmerized by her untamed beauty. Her auburn hair was like red flame set against the crisp whiteness of the uniform. His body tightened with a flood of desire and he wondered for the thousandth time what it would be like to bring her proud, willful spirit into union with himself. His gaze raked her from her booted feet to her glorious mane of hair.
“Give Colly your suitcase. We’ll be boarding shortly.”
“What about my pipe?”
“Already loaded. Go see for yourself,” he said, pointing toward the four-engine prop jet aircraft.
“Sam…why is the plane
It was another ten miles before she trusted herself to speak. As she looked over at Sam, she saw the rugged features of his face. His profile looked as if it had been hewn by the sun, wind and rain. There was nothing compromising about him at all.
“I know you’re upset, Sam,” she began. “I’ll stay out of the way so you won’t have to worry about me. I’m not a complete idiot. I’ve had training on H2S gas wells. My Dad dealt with more of them than I care to think about. I know the dangers.”
His expression softened slightly as he slid a glance in her direction. The chignon she normally wore had loosened. He had a momentary urge to pull the rest of the pins free, allowing that red hair of hers to flow across her shoulders. “Did you hear me? I said a terrorist group blew up that well. There are always border disputes between the Arab Emirates and the Saudis. You may be knowledgeable about breathing apparatus and gas wells, Kelly. But you’re no match for a sniper’s bullet or a band of guerillas who are out to destroy everything around their neighbor’s oil and gas wells.” His mouth became grim. “I spent two tours in Nam. I know what it’s like to get shot at and wounded. You’re a woman going into a hostile environment.” He clenched his teeth, silent for a minute. He couldn’t say anything more. Not yet. It was too soon and maybe too late. How could he tell her that she haunted his dreams every night? And that he never ceased to think about her during his waking hours? He needed time to assuage some of her fears of men, time so that she could come to know him better. Now this whole damn thing in the Middle East had erupted and she was walking into a situation where she might get killed.
Sam tried to ignore the ache in his chest caused by that last thought. She was too vital, too alive to die in such a stupid, wasteful manner. Damn her bullheadedness. Her foolhardiness…
* * *
By the time they arrived at the airport, the heavy equipment was in the process of being loaded. Kelly remained close to Sam, nearly running to keep up with his long stride. The plane being loaded was a C-130 Hercules painted in the camouflage colors of green, brown and beige. Kelly’s skin began to crawl as they drew closer. The shouts, directions and roar of equipment blended in a cacophony of discordant noise to her ears. There were three other men in white coveralls besides Sam. She spotted Boots Hansen immediately, his white baseball cap perched on the back of his head as he consulted with the pilots and navigator of the plane.
Sam gripped her arm, bringing her to a halt. His eyes were still filled with anger as he looked down at her. “Get into your coveralls,” he said tightly. “Use that building over there to change.” It was a small building away from the main terminal area of the airport. Kelly nodded and picked up her suitcase.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she zipped up the front of the coveralls. She had lost most of the pins in her hair and decided to free it. There was a tension about the entire operation that she could not ignore. Questions whirled through her mind as she quickly walked back across the concrete ramp to the C-130. She spotted Sam conferring with Colly and joined them, waiting for further instructions.
Sam glanced down at her. He drew in a breath, mesmerized by her untamed beauty. Her auburn hair was like red flame set against the crisp whiteness of the uniform. His body tightened with a flood of desire and he wondered for the thousandth time what it would be like to bring her proud, willful spirit into union with himself. His gaze raked her from her booted feet to her glorious mane of hair.
“Give Colly your suitcase. We’ll be boarding shortly.”
“What about my pipe?”
“Already loaded. Go see for yourself,” he said, pointing toward the four-engine prop jet aircraft.
“Sam…why is the plane
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