Dear Reader,

I have a military friend who is deployed somewhere in Afghanistan, and one of his duties is to escort visiting celebrities. As he says, it’s tough duty but someone has to do it! But it got me wondering what might happen if a bad-ass covert ops specialist was directed to escort a pampered celebrity—and her bossy, overprotective publicist—on an Independence Day tour of Afghanistan?

I first introduced Major Chase Rawlins to readers in my July book, Coming Up for Air. Although he and his brother are identical twins, they couldn’t be more different. As a member of the Army’s elite special ops, Chase is all business, all the time. So when he’s assigned to keep tabs on prickly publicist Kate Fitzgerald, he’s determined to keep it strictly professional. But soon Kate is placing herself in his capable hands at every opportunity, and he finds that even hardened soldiers have their weaknesses.

I love writing about strong, sexy military heroes and the women who bring them to their knees. I hope you enjoy Chase and Kate’s story!

Happy reading,

Karen

About the Author

KAREN FOLEY is an incurable romantic. When she’s not working for the Department of Defense, she’s writing sexy romances with strong heroes and happy endings. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters, an overgrown puppy and two very spoiled cats. Karen enjoys hearing from her readers. You can find out more about her by visiting www.karenefoley.com.

Six more military heroes. Six more indomitable heroines. One UNIFORMLY HOT! miniseries.

Don’t miss a story in Mills & Boon® Blaze®’s bestselling miniseries, featuring irresistible soldiers from all branches of the armed forces.

Catch Chance’s thrilling story in

COMING UP FOR AIR

by Karen Foley

July 2012

and his twin brother Chase’s sexy adventure in

NO GOING BACK

by Karen Foley

September 2012

UNIFORMLY HOT!

The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.

No Going Back
Karen Foley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to our men and women in

uniform; thank you for your service!

1

AN IMPERIOUS KNOCKING on the door of the opulent hotel suite startled Kate Fitzgerald from her disturbing thoughts. Hurrying to the door, she peered through the peephole and then opened it wide to the man who stalked inside, dragging his hand through his long hair.

“Keep your voice down,” she said without preamble, closing the door behind him. “Tenley is sleeping in the next room.”

Russell Wilson might look like a British rock star with his skinny jeans, necklaces and leather jacket, but he was one of the most coveted talent agents in the country. Kate could see he was angry, and she couldn’t blame him.

“The video of Tenley’s meltdown has gone viral,” he snapped. “It’s only been three days, and every social media and video-sharing website is promoting it. Even the major news networks have picked it up. Bloody hell, what a train wreck.”

Kate chewed the edge of her thumb as she watched him pace. Behind her on the flat-screen television, the evening news was running yet another clip of Tenley Miles’s anti-military rant, caught by several fans on their cell phones and provided to the media. Kate cringed as she listened to Tenley scream about how the military was medieval in its enlistment tactics, brutal in its treatment of new recruits and uncaring of the young men and women who gave their lives to feed its ravenous appetite. But worst of all, she’d concluded her shocking meltdown by stating she was ashamed to call herself an American. Was Tenley overdramatic? Certainly. But even knowing her sister’s tendency toward extreme emotions, Kate had to admit it looked bad.

“I’m more concerned about Tenley than I am about her fans,” Kate said. “She’s emotionally fragile right now.”

Russell gave a snort. “When isn’t she emotionally fragile? Whatever possessed her to run off with a complete stranger and get married is beyond me. At least you had the good sense to have it annulled.”

Kate sighed and moved to the window to gaze out at the lights of San Antonio. Tenley would perform at the AT&T Center later that night before heading to Dallas for two shows, and then finally home to Nashville. Had it really been only a week since they’d spent three nights in Las Vegas? Since her sister had met Corporal Doug Armstrong, a young soldier who had scored backstage tickets to meet her, and had run off with him? She’d hated hurting Tenley by using her role as legal guardian to have the marriage annulled, but she wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of her sister’s soft heart—or her substantial bank account—no matter how handsome or charming he might be.

“I didn’t have a choice,” she said tonelessly, staring through the glass at the neon lights of the strip below. “They barely knew each other, and he’s stationed in California. What did she think—that she and Doug were going to move there and they would live happily ever after?”

Kate closed her eyes against the memory of Tenley telling her she had just gotten married, and her own reaction to the news. If it had been anyone else, Kate might have been inclined to let the newlyweds discover for themselves that they’d made a terrible mistake. But a failed marriage would destroy Tenley, and if they were to have a child …

No, she’d made the right decision. The annulment might cause Tenley pain now, but that pain would be far worse if Kate had allowed the marriage to continue. She only hoped her sister would forgive her for interfering.

“Well, so long as the public doesn’t learn about the elopement, then no harm done,” Russell finally said. “Although it will be hard to keep the information quiet after that public display. People will want to know what caused her to act so out of character, and we can hardly tell them her bitterness toward the military is because her husband—to whom, by the way, she is no longer married—has just been shipped off to Afghanistan for a year.” Russell gave Kate a smile. “That was a great move, by the way.”

Kate compressed her lips but didn’t immediately say anything. If Tenley ever discovered that Kate was the one responsible for having the young man peremptorily shipped overseas, she’d never forgive her. All it had taken was a couple of phone calls, and the deed was done. Kate didn’t regret her actions. She had acted in Tenley’s best interests.

As the daughter of two famous singers, both of whom had been killed in a bus accident when she was just a child, Tenley Miles was the darling of the country-music scene. She’d grown up in the public spotlight and her sweet disposition and naivety, combined with the obstacles she had overcome, had helped to fuel her popularity.

Kate still remembered the day she had gotten the news that their mother and her fiancé had been killed. She’d been just two months into her freshman year of college and the news had changed her life forever. She’d wanted to become part of the exploding internet industry and had been excited about the prospect of designing programs that would connect people with others around the globe. But when she learned that her mother had died, she’d left college to care for her then six-year-old sister. That had been twelve years ago. She didn’t regret her decision, and if her own dreams of becoming a web designer weren’t progressing as quickly as she’d hoped, then she had only herself to blame. She’d made her choice and she told herself that she didn’t regret any of it. Besides, she’d been able to help Tenley achieve her own success.

At just eighteen years old, Tenley Miles was the biggest thing to hit the country pop scene in more than three years. She’d signed her first recording contract at just fifteen years old, and her debut single had spent eight weeks in the number-one spot on the country charts. A year later, she had released two albums and won five Grammys, along with a dozen other awards. By the time she was seventeen, she was filling music halls and stadiums around the country and each of her four albums had gone platinum. Her anti-military rant could definitely have a negative impact on her image, especially if the news got out about her elopement with a soldier. The last thing Kate needed was for Russell to drop his young client just when the country singer’s career was skyrocketing.

“Look, I’ll do damage control, I promise,” Kate said to Russell. “We’ll figure this out.”

Russell whirled on her in disbelief, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hairline. “Damage control? Are you freaking joking?” He gave a laugh of disbelief. “Katie, darling, do you realize her little diatribe cost her nearly half of her audience attendance at last night’s concert? Her recording label called this morning to say that she’s already receiving hate mail. They can’t afford this kind of negative publicity and are actually considering dropping her. What kind of damage control can you possibly do after that?” He stabbed his finger in the direction of the television, where a fan had caught the country pop star having her very public, very ugly meltdown. “It’s bad enough that she eloped during a concert tour with some soldier, but now this? It’s like she’s deliberately trying to sabotage her own career.”

Kate bit her tongue and forced herself to remain calm. “You know Tenley,” she replied. “She’s impulsive. That’s why she has me.”

“And what are you going to do about this?” Russell snapped in irritation. “In less than five minutes that girl has managed to destroy everything we’ve worked so hard to create. She’s alienated every patriotic and uniformed person in this country. Christ, there’s a public outcry to boycott her music. Even the liberals are lambasting her.”

“Keep your voice down,” Kate admonished, glancing toward the bedroom door. “I have an idea, one that will demonstrate her goodwill toward the troops.”

“It had better be good,” Russell snarled. “If she has to cancel the rest of her tour—which is looking more likely with every passing hour—this is going to get very expensive, very quickly.”

Kate pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and began scrolling through her extensive list of contacts. “I’ve been thinking about the huge Independence Day concert tour taking place in Afghanistan next month,” she said, slanting Russell a quick look. “Everyone is talking about it. In fact, I believe several of your biggest clients are participating. Let me make a few calls and see if we can squeeze Tenley into the lineup.”

“You can’t be serious,” Russell groaned. “Do you know the hoops I had to jump through to get my other clients on that tour? Even if you could pull it off, it’s too late! Tenley can’t just cancel her scheduled performances to go overseas.”

Kate arched an eyebrow. “To hear you tell it, she’ll be lucky if her remaining performances aren’t canceled due to lack of interest. But I’m not buying it. Tenley is a box-office juggernaut, and I can’t imagine that the USO won’t be thrilled to have her join the tour.”

“And what makes you think Tenley will agree to go over there?”

Kate gave a tight smile. “Are you kidding? She’ll jump at the opportunity to be in the same country as her lost love, even for just a few days. Not that there’ll be any chance of seeing him, of course. My understanding is that he was sent to one of the remote outposts in the northern part of the country.”

Russell was silent for a moment as he considered Kate’s words. “That might just work,” he mused. “Of course, the USO may not agree to finance her trip, especially at this late date, so we could have to pay for it out of pocket. That’s disappointing, but if it works …”

“I’ll make it work,” Kate promised.

Russell raised his eyebrows. “You’ve always been so protective of Tenley. Are you sure you want to send her to a combat zone?”

Kate gave him a tolerant look. “If Carrie Underwood and Faith Hill can do the tour, then so can Tenley. It’s not as if she won’t have ample protection. Besides, I’d rather send her to Afghanistan for a week than see her career crash and burn.”

Glancing toward the bedroom door, Russell lowered his voice. “I’ve always thought you were too easy on her, and I’m glad to see you finally take off the kid gloves.”

Kate looked at him in exasperation. “I’m not doing this to punish her. I’m doing it because I care about her. After all, she’s my baby sister.”

“Half sister,” he corrected.

“The point is,” Kate said carefully, “I’m all she has. Nobody else is going to look out for her, and she’s certainly not capable of looking out for herself. The fact that she ran off with the first guy she met is proof of that. She needs me.”

“Hmm,” mused Russell. “Still, it is Afghanistan.”

“This is a huge Independence Day event,” Kate said. “Trust me, if there was any danger, the USO wouldn’t allow the concert to proceed. In fact, my plan is to arrive a few days ahead of Tenley, tour the various bases where the concerts will take place, and ensure the proper security measures are set up.” She smiled at Russell. “She’ll have the entire United States Army to protect her. What could possibly go wrong?”

2

Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN we’ve been told to stand down?” Chase Rawlins growled at the uniformed man standing behind the desk.

Colonel Decker planted his hands on the surface of the desk and leaned forward. When he spoke, his voice was hard. “Major, we’ve known each other for a long time, but I’ll advise you not to forget who you’re speaking to.”

Chase stared at the other man for a long moment, trying to rein in his frustration. Compressing his lips, he straightened and stared at a point over the colonel’s shoulder. “Yes, sir.”

He and his men had been in the middle of a critical operation when the stand-down order had come through. The team of special-operations commandos had been relentlessly tracking a top Taliban leader through northern Afghanistan for nearly a year. They had finally discovered him hiding out in a heavily fortified village in the mountains, and had been preparing a nighttime raid to capture him, when they had received the order to stand down and return to Bagram Airfield.

Immediately.

He and his men had literally been positioned on the bastard’s doorstep. Chase had reluctantly acknowledged the order and signaled his team to retreat. The fact that one of his men had chosen to disregard that order and had attempted to singlehandedly storm the compound where the target was hiding was proof of the sheer frustration they all felt. Chase had managed to stop the soldier before he actually gained entry to the building, but not before their position had been compromised. The ensuing firefight was intense, but Chase’s team had escaped to the west and made their way to the extraction point, where a Black Hawk helicopter had picked them up and returned them to Bagram Airfield. Two members of his team had stayed behind to maintain surveillance on the target.

But the knowledge that they’d let Hamid Al-Azir get away pissed him off on a level so deep that he hadn’t stopped to fully consider his actions. As soon as the helicopter had touched down at Bagram, he’d stormed over to the Special Ops commander’s office to find out what the hell was going on. He hadn’t even stopped to clean himself up and still wore the dust and grime of fourteen days in the field.

“I understand your frustration, Major,” Colonel Decker said. “Vital operations have been disrupted across the theater, but the Pentagon has demanded a full investigation into the U.S. air strike that occurred outside Kandahar two days ago. Until that investigation is complete, your orders are to stand down.”

Chase hadn’t read the reports, but by all accounts the Special Ops air strike against the summer retreat of a top Taliban leader had been a complete disaster. The local population claimed that dozens of innocent civilians had been targeted, and Washington’s response was an abrupt and complete halt to all special-operations missions.

Chase blew out a hard breath and looked at Colonel Decker. “How long?”

The Colonel shrugged. “The Pentagon says at least forty-eight hours, but my guess is a week. Maybe longer.”

Chase bit back an expletive. At least with a two-man team in the region, they could still keep tabs on Al-Azir. The months spent tracking the Taliban leader wouldn’t be completely wasted, but Chase didn’t think he could relax until they had the bastard in custody.

“Sir, I’d like to rejoin my surveillance team ASAP.”

Colonel Decker picked up a folder and pinioned Chase with a hard look. “Before I let you do that, why don’t you tell me what happened after the stand-down order was issued? My report states gunfire was exchanged at the compound, and your team requested air support.”

The Colonel’s expression was grim and Chase knew it didn’t bode well for him. “Sergeant Morse was unaware of the stand-down order,” he lied, “and attempted to take the target into custody.”

“Uh-huh.” The dry tone clearly said the Colonel didn’t believe a word of Chase’s story. “And as their leader, your responsibility was to ensure your men not only heard the order, but heeded it.”

“Yes, sir.”

“In light of your inability to control your team, Major, I have a new assignment for you. Here, take a look. This should keep you busy for the next week or so. How well you perform this duty will determine whether I send you back into the field.”

Frowning, Chase took the file from his superior and opened it, quickly scanning the contents of the dossier. Along with the usual personal information, the folder contained several glossy media photos of a young woman with a guitar. She was attractive in a sexy, teenybopper way, with wild blond hair and heavy eye makeup. She wore a pair of tattered jeans and cowboy boots, paired with a red camisole top that laced up the front like a corset. Scanning the dossier, he saw her name was Tenley Miles and she was some kind of country-pop singer. And she was coming to Afghanistan.

“What is this?” he growled, but he had a sinking suspicion that he already knew.

“Your new assignment,” Colonel Decker announced cheerfully. “She’ll arrive in three days as part of the Independence Day concert tour, and you will act as her escort while she’s here.”

“Her babysitter, you mean,” Chase muttered, flipping through the photos. A quick appraisal of her personal information confirmed that she was barely eighteen years old. “Why isn’t the USO handling security? This isn’t something we do.”

While Chase and his men routinely provided protection details for VIPs and dignitaries during their visits to Afghanistan, they had never been asked to act as bodyguards to celebrities. The USO had its own contracted security personnel for that purpose.

“The USO staff is stretched thin with the other entertainers who are coming over. Besides, she’s not here on a USO ticket,” the colonel added. “She’s here on her own dime to make nice with the troops and, as I understand it, try to repair the damage she did at a recent concert when she publicly lambasted the U.S. military.”

“Christ, leave it to the celebrities,” Chase said in disgust. He pulled out a news article that provided the details of Tenley Miles’s anti-military rant. He gave a disbelieving huff of laughter as he quickly read the column. “I think I’d rather take my chances with the Taliban.”

“Are you telling me you can’t handle one girl?” The colonel arched an eyebrow.

“That depends,” Chase said absently, thumbing through the remaining documents. “Is water-boarding still allowed?” Picking up a black-and-white photo, he studied it for a moment before turning it toward the other man. “Who is this?”

“Her personal assistant.”

There was some writing on the back of the photo. “Katherine Fitzgerald,” Chase read aloud. “Publicist.” He gave a snort of disgust. “Great. Tell me I don’t have to babysit her as well.”

Turning the photo over, he studied the woman again and something fisted low in his gut. She was slender and her face boasted beautiful bone structure, although her baggy cargo pants and cardigan sweater effectively hid any curves she might have. Her hair was an indeterminate color and style, having been pulled back into a ponytail. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, and Chase let his gaze linger for a moment on her full lips and the determined set of her chin.

“Actually,” the colonel said, “her flight lands in about two hours and I’d like you to be there to meet her and get her settled.”

Chase frowned. The last thing he wanted to do was pander to some entitled celebrity and her publicist. “I thought you said she wasn’t coming for another three days.”

“Tenley Miles won’t be here for another three days,” the Colonel clarified. “Her publicist arrives today to scope things out. So … you have three days to tour three of our bases—Bagram, Camp Leatherneck and Kandahar, where you’ll rendezvous with the entertainers upon their arrival.”

Chase frowned. “Is that typical protocol for these kinds of events? To send a publicist or personal assistant—or whatever the hell she calls herself—over early to scope things out?”

“I guess that depends on the star power of the celebrity,” Colonel Decker said wryly. “And I’m not into the country-pop scene, but my understanding is that Tenley Miles is a very big deal.”

“So if the USO has run out of room, where am I supposed to put her?”

“I’ll leave that up to you. But keep in mind that how well you perform this assignment will determine how quickly I allow you to return to the field with the rest of your team.”

In other words, if he couldn’t handle these two women, there was no way he’d be allowed to oversee a covert Special Ops team.

“Just so that I’m clear,” he said carefully, “I have complete responsibility for this woman while she’s here, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“And if she’s not happy with the, uh, accommodations?”

“Then she goes home. Same thing for the singer. I won’t compromise their safety or the safety of the troops, so if either of them is unable to follow your rules, Major, then they’re on the next flight out. But you won’t let that happen. They will follow your rules, do we understand each other?”

Chase read the unspoken message loud and clear. If the women ended up leaving early, it would only be because he had failed in his assignment. And if that happened, he could expect to spend the remainder of his deployment chained to a desk somewhere. He considered the factors involved in the first phase of his assignment: one woman, three bases, three days. No problem. He hadn’t failed a mission yet, and he wasn’t about to start now.

KATE DECIDED THAT planning a trip to Afghanistan was a little like planning a trip to the moon. She had no idea what to expect and, therefore, little idea what to bring. In the end, she’d packed lightweight, practical clothing. She still believed that allowing Tenley to visit the troops in Afghanistan was the right thing to do, although seeing all the uniformed soldiers on the last leg of her trip had admittedly given her pause. They’d both be lucky if they didn’t get themselves killed, and after Tenley’s public meltdown, Kate thought they were probably in as much danger from the troops as they were from terrorists.

She had known it would take a long time to reach her destination, but she’d been unprepared for just how exhausted she’d be when she finally reached Bagram Airfield, more than forty-eight hours after leaving Nashville. Additionally, since she had been forced to make her own travel arrangements, there hadn’t been anyone to meet her at each location and direct her where to go next. At least when she traveled with Tenley, they had Russell to lean on. But after assuring Kate that she’d do splendidly on her own, he’d left her at the airport. Even Tenley hadn’t been overly interested in any of the travel plans, although she’d perked up a bit when Kate had told her they would be going to Afghanistan. But after breaking the news that there would be absolutely no likelihood of seeing her young soldier, Tenley had retreated to her bedroom in tears, preferring to be alone until she received word from Kate that she’d okayed the security setup and Tenley could fly over. For the first time Kate could recall, she was traveling completely alone.

She’d arrived in Kuwait the previous afternoon and had waited nearly fourteen hours for a military flight to Bagram Airfield. Now she watched as the base came into view on the ground below. From a distance, the place looked enormous, but for as far as she could see there were only unrelenting shades of brown, from the desert to the distant mountains, and even the base itself. Opening her shoulder bag, Kate looked again at the information that the Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation department had sent to her.

Over the course of a week, Tenley would perform concerts at three different American bases in Afghanistan, as well as conduct meet-and-greet sessions with the troops. The USO had assured Kate that someone would meet her upon her arrival, and escort her to each location. Kate had spent most of the flight writing Tenley’s speech, in which her sister apologized for her thoughtless rant and pledged her support for the men and women in uniform. Kate only hoped it would be enough.

The big jet touched down on the airstrip at Bagram Airfield, and Kate was surprised to see they would disembark directly onto the tarmac. Peering out the window of the plane, she couldn’t see any building that looked remotely like an airport terminal. The airfield seemed to be nothing more than an enormous airstrip alongside a cluster of tents and makeshift hangars, and a hodgepodge of other small buildings. Maybe this wasn’t the airfield at all. Maybe the plane was making an unscheduled stop at some remote base and then they would head on to Bagram.

The aisle of the plane was quickly filling with uniformed soldiers waiting to disembark. Leaning forward, Kate tugged on the sleeve of the nearest man. He turned and looked at her expectantly.

“Excuse me, but is this Bagram Field?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Are you sure? I mean, have you been here before?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he assured her. “This is my third deployment.”

“Oh. Well, where exactly is the terminal? I mean, where do I pick up my luggage?”

Ducking his head to avoid the overhead storage bins, the soldier leaned across the seat and pointed through the window. “See that hangar, there? That’s the terminal. This is an airfield, ma’am, as in airfield. They’re not really set up like you’re used to at home. Look, they’re bringing the luggage out now.”

Kate watched as a group of soldiers began systematically dragging baggage from the cargo hold of the plane, only instead of stacking the items on a small trolley to be transported into the terminal, they literally threw the bags into one enormous pile right there on the flight line. When the mountain of duffel bags threatened to fall over, they started a new pile right next to it.

“Oh, my God,” she breathed. “How am I supposed to find my bag?”

The soldier gave her a grin and straightened. “Well, ma’am, that’s half the fun. Welcome to Afghanistan, and good luck.”

Kate watched helplessly as he departed, then scooped her shoulder bag up and fell into line behind the soldiers. As soon as she stepped out the door of the aircraft, the heat slapped her in the face like a hot brick. To compound the discomfort, the air itself was filled with a fine, powdery dust that immediately infiltrated her mouth and nose and sent her into a fit of uncontrollable sneezing.

“Oh, my God,” she gasped, when she could finally catch her breath.

The soldier in front of her turned around and gave her a quick grin. “You’ll get used it.”

Kate doubted it. She’d never experienced heat like this. It seemed to suck the very moisture out of her skin and left her gasping for breath. Even Las Vegas in the summer hadn’t been this oppressive. At the bottom of the airplane steps, she automatically turned toward the piles of luggage, but found her way blocked by a military police officer.

“Just follow the line for processing, ma’am,” he said briskly, indicating she should continue toward the nearest hangar. “You’ll be notified when all the baggage is out of the aircraft.”

In dismay, Kate saw that the line snaked across the tarmac and disappeared inside one of the makeshift hangars. It was moving at a snail’s pace, and Kate knew she would die of heat stroke before she ever made it into the building. She could almost feel the sweat evaporating from her skin as she stood under the baking sun.

Hefting her shoulder bag higher, she looked around her, astonished at the sheer number of men. There were men everywhere—soldiers who seemed to be waiting for transportation, soldiers sleeping or sitting upright against their gear, soldiers reading books, standing around in small groups, playing handheld video games or listening to music on their ear buds. There was a handful of female soldiers, but they were hugely outnumbered by the men. Kate couldn’t help but notice that all of them—male and female—carried some sort of weapon.

She was acutely conscious of her own vulnerability. She carried no weapon, unless you counted the Montegrappa pen that Tenley had brought back from Italy as a gift for her. She didn’t even possess a helmet or bulletproof vest. Who would protect her in the event of an attack?

“Miss Fitzgerald?”

Kate turned to see a soldier striding toward her—a tall, muscular soldier who looked like he kicked ass for a living. He had the easy, loose-limbed gait of an athlete, and as he drew closer, Kate swallowed hard. The growth of beard he sported couldn’t hide his square jaw or detract from the chiseled cheekbones and proud nose. With his broad shoulders and powerful arms, he looked more than a little dangerous. The thought flashed through her head that given a few spare hours, this guy could singlehandedly end the war.

“Yes?” Her hand went self-consciously to her hair, and she tried to ignore the way her pulse kicked up a notch.

As he came forward, he yanked his sunglasses off and she saw his eyes were a translucent green, startling in his tanned face. Her breath caught and she found herself helpless to look away. He was the stuff of heroic action movies, a combination of masculine strength and confidence all wrapped up in a mouthwatering package. She’d never had this kind of immediate reaction to a man before. Her heart raced, and her knees were actually wobbly. Feeling a little panicked, Kate tried to recall the last time she’d eaten. Her blood sugar must be low. Either that or she was dehydrated.

The soldier extended his hand and his eyes swept over her in sharp assessment. “Ma’am. I’m Major Rawlins. I’ll be your military escort for the duration of your visit.”

His hand gripped hers, and she barely had time to register how warm and callused his palm was against her own before he released her.

“If you’ll follow me, please.”

Without giving her an opportunity to respond and without waiting to see if she would do as he said, he turned and walked toward the hangar. Kate watched his retreating back, feeling as if she’d had the wind knocked out of her. Then, realizing her mouth was hanging open, she snapped it shut and stepped out of the line to hurry after him, her oversize shoulder bag bouncing uncomfortably against her hip.

“Major Rawlins,” she called as she caught up with him.

He glanced over at her but did not slow down. “Yes?”

“My understanding was that the USO would provide a civilian representative who would be my point of contact.” As he strode briskly along, Kate tried to simultaneously walk and fish through her bag for the paperwork she had received from the USO, but the task was nearly impossible given the pace he set. Maybe she’d misunderstood him. Maybe he was only her driver. Oh, God, please let him be the driver. She’d never felt so self-conscious or tongue-tied as she did with this guy, evidence that she’d gone too long without male contact. Or at least, gorgeous male contact.

“You understood wrong, ma’am,” he said smoothly, never breaking stride.

Abandoning the search for her papers, Kate concentrated instead on keeping up with him. Arriving at the front of the long line, she saw several military police scanning everyone’s identification cards. Flashing his own ID, Major Rawlins stepped into the front of the line and looked expectantly at Kate.

“You should have been assigned a temporary identification card when you arrived at the processing center in Kuwait,” he explained carefully. “Do you have it with you?”

“What? Oh, yes!” Setting her bag down on the table, Kate began rummaging through it. She’d purchased a bright orange lanyard for the card, specifically so she could locate it in a hurry, but with everything else she’d managed to stuff into the large tote, she couldn’t locate the identification.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, uncomfortably aware of Major Rawlins’s growing irritation. “I know it’s in here somewhere.”

Pulling out two paperback novels, an MP3 player and a bag of trail mix, she set them on the table and continued digging through the contents of the bag. Behind her, she heard several soldiers mutter something under their breath and knew she was holding up the line. She glanced at the military police officer who watched her impassively with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Sorry,” she muttered again.

“Here, let me help you,” Major Rawlins offered.

Kate thought she saw the hint of a dimple in one lean cheek, and before she could protest, he took her bag and upended it, spilling the contents onto the table. Ignoring Kate’s gasp, he swept one finger through the assorted flotsam and came up with the ID card attached to the orange lanyard. Yanking the card from the holder, he handed it to the military police officer.

“You see? That wasn’t so difficult,” he said, amusement lacing his voice. Accepting the ID card back from the officer, he returned it to Kate. “Wear this where it’s visible. Follow me, please.”

Dropping the lanyard over her head, Kate watched with rising annoyance as he made his way back toward the flight line. With one hand, she swept her personal items back into her shoulder bag and determinedly followed Major Rawlins.

“Find your gear and let’s go,” he said, nodding toward the three enormous piles of duffel bags sitting on the tarmac.

Kate glanced at his face to see if he was joking. With his sunglasses shielding his eyes, she couldn’t decipher his expression, but it seemed he had no intention of helping her. Glancing at the daunting piles, she drew in a deep breath.

“Here, hold this,” she said, and pushed her shoulder bag into his hands. She sensed his surprise, but he made no objection, tucking the bag under his arm as he watched her.

Kate had packed her belongings in a neon-pink duffel bag that had once belonged to Tenley, thinking it would be easy to spot. But she’d been wrong. Circling each of the piles, she couldn’t see any sign of pink peeking through the dozens of army-green duffel bags, which meant her own was probably buried somewhere near the bottom. She prepared to grab the handles of the nearest duffel when a masculine voice interrupted her.

“Ma’am, are you looking for a particular bag?”

Turning, she saw two young soldiers walking toward her. Just moments earlier, they had been lounging against their own piles of gear, chatting idly.

Kate nodded. “Yes. I have a bright pink duffel bag, but I can’t see it anywhere.”

The second soldier, who looked to be no older than Tenley, grinned. “No problem, ma’am, we can find it for you.” Turning, he whistled through his teeth to a group of soldiers gathered near the entrance to the hangar and motioned them over. “Hey, guys, give us a hand over here!”

Within minutes, there were a dozen young men enthusiastically digging their way through the piles of luggage, calling out names as they identified a tag or lettering painted on the outside of the bag. Kate stepped back to watch, amazed by their enthusiasm and efficiency. In less than five minutes, the first soldier held Kate’s bag up in triumph.

“Is this it?” he asked.

Kate came forward and took the duffel from him. “That’s the one,” she said with a grateful smile. “Thank you so much!”

“My pleasure, ma’am.”

Clutching the heavy bag, Kate turned back to Major Rawlins, who stood to one side with his arms crossed over his impressive chest, her tote dangling from one hand. She wasn’t certain, but Kate thought she detected amusement on his face.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” she remarked cheerfully.

He raised an eyebrow and gave a noncommittal grunt. “Here, let’s trade,” he said, handing her the shoulder bag and taking the pink duffel from her. “I have a vehicle waiting out front.”

Kate watched as he walked back toward the hangar, a tough-as-nails warrior carrying a pink duffel bag in his hand. She wanted to laugh at the incongruous sight, but seeing that none of the surrounding soldiers so much as cracked a smile in his direction, she suppressed her own amusement. Drawing herself up, she followed him once more. She was getting tired of seeing nothing but this man’s backside, no matter how delectable it might be. And she had to admit, he did have a fine ass. Frowning at her thoughts, she hefted her tote bag over her shoulder and followed him.

“Major Rawlins, I’d like to get started right away,” she said, trying to match his long strides. “I understand that with the sheer number of entertainers who are coming over, the USO ran out of room to accommodate my client and her band. I’d like to see where Tenley will stay while she’s here. And do you know who will accompany me to the other bases?”

He did stop then, so abruptly that Kate nearly plowed into him. Slowly, he removed his sunglasses and turned to face her. His gaze drifted over her and that muscle worked in his lean cheek. Kate felt herself go hot beneath his regard, and she wondered what was going through his head.

“Just so that we’re clear,” he said carefully, “I am your single point of contact for whatever you require while you are here. We will travel together, eat together, view the venues together and basically be attached at the hip until you depart. This is a combat environment, Miss Fitzgerald, and I’m responsible for your well-being. You don’t do anything without me, or without my permission. Understood?”

Kate stared at him, and for the first time since she’d made the decision to come to Afghanistan, realized the personal impact. The knowledge that she would spend the next three days in this man’s exclusive company caused a shiver to go through her, but whether it was one of dread or anticipation, she couldn’t tell.

Major Rawlins was unlike any man she’d ever met before. He was testosterone personified, and the way he looked at her made her go a little boneless. For the first time she could recall, she wasn’t the one in control, the one calling the shots. That fact should have annoyed her. Instead, she found herself agreeing wholeheartedly to his conditions.

“Yes.” She nodded. “I understand.”

She thought he would turn and walk away again, but he stood watching for a moment longer, as if there was something about her that puzzled him. His eyes were a gorgeous shade of green, reminding her of the clear, warm waters of the Caribbean.

“I’m curious. Why are you here, Miss Fitzgerald?”

She frowned, taken aback by the question. “I beg your pardon? It’s my job to ensure everything is ready for my client’s visit.”

“But why are you here? In Afghanistan? Why not some military base on American soil? Why come all the way over here when your client wasn’t originally scheduled to perform as part of the Independence Day concert?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “No offense, but Tenley Miles is little more than a child, and you—” He broke abruptly off.

“What?” Kate asked. “I’m what?”

He gave a soft laugh. “Well, I just can’t figure out why a woman like you would come over here, unaccompanied.”

Kate hesitated. She had to assume that he knew the truth; that he’d seen the news reports and was aware that Tenley had directed her vitriol toward the military’s policy of sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. She couldn’t blame him for his attitude, but neither could she explain to him the reasons behind Tenley’s meltdown. Her sister’s precipitous marriage and subsequent annulment had to remain a secret.

She hesitated, wondering how direct she could be without giving him too much information. “Tenley has been going through a difficult time,” she began cautiously. “She said some things about the military that were pretty horrible and, well …” She gave a soft laugh. “Let’s just say that I’m hoping this tour will be a humbling experience for her.”

“Oh, I’m certain it will be,” he said, and one corner of his mouth lifted in a ghost of a smile. He glanced at his watch. “We should get going.”

Outside, the unrelenting heat, combined with the weight of her overloaded tote bag, quickly sapped her strength. She felt tired and achy and unprepared for whatever lay ahead. A military Humvee waited by the curb, and Kate watched as Major Rawlins put her gear in the back.

“Thank you,” she murmured as he held the door open for her. Climbing into the vehicle, she saw there was already another soldier behind the wheel. She expected Major Rawlins to get in the front passenger seat, and was unprepared when he slid in beside her, instead.

Sensing her surprise, he gave her a wry smile. “Attached at the hip, remember?”

Kate found herself staring at him. That small smile was enough to transform his features. How would he look if that smile were to expand to his eyes? She had a feeling that he might be irresistible.

“Where to, sir?” asked the driver.

“Take us to my housing unit.”

“Yes sir.” The driver grinned. “I know one female who is going to be very excited to see you again.”

Kate slanted Major Rawlins a questioning look, but if he felt her silent query, he ignored it. She felt a tug of curiosity. What would it be like to be romantically involved with this man? To have his whole and undivided attention? To see his eyes go hot with desire? The thought sent a small shiver through her, further proof that she’d been way too long without sex. Men didn’t usually have this effect on her, but having gone more than a year without intimacy of any kind, she suspected her hormones were on full alert and ready to revolt if she didn’t do something soon to appease them. But this wasn’t quite what she had in mind.

“Why are we going to your housing unit?” she asked. “Don’t you think you’re taking this attached-at-the-hip thing a little too seriously? I am not staying in your unit with you.”

She watched, entranced, as a smile spread across his face. She’d been wrong. He wasn’t just irresistible, he was downright devastating. His smile caused something to loosen inside her, and she found she couldn’t look away.

“Miss Fitzgerald,” he drawled, letting his gaze drift deliberately over her, “as attractive as you might be, I have no intention of sleeping with you.”

3

CHASE REGRETTED THE WORDS the instant they left his mouth. Their driver gave a snort of laughter which he quickly hid behind a sudden coughing fit after Chase sent him a quelling look. But it was the stricken expression on Kate Fitzgerald’s face that made him wish he’d kept his mouth shut. That, and the fact that a part of him recognized that given a different set of circumstances, she was the kind of woman he’d give his left nut to sleep with.

He wished like hell that she wasn’t so damned pretty. The instant he’d spotted her standing in the long line of uniformed soldiers, he’d felt as if someone had kicked him in the solar plexus.

He’d been in Afghanistan for six months, and he’d spent most of that time in the stark, forbidding mountains of the Kala Gush region, living and sleeping outside and enduring the harshest of conditions. Seeing Kate Fitzgerald had been an unexpected and potent reminder of everything he’d left behind, and for just an instant, his heart had ached with longing.

He’d had a tough time catching his breath and had to mentally shake himself in order to stop staring at her. She stuck out like an exotic bloom among a bed of weeds in her jewel-colored shirt, and the bright sun picked out the deep red lights in her silky dark hair. Without the heavy cardigan she’d worn in the photo, he could see she definitely had curves. Nice curves. Curves that begged to be touched. And he wasn’t the only one who had noticed. Every guy within fifty yards had been eyeballing her and he couldn’t blame them. She looked good enough to eat.

Then she’d turned and looked at him.

He’d expected her to have blue or even green eyes, but hers were coffee-brown fringed with dark lashes. As he’d drawn closer, he saw the splattering of freckles across her face, as if someone had flung flecks of gold paint at her. And her mouth … Christ, he found himself conjuring up decadent images of just what she could do with that mouth. Her lips were pillowy plump and pink and had opened on a soft “oh” of surprise when he’d called her name. She’d looked achingly feminine and completely out of place among the soldiers who surrounded her.

Now, as he saw her reaction to his words, he felt like a complete dick. He’d hurt her feelings. Her mouth opened, and for a moment she looked at him, appalled, before she snapped her jaw shut. Chase watched as a slow flush crept up her neck.

Why had he said that he had no intention of sleeping with her? Had it been to remind himself that she was off-limits? Or to ensure she disliked him enough that she’d want nothing to do with him? Because he knew that if she gave any indication that she found him attractive, he’d be toast. Everything about her appealed to him. He’d almost forgotten how good a woman could smell, or how smooth her skin could be. Looking at Kate, he wondered how her skin would feel under his fingertips. She had turned her face toward the window and the sunlight picked out the golden freckles on her cheeks and forehead. He wanted to trace them with a fingertip.

“Look,” he finally said, “I’m sorry. That was a poor attempt at humor. I mean, obviously I have no intention of sleeping with you—” He broke off at her expression of disbelief, as if she was amazed he was still talking. Lord, he was making a mess of it. Biting back a curse, he scrubbed a hand across his face and turned to the driver. “Step on it, Cochran.”

“Just so that we’re clear, Major Rawlins,” Kate said in a low voice as she sat stiffly beside him, “I’m here strictly to represent my client and ensure that everything is in order for her visit.”

Chase nodded, feeling like an idiot. “I understand, Miss Fitzgerald.”

She rolled her eyes. “And please stop calling me that. My name is Kate.”

He nodded. He could have told her his first name, but that would have encouraged a familiarity he wasn’t sure he was willing to move toward. This woman lived in a world so far removed from his that it might as well be in a different galaxy. She was the personal assistant to a superstar, and even if that star was on the verge of imploding, this woman—Kate—was accustomed to a world of bright lights and privilege, where her associations ensured a luxurious and pampered lifestyle. He, on the other hand, spent weeks at a time crawling through the desert and mountains, without so much as a change of clothing or a shave, in the company of men whose specialties were the stuff of nightmares. What could they possibly have in common?

The Humvee drew to a stop in front of a row of containerized housing units, or CHUs, which were nothing more than metal shipping containers outfitted for habitation. Since arriving at Bagram, Chase had barely had time to meet with Colonel Decker and then drop his gear off at the command headquarters before he’d had to meet Kate’s flight. He was in desperate need of a shower and a clean uniform.

“Wait here,” he said brusquely. “I just need to grab a few things.”

Inside the housing unit, the furnishings were Spartan. A small office took up the front part of the unit, with a desk, a chair and his computer equipment. The back part was where he slept on a narrow bed, with only a small wardrobe and a bedside table for furnishings. He didn’t even have a private latrine, but instead showered in the communal bathrooms with the rest of the troops. Since there were no other empty CHUs near his own, he’d had to improvise in finding Miss Fitzgerald a place to sleep where he could be nearby in case she needed anything. She wasn’t going to like the arrangements.

Grabbing a clean uniform and underclothes from a shelf, he shoved them into a backpack, intending to snatch a quick shower at the first opportunity. As he straightened, he caught sight of himself in the small mirror over the dresser and nearly groaned aloud. His beard was longer than he normally allowed it to grow, and his skin was burnt to a mahogany hue. He’d lost some weight while he’d been on assignment and his face was leaner and harder than usual. He looked every inch a mercenary, and it was a wonder to him that Kate Fitzgerald felt comfortable enough to follow him anywhere.

Returning to the Humvee, he saw she was holding a cell phone out the window, fruitlessly searching for a signal. Throwing his backpack alongside her duffel bag, he opened the door and prepared to climb in beside her.

“Give it up,” he advised drily. “There’s no service over here.”

Drawing her arm back into the vehicle, she turned to him in dismay. “But how am I supposed to communicate with my people? With Tenley?”

Before he could answer, two soldiers rounded the corner. One of them, Sergeant Mike Donahue, called out to Chase.

“Hey, welcome back.” He shook Chase’s hand. “Tough break about the stand-down order. Have you been over to see Charity yet?”

Chase glanced at Kate, seeing the open curiosity in her eyes. “Uh, no. We just got back a few hours ago and I haven’t had time. But as soon as I finish up here, I’ll go see her. How is she?”

Donahue shrugged. “She hasn’t been the same since you left. She just mopes around waiting for you to come back. Man, she is going to flip when she sees you.”

“Uh-huh. Well, thanks for keeping an eye on her. I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

“You bet.”

Chase climbed in beside Kate, but didn’t offer an explanation. He could see the speculation in her eyes and knew she thought he had a girlfriend. How would she react if he told her that Charity was a homeless dog he’d rescued from the streets? He and his men had been performing a house-to-house search in a small village when they’d come across a group of boys abusing the dog. Chase had intervened, but he knew that as soon as he and his men left, the boys would continue to torture the poor animal. She’d looked at him with such soulful eyes that he hadn’t had the heart to leave her. That had been six months ago, and she’d been with him ever since. The K-9 unit kept an eye on her when he was gone and had been teaching her how to track, which she picked up quickly.

He turned toward Kate, who was still trying to find a signal on her cell phone. “Look, I have a satellite phone in my housing unit. You’re welcome to use that.”

“That’s fine for right now, but what about when we leave here and go to the next base?”

Amusement curved his mouth. “You think we have no way to communicate with the States? I promise you that ‘your people’ are only a phone call away, and a phone will be made available to you whenever you wish.”

She continued to look at him, expectation written all over her face. Chase gave an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. C’mon, you can make your call now.”

Climbing out of the Humvee, he opened the door to his CHU and indicated she should precede him inside. As he dialed the code for outgoing calls, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was staring with interest and undisguised dismay at his tiny rooms, even going so far as to peek into the bedroom at the rear. In the close quarters of the CHU, he could actually smell her fragrance, and his mind was immediately swamped with images of her spread across his narrow bed.

“Here,” he said, holding out the receiver for her. “You can make your call.”

She turned away from his bedroom and accepted the phone. He stood by her shoulder as she dialed the number, so close that he could see the tiny throb of her pulse along the side of her neck, and he had an almost overwhelming urge to bend his head and drag his mouth over the smooth skin.

Spinning away, he scrubbed a hand over his face. He was losing it. His only excuse was that he’d spent way too much time in the field, away from civilization. What other reason could there be for his unexpected reaction to her nearness?

“Tenley, it’s me, Katie,” he listened to her say. “If you’re there, pick up please.” She paused. “Okay, listen, there’s no cell phone reception over here in Afghanistan, so you’re not going to be able to call me.” Putting her hand over the receiver, she looked at Chase. “What time can I call her back?”

Chase glanced at his watch. “It’s four o’clock now, which means it’s seven-thirty in the morning on the East Coast. What time would you like to call her back?”

“She’s probably at the gym with her phone turned off. How does she expect anyone to reach her if she turns her phone off?” She blew out a hard breath and he watched as she pulled a small planner out of her shoulder bag and quickly flipped it open. As she scanned the appointments on her calendar, Chase watched the expressions flit across her face. Frustration, annoyance and then finally resignation. Removing her hand, she spoke into the phone. “Tenley, I see you have a crazy schedule today, so I’m going to call you back at six o’clock tonight. Please be there.”

Chase wondered if she realized she would need to wake up at two-thirty in the morning in order to place the call. He didn’t mind getting up at that hour, but he was trained to get by on very little sleep. Kate, on the other hand, had shadows beneath her eyes and he knew the extreme heat was sapping whatever energy she had left. With jet lag already kicking in, he suspected it would take more than an alarm clock to rouse her from a sound sleep at that hour. He found he was looking forward to the task.

She hung up the phone and looked at him. “Well, hopefully she’ll listen to her voicemail messages.”

“I’m sure she will,” he said smoothly. “We’ll come back in time to make the call.”

She nodded, looking around, her gaze lingering on a plastic container on his desk filled with red and black licorice drops. They were his one weakness.

“May I?” she asked, indicating the candy.

“Sure, help yourself.”

He watched as she unscrewed the top and reached in to take just two of the small drops. A stack of his mail lay next to the candy, and he didn’t miss how she furtively scanned the top envelope as she replaced the cover on the canister.

“Thanks,” she murmured, delicately popping a candy into her mouth. “Is this really where you live?”

“More like where I sleep, at least when I’m here, which isn’t often. I don’t spend that much time on the base.” He frowned, having told her way more than he’d intended. “C’mon, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”

He opened the door of his CHU, and after she’d stepped outside, turned back and grabbed the jar of licorice drops and shoved them into his backpack. Chase followed her to the Humvee, glad to be out of the confines of the CHU. As they drove across the base, he wondered how she would react when she saw the accommodations the USO had arranged for her. When they pulled up in front of a cluster of khaki-brown army tents, he sensed her confusion.

“Here we are,” he said briskly, getting out of the vehicle and retrieving her duffel bag and his backpack. He waved the driver on, and Kate watched in dismay as the Humvee rumbled out of sight along the dusty road.

“What do you mean, ‘here we are’?” she asked, coming to stand beside him.

She stared at the nearest tent, which Chase silently acknowledged looked as if it had seen both world wars. The canvas was faded in spots and sported patches and duct tape where the fabric had ripped or the tent had sprung a leak. The outside had been stacked with sandbags for protection and for insulation, as the temperatures could drop below freezing at night. Several female soldiers came out of the tent, their weapons over their shoulders. They gave Chase and Kate curious looks as they passed. Chase could hear feminine voices from inside.

“This is the best the USO could provide for sleeping quarters,” he explained. “I hope you don’t mind bunking with the troops for one night.”

He watched as Kate pushed back the flap that covered the entry. Two dozen or more army cots were lined on either side of the interior. Several female soldiers were stowing their gear in foot lockers, and the floor was covered with duffel bags and military gear. The women gave Kate a nod, but otherwise ignored both her and Chase. One cot was conspicuously free of gear, with only a pillow and a tightly rolled sleeping bag placed at the foot.

“I’m assuming that’s where I’m sleeping?” Kate asked Chase, eyeballing the empty bunk.

“You would assume correctly.”

Kate gave him a helpless look that went straight to Chase’s protective instincts. He silently cursed Colonel Decker for giving him this assignment, because he was within two seconds of telling her she could bunk with him in his CHU. Or without him in his CHU. He’d pretty much give her whatever she wanted if she would just stop looking at him like that. He reminded himself that he was an Army Ranger, a member of an elite force able to operate in any environment. Unless it was within fifty feet of a woman like Kate Fitzgerald.

Kate put her hands together and drew in a deep breath. “Okay. This is okay. I can definitely sleep here. Can you tell me where my client and her band will sleep when they arrive?”

“The concert will be held over at the parade field. There’s an administrative building nearby that the USO will use to house the bands while they’re here, but it hasn’t been converted yet.”

“Would it be possible to see it?”

“Absolutely,” he assured her. “Why don’t you stow your gear, and then we’ll grab something to eat at the dining facility before we head over there? I don’t know about you, but I could use a good meal.”

Hefting her pink duffel over her shoulder, Kate walked into the tent, and Chase could almost read her thoughts as she stared around her. The walls were reinforced with plywood, and army blankets hung from the roof supports between several of the cots, providing a minimal amount of privacy. As she stepped inside, Kate’s footsteps echoed on the plywood floor.

Seeing it through her eyes, Chase had to admit that it looked pretty bleak. Overhead, a large, flexible tube ran the length of the tent and pumped in cool air, but it couldn’t compete with the blistering temperatures outside and the interior was stifling hot and smelled like musty canvas.

Dropping her duffel bag onto the empty cot, she turned to him with an overly bright smile. “This will be great,” she assured him. “After all, it’s not like I’ll be doing anything except sleeping, right?”

He had another decadent vision of her, this time straddling his hips as he lay on one of the narrow cots. Oh, yeah. He’d been outside the wire for way too long. He’d told Kate point-blank that he had no intention of sleeping with her.

He’d lied.

4

KATE TRIED NOT TO LET Chase Rawlins see how completely horrified she was by the sleeping quarters he’d secured for her. Clearly, he belonged in this kind of Spartan, militaristic environment. He probably thrived on danger. He certainly looked as if he did.

Casting a dubious eye around the tent, she wondered how many spiders or other multilegged critters waited in the shadows.

Two soldiers lounged on their cots, chatting idly. Neither of them seemed concerned about eight-legged bunkmates, and Kate decided that if they could sleep in this tent, so could she. Pulling her small handbag out of her tote, she determinedly joined her chaperone outside the tent.

“So, can I call you Chase, or is there some kind of military protocol that demands you be addressed by your title?” she asked as they began walking across the base to the dining facility. “I’m sorry. I peeked at the mail on your desk. That is your name, isn’t it?”

He slanted her an amused look. “It is. I have no objection to you calling me Chase, unless there are uniforms nearby, and then I would prefer you address me as Major Rawlins.”

“Well, you can call me Kate even if there are other people around,” she said, unable to resist the urge to tease him just a little. He was much too serious. “I prefer it, actually. I feel old when you call me Miss Fitzgerald.”

Chase swept her with an all-encompassing look that missed nothing and caused heat to bloom low in her abdomen.

“I find that hard to believe,” he finally said, “considering you’re like … what, twenty-five?”

“Ha!” Kate gave a bark of laughter. “Thank you, but now I know you’re trying to flatter me. I just turned thirty-one.”

She could see by his expression that she’d surprised him.

“Really? I didn’t think you were much older than your client. Maybe it’s the freckles.”

Kate couldn’t suppress the pleasure she felt at knowing he had thought she was younger than she actually was. Unless he figured she was immature? He’d already implied she was nuts for having come over here by herself, when clearly no other celebrity representatives had felt the need to do so. But what he didn’t know was that her relationship with Tenley went beyond business. Tenley was more than just a client, more than just a sister. Tenley was like her own child, and she’d do whatever she needed to do to ensure her comfort and safety.

“I used to hate my freckles for that exact reason,” she said ruefully. “People always thought I was younger than I am.”

“I don’t know,” he said, studying her face. “I like them.”

To her dismay, Kate felt herself blushing. “That’s because you’ve never had them or been teased about them. Just how old are you?”

He grinned. “I’ll turn thirty-one next month.”

So they were essentially the same age. Kate felt a wave of relief, which was ridiculous. It wasn’t as if she had any interest in Chase Rawlins, regardless of his age. But a little voice whispered that she was a liar.

“When do the dining facilities open in the morning?” Kate asked, in an effort to move the subject to safer ground. She so did not need to be thinking about him in a romantic way. “Please don’t tell me I have to be up at some ungodly hour or risk going without breakfast.”

“For the most part, the peak hours are during the traditional meal times. But we also have a midnight chow, and then the dining facilities open for the day at 4:00 a.m.” He slanted her a quick grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you don’t go hungry.”

Kate felt her pulse leap at his smile, and wondered how he would react if she told him she wasn’t hungry for food, but for him. Shocked by her own thoughts, she focused her attention on her surroundings. As they walked between the rows of tents and housing units, Kate’s feet kicked up dust and despite the fact the sun was dropping lower on the horizon, the intense heat hadn’t yet begun to abate.

“How do you tolerate the climate?” she murmured, passing a hand over her eyes. “I’ve never felt so hot.”

“Believe it or not, you do get used to it. In fact, it gets surprisingly cold at night.”

Kate cast an appraising eye toward the mountains, where the sun was just touching the peaks. She’d heard that the desert grew cold at night, but right now she had a hard time believing it. “I’ll take your word for it.”

Chase stopped in front of a long building constructed of corrugated metal. “These are the female facilities. The men’s showers are just on the other side. If you’d like, I’ll wait for you here.”

Kate stepped inside the women’s bathroom, relieved to see there were plenty of shower stalls. Traveling for forty-eight hours had left her feeling sticky and uncomfortable, and she couldn’t wait to get back here with a bar of soap and a change of clothes.

She washed her hands and then splashed cool water on her face, studying her reflection in the mirror over the sink. She looked pale. Her freckles stood out starkly against her skin, and her hair was coming loose from the ponytail holder. Pulling it free, she combed her fingers through it and then secured it in a loose knot at the back of her head. Pinching some color into her cheeks, she rejoined Chase outside. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a small, plastic device and handed it to her. Kate realized it was a beeper.

“If you need to use the bathroom during the middle of the night,” he said carefully, “I want you to ask one of the female soldiers to walk here with you, or I want you to contact me. This is a beeper that goes directly to my phone. Just press this button, and I’ll be at your tent in under five minutes. I’ll walk here with you.”

“I’m sure I can walk to the bathroom by myself,” she said, studying the small device. Raising her gaze, she gave him a leering smile in an effort to lighten him up a little. “Unless, of course, you want to scrub my back.”

To her astonishment, two ruddy spots appeared high on his cheeks and he stared at her for a moment as if he thought she might actually be serious. Kate waited breathlessly for his response.

“This is a combat environment, Miss Fitzgerald,” he finally said, dragging his gaze from hers. “There are more than twenty thousand troops stationed here, and while I can personally vouch for my own men, I can’t say with one-hundred-percent certainty that you would be safe walking across the base at night. So I need you to promise me that you’ll ask one of the female soldiers to accompany you, or you’ll contact me, understood?”

Kate swallowed. There was no way she’d call this guy in the middle of the night for any purpose, especially not one so personal. Just the thought of being alone with him after dark caused her imagination to surge. “I’m sure the last thing you want to do is escort me to the ladies’ room.”

“My job is to keep you safe. If you decide to go somewhere without me, I can’t guarantee that safety. So you will call me.”

His tone said clearly that it wasn’t a request, and Kate nodded as she dropped the beeper into her pocketbook. “Okay,” she promised. “I’ll call you. But only if you stop calling me Miss Fitzgerald and start calling me Kate. Jeez.”

They walked in silence after that, until they reached a large complex of buildings. Dozens of soldiers milled around outside, smoking cigarettes or talking, while other groups walked past them with purposeful steps.

“Here we are,” Chase said, pulling open a door to a large building as Kate breathed in the enticing aromas of roast chicken and grilled hamburgers.

The dining facility was essentially an enormous cafeteria, complete with soup and salad bars, a drink fountain, separate lines for hot entrees or sandwiches, and one section for desserts. There must have been at least five hundred soldiers either eating at the long tables, or waiting in line, and the noise level was so cheerful and normal that Kate had a difficult time remembering that they were in Afghanistan. The air-conditioning was a welcome relief from the dry, dusty heat outside, and she wanted to slither to the ground and press her overheated skin against the cool tiles.

“C’mon,” Chase said, accurately reading her thoughts. “Let’s start you with a salad and plenty of fluids. Traveling can dehydrate you, and I don’t need you to become sick.”

He steered her toward the salad bar and, without asking her what she preferred, took a plate and began heaping it with salad greens and toppings.

“Is that for me?” she asked doubtfully.

“What?” he demanded. “You don’t like salad?” He ran a critical eye over her. “Looks to me like that’s all you eat.”

Kate grimaced and took the plate from him. “Trust me,” she said drily, “I can wipe out an entire container of Cherry Garcia ice cream in one sitting and still not feel satisfied.”

To her surprise, he laughed. “I’d like to see that.”

She stared at him, transfixed by the way his smile changed his face. His teeth gleamed white in the sunburned bronze of his skin, and she felt a nearly irresistible urge to press her fingertips into the deep indents of his dimples. His grin was so captivating that Kate had a ridiculous sense of pleasure that she had been the one to cause it.

“Well, maybe one day you will,” she found herself saying as she returned his smile. In the next instant, she realized he would never see her gorge herself on ice cream. She would only be in his company for the next few days, until Tenley arrived, and then she would likely have no more opportunity—or reason—to share meals with him. Or anything else, for that matter. She found the thought oddly depressing.

“When you’ve finished building your salad,” Chase said, “grab a seat at one of the tables over there. I’ll go get us something a little more substantial to eat. What do you like … chicken, beef, pasta?”

Turning, Kate studied the menu board at the front of the food line. “I’ll try some of the fried chicken. And mashed potatoes.”

Chase nodded. “Good choice. It’s kinda hard to screw up chicken and potatoes.”

Kate watched as he turned and walked away, telling herself that she was not admiring his ass. But it was an effort to drag her attention back to putting toppings on her salad. She was vaguely aware of the interested glances she drew from several nearby soldiers, dressed as she was in a turquoise blouse and white jeans. Finally, she pulled a bottle of water from a cooler and selected a seat in the far corner of the cafeteria, where it was less crowded.

She picked at her salad, keeping one eye on Chase as he moved through the line, piling a tray with plates of food. When he finally made his way through the cafeteria toward her, she noticed how several female soldiers turned to watch his progress. She couldn’t blame them. Major Chase Rawlins had a combination of good looks and an easy confidence that captured your attention and then held it.

He placed the tray on the table and began unloading the plates. Kate stared in astonishment at the heaping servings of fried chicken and mashed potatoes that he had chosen for her. But that couldn’t compare with the double helpings of two different entrees that he had taken for himself. And he had no less than three bottles of chilled water.

“Are you going to eat all that?” she asked, before she could prevent herself.

But instead of looking insulted, he merely grinned. “Oh, yeah. I’ve been surviving on MREs for the past two weeks. This is going to be sheer ambrosia.”

“MREs?” she asked, taking a mouthful of potatoes. “What is that?”

“Meals Ready to Eat, although some of the troops like to call them Meals Rejected by Everybody, or Meals Rarely Edible. They’re prepackaged meals in a pouch, designed to provide the soldier with all the basic caloric and nutritional requirements for one day. They’re basically field rations.”

“Not so appetizing?”

Chase shrugged as he dug into a plate heaped with baked ziti. “They do the job. I don’t pay much attention to what I eat when I’m in the field.”

Kate could well believe that. He struck her as the kind of man capable of intense focus. If he was on a mission, one hundred percent of his attention would be on his work, not on food. She could easily envision him skipping meals simply because he was too busy to eat. But right now, he made short work of his dinner, devouring it with gusto.

“So what is it that you do, exactly?” she asked.

He glanced up, and quickly wiped his mouth with a napkin. “The usual.”

Kate gave him a half smile. “Which is … what, exactly? You said you’ve been in the field for the past two weeks. What do you do when you’re ‘in the field’?”

Chase shrugged and took a long swallow of water, nearly draining the bottle. “A lot of nothing, actually.” He gave her a quick smile. “At least, nothing very exciting.”

He wasn’t going to give her any information, she realized, studying his bland expression.

“Is it normal for soldiers to grow beards? I thought there was some strict protocol about being clean-shaven.”

He smoothed his hand over his jaw, and Kate found herself wondering how his beard would feel against her skin. Would it be soft or bristly? If he nuzzled her neck, would he leave a rash? Disconcerted by the direction of her thoughts, she fixed her attention on her food, pushing it around the plate.

“Well, there wasn’t much opportunity for a close shave while I was out there,” he said offhandedly. “I got back to base just before you arrived, so not much chance to clean up, either. Sorry.”

“So how did you end up becoming my escort?” she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. “I don’t know much about the military, but if I had to guess I’d say you were special forces. They’re the only ones who get to grow facial hair, right? So why would they assign someone like you to bring me to the different concert sites? I promise you I’m not dangerous.”

Chase stopped eating the second she suggested he was special forces, and listened to her with a combination of amusement and surprise. But when she said she wasn’t dangerous, he gave a soft laugh and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “you have no idea.”

Now he sat back in his chair and considered her. “Okay,” he said, a smile still tilting his lips. “You’re right. I’m an Army Ranger, part of a special-operations unit. But my team screwed up on a recent operation and so here I am—” he gestured expansively with his hands “—anxious to prove to my commanding officer that I can complete this assignment without incident.”

“Ah,” she said, meaningfully. “So this is sort of like a punishment for you.” Leaning forward, she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”

“Uh-huh.” His voice said he didn’t believe her, but he couldn’t hide the dimples that dented his cheeks, evidence of his amusement. “If I can’t handle one woman, then I have no business being an Army Ranger.”

Kate laughed in astonishment. “Oh, wow. Be careful what you say. That just sounded like a challenge.”

Chase grinned. “Going to give me a run for my money?”

“I just might.” Kate let her gaze drift over him. She watched his hands as he toyed with the saltshaker. They were a lot like him, lean and strong. She wondered how they would feel on her body. “I’d be doing you a favor. After all, I wouldn’t want you to get soft, considering your current assignment is so easy.”

He snapped his eyes to hers. “Trust me,” he said drily. “There’s no chance of that happening around you.” Before she could register what he’d said, he stood up. “Are you going to finish your meal?”

Kate pushed the plate away. “No, I don’t think so. I’m actually not that hungry. What I’d really like is to head over to where the first concert event will be held.”

Chase nodded and began stacking their plates on his tray. “No problem.”

She watched as he disposed of their dishes, her heart still thumping unevenly. Had he meant his words the way she had interpreted them? That she aroused him physically? The very thought sent hot blood surging through her veins. She wondered what had happened to get him pulled off his last assignment. He had made light of it, but Kate could see it bothered him. She didn’t know him at all, but guessed he would much rather be back in the field with his men than here with her. Especially if he found himself attracted to her. She didn’t know him well, but guessed that he was the kind of guy who would keep his professional and private lives completely separate. And right now, she was definitely part of his professional life.

When he returned to the table, she drew in a deep breath. “Listen, Chase, if you’d rather not take me over to the concert site, I’m sure I can get someone else to go with me. I understand that this probably isn’t your favorite thing to do.”

“No chance,” he said smoothly. “You’ve been assigned to me, and I’ll be the only one to take you over there.”

She’d been assigned to him. As if she were nothing more than a number, or an unpleasant project that he just needed to get done. Realistically, she knew that wasn’t true, but in that instant she realized she wanted him to see her as more than a task or an assignment. She wanted him to see her as a woman.

“Okay.” She stood up and pushed her chair in. “Then let’s do this.”

Outside, the sun had finally dipped behind the mountains and the base was quickly growing dark. Kate welcomed the change, both because the temperature had dropped and because the indistinct light made it more difficult for Major Rawlins to read her expression. They walked in silence, and she didn’t miss how he adjusted his stride so that she could keep up with him. She was fading quickly from sheer exhaustion. Part of her wanted to suggest that they wait until morning to view the concert site, but the stubborn part of her—the part that wanted to impress this tough man—refused to capitulate.

Thankfully, the parade field wasn’t far from the dining facility. A large stage had been constructed at one end of the field, and an enormous American flag had been hung behind it as a patriotic backdrop. Dozens of heavy-duty extension cords snaked across the ground near the stage, and two tall light poles provided illumination.

“This is where the bands will perform,” Chase said, kicking several of the cords out of her way. “Of course, it will look much different once all the equipment is set up.”

Kate walked around the stage, silently acknowledging that it would more than suffice for Tenley’s band. She had brought her planner with her, and she jotted down notes as they surveyed the site.

“How far back will the audience be from the performers?” She measured off several paces from the front of the stage. “I don’t want them too close, and I’m going to insist on security personnel to keep the crowds back.”

Chase laughed softly and scratched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what kind of audiences your client performs for, but this isn’t a Texas roadhouse. This is the U.S. military, and they will be respectful.”

Kate frowned, wanting to believe him, but recalling at least one instance when Tenley had been accosted by a fan who had breached the security and climbed onto the stage.

“Look at me,” Chase said, and put his hands on her shoulders, dipping his head to stare directly into her eyes. “I will keep Tenley Miles safe, okay? You can trust me.”

Kate searched his eyes and realized that she did trust him. He was bigger than life, a guy who obviously took his job seriously. Knowing that she could rely on him was an amazing feeling. She’d always had to be the strong one; the person who made all the decisions and ensured everything went smoothly. That this man was willing to take that burden from her meant more to her than she could express.

“Thank you,” she said. “Tenley has already had one bad experience with a fan.”

“You have my word that nothing like that will happen here,” he said firmly. “But I’ll arrange to have military police positioned around the stage and throughout the audience.”

“Thank you. May I see the administrative building where the performers will stay?”

Chase preceded her through the large building directly behind the stage. Immediately inside the doors was a spacious auditorium where the band members could relax while waiting to perform.

“I’m not familiar with the exact details,” Chase said as they walked through the room, “but I understand the USO will set up food and drink stations for the performers, and they’ll have access to pretty much whatever they need.”

The space was more than generous, and Kate could easily envision Tenley relaxing here as she prepared to perform. Even with other entertainers using the room, there was little likelihood that Tenley would feel crowded. Kate nodded her approval and took some more notes. Once she left here, it would be easy to get the sites confused, and she wanted to go over everything in advance with Tenley, so that her sister would know what to expect.

Leaving the auditorium, Chase led her down a main corridor and showed her several rooms that were in the process of being converted to bunk rooms for the entertainers. Try as she might, Kate couldn’t find anything to criticize. Granted, the accommodations weren’t luxurious, but they were adequate for Tenley’s needs, especially considering they were on a military base in Afghanistan.

After snapping the lights off in the last room and closing the door, Kate fell into step beside Chase as they made their way back through the building to the parade field.

“Well, it certainly appears that the USO has thought of everything,” Kate remarked as they stepped outside. “Will I have an opportunity to meet with the USO coordinators tomorrow? Tenley has some, um, unique requirements that I’d like to address with them.”

Chase cast her one swift, questioning look. “Like what?”

“Well, she’s deathly afraid of buses, so I want to be sure that she won’t have to travel in one, not even from the flight line to where she’ll be staying.”

“Okay,” he said quietly. “Can I ask why?”

“Her parents were killed in a bus crash when she was just six years old. Tenley was trapped in the wreckage with them for several hours before rescue crews could free her.”

“Jesus,” he breathed. “Poor kid.”

Kate gave him a grateful look. “She claims not to remember anything about the crash, but some nights she has terrible nightmares.”

Chase nodded. “The USO would normally transport all the entertainers in a troop bus, but I can arrange for a private vehicle to pick her up at the terminal. Anything else?”

“Just that I need to stay with her, in her sleeping quarters.”

“Because of the nightmares?”

Kate nodded. “Something like that.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.”

Kate glanced at him, surprised at how easily he accepted Tenley’s needs and agreed to accommodate them. In another place and time, Chase Rawlins was exactly the kind of man that she would have given anything to be with, even for just one night.

They walked in silence toward the tent where Kate would sleep, but she could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

“You’ve been great,” she finally said, breaking the silence. “About everything. And I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I had a lot of anxiety, not knowing what to expect, but so far you’ve managed to alleviate all my fears.”

They reached her tent and he turned to face her. “I hope so,” he said quietly. “I don’t want you to be afraid of anything while you’re here. That’s why you have me.”

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