He grinned. Just grinned that sexy, unrepentant smile. And damn it, she couldn't help but smile in return. He always could charm her out of a mood, all the more reason to keep her distance. "You are so bad."
"I know. I'm in need of reform. Wanna spank me?"
And then other times he wasn't so charming. "Oh, yes," she said through gritted teeth. "I definitely want to."
Reaching over her tray of bottles and syringes, she whipped a pair of latex gloves from a box. Bumped elbows with her hardheaded hubby. She looked up to snap again.
But couldn't push more angry words free.
Deep brown eyes met hers. So close. The din around her faded from a roar to a dull hum. He raised his hand, took his time, as always, which gave her plenty of time to pull away. She didn't.
Jack tucked a straggling strand of hair behind her ear. "How did it go so wrong?"
Heavy silence settled between them while voices swelled again. Humvees revved outside. An intercom system barked sporadic tinny announcements.
A cleared throat snipped the tension, if not the longing.
Monica peered beyond Jack to find Colonel Drew Cullen waiting with folder in hand. A welcome distraction.
In-processing showed no favors to rank. The colonel in charge dropped into the folding chair. Colonel Cullen, who'd probably once worn earphones around his neck but now wore lines of life, worries, work. Lines like the ones recently added to Jack's face.
Had she put them there? How many more would she add before their divorce was final?
Divorce. The thought of cutting him out of her life stung like a needle in her chest. Not that Jack showed signs of leaving her side anytime soon.
Monica turned her back on him so she could concentrate on prepping the next injection. "Roll up your sleeve, Colonel. This one's going to burn a bit."
If only life gave warnings before owies.
"Just get to it, Major." Cullen grinned, a few years falling away until he looked a little less foreboding. He crooked his arm until his bicep bulged.
"Relax, Colonel—" she snapped her glove then tapped his flexed muscle "—and it will hurt less."
Jack growled, low and soft and totally predatory. Good God. Thank heaven either the Colonel didn't notice or pretended well. Sheesh, she hadn't even noticed that Colonel Cullen actually was rather hunky until Jack started with the Cro-Magnon growl.
She swabbed, jabbed.
"Well, what do ya know?" The Colonel smiled as she pulled the needle free and swabbed again.
"The third shot in the series doesn't hurt as much as the— Son of a bitch!"
Colonel Cullen winced when the burn apparently kicked in, popped a LifeSaver in his mouth.
She stretched a Band-Aid across his skin. "Sorry about that, Colonel."
Jack dipped into her sight line. "You didn't call him a baby."
Monica peeled off her gloves. "He outranks me."
"Wise move, Major." Hand extending, the Colonel offered his roll of LifeSavers. "Here, Korba. Candy for your boo-boo."
Jack snorted—but took the candy. "Thanks, sir."
Boys.
Cullen unrolled his DCU sleeve. "Korba, meet me in the chow hall after you unload your gear and we can talk more about the satellite images of the drop zone."
Thank God for senior officers and their orders. Now Jack would have to leave.