Top Priority (The Game 1)

You know it’s more than that.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

I thought back on the messages we’d sent each other and the one brief talk we’d had over the phone, and…fuck my life, it was more than twenty-four hours. It was four months of banter, quick jokes, stalking each other’s photos online, and making sure the other one was all right.

“Jesus Christ.” I blew out a heavy breath and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.

I was falling hard for the bastard.

Pizza arrived, and I didn’t touch it.

The evening news passed, and my computer remained silent.

It wasn’t until two god-awful days later that Mrs. Carter responded, and by then, I knew everyone involved in the crash had made it and was back to safety.

I still didn’t have any details, though.

I was tired and wary when I opened her message.

Hi, Lucas. I apologize for the late response, but I had to check with my husband and my son before I could, in good conscience, tell you anything. Colt is fine, as I am sure you’ve heard by now, and he’s going to contact you soon.

I am attaching the debrief my husband was privy to. It will give you some answers.

With that out of the way, I would love to know more about you! Colt doesn’t get bashful about anything, but when I asked him about you, he sure took us by surprise. You must be special to him. Perhaps we can meet? I will be in DC to visit a dear friend in a couple weeks’ time.

Look forward to hearing from you!

—Mary

It was impossible not to smile a little, weak and uncertain as it was, at how Colt had reacted. I couldn’t picture him as bashful.

Then I clicked on the link Mary had sent, and I saw it was a picture taken of a document they must’ve printed out. Several lines had been blacked out, and I had to zoom in to see what someone had written on the page.

Four jets had been out that night, Colt’s being one of them. They’d flown low to do a drop of…okay, I didn’t understand that abbreviation but felt it didn’t matter. They’d been close to the ground in a valley high up in the mountain range, a place they’d thought was secure.

It had been anything but. Insurgents had been all over the place and opened fire. Two F-16s had been hit immediately, and the pilots had ejected from their aircraft.

Colt and another pilot named Lindsey had launched missiles to take out heat sources on the ground, eliminating four targets—four settlements. The report continued with some jargon I couldn’t decipher, and a whole paragraph following that was blacked out. But somehow, Captain Lindsey had been shot down too, leaving Colt alone in the air.

I sucked in a breath, realizing I hadn’t been breathing, and read the rest.

Colt had taken out the last targets and then circulated over the area while waiting for rescue. He’d been reprimanded for staying in the conflict area past the point of no return, and he’d been dangerously low on fuel by the time helicopters had arrived to bring the pilots back to base. Colt had then received in-air fuel before returning to base as well.

I sat there and stared at the text for a long time, reading it over and over.

I’d once called him a hero, and I would do it again.I didn’t understand why I was so nervous to see Colt. I knew he was okay. He’d messaged me on Facebook less than two hours after his mother had reached out, and he’d asked if I had Skype.

Even if I hadn’t had Skype, I would’ve gotten my hands on it.

I was actually going to see him, see his face, and my stomach was a chaotic mess because of it.

I stayed up until three in the morning for when he was off his shift and could talk.

3:02

I paced in front of my computer and sipped my coffee. My fourth cup. Tomorrow was going to be rough. I had meetings starting at seven, and one of them was with a potential client for my own business.

“Oh, thank fuck.” I rushed to the computer when it signaled an incoming call, and I pressed the button to answer before I’d even landed in my chair. Then Colt’s gorgeous face appeared on the screen, and I could only stare. His hair was shorter. The scruff was gone. He’d gotten a tan. But most of all, he looked hardened. It was as sexy as it was worrying.

“We gotta Skype more often.” His rich voice filtered through, and he raised his brows as he stared back at me. Well, currently, his stare was reminding me that I wasn’t wearing a shirt. After my shower, I’d only put on a pair of sweat pants.