Power (Special Tactical Units Division 1)

Was the lieutenant in pain?

He had admitted to twisting his ankle after she’d noticed him favoring it. Was he hurting? Should she ask? A better question was, should she care?

No. Not really.

If he was in pain, it was his problem, not hers. There wasn’t anything she could do about it even if she wanted to.

The morning was heating up, and storm clouds were riding high overhead.

Alessandra finished her coffee. He reached for her cup.

“Time to get moving,” he said.

She nodded and started for the tree line.

“Alessandra.”

She kept walking.

“Alessandra!”

“I’m going to pee.”

“Yeah. Fine. But before you do… I owe you an explanation.”

Tanner hadn’t intended anything even close to that, but looking at her a few minutes ago, knowing he still hungered for her and that she hungered for him, he’d decided he had to say something.

Now, going by the look on her face as she swung towards him, he wasn’t so sure.

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“Yeah. I do.”

She folded her arms. “Are you always so sure of yourself, Lieutenant?”

The way she’d gone back to using his title made him wince.

“The only thing I’m sure of is that we’re in an unusual situation.”

She made a show of looking around.

“You think?”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere,” he said, ignoring the touch of sarcasm. “We’re facing some dangerous stuff. And, see, I’ve studied these things…” Shit. Did she have to look at him as if he was crazy? “The bottom line is that I understand that rescuing you might make you see me, uh, might make you see me…”

“As a hero.”

Uh-oh. Nobody’s tone should ever be as flat as that.

“No. Not exactly. It’s just that when you add everything together—”

“You think I might have had sex with you to show you my gratitude.”

Hell. He swallowed hard.

“No. I mean… No. But I can see where that might...”

“You’re probably right.”