Chapter 1

One

Jesse

I had it bad for two of the hardest, sexiest Army Rangers I've ever met. And in my line of work I've met some hardass—badass—men, but these two...let me just say they were a special specimen altogether.

"Wouldn't you like to crawl into bed with one of those two?" My best friend and fellow nurse in the Army base infirmary, Lora, nudged me in the ribs wearing a filthy grin announcing she definitely would. Maybe even right now in the middle of her shift if they gave her the simplest crook of a finger.

I didn't need to glance up from the chart in my hands to know who she was talking about. The entire hospital had been chattering all week about the two sexy beefcakes for Rangers.

Honestly, I couldn't fault my friend for wanting to taste all that deliciousness.

Lora wrapped an arm around me. "You're so lucky. You get to take care of them," she whispered close. She leaned in a little closer and went on all dreamy-eyed like she walked out of nursing school just yesterday. "Tell me all about them tonight? Let's catch some drinks after work and we can talk about men or the lack of them in our lives."

Lora wiggled her brows, and I couldn't help but laugh. "You're impossible, but yeah. Beer sounds good."

Lora grinned like she won the lottery. Given our strict schedule with the hospital, we didn't break our routine of work and sleep much. Getting out would be nice.

"But this time I'm ordering my own pizza. Last time you ate all of it."

I shrugged. "No one told you to spend all night dancing with that dreamy soldier. I figure I earned it by sitting through watching you two make out on the dance floor for ten songs straight."

"Fun times, chica … fun times. Both of us are due some all-night kinda lovin'. Maybe after your eye candy in there heals up you can get some of that."

I felt my pulse jump at the thoughts her words brought about.

Small tidbit no one knew about me, I was still a virgin. Never had a man take me to bed, much less get past second base. I've tried. I'm just not the love 'em and leave 'em kinda girl, I guess.

But for them...maybe?

I skimmed a glance toward the men in the beds. Oh, I wanted to take care of them all right. All. Night. Long. But wanting and getting were two different worlds. How would it look if I were to follow through with my lust-filled desires? Unprofessional, and before anything, came my career.

Sure, I wanted to lick up and down the steel of their bodies like they were flavorful man-lollipops every single day. But just thinking about the dirtiest desires my mind had conjured up made me red in the face. Imagine if I were to act on them.

I shuddered just thinking about it. No thank you! I'd be the nurse every male on this base would laugh at. But yeah, in my head I would trace their hard muscles with my fingers until I firmly gripped those hard cocks and took care of them in other ways.

And in return, every cherry I have would be popped as I let them both be my first everything.

I gave Lora a small smile. I worked hard not to seem overeager to care for the men or the woman would never let the subject die.

I deepened my smile and fixed the last of the paper cups on my tray. "Don't forget about drinks tonight, okay?"

Lora nodded, prepping her own tray. "You betcha, babe."

I grabbed the pills from the appropriate bottles and headed to the room both men shared just down the hall.

Each step I took deeper into their room made my nerves zip with a tingly energy. I swear, standing five feet from them and I could feel the heat of their bodies lure me in. My face went red at the idea my body responded to just being near them.

I took in their disheveled look. Their tousled hair and a deep shadow on their chins made them look sexier in my eyes.

Not only were the men gorgeous, despite their hospital gowns, but they had big reputations that preceded them.

Tray in hand, I stepped up to the first bed.

The first Ranger, one Lieutenant Ryker "Hawk" Garrison of the US Army, known for his sharp-shooting shooting skills, didn't look like the toughest badass who I knew singlehandedly saved seven of his team members from enemy fire. No, he currently sat in the middle of his bed with the biggest scowl on his face that made me want to wave a wand or something and make him all better. Then again, I don't mind taking care of the big baby who came in with a fractured humerus and a bad fever. Which, like I've told him a million times, wouldn't have been as bad had he come to the ER sooner.

But no. He was a bad ass so no hospitals until he was seeing double. Damn stubborn men.

That said, I could only imagine how hard it must be on a man as tough as him to be bedridden due to a fever. At least he was on the mend and would be discharged within the next day or so. I placed the tray on the table at the end of the bed and fixed the covers around his waist.

I took one final breath to steel for the battle ahead before slipping the small cup of pills into the large hand of the Ranger.

Hawk's scowl deepened and his bright blue eyes, still shimmering from his fever, pierced mine.

Here goes.

He opened his mouth to no doubt give me a hot retort about not taking his pills when I raised a hand.

"You've given me trouble all week so don't give me that scowl. If you'd listened last night and taken your meds when I said and not when you felt like it, you wouldn't have had me in here at four this morning giving you a shot for your fever. Had you, your fever would probably be gone and you'd be out the door if you only played nice."

His eyes sparked with mischief and there went that wicked, heart-melting smirk he used on me every chance he found. Damn if it doesn't make me think there are ulterior motives for him giving me hell.

Hawk grunted, but I saw the glint in his eyes.

I watch the hand he used to rake through his thick black hair. "It's just that…" he tried to start in a gruff voice I'm positive dropped panties ever since he hit puberty.

I lowered my voice and leaned in until I could see the dark speck of silver in his eyes. "Take the pills, Hawk. They'll make you feel better so you can get out of here sooner and back to your men where you're needed."

"You see, that's the problem, nurse. I'm not sure I wanna leave. Not when an angel like you flutters about taking care of me and tucking me in so nice."

His eyes never left mine as he talked and I found myself leaning in.

He brushed his knuckles over my cheek.

I try to smile and pretend his hot touch doesn't do a thing for me. Yeah, that didn't work. The heat creeping up my cheeks gave me away the second those fingers of his touched my warming skin.

I pulled back at the same time he dropped his head against his pillow, eyes closing. The fever was taking a toll on the man, no matter how big and tough he wanted to act.

"Hawk," I stated coolly despite the war of fluttering butterflies knocking each other out in my stomach.

He whipped his head around to pierce me with his sharp gaze. His blue eyes felt like pure hot ice burrowing deep into my soul.

"Just a minute, sweetheart. This fever is eating me alive."

I pursed my lips and pushed my hair out of my eyes so I could stare him down right back.

"Here, let me help you." I went to wrap my arm around his shoulders and help him sit up a bit, but he slipped his hand around the base of my neck and held me gently away.

"Nah, that's okay. I just need a minute to catch my breath. I definitely don't want a repeat of last night's injection so I'll be a good boy and take my meds in a minute."

"Stubborn man." I held them out again. The first few days he'd been in the hospital ward, he'd been delirious with fever, unable to keep anything down. At one point the doctors had been talking about maybe needing to operate, but then Hawk started to improve.

His bunkmate and best friend, Army Ranger Kane "Lucky" Callahan, straight from Tennessee with a Southern drawl that would make a woman shed her panties, was another story. He lay a bed away, weak and fighting off severe dehydration and sun exposure after a training op. The pair of Rangers had come in around the same time and she had the luck of them landing in her wing.

Even as sick as they were, they were a pair of sweet-talkers and loved to flirt. The ones who hadn't been sweet-talked by them in the past wanted to be. And if the hot rumors floating around the base were to be believed, they liked to share their women.

But rumors were not fact and I lived in a world where truth ruled.

I didn't let my mind linger on that for long. I'm already feeling a little sweaty. Thinking about me naked and between them wouldn't help me get my stubborn soldier to take his meds any faster.

"Take the damn pills, Hawk." The hoarse voice of Kane made me and Hawk look over at the man lying there red-faced. Kane, who hated his nickname I learned, swung his gaze to me. "Can I get some water, sweetheart?"

Despite me telling him my name, they both went with their version of endearment instead which usually pissed me off if any other man tried it. I worked hard for my nursing degree, damn it. But with them, my heart did a funny dance, and chills ran over my skin.

See, I have it bad for them, despite my better judgment.

I purse my lips, held his gaze, and tried to stand my ground.

"I mean, Nurse Jordan. Please." His voice rough and scratchy.

"Of course." I passed a cup to Hawk first and pointed at the pills before placing another cup of water in Kane's outstretched hand.

I shook my head thinking of all the stubborn crap Hawk had given me in the past week since he'd begun his recovery. If I would have met him anywhere else, I would have no doubt told him where to go with an attitude like that.

He was fierce, used to getting his way, and ornery as hell. Even laid up in bed with a horrible fever attacking his system, the fever hadn't been able to do more than shed a few pounds off him. That only made him more angular in all the right places.

Kane had come in on his own two feet. Swaying but still upright. I'd been able to appreciate all two hundred pounds of muscle spread over a six-foot-two-inch frame. The man looked like one of those male dancers off a movie or straight out of Vegas. Now, he still looked as if he could overpower me, even feeling as down in the dumps as he was. Not that I have any thoughts of him wanting to do anything other than sweet talk me into bed with him.

I reached for a banana left on the tray from lunch for Hawk. "Food will help the meds settle in your stomach better."

Hawk took one look at me and a grin stretched over his rugged features. "You're as beautiful on the inside as you are on the out, sweetheart." He gripped my hand still wrapped around the banana with a dark look to his eyes.

The pad of his thumbs caressed a heated stroke over my knuckles. "I like how you're gripping that banana. The perfect delicate hand with the perfect pink-tipped fingers. I told you, Lucky, she'd be perfect for us with the perfect kind of grip."

"That's a little direct and brazen even for you, Hawk." I swallowed to give myself time to think of something else to say that didn't start with when and where .

"You know, all I have to do is call for a doctor to give you a shot and you'll be out for hours."

I had my share of soldiers hitting on me, but none that interested me as much as this pair. I'd heard about things they'd done overseas—heroic things. Every single soldier was a hero in my book, but these two were US military on steroids.

I pulled my hand free and set the banana next to Hawk.

His gaze tracked my every move as I poured another cup of water and placed a straw in the cup, bent to just the right angle, trying to keep my cool.

I held it out for him to sip, but he reached up and curled his fingers over mine. A heated thrill hit my belly—and kept on going south.

I was a twenty-five-year-old who had virtually no life outside of work. My friends made fun of me regularly, saying I was old before my time. I didn't feel that way inside—I was just content with what I had in life.

Until them. They made me think I could have more than just work going for me. I could have them.

Sure, I had a job I liked, an apartment within walking distance of the shops, the park, and theater. On my days off, I liked to sleep in and then throw on some workout clothes and go for a run. I'd always end up at the corner coffee shop grabbing my favorite mocha macchiato.

Actually, on that thought, maybe I would reschedule beers with Lora. After a couple of weeks of heavy shifts here at the hospital, I was ready for one of those days off, but without the hangover that always came after a night out drinking with my crazy redheaded friend. My back ached and my calves were tense from neglecting all the stretches I knew my body needed.

I shifted my feet, and Hawk looked down at my athletic shoes.

"You all right, sweetheart? All playin' aside, you hurting? I didn't mean any harm by my teasing with the banana."

In the other bed, Kane was still awake—he must be on the mend to keep his eyes open all this time.

"Don't worry about it. I get it all the time with you soldiers."

That made his scowl deepen and put one on Kane's face at the same time.

I pushed on instead of thinking about that any deeper. "I haven't had a run in a while. I could use it."

Hawk and Kane exchanged a meaningful glance.

"Ok. Ok. I owe ya," Kane said, his voice still strained but stronger than it had been in the past days.

I looked between the pair. Both had dark hair, Kane's on the shaggy side. I suspected he needed a haircut when he came in and his commanding officer wouldn't be too happy about his appearance right now. Kane was equally as dark but his tan was deeper. Both looked as if they ran their miles completely naked.

"Owe you what?" My question brought no response. "Boys? Am I part of a bet?" I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned a hip on Hawk's bed which put him within reaching distance of my thigh. He noticed and so did I when a heated flicker of his eye caressed over me.

He arched a brow. "Perceptive and beautiful," Hawk answered with his signature smirk, only this time his hand brushed over my knee only to settle on my thigh. I could feel the heat of his touch through my uniform instantly and it left me absolutely breathless. Having his hand on mine was one thing, but to feel those strong fingers grip me like I was already his left me boneless.

"I deal with soldiers, Ranger. It's not my first rodeo in knowing how to read between the lines. Plus, you all but spelled it out for me. So, tell me. What's on the line?"

I managed not to sound like a complete virgin by keeping my voice steady despite wanting to spread my thighs and find out what his hand would feel like on me there .

I slowly stood and set down the empty cup beside the small pill cup, now empty.

The soldier eyed me, baby blues smoldering in a way that was totally inappropriate.

And made my panties wet in a way I'd never felt before.

I didn't know what to do with the awareness of my body's reaction to Hawk's attention, or Kane's silent stares, but it had been a long time since someone had their arms around me even if by a crappy ex-boyfriend who wanted sex first and then the romance. That relationship hadn't lasted long. Nor the one after that. After three failed attempts at trying to find a man who wanted to romance me a little before hopping into bed, I gave up.

Maybe I was old before my time?

I turned my attention back on the men. Sure, I saw them in various states of undress daily. When I cared for them, I touched smooth, tanned velvet skin over steel. But all of that was for my job—none of it was for me—the woman beneath the nurse's uniform.

What I wanted made my mouth water and my panties wet. A deep hunger burned inside me. But these soldiers were off-limits.

"Hawk said you're a runner." Kane's voice was quiet as if he was getting tired again.

I leaned over Kane and brushed a lock of thick dark hair from his forehead and caught a glimpse of his dark brown eyes accompanied by a sideways grin that he made look sexy.

"I am a runner, "I answered softly. "I guess it's true what they say. Anyone who's a runner recognizes another runner."

Kane passed his half-empty cup of water to me and rested back on the pillow. His grin faded into a soft smile. I gently reached for his wrist to take his vitals.

He pulled free of my grasp and turned his hand upward to clamp around my fingers. I stared at him in shock. "I see you're not too much different from your handsy friend over there. So, mind telling me what you are doing, Kane?"

A soft chuckle came from behind and I knew if I were to turn, I'd see Hawk's amused look.

Kane's eyes graced over my face and lightly touched on my breasts before he drew his attention back to my face. Light caresses and a fierce blush roared over my cheeks.

"I just wanted to touch an angel before I die."

Hawk chuckled from beside us. "You aren't going to die any more than I am, drama queen. Now let my woman go—she needs to tend to me some more."

I bit down on my lower lip to stifle a laugh of my own. Kane's warm clutch sent shivers up and down my arm, causing my nipples to tighten under my scrub top.

With some effort, I pulled free and fixed the blood pressure cuff around his bulky biceps instead of staying where I was, like I wanted. I made quick work of taking his blood pressure and then temperature before recording it all.

Done, I turned to Hawk to find his gaze trained on my every move.

"Did you take your pills?" I already knew the answer but I needed the distraction to keep from blushing like the virgin that I was, knowing he was checking out my ass.

"Tell you what, sweetheart. Agree to go out on a date with me once I'm outta here and I'll take anything and everything you put in front of me."

"Both of us," Kane jumped in, suddenly more energetic at his buddy's ultimatum.

Kane gripped my arm again and slid his hand down until our palms were connected and fingers intertwined.

"You guys are unbelievable."

"You didn't think we would let an angel like you slip out of our lives, did you?"

"Terrible flirts. The both of you. You both know you need your meds, yet you want to put conditions on that fact?"

Kane arched a brow. lazily. Wickedly. "If it means you'll say yes…" he shared a quick look with his friend. "...then hell yes."

"You're both at least three weeks away from being well enough to be back on duty. There's no way your CO will give you leave to take a girl out on a date. But tell you what. You make it to the Support Our Troops Race Fundraiser taking place in three weeks and you keep up with me, then afterward I might let both of you buy me dinner. Maybe. But only if you take all your meds now."

That gave them both pause.

"If you can't work, you don't get to play, Rangers," I countered the retort perched on the end of Hawk's tongue before he had a chance to counter my ultimatum. I knew I was right. Besides, dating either of them was a bad idea. Let alone both.

"Baby, there isn't anything in this body that's so worn down I couldn't satisfy you and then do it all over again."

"Make that true for both of us."

I chuckled when they gave each other a quick fist bump.

Men. I nearly rolled my eyes.

I tried not to let my gaze dip to his toned body.

"I think you have yourself a deal." Hawk stretched out a hand, and I slipped mine into his like the fool that I am, sealing our deal.

What did I just do?

With both my hands in theirs, Hawk swung his legs over the side of the bed. Bare calves brushed mine. I tried to step back but he caught me with a hand collared around my neck, drawing me in. The slight brush of his lips over mine made me weak in the knees. My heart in my throat, I began to breathe heavily.

Oh, god, why did that make me wetter?

My breath caught. Damn if my libido wasn't running a marathon already.

"But be ready for the night of your life."

I met Hawk's gaze and then looked away. I drew back a step, slipping from Hawk's touch and shot a sideways glance at Kane. He was staring at me with the exact same intensity as Hawk.

There was only one thought pulsing through my mind at this point.

Could I keep up with men like them and if I did, could I keep them?