Excerpt Protecting the Athlete

Myra strode toward the passenger pickup area. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the Black Lincoln Navigator parked at the curb, tricked out by Tippin of course. Tippin thought he was Q from James Bond. Sometimes she and the guys joked that Tippin was more brilliant and inventive than Q.

It wasn't the impressive vehicle that got to her, or the wonder of what gadgets Tippin may have included. It was the man reclining against the souped-up SUV that made her world spin.

Her crush—no, her challenge, her annoyance, maybe her idol or infatuation. Could he be all five blended together?

Ike Porter. Retired Army Ranger Lieutenant, the only op who kept his distance and didn't either flirt with her or treat her like one of the guys.

Unfortunately for her, Ike was the most appealing man on earth.

Dang him.

He appeared to be casually waiting for her while posing like a male model of tough security specialist and retired military hero. Ike would probably stay even farther away from her if he knew her thoughts. Her dad would be stunned that she would let down her guard and ‘crush' on some guy like a silly teenager. Especially someone she worked with who she needed to demand respect from.

Myra would never admit to anyone she thought Ike was beautiful, most especially him. She couldn't afford to be consumed with any man, and a man working for the same security company was even more of a red flag. She needed to excel at this job, keep getting requests through Charli for the ‘Warrior Woman,' making a difference in the fight against evil, and earning the kind of money that would pay for college or trade school for each of her siblings.

But Ike …

From the first time she'd met him, his blue eyes had mesmerized her. The connection she'd felt when they shook hands had shot through her like lightning. From her head to her toes, she had believed she'd met the man who was the perfect match for her—tough enough to improve her fighting skills, serious but able to laugh at her teasing, and tingly warm to the touch.

That first day, he'd released her from the handshake and from his blue gaze quickly. She'd been startled back to reality and mortified by the weird belief that they had some ‘connection' and he was her future.

Ike had kept his distance from her after that initial meeting, which she should appreciate. She wasn't the ‘settle down and date and get married' type. A family of her own terrified her. What if she got killed on an op and left her husband and children alone? She knew how rough it was to be raised without the tender nurturing of a mom. Not that she was any kind of tender nurturer. She was more likely to slug somebody in the shoulder and tell them to buck up and get back in the fight than give them a hug and put a band-aid on.

Myra was proud of her hard-earned expertise. She knew how to fight, protect, tease like a buddy with the guys on her team, but she stunned her own male compatriots and the ‘bad guys' when she proved how well a woman could shoot, combat like an ultimate fighter, and react in intense and dangerous situations.

If only she knew how to flirt with Ike.

No! She wasn't going to flirt with anyone. She was here for a job.

Interesting that he was the one picking her up for this unknown assignment. Even though his pose was casual, Myra knew he was coiled for battle and ready to respond to any threat. His blue eyes and honed senses missed nothing.

Ike was the toughest and most impressive op she'd ever interacted with.

He also made her stomach flip flop every time their eyes met. Those piercing blue eyes … delectable.

Stop it.

"Oh, hey, Ike." She tried to act casual, lifting her free hand in greeting as his gaze focused in on her and made her entire body sizzle. "Charli sent you to pick me up?"

A slight shake of his head.

"Fitz?"

"No."

She tilted her head and waited.

"Tippin," he said.

She chortled at the joke. It was very funny. Tippin could trick out any of their rides, create a weapon, or shut down a small nation, but he would never coordinate a mission.

Of course Ike's lips only gave a slight lift. He was far too serious. She'd only made him laugh a few times. He wasn't her type at all. If she were to use her minimal free time to date, she'd pursue … charming jokesters. Yes. Definitely not the tough, too serious, unbending military hero type.

Why, then, did Ike make her pulse skyrocket with one searching glance?

She walked up to the car. He opened the passenger door for her, pivoted back to face her, then slid her suitcase from her grip. Usually she would tease a male op about getting her door or taking her suitcase. Her dad had taught her she could appreciate a gentleman, just not while on a job.

With Ike, she said nothing. All her focus was on the slight brush of their fingers that brought liquid heat to her bloodstream. His gaze concentrated on her, and for one blissful moment, Myra was lost and found. Time must've marched on, but nothing existed outside of Ike's blue eyes and the absolute need to be close to him.

She eased closer, inch by beautiful inch. She was almost in his personal space when Ike jerked his gaze away, took a large step back, and gestured to the Navigator's passenger seat with his free hand.

"Yes?" She knew exactly what he expected her to do, but it was the last thing in the world she wanted to do. She hadn't asked for, or pursued, this strong connection to him. Maybe it was straight from heaven above. Heavenly intervention would make more sense than Myra letting her guard down. She was too well-trained for that.

Her longing for Ike was irrational, but she didn't think it would dissipate any time soon. If anything, it got stronger every time she saw him.

Ike studied her. His blue gaze was searching, penetrating, lifting, inspiring. She leaned in, more than ready to see what could happen if either of them would let these feelings and emotions rise to the surface.

"We should go," he said softly, quirking an eyebrow and giving her a knowing glance. Was she completely transparent and making a fool of herself?

"Oh! You think you're driving?" She grinned.

Ike actually smiled at her. It was a smile of relief that she could joke and not be offended that he wasn't interested.

"This is my assigned vehicle," he reminded her.

Cars were lined up behind them and they needed to move said vehicle.

Myra had been moments away from touching him, thinking they were having a moment.

Ike didn't appear to feel any connection. Even if he did, he was too stoic to act on it.