CHAPTER ONE

Major Raine Carson was the only son of Jalen Carson and Stormy Blackwinds Carson. His parents met while in Iran. Of course, it was after they'd been taken captive by a crazy former teammate of his father's. No one goes to Iran willingly.

His crazy teammate was demanding to know where some historical jewels were hidden. Jalen knew the significance of the accidental find and refused to turn them over to the crazy man. But ensuring Stormy was safe was his main goal, even in a hostage situation.

His father was not to be deterred. An Army veteran, he knew the moment he laid eyes on Stormy that she was his. Of course, not everyone can claim to have their first date inside a box on a plane headed to Iran. But that was their way. The Belle Fleur way.

They married and almost immediately, Stormy was pregnant with their first and only son, Major.

Major and his closest friends at Belle Fleur did everything together. Alistair, Forrest, Garr, Walker, Sebastian, Brix, and Leif were all in the same grade as him. They walked to and from school together, always watching out for the other kids, especially the Stanton sisters.

The spontaneous quadruplets, Ellie, Magnolia, Em, and Maddie. Beautiful, identical, smart, and madly in love with four of his friends. Major didn't mind. He thought of them as sisters.

Major looked nearly identical to his father. By his eighteenth birthday, he was six-feet-five, two hundred and thirty pounds of well-honed muscle, dark hair, and green eyes. He was what many would call dreamy.

But Major was also determined. He knew that he was going to become an Army Ranger along with all of his friends. They were the boys from Belle Fleur. Big, smart, athletic, skilled, and trained by the best in the world.

While many of his classmates were already in what they believed was a serious relationship, Major knew that he wasn't ready for that quite yet. Ellie and Leif were dating, Walker and Mags were dating, and Sebastian was mooning over Maddie but too afraid to tell her. As early as the ninth grade, Major knew that he was going to be the odd man out.

"Hi, Major," smiled Alisha.

"Hey. What's going on?" he asked, seeing all the excitement behind her.

"Eighth-grade dance. You know, the one where the girls ask the boys."

Major nodded, swallowing hard. He knew the one. He'd been trying to avoid it. He was a freshman in high school, but the schools were connected, and many of the eighth-grade girls asked freshman boys.

Major wanted nothing to do with it. He didn't dance. He didn't date. And he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

"So, are you going?" she asked, looking up at him.

Major was one of the boys that every girl wanted to ask to the dance. Many were intimidated by him, either believing he was stuck-up, big and scary, or only wanting to date Belle Fleur girls.

"No. I don't dance, and I don't like dances," he said quickly. He noticed the look on her face and felt terrible.

"Oh," she said, swallowing down the emotion.

"I'm sorry. I really don't like dances, and I don't like dancing. You should ask Garr or Forrest," he said, offering an alternative.

Alisha looked around him seeing Forrest, Garr, Alistair, and Walker standing at the lockers. She knew that Walker liked Magnolia, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out why Magnolia didn't know that.

"Maybe," she said, looking up at him. "You know, Major, there are going to be lots of dances in high school, and some of them are actually fun. If you don't learn to dance, you're going to be left out of a lot of stuff. I mean, don't you want a girlfriend?"

"Do you have to dance to have a girlfriend?" he laughed. She frowned at him, shaking her head.

"You're being rude," she said.

"I'm not being rude. I'm being honest. You don't have to dance to have a girlfriend, and I don't want or need a girlfriend right now. I have a lot of friends, and I'm happy with that for now. I have plans for my life, and you might think it sounds ‘rude,' but I'm just focused."

"No fourteen-year-old boy is focused," she laughed. "Most are looking for a girl."

"I'm not most." He slammed his locker door and walked toward his friends, shaking his head.

"She asked you?" smirked Garr.

"Yep."

"You said no?" asked Alistair.

"Yep."

"Dude, one day you're going to pray for a girl to ask you to a dance, or a movie, or anywhere," laughed Walker.

"I doubt it. I don't dance. I'm too big and clumsy."

"Major, you're as big as we are, and I've seen your footwork on the football field and on the basketball court. You know how to move; you just don't want to move like that."

Major shrugged his shoulders, not looking at his friends. It was true that he had great footwork on the athletic field, but dancing just never made him feel inspired. He watched others dance. His parents loved to dance at the Belle Fleur parties. He enjoyed watching Lissa and Kat when they did ballet performances. In fact, he always thought it was extremely athletic.

It just wasn't for him.

"Are you going to ask Magnolia?" he said, looking at Walker.

"Girls are supposed to ask boys," he said, shrugging.

"Dude, I think she'd be okay with you doing the asking," he smiled.

"Maybe not. I mean, she encouraged someone else to ask me, and I had to turn her down. I don't want to go with anyone except Mags."

"God, you guys are idiots," frowned Forrest. "Just tell your girls you like them."

Things worked out for Ellie and Leif and eventually for Walker and Mags as well. But Major stayed true to his commitment of finishing school, joining the Army, and becoming a Ranger.

In fact, the Belle Fleur boys were all placed on the same Ranger team. Over time, they would become the most desired team in the entire Ranger organization. The men were big, strong, intelligent, capable, and skilled beyond their years.

Living off-base, they agreed to room together for a while, then realized if they wanted to remain friends, they needed their own space. Major was especially happy about that space. He liked his quiet, alone time.

Over the years, he'd learned to dance. A little. Actually, it was more like moving from side to side. He figured out that what he hated about dancing with a woman in a bar or club was the crowds. He hated people bumping up against him or shoving and pushing for space. So, he stood taller, wider, and sturdier, barely moving and forcing others to move around him. He always chose a spot near the edge of the dance floor, saving himself an angry episode, and others from his wrath.

He'd been with a few women over the years, but nothing serious, and no one he was willing to take home to Mom and Dad. He was also honest about that. No one in his apartment. No last names. No details about his work. He explained to every woman, that he was fine with one night of good, protected sex, but he was not willing to go any further.

Some women chose to walk away, and he respected that. Others said they were fine with it but weren't at the end of the night. They thought their ‘incredible' sex would make him change his mind. He didn't.

"Look, I was clear that we wouldn't be seeing one another again," he said quietly to the girl, knowing her roommate was in the next bedroom.

"But it was great sex," she said, staring at him. "You have to agree the sheets were practically on fire."

"Listen, it was good sex. It was sex. But I told you, I don't want anything serious. One night only. You agreed."

"You're a dick!"

"I guess I am. An honest, upfront, tell it like it is dick." He walked out of the apartment never to see the girl again.

Sometimes, he wondered if women were really worth the trouble. Then his dick would hurt, and he got tired of rubbing it, and he realized that he needed them, and they needed him. But only for a short time.

He'd watched as Leif became more and more miserable, aching to be with Ellie again, yet too afraid to call her. He watched as Walker desperately wanted Magnolia.

Did he want to be miserable?

"Absolutely, fucking not," he moaned.

"Did you say something?" asked Garr.

"No. Just thinking about something. What are we doing in Egypt anyway?" he asked his friend and teammate.

"Not sure, but we're definitely going to find out."

It turned out that they were supposed to meet a CIA agent who had word about an asset who'd been taken. No one knew who the agent was until they showed up, and it was Ellie. Leif lost his shit.

Words were spoken, phrases were yelled, but in the end, the two knew that this was meant to be. Especially as they realized it was Magnolia who was the kidnapped American. It was all they could do to control Walker.

Sent home together to ensure Magnolia's recovery, the team stayed put to try and find out what was happening.

When May and Thomas recommended that they connect with a friend of theirs who was an archaeologist, Major expected a short, fat, balding Egyptian man. What stepped into his path was anything but.