30. River

30

River

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG7DZSP8

I glanced over at Kat as she diligently typed away on her iPad. "Are you already working?" I inquired.

She raised her head, and those beautiful silver eyes met mine. Her hair, usually in a bun on top of her head, was down for the first time in the two years she'd been part of our team. I was surprised to see the long braid down her back.

She was gorgeous; her skin was flawless, and she had lips I shouldn't be thinking about at this moment or any moment. Her husband was one lucky bastard. My eyes trailed down her body as they did every chance they got.

I couldn't help but blurt out, "What color is your hair?" Instantly, I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. Why the fuck did I ask that?

Kat took a deep breath, a habit of hers, whenever I entered the room, apparently holding it for a world record time before responding.

"I'm writing up the notes from this morning's meeting. My hair is dark brown, sable to be exact," she explained. "Is there a reason for this question? I mean, you've known me for two years, and my hair has always been this color," She said, narrowing her eyes.

I stammered, calling myself all kinds of an idiot. "No, I was just curious," Kat said, raising her eyebrows, a common reaction to my odd statements. She then returned her attention to her iPad.

I wanted to reach over and touch her skin to see if it was as soft as it looked. I was starting to lose it with Kat being this close to me. I shouldn't have sat down next to her.

We have all these empty seats; why did I sit next to her? Did I enjoy suffering? Apparently, I did enjoy suffering. Her scent aroused me just sitting next to her. I was glad I held some papers in my lap, or all she had to do was glance down and see how aroused I was.

I hoped I didn't have to fire her, but she's too damn hot. She oozed sex appeal. For two long years, I ignored my attraction to Katrina Mellows. I took out my phone and started making notes about the Texas fire.

As former Army Special Forces personnel, my team and I work together to save lives. Sometimes, we help put out oil fires. Because of our experience handling oil fires overseas, we are called upon to assist within the United States.

It's a difficult job, but the relief on people's faces when we arrive to contain the fires makes it worthwhile. I glanced over at Kat, who seemed a little antsy; she kept glancing at me.

Our business was mostly high-security; we went overseas to rescue soldiers who were caught up in saving the lives of other soldiers.

We are all Covert Special Forces, and we are all the best at what we do. That's why we are constantly called upon to handle the most dangerous missions.

As soon as we landed, I sensed Kat had something important to say. "Just spit it out," I said, glancing at her.

"These fires are extremely dangerous. I know you've put these fires out before, but I'm going to tell you anyway. I'm happy you have experience working on oil derrick fires. This fire has to be capped before someone dies. As long as that oil spills out of that derrick, it will keep burning.

She twisted her hands together like she was nervous. "Putting a cap on it would be best, and calling another team to work on the fire moving toward town would also be better. That way, you are all together and can avoid splitting up," she finished in a rush. "Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do."

I was puzzled about why she needed to tell me something I'd already taken care of. Was she concerned about our team working on this fire? We were well aware of the dangers, she never ceased to amaze me with her knowledge.

"It sounds like you are telling us what to do. But I'm sure you don't mean it that way. Tell me what you know about these fires?" I asked.

Kat nibbled on her plump bottom lip as she considered her response. How did her lips always look so inviting? They were never dry or chapped; I would know I stared at them whenever she was near me.

I wanted more than anything to suck that bottom lip into my mouth. My eyes stared at it as my cock grew hard. It was a habit of hers that I found enticing, and I'd rather not dwell on it any longer.

"I know a lot about these fires. They're the kind of fires my dad and brothers deal with," she replied. I used to work with my father and brothers here in Texas.

I felt a jolt of surprise. Why do I feel like I am learning more about her than ever before? "So you have a dad? Of course you do. That was a dumb question. Where does your family live?

"My family is spread out across the country. My parents and a couple of brothers live in Texas," she muttered as she stood up to get off the plane. The rest of our team followed suit, and we exited the company plane.

I noticed Kat walking in front of me. Instead of her usual work attire of skirts, dresses, and high heels, she was wearing tight jeans and a silk blouse. Today, she wore cowboy boots like she was used to wearing them.

"I wouldn't be surprised if my dad and brothers were already there at the site waiting for you guys," Kat muttered, though I heard her.

"What? Your family still fights these fires?" I asked, surprised. She was walking fast as if she wanted to hurry and get away from me.

"I haven't been home in three years. But to answer your question, yes, they do. I doubt they would ever quit. It gets in your blood and won't leave. My family thinks they are the only ones who can put these fires out. But them calling your team to help lets them know they are not the only ones."

Did I see her wipe away a tear? I must be mistaken because Kat Mellows wasn't the emotional mess like some women I know. She never lost control. She spoke only when she had something to say and was never emotional. That's why I didn't want to lose her as our assistant.

I admit I was anxious to see if her family awaited us, especially after three years apart. I sensed Kat's nervousness as we arrived at the site of the burning oil rig.

I couldn't help but wonder why her husband let her come to Texas with us. Sure, it's her job, but look at her; the woman was a knockout. He must trust her not to cheat.

When we pulled into the site of the burning derrick, I saw men everywhere, covered in oil, rushing around. Kat ran toward a group of men standing too close to the rig.

"Kat," I shouted. I don't know if she could hear me or if she ignored me. The men heard, and one hurried to meet her. Then the others turned. I watched as the one who hurried to her picked her up and hugged her tightly. Kat had her arms around him. The others took their turn. I saw them wipe their eyes.

Were these men Kat's family? I must be slipping in my own rules, not finding out about my employee's personal lives. Why did I not know about them? They looked at us and approached us. By now, Kat was covered in black oil.

"Daddy, these men are my bosses. Let me introduce you to some of the Golden Team. This is River Channing. Gage Archer, Tag Harris, and Faron Lightfoot. Men, this is my Dad, Jason McDonald, and these are my brothers, Junior and Thomas."

We shook hands with Kat's family, and I wondered if they found it strange that she had been away from them for three years. I noticed they all huddled around her, probably wondering why she was with us while her husband wasn't present.

"I'm glad you made it. This fire is starting to spread. Two other wells have gone up in flames. I know someone is starting the fires. Have you dealt with fires like these before?" Kat's dad inquired.

"Yes, we put them out in Iraq and Kuwait. We'll get our gear together. Where are our sleeping quarters?" I asked.

He pointed over at the trailers located far enough away from the fire. "That trailer over there. Kat will go home with us. Her mother will be excited to see her."

I looked down at Kat and couldn't help but ask. "I brought you here to work. Are you coming back?"

"Of course I am. Why would you even ask that?" Kat responded.

"Hell, I don't know. For one thing, you are full of surprises on this trip. Why don't you get cleaned up and get that oil off of you, and then you can inspect the damage from the monitoring station."

It surprised the hell out of us when she told us she had worked on derrick fires and could handle the monitoring system.

"I'll just get oil all over me again, so I'll check everything right now," Kat replied. As she walked, she suddenly turned. "River," she said my name so softly I almost couldn't hear her.

I turned toward her. "Yeah."

"If you feel more pressure than usual, back far away, or that devil will grab you and devour you. If you sense anything under your feet, run. Don't stop for anything," she cautioned. Then she looked at the others. "This is for all of you. Don't try to be brave if you feel the earth shake; just run."

"Kat, you don't have to worry. I won't let that devil get me," I assured her before turning to my team, "Let's dress up." Fifteen minutes later, we were back with all of our gear on. I noticed Kat's family walking toward us. Her dad walked next to me.

"If you feel pressure backing up like you're in a raging volcano, then run. Don't wait and talk it over. Just run all of you," he warned.

"Kat told me the same thing," I acknowledged.

"That doesn't surprise me. How long has Kat worked for your company?"

"For two years. I didn't even know she was from Texas. I noticed the Southern accent but thought she was from Georgia for some reason," I shook my head.

I must have hired her without looking over her resume. Wait, Gideon is the one who hired her. I was out of town, and she was already there when I came back to work.

"She was born and raised in Texas. Her mama is from Georgia, so our little girl gets all her Southern charm from her mama. We've missed Katrina so much. She called us weekly, so we knew she was alright," I wondered what he was talking about.

"But when I saw her running toward us, I almost had a heart attack. She was so sad when she had to leave. We knew she needed that time, and then she would return to us."

Since I had no idea what he was talking about, I decided not to question him. It was none of my business. I felt someone watching me, and I turned my head to see Kat standing in the doorway of the building, watching us. My phone pinged, and there was a message from Kat.

I looked at the guys. They also had a message. "If it feels off, it is off, so run like when that bear chased you guys." Kat's message read. We gave her a thumbs-up and resumed walking. We continued working into the night.

We traded off all during the night. Kat went home with her father to see her mom. I could only hope she came back. I didn't want to lose our assistant; she was the best one we ever had.

I refused to admit that I didn't want to lose her because I liked having her around. The sun began to rise, but the thick black smoke obscured most of it.

Around six in the morning, I spotted Kat with her father. She had brought tons of food and must have stayed up all night cooking. She set up a table and put the food on it. I looked at her when she put cold beers in an ice chest.

"I was curious to see if you would return," I remarked.

"Why wouldn't I? You're my team, and I love my job," Kat responded.

"We don't typically find ourselves in the midst of a derrick fire." I pointed out,

"I know, that's precisely why I love my job. I never know what to expect."

I grabbed a ham and cheese sandwich and a bottle of water. Then I turned around. "Kat, I don't want you anywhere around the burning derricks. They could erupt at any moment."

"I understand. I won't go near the fire," she assured me.

I nodded and returned to work, instructing the others to take a break and eat. We worked tirelessly throughout the day and managed to extinguish two of the fires. While I was carrying a large piece of steel, I heard a bullet whiz past my ear. I dropped to the ground and shouted for the others to take cover.

I watched in shock as Kat's father was hit and sent flying backward to the ground. As I rushed to him, I saw Kat come running toward us, armed with a gun.

What the fuck is she doing. "Kat, get back inside," I shouted. "Damn it, Kat, get back inside. Someone is firing shots out here."

She completely disregarded my orders and reached her father, checking the severity of his injuries. When I reached her, I shielded her with my body. She was so focused on caring for her father that she didn't even notice my presence. I picked her dad up and ran with him to the office.

I was seething with anger at Kat, and I knew if I looked at her, I might lose control. She cut away his shirt and treated him as though she worked the front lines in a warzone.

When one of her brothers opened the door, her gun was raised faster than mine. Who the hell is this woman?

Junior stood there, not moving, until she lowered her weapon. "What the fuck happened out there. Who was shooting a gun at us, and why was someone shooting a gun at us? How's Dad?" he asked.

"He'll be okay, but we must get him to the hospital. I'll take him," Kat replied.

"Kat, what the hell is going on?" I demanded.

"What do you mean?" She evaded my gaze.

"Look at me! Why are you so experienced in this kind of situation? Were you in the war? Damn it, look at me!"

"Yes, I served as a medic in Afghanistan and Iraq. Didn't I tell you that? I'm sorry I don't have time to explain it right now. I need to get my father to the hospital."

"No, you didn't mention anything about being in Afghanistan, or anywhere else for that matter. Were you in the Army?"

"No, I was not in the Army. I'm a Marine, Lieutenant Katrina McDonald."

Finally, she paused long enough to meet my eyes. "I'm sorry, River. I'm uncomfortable discussing my life over there. I'm a private person. I promise I'll explain everything to you when I return."

I carried her dad to their vehicle, who was awake by now and asking questions. "Kat, I want you to stay here. Jason can take me. My guess is someone doesn't want us to extinguish the fires."

I was so confused. What the hell was going on? Kat has so much more to tell us.

"Daddy, I want to go with you."

I'd heard enough. "Did you forget there is a fucking crazy man out there with a gun? So your married name must be Mellows?"

She didn't say yes or no about her last name. "No, I didn't forget about the man with the gun. I'll be careful. I'm always careful."

"That's a damn lie. You weren't careful when you ran out in the open to check on your dad. I don't want you to take any more chances with your life."

I wished I could keep her close and safe, but I didn't have that right. "It would be best if you stayed in town with your mom until we catch whoever it is shooting at us."

"I agree with River. You're staying in town," her father said.

"Daddy, I'm not going to argue with either of you."

He laid down on the back seat, and she drove off. Why did I have a feeling she would be back soon?"

"She'll be right back," Junior said, walking away.

Am I just now finding out a crazy woman worked in our office? Where is the quiet Mrs. Mellows we were used to seeing? I caught up with Junior. "Why do you think she'll be back?"

"Because Kat considers all of you her responsibility. She would never leave you to handle these fires alone. That's just how she is."

"But I gave her an order."

He walked away, chuckling. Two hours later, Kat returned. She avoided me and spent the rest of the day in the office.

We stayed for three more days when we heard they had apprehended the individuals responsible for starting the fires. One of them was the shooter. His buddies told the police they didn't want to be involved in any shooting.

They were a group of radicals who believed that burning the oil derricks would eliminate oil production. People can be bizarre sometimes, I thought. I hoped they stayed locked up forever.

It took three weeks to extinguish all the fires, and sadly, two firefighters lost their lives in the process. The town was saved, and the fires were out.

"Has anyone seen Kat?"

"She left with her brothers."

"Did she mention where she was headed?"

"She said she would see us at the hotel."

"Where's the hotel?"

"It's in town. Kat gave me all the information we needed. She mentioned you wanted to talk with her, but she couldn't spare the time today. She had to visit her husband's family and wasn't thrilled about doing that."

"In fact, she looked quite upset. Her mother insisted she stop by and see them as they're getting older. I'm surprised you didn't hear her trying to convince herself that she had to do it. She was talking so loud to herself; anyone could hear her."

I had completely forgotten about her husband. What was wrong with me? Kat was driving me fucking insane. Being in close quarters with her for an entire month had been the most challenging month of my life, that close and not being able to touch her.

She worked as hard as we did, never complaining. I yearned to hold her in my arms and make love to her.

I feared I couldn't work closely with her without wanting her in my bed. She's a married woman, River Channing! Keep that in your head. I would never sleep with a married woman, and I doubted she would ever cheat on her husband.

"I have never seen her like this," Gage remarked, shaking his head. "She's more human now. If she's upset, she won't stop talking. I don't think she likes her in-laws.

"She told me they never liked her; they wanted her husband to marry someone who lived in Kansas. They were angry he married Kat," Tag said.

"They don't know her. If they did, they'd love her," Why the hell did I say that? It got quiet. "Have you guys noticed Mrs. Mellows and Kat McDonald are two completely different people?" I asked to change the subject.

"Yeah," they all agreed with me, just as I expected. Around eight that night, I saw Kat walking across the parking lot toward us. We were in the restaurant that was connected to the motel, seated on the patio. She looked so sad. I knew she had been crying, and I was ready to kill whoever made her this unhappy.

Gage stood up and motioned for her to join us. "How was your visit with your in-laws?" Gage inquired. I didn't say anything; I just wanted to hold her. She looked like she would cry any minute, and tears welled up in her eyes.