1. River

1

River

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 looked stunning. Her skin was flawless, and her lips—well, I shouldn’t be thinking about them, but I was. Her husband was one lucky bastard. My eyes wandered down her body, just like they always did when I had the chance.

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, something she always seemed to do whenever I entered the room, like she was preparing herself. “I’m writing up notes from this morning’s meeting. My hair is dark brown—sable, to be exact,” she replied. “Why do you ask? You’ve known me for two years, and it’s always been this color.” She narrowed her eyes at me .

I stammered, cursing myself for being an idiot. “No reason, just curious,” I mumbled. She raised her eyebrows, an expression she often wore in response to my strange comments, then returned her attention to the 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. The plane seemed closed in with her this close.

I was losing it, sitting this close to her. I shouldn’t have chosen the seat next to her, especially with all these empty seats around. What was wrong with me? Did I enjoy torturing myself? Apparently, I did. Her scent was driving me wild. I was grateful for the stack of papers in my lap—otherwise, it would’ve been obvious how aroused I was.

I hoped I didn’t have to fire her, but she’s too damn hot. She radiated sex appeal, and for the past two years, I’d done everything in my power to ignore it. I took out my phone and began making notes about the fire in Texas.

As former Army Special Forces personnel, my team and I work together to save lives. Sometimes, we help put out Dereck fires. Because of our experience handling these situations 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; stealing glances at me every so often.

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

We are all Army 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 over at her.

“These fires are dangerous,” she began, her voice edged with concern. “I know you’ve dealt with them before, but I have to say it anyway. The fire needs to be capped before anyone dies. As long as the oil spills, it’ll keep burning. We should also call in another team to handle the fire moving toward town. That way, we don’t have to split up.”

She twisted her hands together like she was nervous. “Not that I’m trying to tell you how to do your job,” she whispered.

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 bit her lower lip, a habit of hers that I found more and more distracting. I couldn’t help but stare at her lips—soft, inviting, and never chapped.

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. Damn it. I needed to focus.

“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. Sorry. So, you come from a firefighting family? Makes sense. Where are they now?”

“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 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. Calling your team was a big deal for them.”

Did I just see her wipe away a tear? I must be mistaken. Kat Mellows isn’t the type to get emotional like some women I know. She’s always composed, speaking only when necessary and never letting her emotions take over. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to lose her as our assistant. She was perfect.

I have to admit, I was curious to see if her family would be waiting for us—especially after three years apart. I sensed Kat’s nervousness as we arrived at the site of the burning oil rig .

One thing I couldn’t wrap my head around: why had her husband let her come with us? She comes with us at least two out of eight times if it’s safe for her. I know it’s her job, but still—look at her. She’s a knockout. He must trust her completely.

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 after her, unsure if she heard me or just chose to ignore me. One of the men hurried to meet her while the others turned around. The first guy picked her up in a tight hug, and Kat wrapped her arms around him. The others soon followed, taking turns embracing her. I even saw a few of them wipe away tears.

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, from those hugs she got.

“Daddy, these are my bosses. Let me introduce you to some of the Golden Team,” Kat said, gesturing to us. “This is River Channing, Gage Archer, Tag Harris, and Faron Lightfoot. Guys, this is my dad, Jason McDonald, and 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. 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, slightly irritated.

“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.”

When she mentioned she had experience working on derrick fires and could handle the monitoring systems, it caught us off guard.

“I’ll just get oil all over me again, so I’ll check everything right now,” Kat replied. As she walked away, 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 that pressure building like a volcano’s about to erupt, don’t wait. Don’t even talk it over—just run,” he cautioned.

“Kat told me the same thing,” I acknowledged.

“That doesn’t surprise me. How long has Kat worked with your team?”

“Two years. I didn’t even know she was from Texas. I noticed a Southern accent but thought she might’ve been from Georgia.”

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 returned 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.

Throughout the night, we traded shifts. Kat had gone home with her dad, but I hoped she’d come back. We needed her—she was the best assistant we’d ever had. Not that I’d admit I didn’t want to lose her because I liked having her around.

The thick black smoke blotted out most of the rising sun as dawn broke. Around six in the morning, I spotted Kat returning with her dad, carrying trays of food. She must’ve stayed up all night cooking. She set up a table and loaded it with food, then filled an ice chest with bottles of water.

“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 extinguished 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 asked, avoiding my gaze.

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

“Yes, I served as a medic in Afghanistan and Iraq. Didn’t I tell you that?” she said. “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 serving 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 confused. What the hell was going on? Kat clearly had a lot 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 risks with your life.”

I wished I could keep her close and safe, but I didn’t have that right. “You should stay in town with your mom until we catch whoever’s 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, as he started to walk 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. Sure enough, two hours later, Kat returned. She avoided me and spent the rest of the day in the office.

We stayed for three more days until we heard they had apprehended the people responsible for starting the fires. One of them was the shooter. His accomplices told the police they didn’t want anything to do with the shooting. They were part of some radical group who believed burning oil derricks would end oil production. People are bizarre sometimes, I thought. I hoped they stayed locked up for good.

It took three weeks to extinguish all the fires, but 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,” someone replied.

“Did she mention where she was going?”

“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 she wasn’t thrilled about doing that.”

“In fact, she looked pretty upset. Her mom insisted she visit since her in-laws are getting older. I’m surprised you didn’t hear her talking to herself, convincing herself she had to go. She was speaking loud enough for anyone to hear.”

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, remember that! 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 seems 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 upset he married Kat,” Tag said.

“They clearly don’t know her. If they did, they’d love her,” Why the hell did I say that? The group went 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, 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 and motioned for her to join us. “How was your visit with your in-laws?” he asked. I didn’t say anything. All I wanted to do was hold her. She looked like she was on the verge of tears, and her eyes were already welling up.