Conrad Page 4

  * * *

  They lay next to each other, drifting in and out of sleep. Conrad felt Doc shift next to him. His eyes popped open, and he gazed at her face in the dark room lit only by the bedside lamp. She was gorgeous, her golden hair messy and tangled, her lips still a little red and slightly swollen from the round of post coital kissing.

  His fingertips ran lightly along her jaw and down her neck. He wanted to etch her body into his memory so he could recall how he felt in that moment. It may have been the happiest he had ever felt in his life.

  Her eyelids fluttered and opened, and a smile played across her lips. “Hey,” she murmured.

  And Conrad’s heart seized in his chest. What was this woman doing to him?

  “Hey,” he responded. “How are you feeling?”

  She inhaled deeply. “Sore, but good.” She chuckled. “Amazing, actually.”

  “You’re amazing,” he said, and kissed her softly.

  “Nah, I’m nothing special. Just a small-town girl in a big desert surrounded by men who don’t want me here.” She chuckled.

  How on earth could anyone not want her around. The idea that he might never have met her made his stomach flip. Within just a few hours, she had managed to stir to life a part of him he had never known he was missing.

  “I want you here,” he said. “And I think you’re incredibly special.” She rolled her eyes and looked away. He grasped her chin and turned her face back to his. “It’s true, Doc. Not only do you have a smokin’ hot body, and are a goddess when it comes to sex—” a smile broke out across her face—“you’re smart, and kind. You help people…heal them.”

  She ran her fingers through his hair, her fingers caressing his cheek. Her eyes were bright. Beautiful. And reached inside of him, shaking his soul to life.

  “You help people, too,” she said. “You risk your life for people who can’t even comprehend the danger that exists in this world. You keep them safe from ever knowing what true sacrifice and need is.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed each fingertip. “But you actually save lives. People you don’t know. My brothers. How many men would’ve died without your intervention? You give them life, and hope, and the ability to go home—and not inside a pine box.”

  “Not all of them, and not everyone I save is thankful for my intervention.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Some people don’t see hope when they lose a part of them. The majority are able to move on when they are faced with amputations or other lifelong medical issues. They’re just thankful to be alive. But there are some that resent being forced to live as a handicapped member of society. They don’t want to learn to function in their new reality. They become bitter and angry, and a few turn that anger back on the person who saved them.”

  “You sound like you speak from experience.”

  “I’ve been lucky… only one man turned hateful. But that’s all it took to make me question what I was doing. Ask whether it was fair of me to make determinations regarding someone else’s life. Who am I to play God?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Who the hell was this ingrate?”

  She inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly. “Corporal Ron Cook.” She would never forget his name. Could see his face in her mind’s eye. “Roadside bomb. His leg was injured, but still attached when they brought him in. I worked on him for a couple of hours, but by the time I got to his leg, it was too far gone to save. I amputated just above the knee. He was medically discharged and sent home. A few months later, I started receiving letters from him.”

  “What did he say?”

  “How I had no idea what I had taken from him, that I had no right to just take a man’s leg, and force him to be a burden on his family. He chastised me for not letting him die so that his family could receive death benefits, and he wouldn’t have to face their constant disappointment in him.”

  Anger mixed with disbelief flowed through Conrad’s veins. The overwhelming urge to track this fucker down and beat the shit out of him was all-consuming. What he wanted most, though, was to wrap a protective shield around Doc so no one could ever hurt her again.

  What the hell was that all about? He had just met this woman, spent one night with her, and was ready to be her own personal avenging angel?

  “Do you still get letters from him?” he asked.

  “Not as much anymore. Just when I think he has given up and moved on, I receive a few pages of vitriolic ramblings, and then it’s quiet again for a few months.”

  Conrad shook his head. “Wow, I can’t imagine being pissed about my life being saved.”

  “The mind is a fickle thing…so much wrapped up in it. It is the most important organ we have, and the most unknown. It’s functional, but is affected by emotions more than any other part of the body. And emotions are not predictable or rational, which makes the mind very temperamental and misunderstood.”

  “Well, I’ll make a deal with you, Doc. If you save my life, I promise not to be pissed at you—no matter what the outcome.”

  “I wouldn’t be the one to save you. After what we just did here? It would be unethical for me to perform any surgical procedure on you in light of our…relationship.”

  The word feared by most men—and one Conrad had tried to avoid with women in order to keep his eye on the prize. He wanted to keep as much out of his Ranger career for as long as he could. Women—relationships—were not really conducive to the life he wanted to live. But for some fucking reason, when uttered by Doc, his heart did a crazy flutter in his chest. Instead of an overwhelming urge to jump out of bed, dress, and get the hell out of there before the discussion could go any further, he was content to stay where he was, and delve into what could be.

  “Is that what we have? A relationship?”

  “Well, we’ve had sex…so, yeah, on some level we’ve moved out of the realm of acquaintance.”

  Apprehension was like a blast of cold air, stealing his breath. “And was that all it was? Just sex?” Desperation made him break out in a cold seat. He was suddenly terrified she wouldn’t want anything to do with him.

  “Not sure it can really be more, can it? I mean, we are sort of breaking the rules by going as far as we have. I’m an officer. You’re enlisted. I’m going home in a few weeks—”

  “And I’m going to be transferred to god knows where.” Fuck! Barely twenty-four hours had passed since he met her, and the thought of not having her on the compound—not being able to see her, talk to her, touch her—made him feel as if he was drowning in unrest. It was ridiculous. He placed his arm across his face, the crook of his elbow covering his eyes. “Well, this blows. I finally meet a woman I want to know better—much better—and we are going in opposite directions.”

  “The timing does suck,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be together in the time we have left…as long as we keep it completely confidential.”

  “True statement, Doc.” He leaned in to kiss her, but she pushed against his chest and held him at bay.

  “You can’t tell anyone about us, Conrad. If this ever got out, we’d both be screwed.”

  “And not in a very pleasurable way.”

  She sidled up closer to him, and her hand slid down his body to his cock. “Speaking of pleasure…”

  A growl came from Conrad’s chest. He rolled the doc onto her back and prepared to plunge into her depths a few more times.

  Chapter 8

  Julie breezed through the doors into the exam room. Betesh was speaking to one of the corpsman, and they both looked up.

  “Good morning,” she said, practically singing the greeting.

  The corpsman just stared at her as if it was the first time he had ever seen her. One of Betesh’s eyebrows was raised and his head cocked to the side.

  She knew she had a silly grin on her face, had seen it in the mirror this morning, but didn’t care. She was happy, and happiness had eluded her for a very long time. In fact, if she was complet
ely honest with herself, she hadn’t been this upbeat in years.

  “Morning, ma’am,” the corpsman mumbled as he moved past her out the door to the safety of the reception area.

  “You look well-rested,” Betesh said.

  Julie snorted. Not really, just well-fucked.

  For the past week, she and Conrad had spent every night together. Talking, laughing. Making love until the sun came up. And it had been exquisite. And Julie was walking on air. Betesh didn’t need to know that, though. He dropped into his desk chair, sighed deeply, and rubbed at his forehead.

  “You okay?” She sat in the chair across from him.

  Deep creases lined his forehead, dark circles rimmed his lower lids, and his mouth was dipped in a low frown. “Yana is not getting better. In fact, I think she gets worse. I don’t know what to do, everything I try has failed.”

  “Still coughing a lot?”

  “Yes, all the time.”

  “Any mucus being expelled?”

  “Not much. I can hear it rattle in her chest, but it does not want to move out. She is in pain from constant coughing, and cries when she has prolonged attack.”

  A cold wave of unease washed through Julie. She hated the thought of anyone being in pain, but mostly children. The real fear that Yana had pneumonia worried her. She knew Betesh could not—or would not—take his daughter to the hospital. Without care, the girl would get worse, slip into a coma, and possibly die.

  “How about I come out and take a look at her?” she offered.

  Betesh’s face brightened a bit. “Would you? I would be so grateful for your assessment and advice.”

  “Of course. I’ll come by tonight, and see if we can get her some relief.”

  Julie spent the morning seeing patients with minor injuries, and dolling out medications. By midday, she was hungry, and headed for the dining hall. She filled her tray, found a table, and sat down with a few other officers. They were all talking amongst themselves, but Julie wasn’t really paying attention. She wondered if Conrad was there. They had been careful not to be around each other in view of others so as not to raise suspicions. Since they had parted that morning—careful to get Conrad out of the room without raising suspicion, she had been replaying their night together over and over. The man was a master at satisfying her, and she wanted more of him. But it wasn’t just the sex—which was awe inspiring. The way he was content to just hold her, listen to her, and comfort her made her feel as if she was the most important person in his world. No one had made her feel that way in a really long time. She hadn’t realized how much she missed having someone there for her, instead of always being the person everyone relied upon.

  Her gaze halted on a set of piercing eyes staring back at her. Her breath hitched, Conrad was at a table with Kidd and another man she didn’t recognize. Something in his gaze was possessive. Determined. Promising things to come.

  Visions of his bare chest hovering over her, moving rhythmically as he thrust in and out of her made her thighs tingle. A warm flush hit her neck and face. She looked away before anyone noticed and wondered who was causing the burn to her cheeks.

  She tossed her napkin on her plate and strode across the hall to deposit the tray at the kitchen. As she made her way to the exit, she stopped at Conrad’s table. His eyes widened when he saw her, but she looked away quickly, turning her attention to Kidd.

  “I was wondering if I could ask you and Conrad for a favor,” she directed at Kidd.

  Kidd swallowed whatever he had in his mouth. His eyebrows drew together, and he looked at Conrad. Julie didn’t dare follow suit, knowing she would blush like a schoolgirl. Instead, she kept her gaze on Kidd.

  “What can we do for you, Doc?”

  “Dr. Betesh—my colleague—his daughter has been sick for a while, and he requested that I visit her.”

  “Didn’t realize you made house calls,” he said.

  “Not usually, but Betesh has been invaluable while I’ve been here, and if I can help his daughter, I’d like to try.”

  “So, why do you need an escort? Are you concerned about being at his house?”

  “No, I’ve been there before, but only during the day. This would be at night, and since he lives in town…I just don’t want to take any chances.”

  “Good call,” Conrad said. Julie glanced at him and smiled.

  “I’m in,” Kidd said. “You free, Conrad?”

  Conrad nodded. Electricity zinged between them and Julie wondered if everyone in the room could feel the sexual magnetism that surrounded them. “Anything for the doc, right?” He winked at her as he got up and strode away with his tray. Georgie popped up from under the table, snubbed Doc as she passed by, and was at Conrad’s side in an instant.

  She stared at him as he strode across the dining hall. Confidence. Strength. Raw sexual energy.

  Get a grip…you’re an adult, act like one.

  She worked out a time and place to meet Kidd and Conrad, and returned to the CaSH before she did something really stupid.

  Like chase after him, kiss him until his toes curled, and ruin both their careers.

  * * *

  A cold shiver ran the length of Julie’s spine despite the air still being hot and humid. Buildings crumbling to their foundation from the bomb drops created a macabre landscape against the darkening night background. So many lives lost when the terrorists had decided this small town outside Damascus would be an excellent base of operations as they began their sweep of southern Syria. Only insurgents remained, as they attempted to regain control of the region.

  Julie had spent the ride over to Betesh’s house fielding questions about the man, his family members, and the layout of his house. The two men were on high alert as they rolled through the town. “Just a normal house,” she said. “A living room area at the front, kitchen behind it. Bedrooms and a bathroom down the hallway off to the right of the living room. At the back, there is a sort of mother-in-law suite. It’s connected to the house by a covered walkway.”

  Conrad pulled the Humvee alongside the curb in front of a one-story house with a red tile roof. Julie led Kidd, Conrad, and Georgie up the walk to the front door. Betesh answered her knock. His face paled at the sight of Conrad and Kidd, but he stepped out of the way and let them inside.

  Betesh showed them all into the living room, as his wife brought a tray of drinks in and set them on the table before disappearing back into the kitchen. She rarely ever spoke to Julie, but was often in the background, observing everything that happened.

  She introduced Conrad and Kidd to Betesh. Betesh glanced at the men, but quickly looked away. He stuttered a greeting, his gaze moving between the front door, kitchen, and back to the floor.

  Why the hell does he look so nervous? He’s around US military personnel all day long?

  Was it just the idea they were in his house? Did he think they were going to harm him and his family? Julie understood his trepidation. Eyes were always watching, and neighbors eager to report anything the terrorist regime would disapprove of. Having Julie at the house was bad enough. Entertaining soldiers was tantamount to heresy.

  “How is Yana?” Julie asked.

  Betesh escorted Julie down the hallway and opened a door into a darkened room. Soft pink light from a lamp with a red shade barely illuminated the space. A small figure was curled into a ball in the middle of the bed. Julie approached and sat on the edge.

  “Hey,” she whispered and placed her hand on the child’s shoulder. Even through the light fabric the girl’s skin was on fire.

  The girl shifted, rolled onto her back, and opened her eyes no more than slits.

  “I hear you’re not feeling very well,” Julie said. She felt the girl’s forehead. Her skin burned hot as a blue flame. Opening her medical bag, Julie pulled out a thermometer. “Can you hold this under your tongue for me, sweetie?”

  The girl nodded. Julie draped her stethoscope around her neck. At the beep, she pulled the thermometer from Yana’s mouth.

>   105.

  She turned to look at Betesh, who remained in the doorway. Her adrenaline spiked, wariness sat like a rock in her stomach. None of this felt right, and Julie couldn’t shake the cold fingers of dread tightening her chest tempered only by the blaze fueled by her increasing anger at the situation. “How long has she been running a fever this high?”

  “A couple of days,” he said.

  A couple of days?

  Julie tried to wrap her head around what was happening, sure she had stepped into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Betesh knew the implications of a severely high fever on a body, especially in a young child. And he had let this go on for days? What was he thinking? He knew enough to treat her, had access to medication, and knew he only needed to ask Julie for anything and she would move mountains to help him. Even if he was unsure of his diagnosis, he should have asked Julie to visit much sooner. Why had he waited so long to have Julie examine her?

  “We need to get her fever down. Cold, wet towels,” she instructed. Betesh nodded and scurried out of the room like a dog with his tail between his legs. She’d deal with him later. Julie listened to Yana’s heartbeat and breathing. The poor girl shook, her teeth chattering as if she was naked in a snowstorm. Thank goodness Julie had penicillin with her. Filling the syringe, she spoke softly to the child. “I need you to lie down and roll onto your side, sweetheart.”

  Pulling the girl’s nightgown up, she used an alcohol wipe to clean an area on her backside. “You’ll feel a slight prick, but then it will be done, okay?” Before the girl could tense up in anticipation, Julie plunged the needle into the flesh and meaty muscle, quickly emptying the chamber and extracting the syringe. “All done.”

  Betesh returned with the towels, and they worked on either side of the child’s bed, bathing her in the cool water. They worked in silence, moving as if choreographed, like so many times they had done this at the hospital. Julie was still trying to understand how this seemingly competent med student could’ve let his own daughter get this dangerously ill.