The Sergeant's Temptation. Sophia Sasson
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safe. Luke briefed me on the mission and I’ve read the files, but you were there.”
Rodgers took a breath. “I try not to get defensive about it, but it’s hard not to question every move we made. Ethan was really open with us, kept us in the loop on all details, no hierarchy. Then when we got on the ground, he was listening to surveillance tapes and heard something he didn’t want to share with us. He insisted on following a lead by himself. Refused to let us get involved. It was the first time he pulled rank on us and we didn’t know what to do, so we let him go. I thought about following him, then decided against it.”
Alessa had read most of this in the after-action reports, but those reports were missing the emotion she sensed in Rodgers. He seemed to be genuinely struggling with the events of that mission.
“It’s not your fault. You were following orders.”
“Which is exactly what I’m not supposed to do in this unit.” He smiled sheepishly.
“It’s hard being in the unit, isn’t it? You’re supposed to question orders but follow them anyway?”
He shrugged. “If you’re talking about Luke, I think he’s still trying to find his way, figure out what he’s supposed to do with us.”
“Have you figured out what to do with him?”
Rodgers laughed. “No, and I think he’s having a particularly hard time with you.”
“Is it because I’m a woman?”
“No, I think it’s because you’re cute.”
She froze. Rodgers’s tone was teasing and flippant, but she sensed a deeper concern.
“What are you implying?”
He sighed. “Listen, Luke has a reputation. I think being a ladies’ man comes naturally to him. This mission is dangerous. Whoever killed Ethan is going to come after us. We all need to be totally focused. We can’t have Luke distracted.”
The subtle warning in his tone made her stomach twist.
“Yesterday wasn’t my fault. I was fully prepared to fight him.”
“Yes you were, but you were slow on your feet. I’ve fought you, remember. Twice. You have sonic speed, but seeing you and Luke fight was like watching a slow-motion video. It wasn’t all him.”
“Nothing is going on between us.”
“I believe you, but to make sure it stays that way, it might be a good idea for you to sit this mission out.”
Her eyes widened. “This mission is my chance to prove I have what it takes. I’m not sitting it out.”
Rodgers shifted on his feet. “Obviously it’s not my call. You’re better than anyone on the team, me included. You’d be an asset on the mission. As long as you can keep things professional with Luke.”
Her cheeks burned. The unit was a fresh start for her. The last thing she needed was another scandal. Especially one so similar to the incident.
“I haven’t done anything to invite Luke’s attention.”
“I know. I’m not mentioning it again. Let’s move past it.”
She nodded, her mouth dry. Nothing ever stayed in the past. Rodgers would be watching her and Luke closely. Alessa would have to put some good distance between her and Luke. She was technically on detail to the unit until her transfer paperwork came through, which meant that she’d have to return to Kuwait and to Aidan if she didn’t go on the mission. That could not happen.
The rest of the day went quickly and by the end of it, Alessa was operating a little more fluently with her left hand. She had emailed the final logistics arrangements to Luke several hours ago. The less physical contact she had with him, the better. The team had left for the day, but not after every single man had stopped by to check on her. Everyone except Luke, which was just fine by her.
She shut down her computer, secured her ID card, and neatly stacked the papers on her desk.
“How’s the arm?”
She hadn’t heard him approach. Taking a breath, she steeled herself and turned. “It’s fine, thank you for asking.”
He eyed her arm, his gaze lingering on the brace that held it against her chest. “I have some notes for you on your arrangements. I’ll email them later tonight.”
She nodded. Why is he here? He could have just emailed her in the first place.
“I wanted to tell you in person...”
Her stomach hardened.
“...you can’t come on the mission.”
“THE DOCTOR SAID I need to be in a sling for two weeks. We don’t ship out for another four,” Alessa said evenly. She put her good arm behind her back so he couldn’t see her make a fist.
“He also said you need to take it easy for six weeks or more.” Luke shifted on his feet, unwilling to look her in the eye.
“Technically I’m logistics so I’ll be sitting in the safe house monitoring your operations. That’s the definition of easy.”
“C’mon, Parrino. You designed our entrance strategy into Pakistan. We’re going to be crossing the border illegally from Afghanistan. That’s not only dangerous, it’ll be physically taxing.”
“If I’d dislocated my shoulder in the field, Rodgers would have set it and we would’ve moved on. I wouldn’t even have this brace.”
“We’re not in the field—you know it’s different.”
How is it different?
“I can handle it.”
He met her gaze, his blue eyes intense. There was so much he wasn’t saying.
“I can’t take the risk. We don’t know what we’re facing, and I need each unit member in prime condition.”
She wasn’t going to win this one, so she decided to change tack.
“You need me to find Ethan. I’ve been looking at the satellite imagery from the last mission.” He raised a brow and stepped toward her. Smiling, she booted her computer. “I found an image of the safe house from two years before the ambush.”
“What good does that do?” Luke frowned.
She held up her hand. “Just wait.”
He tapped his foot as she inserted her access card and punched in her pin. She resisted the urge to look at him. He was keeping his distance this time, close enough to see the screen but not as close as he had stood yesterday. Still, she felt the heat coming off his body and tamped down on the irrational feeling that she wanted him closer.
“Okay, this is the picture of the safe house from the unit’s files, shortly after the attack.”
He nodded impatiently. She knew he’d probably studied this picture for hours so she didn’t dwell on it. “Look at this area right here.” She pointed to the southwest corner of the property where the house had stood, then quickly switched the picture.
“Now look at that same corner two years ago.”
Luke leaned forward, placed a hand on her desk and inched his face toward the screen. “Oh, my God.”
She nodded excitedly, pleased that he felt the same way she did about the finding. It had been a long shot, going back through the prior satellite images, but her instinct had led her there and it had been the right call.
“That depression in the ground...” He turned to look at her and she realized how close his face was to her own. She could see