Free Untamed by Kate Allenton

lying on a bed in the infirmary, was the one person who could heal herself. The blonde from the bar was sitting up in a bed as nurses and doctors milled around her, taking blood and trying to make assessments. Lydia was by Veronica’s bed. Lydia looked perplexed and Veronica looked pissed. That was almost the same look she’d given Tara last night. She hadn’t imagined the go-to-hell looks in the bar, yet, on base, she’d arrived as a scared cat that was now showing her claws. Something wasn’t right and, even though Tara needed to leave, she would have to make it a quick trip. A feeling of dread sat heavy in her stomach.
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    Brody was lean ing back against the SUV, with his eyes shut and his face lifted toward the sun, when Tara walked out of the building. He’d changed his clothes and brushed his hair in the twenty minutes it had taken her to double check her packed bag. Her stomach was tied in knots. She told herself it was from worrying about the restaurant and her Grams, and not the fact that Brody was her escort.
    She let the steel door slam behind her. Brody pulled his sunglasses down from atop his head and covered his eyes. He pushed off the SUV and walked over to her, taking her bag. “All set?”
    She nodded and climbed into the passenger seat. She waited for him to get settled behind the wheel. “I’m sorry.”
    He glanced at her as he pushed the key into the ignition. “For what, princess?”
    “For you having to babysit me. I tried to explain to the General that I would be fine, but he wouldn’t listen.”
    He leaned back in the seat without starting the SUV and turned toward her. His lips w ere pulled in a fine line. “I would have gone whether he’d ordered me to or not. I’m your partner. That’s what we do.”
    She turned toward the window and let out a breath . He reached for her cheek and turned her head toward him. “We’re in this together….remember?”
    Tara searched his face , looking for answers. She hadn’t meant to let her gaze settle on his lips, but there she was, drawn to the soft flesh. She silently wondered if she kissed him again whether it would be as intense as it had been last night. If he’d enjoyed it as much as she had.
    “Partners ,” she whispered and shook her head. “Nothing more.”
    He quirked his lips before he leaned across the seat and pressed his l ips to hers. He lingered and deepened the kiss. The tension eased from her body, and she leaned into him, wanting more. Only then did he pull back and let his lips hover over hers. “Who are you trying to fool? You’re not going to be able to keep your hands off me.”
    He stole another quick kiss before righting himself in the seat and turning the key in the SUV.
    “Brody…”
    He glanced at her and grinned. “Screaming my name, remember? ”
    She remained silent and let his words play in her mind as he drove to the airport. She kept her gaze on the tree line with her head pressed against the window , wondering if maybe he was right. 
    She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. They arrived at the airport and boarded the commercial flight that would take her home, to the small town on the gulf coast of Florida, where she’d grown up. Iverson City wasn’t a metropolis. Hell, everyone knew everyone within the city limits, including their personal business and the bones hidden in the closets. It hadn’t taken long for neighbors and friends to find out why she’d called off the nuptials. She didn’t want their pity; she didn’t need it. She’d moved on just fine after throwing herself back into her work, not giving herself time to come to terms with Peter’s betrayal.
    Once they got a load of her and Brody, the rumors would start flying again. Only this time, she wouldn’t be able to tell the truth. Not many people knew about the phantoms or even knew the compound existed. Trying to explain how Brody was her partner might be a bit more difficult than she thought.

Chapter 7

     
    The plane