Free Digitalis by Ronie Kendig Page A

the way he was.
    “Uh-oh.”
    Colton flinched.
    “I know that look.”
    “What look?”
    A low laugh slowly worked its way through Max’s chest. He covered his mouth with his fist. “What’s her name, Cowboy?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    Max pushed to the edge of his seat, his face alive. “Oh wait! It’s that girl, isn’t it?” He hooted, drawing the attention of the guys on the plane. “This girl you keep going into that store for—what’s it called?”
    “Hastings,” Griffin said from across the aisle, his bald head resting against the seat and eyes closed.
    “That’s it! You go in to Hastings.” Max’s eyes widened. “Wait, wait. I’m getting the picture now. You go in there not to buy stuff, but to see her.” His coal black eyes glistened with his bright idea. “Am I right?”
    “What’s this about Cowboy and a girl?” Midas glanced back from his seat one row up.
    The Kid rushed from the rear of the plane. “He’s got a girlfriend?”
    “No, I ain’t got a girlfriend.” Colton felt the heat creeping up past his collar and hated himself for the way his drawl thickened and he reverted to his cowboyisms.
    Max chortled. “You still haven’t asked her out?”
    The heat blazed a trail up his neck, mingled with his frustration, and simmered into anger. Hatred. “I’ll do it when it’s the right time.” Why did he suddenly feel the need to run home and talk to his dad?
    He pushed his gaze to the window, furious with Max’s jeering that drew the attention of the rest of the team.
    “No way, man. You gotta ask her out,” the Kid prodded.
    Colton glared at him.
    With a staying hand to the Kid, Max looked at Colton. “What’s holding you back?” Max moved a seat closer, gaze on the floor. “The Cowboy I know is confident and assured.”
    Besides the breakdowns and flashbacks? Besides wondering if he’d kill her in his sleep one night? Besides the niggling in his gut that something was …
off
about Piper? All the same, he hated talking about this. “I want to be sure.”
    “Of what?” On his feet, Canyon folded his arms. “You’re MARSOC, recon—don’t you think you’d have the pieces put together by now?”
    “It’s not that simple, and I don’t want to rush things.”
    Max nodded. “But if you wait too long, it might never happen.”
    “Could be better.”
    When a chorus of mocking laughter and
aww mans
rang out, Max stilled the team again, this time telling them to back off and give him some room. Watching in the dingy reflection of the plane’s window, Colton waited till the others left before he looked at Max again.
    “I could kill you for that.”
    Max’s dark eyes held Colton’s with an intensity he’d seen many times in combat. “Colton,” he said—which was plain weird because Max had never called him anything but Cowboy. “If you really believe she’s not worth it, why are you still sitting here, tormenting yourself? Why did the guys’ reactions tick you off?”
    Right as Max was, Colton didn’t have to admit anything. He stared at his hands, calloused hands stained with the blood of far too many people. If he took this road, he’d have to tell her about his past, what he did, what he was doing right now. And that brought up the bigger issue. “She could put everything at risk.” The team, their missions … his heart.
    “Only if you’re serious about her.”
    Colton cast him a firm glare. Would he be talking about this if he weren’t?
    One side of Max’s mouth curved upward. “Thought so.” He lowered his head. “Yeah, we put the team at risk with anything new. Lambert’s looking to replace Reyes, so the dynamics will change, but I think each man on this team has your back if she’s important to you.”
    It wasn’t easy to accept that his teammates would put themselves at risk for this. Granted, they did that every day in the field, but for a woman?
    “Is she worth the risk to you—and the team?”
    The question