Free What I Fight For: A Bad Boy Military Romance (Easy Team Book 1) by Gemma Hart Page B

perimeter stakes. Maybe I am an idiot.

Chapter Seven
Emilia
                  “This is a good space for a medical station,” I said, smiling at the town official. “This could definitely work.”
                  The old man, who looked to be in his sixties, smiled and nodded. “I’m glad,” he said in halting English. “We are small but this is our biggest building.”
                  I shook my head. “No, no, this is plenty big enough for us,” I assured. “Once we work out a schedule, my team can come in and do good work from here.”
                  The official nodded and shook my hand. I shook his hand gently as his arm looked to be no bigger than a twig. He wore threadbare clothes and a patched up skullcap.
                  He was one of the few town government officials who had stayed after the refugees had come flooding across the border. The town was now a shell of its former self but he and a few others had stood their ground against predatorial gangs and the like to keep the city alive.
                  I gave one final look around the long meeting hall before following the official back to his office.
                  The town needed medical attention as much as the refugee camp but the advantage a town had was that it had actual buildings. It had electricity. Running water. All of those things made medical care so much easier to provide.
                  I had been called upon to visit the city and to check out the area for a suitable place to set up our workstation. Mr. Carew had called me on a sat phone, giving me the information I needed.
                  I was about to head over to the large meeting tent to ask one of the men there if they could drive me into town when I saw Cooper walking out from behind a smaller tent.
                  Without even thinking, I just instinctually turned on my heel and began walking in the opposite direction. Last night, whatever was said, in the end I had made my move. By admitting I had called him in L.A., I had essentially admitted my interest. It had been a nerve wracking admission but one I had swallowed my fears to make.
                  But instead of pleasure or even surprise at this admission, the mercenary had seemed disappointed. He had seemed displeased. He had looked like he had regretted giving me his number at all.
                  So regardless of how dangerous a mercenary was or how risky his life was, all I really felt was embarrassment. The same kind of embarrassment a thirteen year old me would’ve felt in passing a note to a boy, only to have it callously rejected.
                  “Doc?” I heard him call out behind me. I continued walking. “Hey! Doc!”
                  I sighed when I felt his large hand fall on my shoulder. I gave some resistance as he turned me around to face him but I knew it was only a gesture. This man was much stronger than me.
                  I looked up at him, giving him my best calm neutral doctor face. “Yes, Captain Hawking?” I said. “Can I help you?”
                  Cooper raised a brow at my tone. “Weren’t you just heading towards the command tent?” he asked. “Did you need something?”
                  There was no use lying about the mission Mr. Carew had sent me. Eventually the Captain of Easy Team would have to know as well. I told him.
                  “So I was going to the tent to see if one of the men could drive me into town,” I said.
                  Cooper nodded. “I’ll take you.”
                  “No!” I said almost immediately. I could only take so much awkward embarrassment. I cleared my throat and said more calmly, “No, I can ask…err…Lieutenant Bear.”
                  Cooper’s lips twitched in amusement. “There’s no