Tactical Deception: Silent Warrior, Book 2 by J.L. Saint

It looked as if a tornado had struck it, she’d tossed and turned so much.
    She rushed over to straighten the bedcovers. “Whatever you want will be fine.”
    She didn’t dare look at him. What he must think. He’d loaned her his bed and she couldn’t even leave it neat. Leaning forward with her knees against the mattress, she fixed the blanket and threw the pillows back up to the headboard. She stood back quickly and hit a hard, hot body—an unmistakably aroused, hard, hot, male body. His arm wrapped around her when she teetered with surprise and a visceral shock wave of want hit her hard.
    He groaned, deep and guttural.
    She gasped and turned to face him, feeling his hand slide along her back and settle on her hip.
    He looked fierce, his nostrils flaring as he breathed heavily. His blue eyes penetrated so deep into her that it almost hurt to look into them, a pleasure/pain she couldn’t seem to embrace nor turn away from.
    “No ‘whatever you want will be fine’ responses,” he rasped. “Don’t fuss with the bed. Don’t hide behind politeness. Don’t worry if something is going to please me or displease me. I want the real, honest you. I want your opinion. I want to know what your wants and thoughts are. What your feelings are. I want to know the woman you are. And right this minute, I want to know what you are hungry for.”
    The word you rushed into her mind—forbidden, dangerous. I’m hungry for you. She nearly cried out from the confusion and pain inside her. He was so close, so dynamically real. She could practically feel everything about him in the touch of his hand on her hip, his heat, his supple strength, his gripping passion.
    “Pizza,” she shouted before anything else she was thinking could escape. “Pizza with cheese and onions and lots of vegetables.” She had to force the words out. Almost shout them and her adamancy surprised her. “What do you want?”
    He paused and just stared at her for a moment. His fingers flexed on her hip.
    “Meat. I’m a meat lover. I will settle for pepperoni, sausage, ham and…chicken. For now.” He stepped back like a soldier at attention then turned and literally marched stiffly from the room.
    Mari frowned. Why was that settling?

Chapter Ten
     
    River of Blood Camp
    Union County, Georgia
    2000 hours
    Ahmed hadn’t felt Allah’s approval in many years. Life had not been good. He’d had many failures and few successes since the Americans invaded his homeland. He’d lost respect, honor and wealth, but that would all change now. Allah would now surely turn blessings Ahmed’s way now.
    His son-in-law had done well. In just one day, Salaam’s plan had brought terror into the heart of every American home, but unlike the jihadist of 9/11, Salaam’s soldiers had only just begun. Fewer died at one time, but the terror would be greater.
    Ahmed had those who’d remained in the compound gathered together. Everyone watched the multiple news broadcasts reporting on the horrific events of the day. A school bus on its side, mangled and broken in the nation’s capitol. Students had been injured. Three were now dead. Two entire interstates in Texas had been shut down most of the day. The truck drivers shot had caused deadly pileups. Times Square was a ghost town after the sniper attack. Killing a judge in his Chicago high-rise office had been brilliant. Businesses and restaurants were shutting down. People were afraid to even drink a cup of coffee. All of Rodeo Drive had closed and, best of all, the President’s fund-raiser scheduled at the Beverly Hills Wiltshire Hotel for next week had been canceled. No one felt safe anywhere.
    Not everyone shot had died, but Salaam would be pleased.
    Tomorrow was a crucial step in their plan. That kill had to go well because their ultimate goal hinged on one man’s death. It was so important that Salaam had left the camp to oversee the task. There was—
    Ahmed jumped up, shocked at what, no, who he saw on the television