Ashfall Read Free Page B

me.”
    “We’re two rare people, then.”
    “How’s that?”
    “Most people never work in a job they really love. Why aren’t you still in pararescue?”
    “I was in Iraq on a mission. When we went in for an extraction we were ambushed. We got off the ground but I was hit by a bullet. Broke my right ankle. That was the end of my career. I got out on a medical.”
    Her suspicious mind grabbed hold of that tidbit. “But you’re healthy enough to be a bodyguard?”
    “The doctors didn’t think I could hack the physical demands of the military job. The security company didn’t believe that.”
    “Did you believe it when you first got out of the military?”
    “I tried to convince the air force they didn’t need to kick me out.” He sighed. “It was an honorable discharge. I had that.”
    “You’d rather be rescuing people right now.”
    “Yeah. But…I can still keep people safe. Or try to.”
    Another pause came between them, and she almost panicked for a wild moment, thinking she’d lost him. “At least we’re heading into summer. We made it through the last two snowstorms. That’s a plus.”
    “Washed the air clean.”
    Mally’s curiosity made her ask, “Do you have any other family?”
    “Maternal grandparents. My father died in the first Gulf War. He was Army infantry. My mother died a year after that.”
    Deep sympathy tore at her. She understood the pain too well. Remembering her own mother at that moment tightened her guts into a knot. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Thanks.” He went silent for a bit. “My maternal grandparents are a piece of work, though. They’re in Kentucky.”
    “I take it something isn’t right between you?”
    “That sums it up.”
    “What did they do?” She was being nosy as hell, but she didn’t care.
    “They’re bigots. Certified cliché, back country, hillbilly bigots.”
    “And?”
    “My paternal grandmother is mixed race. African-American and white. My paternal grandfather is Cajun. When my mother married my dad her parents disowned her and have nothing to do with me. I’m an only child.” His voice had a hard edge to it, almost broken glass.
    “Oh.” She drew the sound out a bit.
    “This is where some women get turned off right away and dump me, so if you have any problems with—”
    “What?” She was instantly indignant. “No. I’m not a bigot.” Static suddenly squealed over the line. Urgency compelled her to talk again. “Rescue248 are you there?”
    “Yeah.” His voice had turned to granite, doubt still ridged along the syllable. “Sorry. I’ve just had that happen a couple of times.”
    “Even if a woman knows you well before she finds out your genetic makeup?” She asked with sarcasm.
    “Yep. I was dating this girl from Texas once. I was on my last tour in Iraq, and she was an air force nurse. We started to get serious and when I told her about my family…well, that was it.”
    “I’m sorry. That sucks.”
    The radio crackled again. “Look, I’m not some guy who’s hung up on what other people think. I don’t give a damn. But I don’t waste my time now on friendships with people who find that part of my heritage offensive.”
    “I understand.” Courage and curiosity took her a step farther. “While we’ve got that out in the open, how old are you?”
    He laughed, and the smooth, sexy sound stirred sweet longing inside her. Wow.
    “I’m thirty-five,” he said.
    “Good. I’m thirty. I don’t date men that are too young.”
    He chuckled again. “Are we dating?”
    Heat filled her face. Damn and double damn . “I…I didn’t mean dating. I mean—”
    “Conventional dating doesn’t work anymore, right?”
    “No.”
    “Good. But you haven’t told me anything about your family.”
    That stopped her cold. Here she was picking his brain, but the idea of telling this man her identity made her nervous as hell. “No, I haven’t.”
    “RomWriter148, it’s only fair after what I’ve told you.”
    “It’s