Texas Stand-Off: The Omega Team Novella (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page A

trained?”
    “I’m not training you, I’m testing you.”
    “Semantics.”
    “Not really. When I’m training someone, I’m invested in the outcome. A mere test is an evaluation in which I hold no stake. I’m actually hoping you fail. I don’t like women…” He was about to add ‘in military operations’, but she interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.
    “That’s what I was told.”
    He assumed she realized what he meant. “Someone’s been filling your ear full.” He wasn’t sure he liked it.
    “Athena.”
    Just as he expected. Get two women together and they immediately bond–henhouse mentality. They ran the three miles back to his compound without speaking more. Deacon was a bit surprised. She was the first woman he’d ever been around who didn’t seem to have the incessant need to constantly hear her own voice.
    “Downstairs.” Without giving her a chance to rest, he led her to his exercise room. “Let’s see how you are at pull-ups.” This was a feat few women could master. They didn’t have the upper body strength. Scaling walls, overcoming barriers, finding themselves on the run–all of this was necessary at times in their business. Being able to handle a gun was only half the battle. “Give me thirty.” She probably couldn’t do two–but then he’d thought she couldn’t run the stairs either.
    “Just thirty?” She walked to the bars, held up her hand and hopped, catching on. Then, with perfect form, she executed one pull-up after the other. When she’d completed the required number, she let herself drop. “Satisfactory?”
    “It’ll do.” He grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Watching her pull herself up, that beautiful of body of hers tensing and relaxing–he’d been mesmerized.
    Gathering her hair up in one hand, Taz fanned her face with the other. “Now, how about giving me something hard?”
    Deacon coughed. Oh, he had something hard he could give her all right… Quickly he turned around before she could see the evidence for herself. “Let’s grab lunch, then we’ll begin again.”
    Taz fell into step beside him. “Do you live here alone or do you have a partner?”
    A partner? Her odd way of phrasing things must come from her foreign background. “I live alone. I usually work alone.” He cut his eyes toward her, noticing the pretty flush on her creamy skin. “I like it that way.”
    “I understand.” She nodded. “I have been alone also, since my father died.” Her mother was dead too, but finding out about Talia Levin’s betrayal had killed Natasha’s grief.
    He heard no emotion in her voice, so he didn’t offer any sympathy. “This isn’t going to be fancy. I wasn’t expecting company. All I have is sandwich materials.”
    “I don’t mind.” Then her eyes brightened. “I have something to offer. How hungry are you?”
    Seeing her pretty smile, those soft lips…he was damn near starving. “I could eat.”
    “Great. I’ll meet you inside.” As he started upstairs, she ran to retrieve the BBQ she’d picked up in Austin.
    Deacon waited for her. His facial muscles wanted to smile, but he managed to control the impulse. Was it possible he was enjoying her company? Nah. She was a sexy female and he was horny. Very horny. The woman slept in the freakin’ nude! As he began to entertain a fantasy where she climbed into his bed, he heard her returning. Get it together, Jones! He crossed one leg over the other, then winced when he jostled his aching balls.
    “Look!” She smiled triumphantly as she laid out brisket, sliced turkey breast and smoked ham. “I even have slaw and beans.”
    “Stubbs? Franklins?” He named off a couple of good BBQ restaurants in Austin.
    “County Line,” she said with pride. “I’ve been there a few times. You won’t be disappointed.”
    “I’ve been there. You’re right. This will be good.” He grabbed a loaf of bread from the counter and some paper plates, utensils and napkins.