The Omega Team: Love: Classified (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page A

appropriate gate.”
    Joey grabbed his backpack and shouldered it. “So, pretty new girlfriend, let’s go check when our flight to Kentucky will leave, shall we?” He stuck out his elbow. She slid her hand into the warm space between his arm and torso without a word. Her heart did a totally sappy pitter-pattering thing, but she ignored it and walked with him to the nearest departures board.

Chapter Five
     
    Joey stood and stared up at the board as it slowly but surely repopulated the departure times. The memory of having very nearly grabbed Paige and dragged her into the nearest broom closet, just so he could get his lips and hands all over her, had not faded. But he’d wrestled the need down, sat on its head, and believed he had himself under control.
    For the time being, anyway.
    He allowed himself a quick lean over her, a quick sniff of her hair before resuming his thoughtful position. Since he wasn’t sure which city or airport they were looking for anyway, he waited until she pointed to the one she’d been seeking.
    “There. Lexington. Oh, crap. It’s not leaving until four, and it’s an hour and ten-minute flight, then a forty-minute drive. My sister is gonna have a shit fit. But my Mama—” As if on cue, her phone jangled down in her purse. She sighed and leaned against him. “I’m going to ignore it.”
    “Probably for the best,” he said and draped what he hoped came across as a supportive, friendly arm around her shoulders. She sighed heavier and slumped into him as the phone rang and rang, then rested, and began ringing some more. “Maybe you should . . .” he began until he realized Paige had turned to face him, had both her hands on his waist, and was drenching the front of his shirt with tears.
    She shook and sobbed as he patted her back he was reminded of his own weakness in the face of female unhappiness. His mother had never shown much emotion at all, good or bad, to him or his similarly emotionally absent father. They’d moved at least seven times in his life, from base to base, ever chasing the next army promotion until they’d died within a few weeks of each other when he was twelve. He’d learned early to equate emotion with something bad or negative, while silent stoicism equaled strength.
    The first time a girlfriend cried when he’d done his best strong and silent thing, he’d freaked out and dumped her. He’d learned since then not to give in to his fear and loathing of tears, lest he found himself without pleasant female company on a regular basis. But he’d never quite grasped what to do or say in the face of the semi-regular outbursts of waterworks.
    So he kept patting Paige’s back, trying hard not to notice how great she felt pressed up against him as she went about the business of being female and turning his shirt into a wrinkled, damp mess. Finally, her shaking shoulders stilled, and she gave a few sniffles before drawing away from him.
    “God, you must think I’m certifiable,” she said, swiping the back of her hand across her lips before grabbing her shoulder bag and poking around in it, presumably for a tissue. Joey pulled the small pack he always kept handy from the front pocket of his rucksack and handed them over in silence. She took one, blotted her eyes, blew her nose, tossed the tissue in the trash then took a long breath. “Thanks, boy scout,” she said with a slight grin.
    He shrugged, still a little wigged out, but fighting it by reminding himself of the very nice pressure of her breasts against his chest and the lovely sweet taste of her lips earlier. “I’m hungry,” he said, grabbing her suitcase handle. “Let’s go find some food.”
    She nodded, sniffled a bit more and fell in beside him. They ended up at another bar where she proceeded to put away a serious meal complete with a double cheeseburger, fries, and half his chocolate shake. When she grinned, gave a little burp and sat back, patting her flat stomach, Joey thought he might be in