pull in and get them from all sides.
My paintball gun hugs at my side as I duck down and flatten myself to the earth. Aries is the first to come out of cover. He does so silently, moving like the wind. He tucks himself up against a building then I watch as Echo does the same from my other side. Once those two are clear, they give Echo and me the signal to do the same. Jumping to my feet, I glide along the ground, not running but not walking either. I don’t stop until I dive under a small alcove one of the destroyed buildings has. It’s the perfect hiding spot. The problem is I don’t have a view of every angle around me.
The sound of paintballs launching from a gun then splattering is feet from me. I don’t see anyone. I don’t think it’s someone from my team firing but I’m not sure.
More shots, but this time farther away. Echo groans in my earpiece. “I’m out.” Fate! We’re down one and they still have four. I can’t keep hiding here.
With careful precision, I slip out of my hiding place and roll left as two paintballs launch over my head. My location is compromised. I come to rest under an old park bench. Not great cover but it’s something. Propping my gun up, I wait. Black boots appear in my line of sight near the building in front of me. I can’t shoot until I’m sure it’s someone on the opposite team.
The person finally reveals themselves and I hesitate. It’s Whit. My mind yells at me to pull the freaking trigger and take him out, but my heart is hammering against my chest like this is the real deal and no way can I shoot him.
A trigger is pulled. A paintball flies. And I’m struck in the side. Dammit! My hesitation cost me getting Whit out, and in turn, I’m the one tagged.
“I’m out,” I growl for my team to hear.
I crawl out from under the bench to find Des standing over me with a stern expression. “You hesitated.”
“I was thinking,” I say through clenched teeth as I stand.
“You can’t hesitate in the field.”
“I never do. Don’t you have a game to play?”
He turns, showing me his back. There are three red splatters on the fabric. “Aries got me as I was shooting you.”
“Good.”
Des steps closer, his gun hanging down by his side, barrel pointed toward the dirt. “Aries was right about his concerns with letting Whit on the team. It’s going to distract you both.”
I’m even in height with Desmond at six foot four. For his calm demeanor and ability to work well under pressure, Des isn’t a small male. He’s the size of a linebacker. Luckily, that doesn’t intimidate me in the slightest. “When we’re out on the field, I won’t have my gun trained on him. He’s on our team. This is practice. How do you know I wasn’t waiting for the perfect shot?” Anger rises up in me. This is a training exercise, nothing more.
“Check your temper, Camden. I’m not your enemy.”
“Then get off my back. I’m damn good in the field and you know it.” With that, I turn and stalk away from the male. Screw this. I’m done training today.
I make my way to the building we store our gear in. I kick the door closed behind me and start undressing to put my other clothes back on. We never leave here with our gear on. Everything we wear to train stays here, safely stored. It’s warm in here due to the heater we have. It’s colder in New Jersey than where we live.
The door to the building opens and Whit fills the space in those damn tactical clothes he wears so well. I watch as his eyes trace over my body from my still clothed legs to my bare stomach, chest, and arms. I feel Whit’s eyes on me like a brand. Every spot they touch sears me. It has me wanting to go to him and pull him into my arms. To kiss him and find out how he tastes.
I turn and reach for my shirt before I do something I’ll regret. I can’t go up to Whit and kiss him like I want to. He may be looking me over with hunger, but he’s never made a pass at me. Never voiced his interest. And I’m not one to force myself on others.
It’s those thoughts that remind me I haven’t