Rising (Anderson Special Ops #2) - Melody Anne Page 0,12
the very near future.
“I hear Brackish’s first date with her is at an art studio, which I find amusing. Brackish doesn’t seem to be an artsy sort of guy, but you never know.”
“Where at?” Joseph asked, sitting up higher, his hands clasped on his desk as he leaned forward. “I’ll call and give them an exclusive experience, really allowing Brackish to give her the luxury treatment.”
“I think Brackish has this,” Chad said with a laugh.
“Everyone can use a little help,” Joseph said with a glare. “You sure as hell needed some, in case you’ve forgotten.” Joseph’s glare turned into a smug smile.
Chad rolled his eyes. He’d never admit he’d needed help wooing his wife, but Joseph knew the truth. “I heard the men talking, and I believe Brackish is planning another date to hike up Mount Rainer.”
“Brackish is a big man. Think he can hike the mountain?” Joseph asked with another wicked smile. He was wondering what he could do on that mountain for the two of them. He truly did love to meddle in the lives of young lovers, and with so much darkness surrounding him for so long, he needed a lighter focus to draw his attention to.
“You know as well as I do that Brackish has been through hell and back. That man could hike the Sahara Desert with a smile on his face. All of these men could.”
“Yeah, but I still like flicking some crap at them,” Joseph said. “There’s nothing like a hit to a man’s ego to keep him motivated.”
“That’s very true, my friend,” Chad said.
Joseph rose, and Chad joined him. “I need to stretch,” Joseph said. “I’ve been sitting for too long, and I want to check on my wife.”
“I’ll keep you updated as we move ahead, but I believe we’re in a really good place,” Chad said as they exited the office.
The two men made small talk as they wove their way through the halls of Joseph’s enormous castle. Then they shook hands before Chad slipped away. Joseph had a smile on his face as his feet picked up speed. It had been too many hours since he’d seen Katherine and simply moving forward closer to him, cheered him up immensely. He wouldn’t live without her.
He did believe in love — and it was all because of the woman he’d been lucky enough to marry. He wanted the world to have what he had with his beautiful wife. And he’d do his best to give it to those he cared about — whether they wanted his help or not wasn’t relevant. In the end they did appreciate all he did for them, even if they didn’t know it.
Chapter Three
There was a time to play and a time to fight. For every high there had to be a low. For every triumph, there was a loss. That was life — that was evolution. In order for someone to be crowned a victor, someone else had to be deemed a loser. Some felt that was unfair; everyone should be crowned a winner. But that wasn’t reality.
The five men sitting in a small diner in the middle of nowhere had never known what it was like to lose. Yes, they’d lost men, and that hurt beyond what they could talk about to most people, but they fought until they won. They could all testify that not every mission was a success, but that didn’t count as failure, that just counted as one giant ass pothole. In the end they were victorious — no matter what it took.
“Hey, Smoke,” Green said with a sly smile that had Brackish rolling his eyes.
“Yes, Green?” Smoke asked, batting his eyes dramatically.
“Why do you think we came back to this diner?” Green asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe because the food is soooo good,” Smoke said.
“Maybe,” Green said before looking over at the counter where one very pretty waitress was pouring coffee. “Or maybe it’s the ambiance.”
“Hmm, I think it could be the ambiance,” Sleep jumped in. “This place feels cozy and warm.”
“Yeah, it sure does give you that down-home tingly feeling,” Eyes said.
“No one finds any of you in the least bit funny,” Brackish said.
“I don’t know about that. I think I’m pretty damn funny,” Smoke said as he leaned back. “I make people laugh.”
“Maybe at your face,” Brackish told him.
“I can make people laugh at your face,” Smoke said as he flexed his massive bicep.
“Oh, Smoke, you’re such a dream,” Sleep said in a high-pitched voice as he swooned.