Man With A Mission

Man With A Mission
Lindsay McKenna

A tower of testosterone, Captain Jake Travers had the drive, the daring and the pulverizingly masculine muscles to rescue his kidnapped kid sister singlehandedly.All he needed was a guide through the perilous Peruvian jungle. What he got was Lieutenant Cortina. Ana Lucia Cortina–a strong, sensual female soldier who outraged Jake's military machismo. Worse, gunfire and the hot tropical sun detonated desire, and Jake thirsted for completion in Ana's arms.But with danger dead ahead, proud Jake suddenly knew fear: Could he save his sister, survive this mission–and make this magnificent woman warrior his wife?

She was beautiful.

Without thinking, Jake rose to his feet. It was part of his officer’s training to stand in the presence of women, despite his feeling that no woman was up to the job that lay ahead of him.

“Are you…” he began awkwardly, holding out his hand toward her. Somehow, he wished she wasn’t his team partner. She was too beautiful, too feminine looking to be qualified for such a risky venture.

Ana smiled shyly. “Jake Travers?” His gaze assessed her as if she were stripped naked before him. Girding herself, she tried to cooly return his arrogant gaze.

Jake felt his skin tighten at the sound of his name on her lips. He managed a curt nod. “Yeah, I’m Jake Travers.” He sounded as snarly as he felt.

“Well,” she asked lightly, “do I meet with your approval?”

Jake scowled. “That remains to be seen….”

Man with a Mission

Lindsay McKenna

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To my editor, Lynda Curnyn. Thank you for all your

help, your support and belief in my plots and characters.

LINDSAY MCKENNA

is a practicing homeopath and emergency medical technician on the Navajo Reservation. She lives with her husband, David, near Sedona.

THIS MONTH

you’ll find bold adventure and passionate romance

in Silhouette Special Edition

as

Lindsay McKenna

continues her popular series,

MORGAN’S MERCENARIES: MAVERICK HEARTS

Morgan’s men are born for battle-

but are they ready for love?

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter One

“Hey! You can’t go in there, Captain Travers!”

Morgan raised his head at the sound of his assistant’s voice. He was in conference with Mike Houston and Pilar Martinez, both of whom had flown in from Peru, and was going over some February reports with them when the door to his office was pushed open. A tall, scowling, dark-haired man, around age thirty, strode into the war room, with tiny, blond-haired Jenny Wright tugging on his right arm in a futile attempt to stop his progress. Morgan’s assistant looked like a gnat attacking a massive Cape buffalo.

Mike Houston automatically rose, unsure who the man who had crashed their conference was. He went on guard, his hand moving to the holstered pistol he wore beneath his dark blue blazer.

Morgan sat back, his gaze sweeping the stranger’s tense, hard features. The look of desperation and apology in his assistant’s wide blue eyes told him everything. Holding up his hand, he murmured, “It’s all right, Jenny. Let him go.”

Jenny released the stranger’s arm. She was breathing hard. Diminutive compared to his bulk and height, she glared up at him, her hands set petulantly on her hips. “I’m really sorry, Morgan. I tried to stop him. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. I’m really sorry….” She brushed several strands of gold hair from her gathered brows.

Morgan turned his narrowed eyes upon the young stranger, who was dressed in camel-colored slacks, a matching blazer and a white shirt open at the collar. There was casual elegance to the man’s attire, but Morgan detected an obvious military bearing in the way he squared his shoulders and stood, feet slightly apart, hands at his sides, as if waiting for a counterattack.

“And you are?” Morgan asked in a deep tone.

“My name is Captain Jake Travers, Mr. Trayhern.” He turned to Morgan’s assistant. There was apology in his low, strained voice. “I’m sorry, Ms. Wright. I have to see Mr. Trayhern. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Jenny scowled up at him, her jaw set, her full lips thinned. “The world wants to see Mr. Trayhern! What makes you think you are better than anyone else and can just bust in here like this? The nerve!”

Morgan squelched a smile. Jenny, the young woman he had hired when his old assistant retired a year earlier, was only five foot two and barely a hundred pounds soaking wet, but she was fiercely protective. Like a willful, loyal terrier, once she latched on to something with her teeth, she didn’t let go. The tiny dynamo had dreams of being a mercenary someday. Morgan hated to break the news to her that she’d never be one. Jenny had no military or police background. But she had a wonderful, romantic side to her, and Morgan sensed that in her dream of dreams, she’d like to be a heroine like the women he already had in his employ at Perseus. Jenny idolized all the mercenaries. She loved working at Perseus, and if the truth be known, she was the best assistant he’d ever had. “It’s all right, Jenny. Why don’t you bring us some coffee? Mr. Travers here looks like he could use a cup.”

Jake nodded hesitantly. “Yes, sir, I could use some coffee about now….” He gave Jenny another apologetic glance. “I’m very sorry, Ms. Wright…I hope you can forgive me?”