His Woman in Command & Operations: Forbidden: His Woman in Command / Operation: Forbidden

“My team is coming back in a week to base camp,” he told her conversationally, sitting down once more. “We get two days off. I’d like to take you to Jalalabad, to a nice little restaurant I know about, and have dinner with you. How about it?”

“I don’t think so, Gavin.”

“Are you sure? I see some hesitation in your eyes.”

Setting the cup down next to her knee, Nike said, “I just can’t.”

Nodding, Gavin said nothing. His instincts were powerful and he knew she liked him. Just how much, he didn’t know. He’d tried to play fair and that hadn’t worked. Honesty wasn’t necessarily the best policy with Nike, who was jumpy and wary. While he understood her reasons, Gavin wasn’t about to back down. He watched as she drew out her notebook and pen once more.

“Ready for my village assessment?” he asked her. Instantly, he saw Nike’s face relax. So long as he remained on a professional, hands-off basis with her, she wasn’t distrusting.

“More than ready.” Nike looked at the watch on her wrist. “I have to lift off in thirty minutes.”

“No problem.” Gavin launched into the many details, names, events and places that he knew her CO would want. It was still an unadulterated pleasure to be with her. She was a feast for his eyes, balm for his heart and Gavin felt as if her presence pumped him full of life and hope again.

* * *

Nike just about ran out the door of the house when they were done. She did not want Gavin to trap and kiss her. If he ever kissed her again, she’d melt away in his arms, completely defenseless against his heated onslaught. Moving out into the late-afternoon sunshine, she saw that the shipment of boxes had been removed from the CH-47. Next, she visited Jameela at her home and gave her the box of dates. The woman nearly cried, threw her arms around Nike and hugged her.

“You are my sister,” Jameela whispered, wiping her eyes as she held the precious box of dates.

Feeling the warmth of true friendship, Nike reached out and squeezed her hand. “All women are sisters,” she told her with a grin.

Jameela nodded and understood exactly what Nike was saying. In this man’s world, ruled by men and where women were considered secondhand in every way, they needed to band together and support one another. “The next time you visit, you must have time to have chai with me,” Jameela said.

“Ah, I love your chai,” Nike said with a laugh. “And yes, if I get this mission again, I’ll ask my CO for a half hour more and we’ll sit and talk over chai.”

Bowing her head, Jameela’s eyes burned with warmth. “I would like that, my sister. Allah keep you safe.”

“Thank you,” Nike murmured, meaning it sincerely. “I can use all prayers.” She left the house and hurried down the muddy street. She wanted to do nothing more than get out of here and away from that man who drove her to distraction.

Nike ordered Andy into the helo to raise the ramp, and she settled into her right-hand seat. Just the act of putting on her helmet and running through the flight list before takeoff soothed her taut nerves. From time to time, Nike would give a quick glance out the window, looking for Gavin to show up. He had a way of quietly walking up to her so that she never heard him coming. Not today.

Within minutes, they were airborne. Some small part of her was disappointed that Gavin hadn’t come to see her lift off. Moving the heavy two-engine helo into the blue sky, Nike now had to focus on more important things—like surviving this flight back to base.

As she flew nap-of-the-earth throughout the region, she never took the same route twice. Consequently, the route through the mountains was always different and filled with unexpected new difficulties. Nike was glad for the challenge. It kept her mind—and her heart—off Gavin. Still, even as she flew, she wondered what would happen when he and his team came back to base for a two-day rest.

Chapter 7

Nike was halfway back to base when she got orders to turn around and head back to Zor Barawul. Stymied by the clipped radio message, she had no choice but to do so.

As she landed near dusk, the sun tipping the western mountains, she saw Gavin standing with Jameela and her daughter, Atefa. The whirling blades of her helicopter kicked up heavy clouds of dust.

By the time she got out of her harness and placed her helmet on the seat, Gavin was at the rear of the ramp.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“The medical doctor just approved Atefa to be flown to Kabul to be fitted for a prosthesis.” He grinned. “I called your base and asked that you return. Sorry to do this. I know it’s damn dangerous flying in and out of here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nike said, looking out the ramp door at Jameela, who stood with a protective arm around her young daughter. “Is Abbas in favor of this?”

“He is. That’s the best news.” He searched her face. “I’ve already talked to the CO of the base. We need to fly them in now and preparations are under way to give them a tent and food for the night. Tomorrow morning, the three of us will be flown to Kabul.”

“You’re coming along?” Her heart beat once to underscore that news.

“Yes. I’m leaving Sergeant Bailey in charge while I’m gone.”

“But…”

“The threat of attack here is always high,” Gavin said, reading her concern. “I’ve gotten permission from my superior to do this because they feel this particular village is essential in the fight against the Taliban.”

“And Jameela and Abbas trust you.” Nike nodded. “It makes sense.” She managed a slight smile. “Have you warned them about the rough ride and nap-of-the-earth flying we’ll be doing?”

“I have. What I want to do is get Jameela and her daughter strapped in behind you and I’ll ride shotgun in the copilot seat if that’s all right with you?”

Her smile turned devilish. “Sounds good to me. If I get shot you can take over flying.”

Gavin recognized her black humor and chuckled. “Right. I have a pair of gold-plated tin wings from a United flight attendant that makes me pilot material. Will that do?”

“You’re a piece of work, Jackson.”

“But you like me anyway, right?”

Seeing the glimmer of warmth in his eyes, Nike waved a hand at him and walked down the ramp. “There’s no way I’m answering that one.” She gestured for the pair to come forward. After giving Andy orders, she walked back into the bird. Gavin had passed her on the ramp, walking down to meet the twosome. Nike noticed most of the village had turned out to watch. She had to remind herself that these people, cut off from the outside world, hadn’t seen helicopters since the Russians tried to ransack their country decades earlier. The CH-47 was a curiosity among them, especially the younger children.

Jameela walked slowly and kept a hand on her curious daughter as they boarded the helicopter. Nike finished off her radio message to her base and then turned around. Lifting her hand, she waved hello to Jameela, who was draped in her black burka. Nike could only see her wider-than-usual eyes. The woman must not ever have flown in any type of aircraft. Feeling for her, Nike went back, knowing that a smile might make the woman feel more at ease.

As Jameela grabbed her hand, Nike said, “It’s okay, Jameela. Everything will be all right.” She leaned over and gave Atefa a hug. The little girl was dressed in her finest, most colorful robe, her black hair brushed to perfection. Atefa’s eyes shone with excitement.

Jameela gave the ramp door a desperate look and still gripped Nike’s hand.

“She’s scared to death,” Nike said to Gavin, who had come up behind her.

“I know. Show her to the nylon seat behind your seat. I’m sure being near another woman will help calm her fears.”

Nike didn’t disagree. She took Jameela to the nylon webbed seat and asked her to sit. The woman did, with great reluctance. Nike had to guide her carefully to the seat so she wouldn’t trip and fall over her burka.

After getting the harness in place around Jameela, Nike attended to Atefa in the next seat. Andy took the girl’s crutches and tied them down next to their two stacked suitcases strapped down on the deck of the helo. Atefa’s eyes were huge as she scanned the cargo hold of the helicopter. Nike kept smiling and murmuring words of encouragement as she ensured they were strapped in.

Next came the helmets. They had none that would fit Atefa, so Andy brought over a pair of earphones and clapped them over her head so she would have protection from the horrendous sounds within the airborne helo. Jameela pulled on hers and was hooked up to the communications system. This way Gavin could continue to answer her questions and soothe her throughout the flight.

In minutes, the ramp groaned and squealed as it came up and closed. The cargo hold was thrown into semidarkness. Patting Jameela’s shoulder, Nike went to her seat, pulled on her helmet and got ready to take the bird up.

Andy sat down next to the twosome and Gavin explained to Jameela that he was there to support her through the flight. Jameela seemed less intimidated when Andy strapped himself in next to her. Nike’s large, broad seat back on one side and the young man on the other seemed to calm her fears, Gavin thought.

After climbing into the copilot’s seat, Gavin picked up the extra helmet and put it on, opening communication between the four of them. As she rapidly went through the preflight checklist, Nike’s gloved hands flew across the instrument panel. She was focused on this flight, not on the man next to her. He must have understood the gravity of this dangerous flight and wasn’t about to distract her. For that, she was grateful.

The flight back wasn’t any different from any other, but Gavin had his hands full with Jameela, who screamed into the helmet’s mouthpiece whenever they dived and wove through the mountain passes at a hundred feet. Nike couldn’t afford to pull her focus off her flying. The CH-47 shook and shuddered like a dog shaking off fleas as she guided it up and down and then twisted around the mountains to plunge down into the next valley.