Allie lowered over the edge of the small claw-footed tub. Instant heat warmed her toes, her calves, her thighs, and then her bottom. Cupping the water in her hands, she brought the glorious heat to her face. She sighed as she sank into the half-filled tub. Eyes closed, she envisioned a certain hunky Staff Sergeant and wished the situation were different. Why couldn't she have met him in a better place?

Because you live in two separate worlds. Allie's eyes sprang open wide. Would she see him again once this was over? God, she hoped so. But she lived a quiet life, working in a science lab at her father's side. And Mitch was a Marine whose life was filled with adventure. Sitting upright, she quickly ushered the water all over her body soothing the ache and the cold to ease. Before the water lost its allure, she stood and got out. There was no way she'd slow them down.

She grabbed a towel from the single shelf, wrapped it around her. Noticing it didn't cover much, she lifted the edge of the blanket and looked into the room. Mitch stood with his back to her. Lou sat leaning his head back against a wall beside the back door. The other two weren't in sight. As quickly as possible, she lowered the blanket and wrapped it around her as well, leaving only her head visible.

The sight of him without his helmet, back turned to her standing in his undershirt, camo pants, and boots stole her breath. Sandy blond hair in a high and tight cut made her palms tingle with the urge to touch it. Was it soft? Broad shoulders stretched the green tank top taut. Biceps flexed as he removed some sort of instant meal from a pack. Allie's mouth watered and she doubted it had anything to do with the food. When he turned and lifted his gaze to hers, she swore her heart stopped for a millisecond. Get a grip, Allie. He's just doing his job nothing more.

Mitch battled the urge to close the short distance between them and gather her in his arms. Allie looked like a lost angel wrapped in a blanket. Those big, brown eyes presented him with an invitation he couldn't accept. Her lips were no longer blue, but held a rich rosy hue, begging him to taste. She was naked beneath that thin layer of cloth and that knowledge set his insides on fire. He swallowed hard and forced his voice to work and his libido to back down.

"Hungry?” He held an open container her way. “It's not much, but it'll take the edge off until we get you to safety."

"Thank you.” Their fingers brushed as she accepted the meal. Heat sizzled up his arm to pool in his chest. He couldn't help but watch as she lowered to sit in front of the fire while she ate. The way her feet folded under her tush turned him on even more. The blanket's thin fabric caressed her skin like a glove, clinging to her luscious curves. Every ounce of blood in his system shifted to one location causing him discomfort.

"What about you and the others?"

Her question snapped him out of his dumbfounded, teenage crush-like stupor. Shaking his head, he regained a grasp on his senses. “We ate the MRE's-meals ready to eat-while you bathed."

"Then I won't take long.” The sensual gaze she shot him across her shoulder nearly crumbled the fragile wall of restraint he had left. “I promise."

Forty minutes had passed since they'd first entered the house and he knew they pressed their luck. Mitch turned, grabbed his shirt and dressed. The others returned and followed suit. At least the inner layer was warm and dry. The outerwear still maintained a fine sheen of dampness, but it wasn't dripping anymore and at least was warm on the inside. When he turned to hand Allie her semi-dry sweats, she wasn't by the fire. He spun on his heels and caught sight of her coming out of the bedroom. The man's shirt and pants she wore gave her a tomboy appeal. The pants looked more like a pair of Capris.

"The gentleman of the house must be short,” he said.

She carried a worn pair of boots. Before she stuck her foot inside, he handed her the pair of socks he'd grabbed earlier.

"Thought you might need these somewhere along the line, ma'am."

His consideration astounded her. The look in his eyes warmed her heart. He'd thought about her needs when she hadn't.

"Thank you.” She managed to push past the knot in her throat and hoped he'd say something else in that rich Southern drawl. His accent tickled her ears and made her smile inwardly as a fleeting fantasy of him whispering sweetly ignited her soul.

The hidden promise within his eyes stated he was more than a Marine. He was a man in need of love. Allie broke their stare. Stop, she reprimanded. Stop thinking of this as some sort of romantic venture. Was she so desperate for adventure and excitement that she'd fantasize about her rescuer? Yeah. She was. She'd spent years in the lab with no one but her parents as companions. The only two men she'd dated were boring drones. Neither had the gumption of this hunk of male specimen. Just looking at him caused her heart to pump faster.

Determination not to disappoint him or cause this mission to fail set in her soul. She knew she slowed them down and guessed in a normal operation they wouldn't have made this pit stop. This was all because of her. From here forward, she planned to do whatever it took to help them get out of here in one piece. She shoved her feet into the boots and shimmied the rain poncho back on over her head. Digging deep she gathered her resolve and struggled to maintain a look of confidence, even though her nerves were strained and her muscles hurt.

The boots were snug, but she managed to walk well enough in them. They would do and it was better than running in bare feet.

Eric slipped outside first. The others followed. A beat-up truck sat along the far wall of the house. Dean worked his magic and got the engine cranked. Lou drove. Allie sat in the middle, Mitch at her side, weapon at the ready. Dean and Eric rode shotgun in the back.

They stayed on the dirt road only long enough to get within a mile of the location where they'd stowed the inflatable boat. The river still gave them the most direct and fastest route out of North Korea. As far as Mitch was concerned, he wanted to get Allie out of here as fast as possible. Not sure if it was his imagination or not, he thought he heard the low rumble of quads in the distance. Instinct told him Kwan hadn't given up.

Body surfing down the tributary may have gotten them ahead by a few miles, but it didn't mean they were safe. They'd lost valuable time by stopping to let Allie rest. He shot a sideways glance her way. She still looked tired, but at least she no longer shivered from head to toe. He lingered longer than he should have on her lips before he dragged his gaze back to scanning for the enemy. Lou maneuvered the truck as far as it could go along the rough terrain off road. Then they hoofed it to the boat. Running full force as the drone of engines closed in on them.

Within seconds, Eric and Dean uncovered the boat and started the motor. Mitch helped Allie in and ordered her to crouch in the center. They hadn't gone far when something whizzed past Mitch's head. They were under fire. Lou began evasive maneuvers. Mitch, Eric, and Dean took combat positions and prepared to return fire on Mitch's command. Normally they were in and out, no shots fired unless fired upon. That was the way of the Force Recon Marine. Repeatedly, shots came close but failed to reach them. They were out of range.