Special Forces Savior (Omega Sector: Critical Response) - Softcover

Crouch, Janie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0373698801 ISBN 13: 9780373698806

Publisher: Harlequin, 2015

Synopsis

He has to shut down the terrorists or lose everything. Includingthe woman he can't admit means the most to him. 

Omega Sector: Critical Response agent Derek Waterman ishunting the architects of a lethal terrorist bombing. After weeks of chasingcold leads, he has finally found the evidence that could expose theperpetrators. But in order to take them down, he needs help from Dr. MollyHumphries, Omega's lead forensic scientist.

Shy Molly works to retrieve the data--and overcome herdebilitating crush on the sexy agent. Derek carefully suppresses his mutualsmoldering attraction, sure that his dark past will drive Molly away if sheknows. But when Molly's kidnapped, he will stop at nothing to save her. Even ifa lethal enemy will do everything to keep him from doing so.  

Reading Order for the Omega Sector - Critical Response Series:

1. Special Forces Savior
2. Fully Committed
3. Armored Attraction
4. Man of Action
5. Overwhelming Force
6. Battle Tested

About this title

From the Author

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. 2016
The cabin had seemed the perfect place to bringher, but now he realized that he hadn't thought things through completely. Whatit would be like to be enclosed with Molly in this small space. No reprieve.
 
Derek turned to the window that was in front of the sink. Yeah, she was safe from whatever might do her harm out there.
 
What about what might do her harm in here? Him.
 
He wanted to go for a walk. Take a drive. Hell, go for a swim out in the lake. Anything to create some distance between them. Physical distance. He needed to refortify. But he couldn't risk Molly's safety.
 
It had been okay while she'd been asleep. He'd even gotten a few hours' sleep out on the couch. But having her awake, right in front of him? What was he going to do?
 
Derek turned from the window to find Molly standing there, awake, right in front of him. Her hair was damp and hanging loose around her shoulders and back. She had on a T-shirt and sweatpants, both incorrectly sized and cheaply made, and blue socks.
 
Derek had never seen anyone so beautiful in his entire life.
 
He knew he was walking on dangerous ground here. One wrong step, one wrong word--hell, one right word--and he was going to start kissing her and never stop.
 
"I was wondering if you'd still even be here whenI got out."
 
"I couldn't leave you."
 
"I'll bet you wanted to, though. Considered it. Withdraw because we had a moment."
 
Derek didn't want to address exactly how correct she was.
 
"Here, I made you a sandwich." He pushed the plate toward her. She looked for just a moment as if she might refuse it so they could continue the conversation, but then her stomach growled loudly enough forhim to hear it across the room. He raised an eyebrow at her.
 
Molly huffed just the slightest bit at being betrayed by her own body, then sat down and promptly demolished her sandwich as well as some fruit and leftover salad. Derek ate with her then made them both coffee.
 
He wished the cabin had a television or a radio or something. Anything to distract him from the fact that Molly Humphries was sitting in the oversized chair next to the couch with her legs tucked underneath her, sipping coffee. Wearing mismatched clothes under which Derek happened to know she could not be wearing anything because they'd forgotten to buy her underwear last night.
 
Derek swallowed hard.
 
"So, can I ask you something?"
 
Oh yes, please dear heavens, ask him something. Ask him anything to get his thoughts away from her lack of undergarments.
 
"Shoot."
 
She paused for just the slightest moment. "Do youactually remember the night we spent together having sex three years ago?"
 
Derek had to give himself credit, he at least didn'tspew his coffee. But it was close.
 
"Molly--"
 
"No. Do not Molly me." Her tone brooked no refusal. Where was the woman who had barely been able to get a sentence out around him a few days before? She'd certainly found her voice now. She set her coffee cup down. "I have spent the last three years acting like a total nincompoop around you. Mousy Molly. Do you think I don't know everyone calls me that?"
 
"Molly--"
 
She shook her head. "No, I deserved it. They were right. I have been mousy. Ridiculous." She took a breath, seemed to be mentally regrouping. "I thought I was going to die yesterday, Derek. In an ugly, horrible way."
 
Derek breathed deeply through his nose. He had thought the exact same thing.
 
"I was afraid." Her voice got softer.
 
"Anybody would be afraid under those circumstances."
 
"I tried to keep it together." Her shoulders straightened a little. "I did keep it together."
 
"I have no doubt about that." Just the way she'd handled herself in the jungle, under the roughest possible physical circumstances had proved that. Although Derek had already known Molly was strong.
 
"Somewhere in the midst of all this, I decided I wasn't going to waste time with you anymore Derek, wasn't going to be timid and wait. Life is too short. You either want me or you don't. I know that's a hard decision for you to make for some reason. So I'm going to help us get to the bottom of it. Do you remember us having sex three years ago or not?"
 
He wanted her. He wanted to yell it at her. But instead he sat back in his chair a little farther. Tried to feign a relaxed stance he very definitely didn't feel.
 
"Molly--"
 
She shot out of her chair as if it was on fire. "No. Just answer the question."
 
Derek couldn't sit either, but as he stood he was careful to stay far away from Molly. If he touched her now all would be lost. He walked over to look out the window. Look anywhere but at her.
 
"Yes. Yes, I remember." He remembered it all. Every touch. Lick. Moan.

About the Author

"Passion that leaps right off the page." - Romantic Times Book Reviews (Jan 2015)

Nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award for 2015, Janie Crouch has always loved to read romance. She fell for Harlequin Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. To be able to write books like the ones she has always loved to read is a dream come true.

Janie recently relocated to an American Army base in Germany with her husband and four school-aged children after living in the Tidewater Virginia area for twenty years. Her "day job" is teaching public speaking and communication at a local community college. When she's not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), Janie enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and obstacle racing. 

Check out Janie's updates and more on her website at janiecrouch.com

About this edition

• Publisher: Harlequin
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0373698801
• ISBN 13: 9780373698806
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 224