While in Officer Candidate School, Dan had been recruited by the SEALs. He recalled the conversations he'd had with Davey as he struggled over his decision. The special operations community needed his designated career set. They recognized how warfare had changed. Modern warfare had become more cyber-based. He would be part of a new breed of Special Forces, one proficient in the traditional weapons of warfare as well as keyboards, software, and the Internet. Of course he still had to get through BUD/S and SEAL Qualification Training.

Dan's dual degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics opened up some of the most advanced electronic warfare schools the US government had to offer. By the time he saw his first duty station and awarded the coveted SEAL Trident badge, he'd been in training for half of his six-year commitment.

Davey's tenure in the Marine Corps had been much more difficult. He'd spent most of his time in Afghanistan, and it had been rough. Dan knew from their conversations that Davey was haunted by what he'd seen. The war had been intense during his time in the Corps. He'd told Dan he couldn't make watching good men die a career, so he'd returned to Bisbee and went back to where his father had left off running their family's Lazy J Ranch. Even though he didn't talk much, Dan knew that whatever had happened had f.u.c.ked Davey up to such a degree he'd been separated from the Corps on a medical discharge.

Dan took a long swallow of his beer and lined up for his next shot when a soft hand slid over his back. He turned his head sharply and found himself staring at a nice set of t.i.ts. He straightened himself and blinked at the woman who'd come up behind him.

"Sylvia?"

"Hi, Danny. I heard you were back in town." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "It's so good to see you again. How's the Navy?"

Dan disengaged himself from the ex-girlfriend who'd dumped him after high school. Seeing her furthered his resolve to look up Rio as soon as possible. As he looked at this woman, he wondered what he'd ever seen in her and why he'd asked her instead of Rio to his prom. He cleared his throat.

"It's good," he said.

"I can see that."

Her sultry, low-pitched voice didn't leave him guessing at her intent. Catching the hand she moved over his chest, he moved it away and planted the pool cue he was holding between them.

"How's Beau?" Dan asked.

Sylvia frowned. "You're not still mad about that?"

"I'm sorry, didn't you two get married?"

"We did. And now we're not."

"Oh, it's been a while," he said, picking up his beer.

Sylvia gently grasped the bottle he held and took a drink. "You're not a stranger. Drop in for a visit. Let's get reacquainted."

Handing him the bottle, she turned and walked away.

"Holy hottie, Batman! Are you dropping in?" Friday asked as his gaze followed Sylvia around the tavern.

Dan tossed the almost full bottle of beer into the recycle bin next to the pool table and fished a twenty out of his pocket. He handed the money to Friday.

"Get me another beer, will you?"

"Still haven't forgiven her?" Davey asked as Friday walked away.

"There's nothing to forgive. I'm not interested," he said as he took his shot.

"Danny..."

Turning away from the table, he gave Davey his full attention. He didn't want to rehash his past with his ex-high school girlfriend. He'd come home at the end of his junior year at ASU to a wedding invitation from his girlfriend who was marrying a total d.i.c.khead from Sierra Vista. It had turned out to be one of the worst summers of his life. During that break he'd also been told that Rio had left home for the military. "I don't want to talk about it."

"It's not Sylvia I want to talk about. I wanted to tell you about something else. Something I probably shouldn't," Davey said.

His friend took a long drink and a seat at one of the small bar stools lining the wall next to the pool tables. He set his beer down and looked away.

"What is it?" Dan asked.

"Do you know that Rio's back?"

"Emily told me last night. I thought she'd moved to Cali or something like that?"

"Jesus, Danny, that was almost three years ago. I told you she'd moved to San Diego and she'd joined the CBP. Why didn't you ever look her up? You've had to be going TAD there all the time."

"I don't remember you telling me that."

"Seriously?"

"Okay, I'm a clueless motherf.u.c.ker, so?"

"Danny, I used to see the way you looked at my sister. And while I appreciated the fact that you had enough respect for me to keep your d.i.c.k beaters to yourself, you didn't do her or you any favors. She's back and unattached." Davey raised the long-neck in a mock salute.

"What does she do?" Dan looked around the tavern-anywhere but directly at Davey.

"She's an agent and the director of the K-9 program there. Do you want to change the subject again?"

Friday returned with Dan's beer. "Who's next?"

"You are," Dan said, handing him the pool cue. Taking the hint, Friday went to finish out the game.

"You should go by and see her while you're here. She lives a couple of streets over from Emily on Santa Cruz. She drives a brand-new red Jeep Cherokee. It's parked in the driveway when she's home."

"What are you telling me, man?"

"I'm telling you to get a f.u.c.king clue," Davey said, picking up his pool cue and returning to the table.

It had been a brutal two days. The illegal traffic along the border had been relentless, and the cartels were becoming increasingly more aggressive. Rio hadn't had time to speculate about what had caused the uptick in action. Even Schotzie was losing focus from the long days with no breaks. As she shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, she heard the doorbell and Schotzie's low warning bark. d.a.m.n it! Being so tired and wanting to rest, the interruption irritated her. She threw on some clothes and ordered her dog back to her bedroom. As she rubbed a towel through her hair, she looked through the peephole and couldn't believe who stood outside her door-Danny Gamez.

Turning to lean against the door, she grabbed her midsection as her tummy did the familiar flip whenever she saw him. She remembered having the same reaction when he'd come by to visit her brother. She'd close the door to her room as if it was a protective barrier that could keep her feelings contained and secret. She couldn't believe that after so many years he still had the same effect on her.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus! I'm not thirteen, and he's never looked at me as more than a friend. What the h.e.l.l is wrong with me? The doorbell rang again. She turned to face the door and leaned her forehead against the wood. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I can do this.

"Yes?" Rio opened the door. The response sounded so lame and cold.

"Rio, I need your help."

His response wasn't what she'd been expecting. He'd always been a prankster, but even after all these years, he'd made it clear something was wrong.

"What's up, Danny?"

"There are some illegals not too far from here; they're not Mexicans."

Rio opened the door wider and invited him inside with a wave of her hand.

"Wait here a minute. Let me get dressed."

s.h.i.+vering as she closed her bedroom door, all feelings she'd had for him growing up came rus.h.i.+ng back. She needed a minute to regroup. In the ten years since she'd last seen him, his average build had filled out. Broad shoulders, powerful, sculpted arms, and a torso that tapered to a narrow waist. His legs, covered by the well-worn jeans, were just as well formed. A physique achieved by a very active life. His face was weathered, more mature, and something about his eyes she couldn't quite cla.s.sify. She didn't dare allow herself more than a cursory glance, or his body would've become the only thought in her head.

Her attraction to him all those years ago had never died. After he and Davey had left for college, she'd been determined to get over him. Leaving home to join the Air Force had helped her move on, but she'd never forgotten him.

Pulling on her uniform, she tried to remember if Davey had told her Danny was coming home. She couldn't resist another glimpse and silently opened the bedroom door just enough to see without being seen. She studied him as he looked at the pictures she had displayed on the bookshelf. Schotzie took the open door as her cue and jumped off the bed clearly ready to accompany Rio. When the pair stepped into the living room, Schotzie gave a low warning growl. Dan stood absolutely still.

"Friend," she said as she walked to the table, picked up her duty belt, and wrapped it around her waist. She noticed Schotzie's behavior turn from tense vigilance to curiosity. Knowing the dog wouldn't move without a verbal or hand command, she glanced behind her as she fastened the belt and said, "You can pet her now."

Kneeling down, he gave the big dog some much-appreciated affection evident by the way she smiled and wagged her tail. It surprised her at how relaxed Schotzie seemed to be around him. It was unusual for her to warm up to anyone that quick. She couldn't resist sneaking a peek at him petting her dog and saw he'd lost the appearance of an inexperienced adolescent and something more powerful had taken its place. There were the barest beginnings of laugh lines around his eyes and creases in his brow-marks of experiences far beyond those of most of his peers. And the five o'clock shadow added to his raw, vital, downright s.e.xy aura. She s.h.i.+vered as she imagined the feel of that scruff against her sensitive throat.

"She's beautiful, Rio. What's her name?"

"Schotzie." She tapped her thigh. "Are you ready? Come on, girl, time to go to work." She turned her attention back to Dan. "Let's go to the station, so I can pick up a vehicle, and I'll follow you out to the place you saw them."

When he didn't answer, she paused and turned to face him directly to see him staring at her. She glanced down at herself.

What? Have I grown a third eye or something? This is a clean uniform. What the h.e.l.l is he staring at?

Still on his knees and petting her dog, the intensity of his gaze made her clear her throat with nervous tension. The sight of him on his knees made her blush as a slow warmth spread from her belly to the juncture of her thighs. As he stood, she noticed the sudden bulge behind the zipper of his jeans and realized her panties were damp. She tore her gaze from his c.o.c.k and looked at his face.

Oh. My. G.o.d.

Danny was more than undressing her with his eyes. This was an outright eye-f.u.c.k that sent her straight into s.e.xual overload. She had visions of ripping off his clothes to see if the muscles that filled his sleeves were as enticing when uncovered. She'd bet her next paycheck that he had a set of abs that would make a woman drop her panties in the blink of an eye-or one crook of his finger.

The sudden image of her running her fingers through his thick black hair as he ate her p.u.s.s.y while on his knees in front of her made her clench her fists. Her arousal rose to the point of being almost unbearable. The profound s.e.xual vibes he put off made her heart beat faster, and she struggled to remember why he'd come here in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she fought to get her racing heart and hormones under control. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't take her eyes off him. Ever vigilant, Schotzie gave a playful bark that brought them out of their l.u.s.tful trance.

As Rio slid into her Jeep, she took a minute to reset her brain cells. She glanced at his truck as she inhaled and noticed he had someone else with him. Someone's been waiting out here all along? WTF? She remembered her devastation when Dan took another girl to his first prom. The entire time in high school, he'd filled her every waking moment. She swore then she would not get wrapped up in dreams that wouldn't go anywhere, certainly not about a guy who would leave her again when he went back to wherever he came from. Once alone in her vehicle and not thinking with her p.u.s.s.y, she realized being so busy with work and volunteering at the animal shelter consumed her. By the time she arrived at the station, she wanted to get this over with as soon as possible and avoid Danny for the rest of the time he was home on leave.

After he gave her directions to the location where he'd first seen the men, Danny told her that he'd been out shooting some pictures near one of the canyons when he saw some suspicious activity from people who looked as if they didn't belong there. It agitated her to see he'd brought a friend with him on this venture. At least it's a guy.

Needing to get a grip on her teenage angst she shook her head and focused on the task ahead of her. She radioed her location, and stepped out of the vehicle. She immediately noted the acrid scent of burning wood. Any open fire concerned her because the tinderbox dry desert and winds that swept through it this time of year could cause an uncontrolled fire and be a huge problem. She checked her weapon and looked in the direction of the scent as Danny and his friend approached.

"They sure as h.e.l.l aren't trying to hide, are they?" Danny being so close caused more tension than she needed right now. They made her aggravation worse when she saw they were armed.

"You guys need to get back to your vehicle."

"Little girl, those guys have AK-47s. Why don't you let the big boys handle this?" Danny's friend said.

Excuse me?

"Say what?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

Who the h.e.l.l does he think he is? Navy or no navy, they don't have the first clue about dealing with people illegally crossing an international border. I ought to arrest this smarta.s.s right now.

Rio turned and readied herself to slap the cuffs on Friday when she caught Danny looking at her again. The smoldering look he gave her forced her to look away.

Why the h.e.l.l does he keep looking at me like that-a straight-up eye-f.u.c.k? Focus Rio, focus.

"Friday, stand down, will you? We can't do anything unless we're defending ourselves, remember?" Danny said looking away from her.

"Bulls.h.i.+t, I'm not standing by and letting these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds invade my country. Look at her," Dan's friend said, pointing in her direction. "What the h.e.l.l can she do by herself?"

That tears it.

Rio's bearing completely changed. She seemed to grow another foot. Her eyes, normally a deep, warm brown, turned ice cold and glittered like polished obsidian. She'd taken down bigger, more dangerous men in her career. Taking him down wouldn't be easy, but she had something he didn't-Schotzie. She left no question that the dog would maim or kill on command. This a.s.shole would be down before he realized what hit him. Easy or b.l.o.o.d.y-his choice.

She knew how to get her point across with a look and her body language. When she moved into Friday's s.p.a.ce, she noted his first reaction was defensive and he frowned. He stepped back as she advanced until she had him up against her patrol vehicle. Schotzie, still inside the vehicle, sensed the tension and growled. He turned around to look through the window and came face-to-face with the snarling German shepherd. Friday's posture and startled look made it clear she held the upper hand, and he knew it. She left no question in his mind she'd open the door and let her dog out. Nearly a full head taller than she, Rio got right up into his face and when she spoke, her voice was low and frigid.

"Back off, big boy. This is my job and I can handle it."

Danny's friend nodded. She didn't take her eyes off Friday as Danny whispered close enough to her that she felt his breath on her ear. "Rio, we're here to help if you need it. There are three of them. Be careful."

Rio stepped back to allow Friday to move away from the vehicle. She turned to Danny and c.o.c.ked her head in the other man's direction.

"Keep him in check."

Danny's nearness messed with her head. She wrestled her focus back to the job at hand as she walked around, took out a shotgun from the back, and let Schotzie out of the vehicle. When Danny's breath touched her ear, it sent vibrations straight to her p.u.s.s.y and almost put her over the edge. She'd get herself killed if she didn't get away from him. If these guys were carrying AK-47s, she didn't have the leeway of a missed shot, and with Danny distracting her every time she looked at him, she just might miss. She looked in the direction of the glow in the distance and considered her strategy.

"Schotzie, heel," she said as she walked away from her vehicle.

Finding some brush for cover, she observed the three men sitting around eating. They kept their guns close, and she couldn't see a scout looking for any signs of trouble. Something about them seemed out of place, so she watched them closer, observing their habits. As she listened, she had a difficult time making out the conversation because they weren't speaking Spanish. Her concentration shattered when Danny and Friday caught up to her. Aw, h.e.l.l! This is the last thing I need.

"We're just here for backup, trust us," Dan whispered.

The way he said trust us, warmed her, and she knew he'd protect her if she got into any serious trouble. But she couldn't allow them to get involved. If one of them got hurt, she'd be in a s.h.i.+tload of trouble. Never mind the problem of military interdiction on US soil. Not wanting to risk giving away her position by ordering them back to the vehicles, she turned her attention back to the task at hand.

People could be unpredictable, and making initial contact was the most dangerous part of her job. She stood and walked toward the camp, called out to them informing them she was CBP, and ordered them facedown on the ground. When the men scrambled for their weapons, she knew this would turn into a cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k, and she had to do something to minimize the damage as quickly as possible.

"Go left!" she called to her dog She took out the one closest to the weapons first. Then, firing low, she peppered two sets of legs with buckshot. They fell to their knees as the buckshot splattered everything in its path. They didn't move again. She called Schotzie away as Danny and Friday moved in to cover the men as she radioed for medical support. While she waited for the CBP STAR unit to arrive, she searched the campsite and found a few backpacks. Searching the backpacks turned up something she hadn't seen since she'd left the military.

"What the h.e.l.l is this?" She removed the object from the backpack. The second she recognized it, her blood ran cold.

No, they hadn't been speaking Spanish. They were speaking Arabic. She had taken down three likely Middle-Eastern terrorists in possession of a bona fide WMD. Rio knew exactly what she held, a portable electronic magnetic pulse weapon or EMP device. Even though it was small enough to fit in a regular backpack, the device had the potential to take out anything with a microchip-nowadays that meant anything from airplanes to doorbells. For all intents and purposes, all infrastructure that made up modern life would all come to a grinding halt if this weapon or one like it deployed from an aircraft. Terrorists didn't need to fly aircraft into buildings, they could crash them with the release of a pin from a canister the size of a beer can. If these men had a chance to deploy these weapons, it could plunge the entire southwestern United States back into the Stone Age.

"f.u.c.k me," Danny murmured.

Rio sharply turned her head in his direction. By his alarmed expression, he knew exactly what she held in her hand.

"What?" she asked.

Danny didn't answer her directly. "Friday, get Rock on the line. We've got a big problem."

Rio heard another CBP agent radio that he was on his way to a.s.sist. "Go put your weapons away and get back to your vehicle."