Page 45 of Her Unflinching Warrior (Omega Sky)
The couple bowed their heads and looked at the floor. Ryker was not making them feel more comfortable.
As soon as the elevator door opened, Gideon and his teammates stepped back so the couple could exit before them, then they left and headed in the opposite direction toward the cafeteria.
“I’ll get the food,” Ryker volunteered as he saw the line. “You two grab a table and talk. Gideon, you need to bring Nolan up to speed anyway.”
Gideon nodded and walked to a back corner and sat down.
“Thanks for dropping everything and coming. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it,” Gideon said as soon as they sat.
Nolan frowned. “You do realize you’re being both patronizing and insulting, don’t you, Chief?” When Nolan was pissed his Southern drawl became more pronounced. By the sounds of it, Nolan was well and truly pissed.
Gideon rubbed the top of his head. O’Rourke was right. “You’re right.”
“Good. Glad you realize it.”
“This thing with Jada has me twisted up.”
One side of Nolan’s mouth tipped up. “You don’t say.”
“You know, you should be a little bit more obvious when you bust somebody’s balls, I’m sure your subtlety goes over Landon’s head.”
Nolan smiled bigger. “Maybe his new lady love will educate him about a few things.”
Gideon snorted.
“I like your girl, even if I don’t know what in the hell Abercrombie and Fitch is.”
“It’s a clothing store that’s known for its all-American good-looking models,” Ryker said as he put down two loaded trays of food.
“Jada’s funny, fiery, and fantastic to look at. You scored, Chief,” Ryker said as he sat down and started pulling food off the trays and putting it in front of all of them.
“It’s the feistiness that has me worried,” Gideon said as he grabbed a plate with scrambled eggs and bacon. “There isn’t a chance in hell she’ll let us handle things. She’ll want to be on the front lines.”
“Say no,” Nolan said right before he put a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
“She’s going to get me to promise to let her help before giving me any information.”
Nolan washed down his eggs with water. “So lie.”
Ryker laughed and pointed his fork at Nolan. “Do what he said.”
Gideon realized that it wasn’t a bad idea, he just wasn’t going to do it. He respected her too much.
“Ah hell, he’s not going to do it,” Ryker groaned.
“You can read him?” Nolan frowned.
“About Jada, yeah. I saw him bust ass to get here. He sees her as an equal.”
“Sheisan equal,” Gideon snarled.
Nolan put up his hand. “Don’t get your panties in a twist. You know goddamn good and well what we’re talking about,” he drawled. “I will tell you I’m fucking amazed that you consider someone, man or woman, on par with your comp and tech skills. But there’s no way she’s an equal to our other skills, and you know it.”
Gideon blew out a long breath. “You’re right.”
“So, she’s not on the front line. She can do research, she can be giving us all the blow-by-blow support we need as we do our op, but that’s it.” Nolan’s gray eyes were the color of steel.
“That’s the second time you’re right today. That means it’s the second time I’m wrong today, so I’m going to cut that shit out.” Gideon shook his head ruefully.
