Two parajumpers freefall into a stealthy relationship before considering how quickly it might come crashing to an end.
Airman First Class Matthew Billings has almost completed a grueling two year training program on his way to becoming a Pararescueman in the Air Force Special Operations Unit. On a mission to rescue a child lost in the Pecos Wilderness of New Mexico, he meets Master Sergeant Drake Bogart, a man who is as infuriating as he is handsome. When Matt spots the child and Drake gets the credit, sparks fly, in more ways than one. But with graduation just a few days away, is their fledgling relationship over before it even gets started?
Publisher's Note: This book has previously been released as part of the Aim High anthology by Pride Publishing.
General Release Date: 10th November 2015
“The boy was last seen on a trail in the Pecos Wilderness.” The sergeant’s voice came over the headset Airman First Class Matthew Billings wore in the noisy HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter. They were seated across the aisle from each other, but conversation without the headsets was nearly impossible. The sergeant continued, “The Pecos is a protected wilderness area in the Santa Fe National Forest. The Rocky Mountains are directly ahead of us. This sub-range is called the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of north central New Mexico. Be aware, while it feels warm here during the day, the temperatures at night drop dramatically.”
Matt understood the warning. The missing child was eight, had been on a day hike with his family, enjoying the warm spring weather. He probably wasn’t wearing more than a T-shirt or light jacket. One of the main hazards in the mountains was weather, as Matt had learned in the nearly six months he’d spent in New Mexico. Freezing rain or snow fell on the summits year round and it wasn’t unnatural for temps to fall to twenty degrees Fahrenheit at night.
He listened as another airman, seated behind them, asked, “Not sure I understand how he got lost, Master Sergeant. Santa Fe is right there.” Matt looked out of the window to the bustling state capital below them.
The sergeant replied, “True. One trailhead for the wilderness is only fifteen miles by road from Santa Fe. But US Wilderness Areas don’t allow motor vehicles or bicycles. Camping and fishing are allowed with a permit, but you won’t find any roads or buildings. Inexperienced hikers can easily wander into uneven terrain and before they know it, they’re lost.”
Matt shook his head. “Why would inexperienced hikers take kids in there, is what I want to know?”
The Master Sergeant smiled. “Well now, that’s the two hundred thousand dollar question, isn’t it? Because that’s how much the state spends on average each year in search and rescue missions to find lost hikers. That doesn’t include volunteers or us. We work on Uncle Sam’s dime. It figures in the cost of civilian resources and the use of our helos, of course.” He patted the wall of the helicopter. “These babies can run up to twenty-five hundred dollars an hour.”
“Holy shit,” Matt muttered, still amazed at how much he had to learn. He’d been in the Air Force for almost two years and while he’d thought the initial indoctrination had been tough, it was nothing compared to his special ops training. It’ll all be worth it, he thought, when he completed this last leg, the Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course. In another week he’d graduate, lose the ‘trainee’ label, and earn his maroon beret.
Jenna Byrnes could use more cabinet space and more hours in a day. She'd fill the kitchen with gadgets her husband purchases off TV and let him cook for her to his heart's content. She'd breeze through the days adding hours of sleep, and more time for writing the hot, erotic romance she loves to read.
Jenna thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and loves to provide as many of those as possible to her gay, lesbian and hetero characters. Her favourite quote, from a pro-gay billboard, is "Be careful who you hate. It may be someone you love."
You can find Jenna on Facebook.
Reviewed by Wicked Reads
Oh Drake you were a hard man to like. He was so arrogant and came across like such an ass but under it all he just wanted what was best for Matthew. The pair together was off the charts hot and the a...
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Reviewed by LeAnn's Book Reviews
Matthew and Drake together? Explosive! I loved it. Especially when underneath all that arrogance, Drake was a passionate and considerate man who only wanted what was best for Matthew. I enjoyed Matth...
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Jenna Byrnes - USA Today feature
Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Jenna! Please tell us a bit about your new release, Search and Rescue.
Jenna: Search and Rescue is a story which was previously released in the Aim High anthology from Pride Publishing. It’s now available as a stand-alone title. The stories are Air Force-related, which was new for me, but very fun after I did some research.
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