Oath of Honor

realized she was falling into the habit of bantering with Wes, and skidded

away from the friendly exchange. Relaxing her guard around Wes was

just too easy, and she couldn’t afford to get familiar with her. Even if

she wasn’t supposed to be training her, there was the little matter of

Wes probably being on Lucinda Washburn’s private security payroll

just now. Hell, for all she knew, Wes was evaluating her. And didn’t

that just throw cold water on her libido. “I’ll meet you at the cars. We’re

done for today.”

v

They didn’t speak on the trip back to the House, and Evyn

disappeared as soon as they disembarked. Wes couldn’t figure out what

had put that cold distance in Evyn’s eyes after the warmth that had been

there just minutes before, and the more she thought about it, the more

frustrated she became. She shouldn’t care—didn’t want to care. Since

the idea of sitting around her hotel room until the next day waiting for

her next exercise held no appeal, she went back to her office and spent

the rest of the afternoon setting up a schedule to review various protocols

with the team members. When she’d gotten everything organized to her

satisfaction, she turned to the last detail on her list and made a call.

“This is Captain Masters,” she said when a young man answered.

“Is Ms. Washburn available?”

“One moment, Captain,” he said pleasantly and put her on hold.

Lucinda answered. “What can I do for you, Captain?”

“I wanted to follow up on my request to schedule the president for

a baseline physical examination.”

“Yes, I have that on my list. Can you hold for a moment?”

“Of course.”

A minute passed, and Lucinda returned. “Are you free right

now?”“Certainly.”

• 105 •

RADCLYfFE

“Five minutes in the clinic?” Lucinda said.

“I’ll be waiting.” Wes hurried to the clinic and commandeered

the PA, a man she knew by name but hadn’t formally met yet, to assist.

“Hernandez, you’ve got the duty. Set up a room for a complete physical,

will you? The president is on his way.”

Hernandez, a navy corpsman, snapped to attention. “Yes, ma’am.

And welcome aboard, ma’am.”

“Thanks.”

Three minutes later, the president arrived, followed by a military

aide carrying nuclear codes in a secure briefcase. Wes saluted.

“Thank you for interrupting your schedule, sir.”

The president returned her salute and extended his hand. “Good to

meet you, Doctor.”

She indicated an exam room. “Right in here, sir. This shouldn’t

take very long.”

The military aide took a post just outside the door, his expression

neutral. Hernandez had laid out equipment on the counter next to the

exam table and had draped an ironed white gown on the end of the

chair. He stood at attention to the left of the door.

“I’ll leave you to change,” Wes said and stepped out to wait until

Hernandez signaled the president was ready. Two minutes later he called

her in, and she quickly worked her way through the exam, checking

vital signs, listening to heart and lungs, testing reflexes. Everything was

fine, which she had anticipated.

“All set, sir,” she said when she’d finished. She stepped out while

Hernandez assisted the president, and returned when Hernandez called

her. “What’s your verdict, Doctor?” the president asked as he knotted

his tie.“We’ll want routine bloods again in four months and an EKG in

six. But you’re cleared for duty.”

Andrew Powell smiled. “Glad to hear it. How are you finding the

post so far?”

“I’m honored, sir.”

“I promise it’s not always this quiet.”

She laughed. “In medicine, sir, quiet is not bad.”

“True about my job too. What are you doing for the holidays?”

“I have the duty, sir.”

• 106 •

Oath Of hOnOr

The president opened the exam-room door and paused. “Well, be

sure and make the staff Christmas party.”

“I will. Thank you, sir.”

“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon,” he said.

“Yes, sir. Happy holidays, sir.”

“Happy holidays, Captain Masters.”

Wes stayed in the hall until he disappeared. Today she’d been part

of a simulated rocket attack aimed at destroying this man and what he

symbolized to the nation and the world. The idea that someone close

to him might be a traitor made the urgency of her job even more acute.

She understood—at least rationally—a little bit better why Evyn didn’t

yet trust her, and as much as she resisted the idea, she couldn’t totally

trust Evyn either.

• 107 •

RADCLYfFE

chapter fOurteen

Evyn woke with Ricochet draped on her left ear. “Get off.”

Ricochet stretched, shifted, and settled around her forehead

like a fur hat. His belly reminded her of feathers dancing on her skin.

Feathers. Fingertips. Wes’s thumb tracing over her cheek. A shot of

adrenaline spiking her pulse, her clit instantly hard. Her eyes jolted

open. “Hell.”

She stared at the ceiling. Flat gray light. The weatherman had said

more snow was coming. More freezing cold. She wasn’t cold now. She

kicked the covers off. Ricochet complained and stalked haughtily to

the bottom of the bed. Evyn touched her cheek and her clit did that