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  Catching Lana

  Kat Mizera

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  More Books by Kat Mizera

  1

  Mark Garrison walked into the terminal at McCarran International Airport with a quick wave to his friend Erin Riser, who’d just dropped him off. It had been great spending time with her and her family and though he was excited about his upcoming trip, he wished he’d had more time with them. He’d really needed to talk to someone who understood what he was going through, and Erin definitely understood.

  They’d served in the U.S. Marines together and had been stationed in Afghanistan during a mission that had gone terribly wrong. An IED had cost his closest friend and commanding officer, Shay Gentry, his life, and left Erin with scars covering 40 percent of her body. It had been six years, and sometimes he still had nightmares about Shay and Erin getting blown up right in front of him. After four years of ROTC and nearly twelve years of active duty, something deep inside of him was pulling him away from the only career he’d ever wanted.

  You never stopped being a Marine, but in his heart of hearts, he was ready to do something different. He was a major and worked in counter-intelligence, so he had options with the CIA, NSA and even the FBI, but none of them called to him. Not really. His buddies Eric and Louie were at the NSA and they’d told him about their friend Hank “Montana” Patterson, who ran the Brotherhood Protectors, a company that provided bodyguard services. It was located somewhere in Montana, and while he’d balked at first, after talking to Montana on the phone a few times, he’d decided to take some leave and go meet him.

  After passing through security, he headed for the bar, hoping to have a couple of drinks before the flight. He came around the corner just as a tall, voluptuous woman with incredibly green eyes walked right into him. “Oh!” Her eyes rounded with dismay as she took a step back. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going!”

  “No problem.” He steadied her with one hand, unable to tear his eyes away from hers; so green, so big, so beguiling. And so familiar. His heart nearly stopped when he recognized her: Lana Callahan. Holy shit, this was his lucky day. “Hi, Lana.”

  “Oh. Hi.” Lana blinked and nodded, abruptly holding out her hand in a stiff vertical position. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Likewise.” He couldn’t help a slow smile at her deliciously awkward but endearing movements. “Would you like to have a drink before your flight?”

  She flushed pink, shaking her head. “Oh, um, I don’t think…” Her voice trailed off as a voice came over the loudspeaker.

  “Flight 4433 to Bozeman, Montana, has been delayed one hour.”

  “Shit,” she muttered.

  “Are you flying to Bozeman?”

  “Yes.” Her eyes met his curiously.

  “Believe it or not, so am I. I have a job interview.”

  “I, er, it’s a business trip for me. I’m going to some place called Eagle Rock.”

  “Eagle Rock?” He shook his head. Maybe this was more than his lucky day. “That’s where I’m going too.”

  “Oh!” She turned red again. “Wow, that’s, um…”

  “Let’s get a drink,” he said with a smile, finding her shyness refreshing. “We can catch up.”

  “Erin talks about you guys all the time.”

  “Us guys?”

  “The guys from her old unit.”

  “We’re all still very close,” he nodded, motioning to the bartender. “Whatever you’ve got on draught for me, and for the lady?” He turned to her.

  “White wine,” she said absently. “House brand is fine.”

  The bartender disappeared and Mark motioned to the stool beside him. “We’ve got time. You might as well sit and relax.”

  “Yes, okay. Thank you.”

  Lana’s heart did a little bumpety-bump when Mark smiled at her. She was always awkward around cute guys, but she’d definitely brought her A game with that ridiculous handshake and her inability to stop blushing. Why was she always so dumb in front of men? Probably because she was taller than most of them and didn’t have enough experience with them to be comfortable. She’d met Mark on multiple occasions and found him so sexy she sometimes couldn’t think straight when he looked at her, so she’d started avoiding him whenever he showed up at an event with their mutual friend Erin.

  She let out a sad sigh, hoping no one heard her, but Mark did and cocked his head inquisitively.

  “So what’s in Eagle Rock, Montana, for a woman who works in public relations?”

  “We have a client who’s staying there and Kate wants me to keep an eye on him, set up some interviews, work on a new press kit.”

  “You can’t do that from Vegas?”

  “I live in Manhattan, but I’ve been spending more and more time in Vegas with Kate. And no, I can’t keep him out of trouble unless I’m with him. Kate thinks this injury is going to make him spiral again.”

  “Again?”

  “Long story.” She smiled at the bartender when he set down her glass of wine. “What do you do, Mark? Are you still in the Marines? I didn’t realize you’d been in town.”

  “I literally stopped for 48 hours, just enough time to see Erin and catch a hockey game.” Erin’s husband, Drake, played professional hockey. “And like I said, I’m going to Eagle Rock for a job interview.”

  “So you’re not in the Marines anymore?”

  Mark hesitated. “I’m on leave for 30 days, trying to decide whether or not to re-enlist. It might be time to move on. I love the Marines, but I feel the need for a change.”

  “What kind of job is there in Montana?”

  “Personal security.”

  “Like bodyguards?”

  He nodded. “It’s just an interview, a chance to check out the operation, meet the other guys. I haven’t decided anything yet.”

  “That sounds amazing,” Lana said softly. “I wish I wasn’t so awkward and clumsy and could do something so important.”

  “What you do is important too,” he responded. “We all have our strengths and purpose—maybe yours is to be tall and sexy and make men’s knees shake a little when you look down at them.”

  Lana flushed. “I’m pretty sure I don’t make anyone’s knees shake… Usually I trip over my own two feet and wind up looking up at them like an idiot.”

  “I should be so lucky,” he murmured with a soft smile. “Because then I’d be the one to catch your fall.”

  Lana was so flustered as she reached for her wine glass that she wound up knocking it over. She jumped out of her seat just in time to avoid the contents pouring onto her lap, a string of curses escaping her.

  “Easy.” Mark grabbed a nearby rag the bartender had left, sopping up the wine as Lana watched in horror.

  “I’ve got it.�
� The bartender appeared, cleaning up the mess and setting another glass of wine in front of her.

  “I’m sorry,” Mark said softly. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

  “My fault,” Lana sighed. “I told you I’m clumsy. And I’m not used to men flirting with me, so I always do dumb stuff when they do.”

  “I have a thing for tall women and probably say stuff I shouldn’t,” he admitted. “Forgive me?”

  His blue eyes were so sweet and sincere she couldn’t help but smile. “Of course.”

  “Just an FYI, I think tall women are gorgeous. How tall are you?”

  “Six one,” she mumbled.

  “Wow,” he said quietly. “I’m six feet even and I’ve been waiting my whole life for a beautiful woman who’s taller than I am... Will you marry me?”

  Mark watched Lana go from a cute shade of pink to snow-white and felt a moment of guilt for teasing her. She was just so damn adorable, he couldn’t help himself. He’d honestly spent most of his adult life fantasizing about a woman who was tall like she was but he figured he’d better dial things back before she died of embarrassment. He thought it was cute, but based on the horrified look in her eyes, she genuinely had no clue how beautiful she was.

  “I’m kidding,” he said softly. “Not about how beautiful you are or that I like tall women, but you know, we should wait at least a week or two before I propose.”

  “You’re going to give me a heart attack,” Lana murmured, carefully picking up her glass and taking what she hoped was a ladylike sip.

  “I’m sorry,” Mark said. “I can’t seem to help myself. I think you’re beautiful and usually when I meet someone who looks like you they’re stuck-up and prissy.”

  Lana’s big green eyes widened as she looked at him, her cheeks turning pink again. Then she smiled—a ravishing, full-mouth, glorious smile that essentially sucked all the air out of his lungs. “You think I’m pretty enough to be stuck-up?”

  He made sure his face was completely serious as he said, “I think you’re beautiful enough to be both stuck-up and prissy, but I’m glad you’re not.”

  Lana stared at him for a moment without blinking, as if deep in thought. Then she abruptly downed the rest of her drink, dug a ten-dollar bill out of her purse and laid it on the bar. “Thanks for the company and the compliments, but I have to get a few things done before the flight. Take care, Mark.”

  Mark watched her go with a sigh. She was incredible and he wished he hadn’t spooked her. She would be a challenge, but she was going to Eagle Rock and he’d been attracted to her for a long time, so he had to try. He needed to backpedal a little, though, because she was distinctly uncomfortable when he flirted with her. According to Erin, she was a great publicist and their mutual friend Kate, who was Lana’s boss, had asked her to become a partner in her firm. That didn’t sound like a woman who couldn’t hold her own, but he’d have to come up with a gentler way to get her attention. What he’d done so far had only managed to scare her away. He picked up his beer thoughtfully, wondering what he needed to do to show her a little flirting was fun.

  2

  Mark finished his beer, paid the tab—including Lana’s drink—and headed towards the gate. Disappointed she hadn’t wanted to hang out, he thought about the times he’d seen her. Kate was Erin’s best friend and Lana spent a lot of time with both of them. He’d run into Lana quite a few times, but she usually made a beeline in the other direction the moment he got near her. Kate said she was shy, but it was easy to see she was self-conscious about her height and probably her weight too. In his opinion, she was perfect, but women seemed to think there was something wrong with them if they didn’t have flat stomachs and some weird space between their thighs. As far as he was concerned, the only time a woman needed space between her thighs was when he was getting ready to go down on her.

  He loved and respected both women and sex, but at 33, he was tired of the game involved with new relationships. He’d all but given up on finding a woman who would not only try to understand what he’d lived through on some of his missions but wasn’t afraid to listen when he talked about them. The last woman he’d told about the day Shay had died had stopped returning his calls. Not that he’d loved her or anything, but he’d thought she would at least give it a chance. That had been five years ago and he’d resisted relationships since then. His gut told him Lana would be different, but she didn’t let him get close enough to find out.

  His melancholy thoughts fled as he spied Lana standing near a bay of windows, her phone at her ear, talking animatedly. She was lovely, he thought, pausing to lean against the far wall so he could watch her. Her shoulder-length dark red hair fell over the side of her face as she talked and she would use her free hand to brush it back, where it would slowly cascade down until it moved across her cheek again. From the profile, her nose was slightly upturned at the tip, giving her a girlish appearance, especially when she laughed. Something drew him to her, and he was transfixed, taking in the way she looked, the way she sounded…the way she moved. On one hand, she wasn’t even remotely his type; on the other, she wasn’t just his type, she was his fantasy. He’d thought so from the first time he’d ever seen her two years ago.

  Taking in her figure, she had what he considered a real woman’s curves, with breasts that were full and round, a sweet ass he could already envision in a pair of shorts, and those legs…if she had less than a 38-inch inseam, he’d eat his uniform. Breasts and asses were great, but he was a leg man. A woman with long legs got him every time and hers were exquisite. She was wearing jeans today, but there was no hiding how long her legs were and once again, he wished he could see her in shorts.

  She turned, spotting him in her peripheral vision, and for a moment showed no signs of being shy or awkward, acknowledging him with a nod of her head as she finished talking. It wasn’t until she hung up and made eye contact that her cheeks got a little pink and she stumbled over an invisible wrinkle in the carpet.

  “This is yours,” he said, handing her the ten-dollar bill she’d left on the bar. “I’m the reason you spilled your drink so the least I could do is buy it for you.”

  She smiled, the motion lighting her face and he thought again how pretty she was. “Thank you.”

  “Will you go to dinner with me when we get to Eagle Rock?”

  She sobered instantly, all humor gone, her eyes going wide as she stared at him. It was probably more of a gape, since her mouth fell open too, and no sound came out as she stared.

  “Oh, come on,” he cajoled softly. “Don’t hurt my feelings by saying no. I’m just a boring military guy, not like the celebrities you’re around all the time, but I think I’m a decent conversationalist and I promise I won’t bore you with war stories.”

  Lana still didn’t say anything, her eyes never leaving his.

  “Lana?”

  “I puked on the last guy I went on a date with,” she whispered.

  Mark cocked his head. “Was he a jerk? Did he deserve it?”

  “Oh, um, yes. Definitely. He was an asshole.”

  “I’m not a jerk or an asshole, so there would be no reason for you to puke on me, would there?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “But roller coasters are never a good idea for me.”

  “Duly noted. No roller coasters.” He gave her his most charming smile. “You’re safe because Kate and Erin would kick my ass if I wasn’t nice to you, and I’m not afraid of much, but Erin? Holy shit, don’t run into her in a dark alley.”

  Lana relaxed as a giggle escaped. “I’ve never seen that side of her, but I’ve heard stories.”

  “All true.”

  She paused. “I’m not sure what my schedule is going to be—Aaron Farrar is supposedly on a tear. That’s why I’m going to Bum-fuck, Montana.”

  “We’ll work around it. My schedule is pretty flexible.”

  “Okay. Thank you. Dinner would be nice.” Her phone rang and Lana jumped, sending her phone toppling out of her hand
. She fumbled to grab it and promptly sent it flying.

  Mark snaked out a hand, catching it in mid-air, and handed it back to her. “You’re not flying the plane, are you?”

  She dipped her head, sighing as her call went to voice mail. “I told you—cute guys make me nervous.”

  He chuckled. “Be that as it may, I’m really looking forward to dinner.”

  Lana sank into her first-class seat with a sigh of relief. She’d always made it a point to avoid men like Mark. He was way out of her league so there was no need to flirt or pretend she had a chance with him. He was so damn hot, she didn’t understand why he wanted to go out with her at all, but if sex was the motivation, she was all in. It had been a while and she’d had a crush on him for so long, what could it hurt to get it out of her system? He was an inch shorter than her but didn’t seem to mind, and from what she’d seen so far, his body would provide her with a rock-solid sexual playground.

  She was shy with men because her height had garnered too many unkind comments over the years, but she loved sex and missed having it regularly. She wasn’t fond of one-night stands but wound up having them now and then because the alternative was no sex at all. None of those men had been as attractive as Mark, though, and she wondered if she could keep from embarrassing herself long enough to see him naked. If she could use the time on the flight to beat back her nerves and not do anything else that was foolish, maybe she had a shot.

  “This is truly my lucky day,” Mark said, dropping into the seat next to her.

  “Uh…hi.” She was fairly confident she hadn’t done anything dumb yet, but it had only been a few seconds, after all.

  “I hate to fly,” he said, fastening his seat belt. “I’ve been on so many flights but I’ve never learned to enjoy it.”