This book is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously. Known locales are also used
fictitiously.

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Please Note: While I had help with
this story from several knowledgeable sources, there are still
likely mistakes on my part. Authors also like to stretch and change
things to make their story work. So this book does not necessarily
reflect reality. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Dedication

To Vicky Burkholder and Victoria Smith
for all the hard work and endless reading you’ve put into this
story.

To CPRW – the best chapter of RWA –
thanks to each of you who have helped me to keep on writing, even
though this dream looked hopeless. I couldn’t have done it without
your support, friendship, and encouragement. Thank you.

To Courtney Anderson – thanks for the
line edit! I really appreciate your help.

To my hubby, Roy, for supporting me
all these years without complaint.

The Corpsman and the
Nerd

By: D.R. Grady

Chapter
1

In retrospect, KC Gilmore
realized when she wished for something to heat up her cold, lonely
nights, she should have been more specific. Because some trickster
who worked for fate heard her and gave her exactly what she asked
for. Now, she would not only experience some
very
hot nights, she also wouldn’t be
alone.

Somehow, being deployed to
Kuwait wasn’t what she had in mind, though. Since the temperatures
often hovered in the hundreds and she would be sharing a tent with
at least nine other women, she got her wish. Kuwait, or Iraq or
Afghanistan, they were all a little too hot for her tastes. Her
wishful thoughts had run along the lines of a little, or
even
a lot
, of
cuddling with an amazing man. She longed for long strolls on
scented summer evenings and stolen moments snuggling maybe with a
kiss or two thrown in.

Instead, she stared at the sheet with
her orders clearly printed for October of this year and her stomach
sank. October was two weeks away. This had come much sooner than
she wanted. Not as soon as she expected. She’d actually blocked out
the thought that she might get called up. Like if she didn’t think
about it, the time would never come.

Now she would be leaving all too soon.
Blinking back tears that sprang from nowhere, KC wanted the chance
to be more specific for fate.

Be careful what you wish
for because you might just get it
. Her
grandmother’s old, often quoted adage leaped to mind and a longing
for her grandparent rose. How she could use some of that lady’s
tart advice right now. KC wanted to shout at the injustice of this
summons and wished her time hadn’t come yet. And while she was
making wishes, she wanted a hot man too.

“
What’s up?” Max Morrison’s
voice sounded from too close behind her and only training and
willpower kept her from jumping several feet off the
floor.

“
Must you sneak up on me all
the time?” she demanded, swinging around to confront him, her heart
still racing. KC didn’t notice the soothing pale green walls and
the cream colored wainscoting she had settled on when redecorating
the hallway of the office space she and Max owned.

Max held up a hand. “I just asked a
question. And I wasn’t exactly quiet coming down the hall. You were
out in la la land.” He tried to swipe a finger down her nose, but
she danced away and swatted him. “That’s why you got scared. It had
nothing to do with me.”

Quelling a pout, KC stared at him. He
hated when she glared and she enjoyed watching him squirm, even
minimally. She tilted her head and increased the intensity.
Frowning at him while she thought, she decided he was probably
right. “Okay, I’ll give you that. I was fairly easy to sneak up on,
but I’m sure you tried to be as quiet as possible.”

“
Who, me
?” His eyes wide, Max flung his arms out in
innocence.

KC rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you. Like
acting all innocent ever works with me. I know you, Max Morrison.
You purposefully try to scare anyone you can.”

“
Do not,” he retorted, a bit
huffily. She hid the grin flirting with her lips.

“
Hey, Jean, how many times a
day does Max try to sneak up on you?” she yelled across the office
to one of their administrative assistants.

“
How does ‘every chance he
gets’ sound?” Jean replied without looking up from her
computer.

“
Truthful and accurate,” KC
answered triumphantly before swinging back to Max.
“
Hah!
See? You’re
well known around here,” KC reminded him as she poked him in the
chest for good measure.

Max was quick, and easily avoided her
probing finger. “I think I’m much maligned here.” He dodged her
again. KC continued her pursuit of annoying him.

“
You are not maligned, it’s
the truth.” He darted around her, and his glasses slid down his
nose. He pushed the trendy black plastic frames up and she watched
a mischievous curl slip over his forehead. Max, with his
black-brown curls, intelligent blue eyes, dark glasses, and
incredible brain spelled nerd, but KC was pretty fond of him
anyway. Maybe she had a soft spot for nerds.

The paper with her orders to Kuwait
floated to the floor and Max, in a graceful sweep, scooped it up
before it landed.

“
What’s this?” he asked as
his eyes scanned the paper. She watched his face and saw
disappointment and astonishment as he comprehended what he read.
His reaction made her feel better, at least marginally. “You’re
being deployed to Kuwait.” Max answered his own
question.

KC groped behind her, located a chair,
and sank into it. His eyes were as blank as she’d ever seen them.
As though he was in shock. Nodding, KC answered his statement.
“Yes.” Her voice sounded dull.

“
Why?”

She didn’t feel like
grinning or smiling even though his behavior did cheer her.
“Because I’m a Navy reserve and my number came up. Because it’s my
turn. I
am
in the
military. And they need members of the Medical Corps and since I’m
a surgeon, that’s me. I’m surprised I haven’t been called
sooner.”

Blank blue eyes continued to
stare at her. “I can’t believe you’re going overseas.” Max’s voice
sank to monotonic levels and she grouped the sound in with the
lackluster eyes and empty face.
Shock,
definitely
.

“
We’re at war, Max. This is
what happens during war.” She tried to sound encouraging, but
couldn’t tell whether her effort proved successful or not. She
didn’t feel any better and Max still hadn’t given anything
away.

She had never seen him so
uncomprehending. As though his brain had shut down and refused to
start up again. KC swallowed. She couldn’t imagine not seeing Max
at least five days a week. Sadness tried to overwhelm her, but she
shoved it away. They had grown pretty close in the year they worked
together. Now she faced not seeing him for at least eight months.
Whether the time away included her training time she didn’t know,
yet. There was a distinct possibility she might be gone even
longer.

“
You’re leaving,” Max
repeated, his eyes glazed and staring.

“
I am.” KC didn’t know how
to comfort him, not when she wrestled with the summons
herself.

“
Why aren’t you flipping
out?” he asked suspiciously, and the blank look disappeared. His
eyes gleamed with intelligence and cunning once more. KC would have
groaned if she had the energy.

“
What do you mean why aren’t
I flipping out? I don’t
flip
out.”

“
Mmm-hmm.
Hello
, you’ve got how
much planning to do before you leave?”

Max had a point. She hadn’t even begun
to think about all she had to do before she left.

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