Quinn's Woman. Susan Mallery

branch to make it snap, she retreated into the dripping shadow of a thick tree. The man sprang to his feet and turned toward the sound. His backpack lay on the ground, as did his rifle. He wore his sidearm, but she doubted he knew how to use it.

      As the man stepped toward where she’d broken the branch, she circled behind him. When she was less than a foot away, she grabbed his arm, turned him, then swept out her leg to topple him to the ground. He landed hard, with an audible “oof” of air.

      She was already on him. After tossing his sidearm into the brush, she turned him and neatly tied his hands behind his back. She was nearly finished with his feet before he’d even gasped breath back into his body.

      “Okay, kid,” she called. “You can come out now.”

      Ronnie appeared, carrying her backpack. He stared open-mouthed at the tied man.

      “That was so great,” he told her. “Really fast and smooth. He never heard you coming.”

      The EMT guy didn’t look amused. “Now what?” he asked.

      D.J. smiled. “Now you relax while we search out other prey. I’m not wasting Ronnie’s time by having him head back to headquarters with just one guy.”

      “No way. You can’t leave me. It’s raining. The ground is wet.”

      D.J. shrugged. “It’s war.”

      He was still yelling when they were nearly a quarter mile away. She would have liked to tape his mouth, but it violated the rules of the game.

      Pity.

      An hour later they came upon three men standing together, smoking. They were talking and laughing, obviously unconcerned about the potential for being captured.

      D.J. studied the situation, then pulled Ronnie back far enough for them to have a whispered conversation.

      “If you want to win, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes,” she said as she slipped off her backpack. “Catch the enemy off guard with the unexpected. I’m going to wait while you get into position. You’ll head east and circle around them. When I walk into the clearing, you’ll be directly in front of me and behind them. When they’re distracted, walk in with your rifle pointed at their backs.”

      Ronnie nodded, but she saw the doubt in his eyes. He wanted to know how she was going to manage to distract three men at the same time. She smiled. It was so easy.

      First she shrugged out of her long-sleeved shirt. Underneath she wore an olive green tank and no bra. Ronnie’s eyes widened.

      She narrowed her gaze. He blushed, took a step back and stuttered an apology.

      While he was busy wondering if she was going to cut off an ear…or something worse…she pulled the tank up to just below her breasts, twisted the fabric into a knot and tucked it against her skin. The stretchy fabric now pulled tight across her breasts and left her midsection bare. Next she loosened the drawstring waist of her pants and rolled them down to her hipbones. She stuck her sidearm into her pants at the small of her back. Last, she dropped her cap to the ground and unfastened the braid. When her long hair was free, she bent at the waist and finger combed the waves in a sexy disarray. She straightened and tossed her head back. Her brown hair went flying.

      Ronnie’s mouth dropped open. “You’re gorgeous,” he said, then gasped and quickly retreated. “Sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to—”

      She cut him off with a wave of her hands. “It’s fine. Go get in position. I’ll give you a two-minute head start.”

      She waited the promised amount of time, then headed for the group of men. They were still standing around, talking and smoking. She stuck out her chest, then sauntered toward them, trying to look both easy and lost.

      “I am so turned around,” she said in a low voice. “Can any of your gentlemen help me?”

      They were all regular Army, officers and seasoned professionals. But they didn’t expect to see a half-dressed woman in the woods. It was damp and cold, so she wasn’t the least bit surprised when their gazes all locked on her chest.

      The oldest man took a step toward her. “What seems to be the problem, ma’am?”

      They were all such idiots, she thought happily. They’d left their rifles leaning against a tree. Just one more step and the firearms would be out of reach.

      D.J. stuck her hand into her hair and began to twirl a curl around her finger. “This is so not me,” she said. “I mean what was I thinking? I don’t even remember what team I’m on. I signed up for the games because my boyfriend asked me to, then the jerk dumped me three days ago.” She blinked, as if fighting tears. “I’m cold and tired and lonely.”

      The men moved in for the kill.

      “Hold it right there! Arms in the air.”

      She had to give Ronnie credit. He sounded positively powerful as he gave the order. The men turned toward him. When they looked back, she had her handgun pointed at them.

      Two of the officers swore, one laughed. “Hell of a show,” he said.

      “Thank you.”

      In a matter of minutes, all three of them were tied up.

      The limit for captures was five. There was a bonus for up to four brought in before midnight. The earlier the “enemies” were brought back to camp, the bigger the bonus. D.J. had figured it would take her and Ronnie until at least nine or ten to get four, but they’d gotten lucky.

      After the men were tied up, she unrolled her pants back to her waist and loosened her tank top. When she’d collected her gear, she shrugged back into her shirt.

      “Don’t get dressed on our account,” one of the Army officers said with a grin. “Naked suits you.”

      “How flattering,” she said, and turned her back on him. Why did men always assume women were interested in their attentions?

      “You remember where the EMT guy is?” she asked Ronnie.

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      “All right. Take these three with you and collect him. After you escort them back to headquarters, make sure they give us our bonus points, then meet me here. I’ll be within a quarter mile of this position.” She chuckled as she remembered his lack of stealth. “I’m sure I’ll hear you coming.”

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      D.J. watched as her boy toy led away their prisoners. The officers were only loosely tied together. Rules of engagement required that they cooperate on the trip back in. They were allowed to do whatever it took to get away right up until that first step toward camp. But just in case they decided to give her private the slip, she’d taken down their names.

      When she was alone, D.J. sank onto a log and drew her backpack close. The misting had finally stopped. It was nearing sunset, and the day wasn’t going to get any warmer. She thought about starting a fire, but that would mean giving away her position. Something she didn’t want to do. If no one got too close, she would stay right where she was until Ronnie returned. If she had to hide, she figured the odds of him finding her were close to zero. She would give him two hours to make his way to camp and come back. The return trip would be faster because he would flag down one of the jeeps circling the forest. If he didn’t make it in the time she allowed, she would find one more potential prisoner herself and get back into camp by midnight.

      Forty-five minutes into the first hour, D.J. heard something. It wasn’t footsteps or brush moving. She couldn’t actually place the sound, but it made the hairs on her arms stand up and her senses go on alert.

      Someone was out there.

      She silently slid off the log and into the shadowy protection of a tree trunk. After concealing her pack under some leaves, she confirmed she had her sidearm in place, then set out to find whoever was approaching.

      She headed