Gwen's Delta (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Delta Team Three Book 3) Read online

  Gwen’s Delta (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

  Delta Team 3, Book Three

  Lynne St. James

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2020 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Edited by Trish Owens

  Contents

  Foreword

  About the Book

  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

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Books by Lynne St. James

  About the Author

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Books by Susan Stoker

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the Special Forces: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!

  If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.

  This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.

  I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!

  This series is special to me as the five authors writing in the Delta Team Three series took a team that I introduced in Shielding Kinley and made them their own.

  READ ON!

  Xoxo

  Susan Stoker

  About the Book

  Shy bookstore owner Guinevere Dedmond resigned herself to living her dreams through the pages of the books she sells. But when she receives a mysterious call demanding she pay ransom to save her parents, her comfortable world erupts in chaos. Panicked, she turns to the sexy soldier who swept her off her feet, not knowing he's part of an elite spec ops team.

  Luke “Merlin” Forest and his Delta Team are no strangers to uncovering terrorist plots and stopping them, but when he discovers Gwen's parents are involved, the risks and stakes get a lot higher. His sexy bookworm has given him a taste of stability that he's never had before, and this mission threatens to blow that relationship out of the water. Risking his life has always been part of his job—but it just got personal.

  ** Gwen's Delta is the 3rd book in the Delta Team Three Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

  ** Operation Alpha is a fan-fiction world for Susan Stoker's novels. The characters in this series were introduced in Stoker's Delta Team Two series, specifically, book two, Shielding Kinley. You don't have to read that book to be engrossed in this series, but why wouldn't you want to? Enjoy!

  To the crew that helped me overcome the 2020 effect, Trish, Becca, and Dawn.

  And to Tom, my real life hero.

  Delta Team Three Series

  Nori’s Delta by Lori Ryan

  Destiny’s Delta by Becca Jameson

  Gwen’s Delta by Lynne St. James

  Ivy’s Delta by Elle James

  Hope’s Delta by Riley Edwards

  Chapter 1

  “Don’t ignore me, Gwen. I’m serious. You spend way too much time working. You need to go on a date or at least out with your friends—something. If you keep this up, you’ll turn into an old maid,” Rebecca Dedmond remarked as she tapped her foot.

  Gwen Dedmond couldn’t ignore her grandmother if she wanted to. The petite woman was like a force of nature when she set her mind on something. Except for her shoulder-length, silver hair, no one would believe she was in her eighties, especially as she stood in the doorway, lecturing Gwen in jeans and a T-shirt that said, “King Arthur rocks my socks off.”

  Gwen barely hid her exasperation as she looked up from the computer at her grandmother. “I’m not ignoring you. I’m trying to get the new inventory onto the website. Mom and Dad sent a huge list of items for the store last night. And since when is twenty-eight an old maid?” If she didn’t keep the bookstore website updated, they’d lose half their business or more. Lately, they had more online and phone orders than customers in the shop.

  Every time Gwen’s parents were on a buying trip—which was almost always—Grams would push her to get out more. She loved her grandparents to death. They’d practically raised her, and Gwen wasn’t old. Besides, she knew most of the men in the tiny town of Lancelot, Texas, and they weren’t boyfriend material.

  “Fine, but you’re not getting any younger. I want great-grandbabies before Gramps and I go to the great Camelot in the sky.”

  Gwen laughed. “What if I don’t want to have children? Anyway, you’re still young, and you can’t leave me alone with Mom and Dad. They’ll drive me out of my mind.” Her parents were like teenagers on a never-ending class trip, and when they were home, they were restless and ornery. It was almost a relief when they left again.

  “You’re right, and for the life of me, I can’t figure them out. I love Arthur, but damn if he doesn’t get on our nerves, too. Last time they were home, Gramps threatened to slap him into the next county if he didn’t cut it out.”

  “How did I miss that?” Gwen asked. Gramps was one of the sweetest men ever, but look out if someone poked at him enough to piss him off. She’d love to know what Dad had done to awaken the bear in him.

  “You’d already gone home. But I swear, Arthur didn’t have this wanderlust before he married your mother.”

  “I can’t help you there,” Gwen said with a smile. She’d finished entering the items from the one manifest. One down, five more to go.

  “Smart Alec.” Grams laughed.

  “They’re perfect for each other, and you know it. Just like you and Gramps. If I could find a love like that, I’d get married, too.”

  “You will. It’s how it works for our family. The first time I laid eyes on Gramps, my heart knew he was the man for me. It was the same for your dad. He strode into the house, carrying his sack of laundry and walking on air. He told us he’d met the woman he would marry. And sure enough, as soon as they graduated, they eloped.”

  Gwen heard those stories countless times over the years, so much so she’d expected to get swept off her feet by her knight when she’d gone to college. Countless horrible da
tes had shattered the dream until it had become just another story told by her family. “I love you, Grams, and I know you worry about me. But I’m good. I love my life just the way it is now.”

  “You’d love it a lot more if you didn’t work so hard. If you don’t get out and meet people, how do you expect to find your prince?”

  Good question, but it was easier to keep busy in the bookstore than risk her heart. “I guess if you’re right and it really just happens, then he’ll walk in here one day and knock me off my feet.”

  “You’re impossible,” Grams said with exasperation.

  Gwen grew up listening to Grams’ real-life fairy tale and every Arthurian legend ever published. It was in their blood or maybe their DNA, but it only took a few minutes after meeting them to know why they owned the Camelot bookstore in a town named Lancelot.

  Hoping to divert Grams from the discussion of her love life, she changed the subject. “Do you think my parents will ever get tired of traveling? They could stay here and handle the day-to-day, and I could do the buying for a while.”

  “That’s what the fight with Gramps was about. He wanted them to stay home and take over the business so we could retire, do some traveling. But your father refused. He said they had the connections. Or some such thing.”

  Gwen sighed and turned back to the computer. Why would they want to come back to Lancelot? She took care of everything. She always felt like the adult, and they were the children when they were together.

  “I’m sorry, Gwenie-bee. I’d like to tell you they’ll get over living out of a suitcase, but I just don’t see it. That’s why you need to get out of here, go out with your friends, meet new people. You’re smart and beautiful, but no one can see it when all do you is work at that computer.” Grams wrapped her arms around Gwen and squeezed her shoulders. “We love you, and we want what’s best for you even if your parents don’t see it.”

  Gwen returned the hug, then drew away to smile at her grandmother.

  The wrinkles at the corner of Grams’ eyes were deeper, and she looked tired. Was there another reason for the push to get her a man? They had her best interests at heart and were the reason she dreamed of a prince taking her off to Camelot. They’d been the ones to instill those fantasies when she was little while her parents were off gallivanting all over the world. But they were just childish dreams; men like that didn’t exist.

  Turning back to the computer, she pushed a lock of her auburn hair behind her ear and adjusted her glasses. She needed to get her head back in the game; rehashing her little-girl dreams wouldn’t do her a damn bit of good.

  “Is there any of the lemonade left?” Gwen asked.

  “Changing the subject? Don’t think you’re getting around me, young lady. I’m not letting you off the hook. But I’ll see if Gramps left any.”

  “Thank you. You’re the best.”

  “Yes, I am. I’ll be right back,” Grams said with a chuckle as she went through the doorway into the kitchen.

  The bell over the front door chimed. Assuming it was Mr. Hopper, one of their regulars, Gwen called out. “I’ll be right with you.”

  Mr. Hopper often came to the bookstore to chat with Gramps and rarely bought anything.

  “No problem. If it’s okay, I’ll just look around?” a deep voice replied.

  Not Mr. Hopper. Gwen looked up from the computer and stared into a pair of gorgeous, caramel-brown eyes. As her gaze traveled over his tall, muscled body, a bolt of electricity sizzled through her and rendered her speechless.

  “So, it’s okay that I look around?”

  “Ah, sure, no problem. Let me know if you need anything.” Ugh. She sounded like one of those empty-headed women she despised, breathless and raspy. What the hell was wrong with her?

  After he flashed a bright smile that sucked all the air out of her lungs, he wandered toward the shelves of rare books. As Gwen leaned over the counter to check out his jean-covered ass, she almost fell over. She grabbed the edge of the desk just before the stool tipped over and dumped her on the floor. Unfortunately, Grams saw the entire thing as she returned with the lemonade.

  “What on Earth?” Grams asked as Gwen adjusted the stool.

  Heat flooded Gwen’s face as she mumbled, “Nothing, it’s nothing. I just slipped while reaching for the pen. No biggie.”

  Of course, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous chose that moment to step out from behind the row of bookcases. He had to be at least six feet tall. A dusting of gray hair tinged the temples of his wavy, chestnut-brown hair. Gramps would say he was built like a brick shithouse and solid as a rock. His black T-shirt strained against his broad chest and muscled arms. As her eyes continued down to his waist and long, jean-clad legs, she imagined they were as muscled as the rest of him.

  Grams’ eyes practically twinkled as she grinned. “Well, he looks promising.”

  Gwen shook her head and rolled her eyes. Grams might be getting older, but she didn’t miss a thing. Not that Gwen blamed her as she wiped her damp palms on her jeans and tried to slow her breathing.

  As he approached the desk, she took a drink of the lemonade, hoping the cold liquid would help ease her reaction before he noticed. It didn’t work, not even a little. She’d need a lot more than a cold drink to ward off the sexy that oozed from the man in front of her.

  Even with the extra height she had from the stool, he towered over her. His light-brown eyes danced with amusement. Damn, he’d realized she’d been staring at him.

  “Can Gwen help you find something?” Grams asked before Gwen could open her mouth.

  Mortified, her cheeks burned, and she wished the floor would open and suck her down into the basement. In her defense, he’d been the first man younger than sixty she’d seen in over two months.

  “Gwen? Really? And you work in a bookstore named Camelot?” the man asked as he cocked his head with interest.

  It wasn’t the first time she’d heard that question. As she met his brown eyes that reminded her of molten milk chocolate with a caramel twist, the words caught in her throat.

  Grams elbowed her in the side, and she could almost hear her say, “See, he’s interested.”

  “Yes, Guinevere actually. My family loves Arthurian legends, and after they got married, my grandparents opened the bookstore. We’ve been open for about sixty years now,” Gwen said after catching her breath.

  “How cool is that? I guess I’m in the right place then. Arthurian tales are some of my favorites stories.”

  His deep voice sent shivers down her spine. What was it with this guy? “Mine, too. I grew up hearing most of them. What brings you in today? Is there something we can help you find?”

  Now that he was closer, she saw the fine lines at the corners of his eyes, and he looked tired. From the way he held himself, she figured him for military, probably stationed at Ft. Hood since it was about a half-hour away.

  “I found the store online, and when I realized how close it was, I had to come and check it out. Collecting old books is a weakness of mine.”

  “I bet it’s his only one,” Grams whispered into her ear.

  His warm, contagious laugh took her by surprise. “Thank you, ma’am. But I’m not sure my teammates would agree.”

  Gwen’s cheeks had to be all shades of pink as the heat slid up her neck. She would have to kill Grams later. “I’m sorry. My grandmother is old and losing her social graces.”

  “I am not. I’m Rebecca Dedmond, but call me Becca. My husband and I opened the bookstore,” Grams said, as she reached across the desk to shake his hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Dedmond—uhh, Becca. I’m Luke Forest, but most of my friends call me Merlin.”

  “Merlin? Really? Why is that?” Grams asked and winked at Gwen.

  Yup, Gwen would definitely kill her later.

  “If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you,” Merlin answered with a wide grin, flashing his bright-white teeth.

  His lighthearted teasing eased some of Gwen’s tension. May
be Grams would stop the inquisition now.

  “Have you been in the Army long?” Grams asked.

  Gwen groaned under her breath. So much for stopping the inquisition.

  “Grams, I think I hear Gramps calling your name.” She had to do something to get rid of her before she drove the poor man out the door.

  “I don’t—”

  Gwen cocked an eyebrow.

  Grams sighed. “Oh, all right. It was nice meeting you, Merlin. I hope I see you again soon.”

  “I’m sure you will, Miss—Becca.”

  “I’ll just refill this,” Grams said as she took Gwen’s unfinished lemonade and went through the doorway.

  Gwen shook her head with a smile. “I’m sorry about that, Luke, or do you prefer Merlin?”

  “Either is fine. Does anyone call you Guinevere or just Gwen?”

  “Usually Gwen. My family has a few other nicknames, too, but I’m not sharing those.” She smiled as she saved her work and closed the laptop. The website would have to wait. “Did you come in for something in particular?”

  “No, not really. It surprised me to find a rare bookstore so close to Killeen. Usually, I’m lucky to find a bookstore at all.”

  “I’m not surprised. We’re a little out of the way, but Lancelot was a pull my grandparents couldn’t resist.”

  “I totally understand. I bet they have a wonderful story equal to any of the King Arthur tales.”