Will of Steel Read Online Free Page A

made of, right where they live and breathe,” he commented. “Under fire, you’re always afraid. But you harness the fear and use it, attack when you’d rather run. You learn the meaning of courage. It isn’t the absence of fear. It’s fear management, at its best. You do your duty.”
    â€œNicely said, Chief Graves,” she said admiringly, and grinned.
    â€œWell, I know a thing or two about being shot at,” he reminded her. “I was in the first wave in the secondincursion in the Middle East. Then I became a police officer and then a police chief.”
    â€œYou met the other police chief at one of those conventions, I’ll bet,” she commented.
    â€œActually I met him at the FBI academy during a training session on hostage negotiation,” he corrected. “He was teaching it.”
    â€œMy goodness. He can negotiate?”
    â€œHe did most of his negotiations with a gun before he was a Texas Ranger,” he laughed.
    â€œHe was a Ranger, too?”
    â€œYes. And a cyber-crime expert for a Texas D.A., and a merc, and half a dozen other interesting things. He can also dance. He won a tango contest in Argentina, and that’s saying something. Tango and Argentina go together like coffee and cream.”
    She propped her chin in her hands. “A man who can do the tango. It boggles the mind. I’ve only ever seen a couple of men do it in movies.” She smiled. “Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman was my favorite.”
    He grinned. “Not the ‘governator’ in True Lies? ”
    She glared at him. “I’m sure he was doing his best.”
    He shook his head. “I watched Rudolph Valentino do it in an old silent film,” he sighed. “Real style.”
    â€œIt’s a beautiful dance.”
    He gave her a long look. “There’s a new Latin dance club in Billings.”
    â€œWhat?” she exclaimed with pure surprise.
    â€œNo kidding. A guy from New York moved out here to retire. He’d been in ballroom competition most of his life and he got bored. So he organized a dance band and opened up a dance club. People come up from Wyoming and across from the Dakotas just to hear the band anddo the dances.” He toyed with his coffee cup. “Suppose you and I go up there and try it out? I can teach you the tango.”
    Her heart skipped. It was the first time, despite all the banter, that he’d ever suggested taking her on a date.
    He scowled when she hesitated.
    â€œI’d love to,” she blurted out.
    His face relaxed. He smiled again. “Okay. Saturday?”
    She nodded. Her heart was racing. She felt breathless.
    She was so young, he thought, looking at her. He hesitated.
    â€œThey don’t have grammar school on Saturdays,” she quipped, “so I won’t need an excuse from the principal to skip class.”
    He burst out laughing. “Is that how I looked? Sorry.”
    â€œI’m almost twenty-one,” she pointed out. “I know that seems young to you, but I’ve had a lot of responsibility. Uncle John could be a handful, and I was the only person taking care of him for most of my life.”
    â€œThat’s true. Responsibility matures people pretty quick.”
    â€œYou’d know,” she said softly, because he’d taken wonderful care of his grandmother and then the uncle who’d owned half this ranch.
    He shrugged. “I don’t think there’s a choice about looking after people you love.”
    â€œNeither do I.”
    He gave her an appraising look. “You going to the club in blue jeans and a shirt?” he asked. “Because if you are, I plan to wear my uniform.”
    She raised both eyebrows.
    â€œOr have you forgotten what happened the last time I wore my uniform to a social event?” he added.
    She glowered at him.
    â€œIs it my fault if people think of me as a target the minute they realize what I do for a