Finding Dani (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 3) Read online

  Chapter 7

  “How did it go at the village?” Claire asked, as Dani sat down with a plate of food.

  They were in the mess tent where soldiers and medical staff filed in and out, eating and socializing. The food was unimaginative, but it was hot and tasted decent. It was lunch time and she was hungry, having slept through breakfast. It had been a long and depressing flight back from Ghana.

  “How does everyone know where we went?” Claire was the second person to ask that since she’d picked up her food.

  Claire rolled her eyes. “How do you think?”

  “Hailey?” It was a guess, but Hailey tended to know more than she should in any given situation.

  “Yep.” Claire poked at the brown mass on her plate. “She used those baby blues to weasel the info out of a horny radio operator.” She stabbed at the food again. “What is this?”

  “That is military meatloaf,” Damon said, sitting down across from the two women.

  “It’s almost un-edible in the hands of a less talented cook,” Gunner continued, sitting down beside Damon.

  “Is it really meatloaf?” Claire asked.

  “No one actually knows,” Gunner said, winking at her. “But you can live on it.”

  “Where’s the rest of the team?” Damon asked.

  Dani saw the slow scan of the crowd that he did, looking for the rest of her crew. She’d looked herself and didn’t see Travis, Hailey, or Martin. And who knew where Anuma had taken off to? He’d disappeared so thoroughly that the soldiers had lost his trail at the edge of the jungle.

  “I haven’t seen anyone but Claire since we landed,” she said.

  Claire’s nose scrunched as she sniffed the white lump that looked like mashed potatoes. She took an experimental bite before saying, “Travis is sulking in his tent. I saw him leaving as I was coming in for food.”

  “What’s he upset about?” Dani asked. She was steadily eating for the fuel, and it wasn’t as bad as it looked.

  “He doesn’t like not knowing where you went. And, if you ask me, he’s jealous,” Claire said.

  “Someone has a bit of unrequited love, huh?” Gunner grinned at Dani.

  His plate was already clear, as was Damon’s. They didn’t waste any time on the meal either. Damon leaned forward on his elbows, fixed on the conversation. His hair swept forward over his forehead and Dani had the ridiculous urge to reach over and push it back. His hair was longer than normal, but he’d always been the rebellious one of his family. At least, that’s what Gabriel always said. She thought that maybe he was a bit envious of his wilder brother.

  “Who even says that—” Claire laughed, “—unrequited?”

  Damon grinned and said, “Well—”

  Gunner shoved him, “Don’t do it.”

  “He reads Victorian romance novels when he’s bored.”

  Dani stared at the man, who now had a faint redness around his ears. Gunner Halverson, she knew, was a man of many talents. He was wealthy from inheritance as well as from his own inventions, had a doctorate from M.I.T., and regularly consulted on top secret government problems. The nature of those, well, no one really knew about except for a few key people very high up in the pecking order.

  And, on top of it all, he was drop dead gorgeous.

  “Wait, you read romance novels?” Claire asked. Then covered her mouth as she laughed. “You so do not look the type.”

  Damon continued ruthlessly, “And paranormal romance.”

  Dani bit her lip to keep the laughter inside. It felt good to smile about something, and Gunner’s rapidly darkening complexion was becoming hilarious. She cleared her throat before saying, “I think it’s nice that you read widely.”

  Gunner elbowed Damon. “He reads the same books.”

  Damon grinned, not the least bit embarrassed. “I only read books by Elizabeth Richardson, and only because Zach makes me.”

  Claire gasped. “I love her books.” She turned and looked at Dani. “She’s the one I told you about that writes that psychic detective series. I have all seven of those books and am rabidly waiting on book eight.”

  “Yeah, well, our buddy Zach is married to her, and he makes us buy every single one.” Gunner’s face was still pink around the cheeks.

  Damon shrugged, “They’re great books.”

  “True, but knowing the main character is based on Zach makes reading the sex scenes just awkward,” Gunner said.

  Dani laughed out loud this time, imagining these two tough guys reading some steamy romance love scene while trying not to imagine their friend. She envied them that closeness, that willingness to buy a book in support of their friend’s wife, and even read it. She only had that with Claire, and only because they’d been on so many assignments together.

  Through the mesh of the tent entrance, Dani saw Travis walk by. She wanted to catch him and find out what was going on with him. Maybe get a feel for where his head was at. She stood up and grabbed her tray.

  “I’m sorry to leave abruptly, but there’s someone I need to speak to.”

  Damon stood. “I’ll come with you.”

  Dani shook her head and motioned for him to sit back down. “This is something I need to do alone.” She could tell he didn’t like that answer, but he reluctantly sat back down.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll keep these two occupied for you, Dani.” Claire winked at her and nodded toward the door.

  She’d obviously seen Travis as well and knew Dani wanted to talk to him. Walking toward the front, she dumped her tray off and headed outside. She caught sight of Travis as he rounded the corner, a towel thrown over his shoulder and his shower bag in one hand. She wanted to catch him before he got to the showers.

  ***

  “Hey, Travis, wait up.”

  He stopped at the sound of her voice. Hers was a bit low for a woman, rich and smoky, and it had followed him into more than one of his more erotic dreams about her. He’d stopped in the shadows and waited for her to catch up to him.

  “I’ve been looking for you,” she said.

  If only. “Well, you found me. What’s up?”

  She reached out and touched his arm. The same way Hailey had hours before, only this time, his body lit up in a way that it only did when Dani touched him. Oh, he knew Hailey had a thing for him, but that would pass. She got infatuated with any guy she was in contact with for more than a couple of hours. She was a kid. Dani was a woman.

  A woman he’d been patient with, hoping she’d finally see him as a man. Not a co-worker.

  “Are you okay?” she asked. “You haven’t seemed like yourself lately, and with everything that’s happened, I wanted to touch base with you and make sure you were alright.”

  She removed her hand as casually as she’d touched him, and he missed the warmth she left behind. Dani rarely touched anyone, so he took that as a good sign.

  “Actually, I’m worried about you.”

  She looked surprised. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you? Taking off with that Damon guy isn’t safe, Dani.”

  Waving her hand in a dismissive gesture, she said, “He’s a safe pilot. And we had five of the military guys with us as an escort. Perfectly safe.”

  Travis ran a hand through his hair. It was frustrating trying to talk to Dani about anything except work. That was the only thing she wasn’t closed up about. “I’m not talking about flying back to the damn village, Dani. Even though that wasn’t a good idea; I’m talking about Damon himself. He’s not safe.”

  Her big green eyes glowed in the semi darkness, drawing him toward her. He had to make her understand, and he wanted to be close to her. He always wanted to be close to her. But she took a step back, putting space between them again.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Travis. And I don’t think you do either.”

  “He’s a killer, damn it. Did you know that? He’s a mercenary with orders to protect that Dr. Halverson with whatever means necessary. And he was a sniper. I heard some of the
soldiers talking, practically worshiping him because he shoots people from far away. It’s disgusting. He’s got blood on his hands.”

  Travis couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Her face was completely blank. Maybe she was in shock at hearing that her brother-in-law was completely different from the noble man that was her late husband. A man that was like Travis. Both doctors. Both willing to sacrifice their lives to save others. And both in love with Danielle Bordeaux.

  He dropped his bag and reached out to grip her shoulders. To force her to understand that Damon was beneath her, beneath them both.

  “Let me go, Travis.”

  “You save lives and he takes them. How can you look at him the way you do when he kills for a living? You’re so much better than he is.”

  “You’re hurting me, Travis. Let. Me. Go.”

  “Let her go, now, or I’ll show you exactly how much of a killer I am,” Damon said, his voice washing over Travis like a cold wave. “And it’ll be up close and personal.”

  Dani backed away, the look on her face wasn’t directed at Damon the way it should have been. Instead, she was looking at him with dread. While rubbing her arms. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Oh, God, never that.

  “I’m sorry, Dani. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  She said nothing.

  Then, Travis looked at the man he’d just called a killer. And any thoughts of being able to handle himself were immediately discarded. Cold dread washed over him. He was no match for the very angry man standing almost in front of Dani now, protecting her from Travis himself. That wasn’t how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to realize that Damon was the threat, not look at him like he was.

  “You ever touch her again, Travis, and I’ll rip your arms off and beat you to death with them. Am I perfectly clear?”

  He hated himself for nodding, for giving in and looking weak in front of Dani. But he didn’t have a choice. He believed the man in front of him. There was no doubt in Travis’s mind that if he ever touched Dani again, he was a dead man.

  ***

  Claire drew back into the shadows of the nearest tent. She hadn’t meant to follow anyone; she had merely headed back to her own sleeping space, the one she shared with Hailey, when she’d come up on the end of that little confrontation.

  Travis picked up his shower bag and scuttled away, tail tucked firmly between his legs, as far as she could tell. And Damon grabbed Dani’s hand and led her in the opposite direction. Her friend looked a little shell shocked by the whole thing.

  “Spying?”

  Claire turned her head, barely able to see the sarcastic little smile on Dr. Graham’s face. “More like, not wanting to interrupt that rather tense little scene. Besides, what’re you doing skulking around in the shadows?”

  The smile dropped off his face. “I do not skulk, Ms. Belgarde. I was also merely going this way.”

  “Your tent isn’t this way,” she said. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. He could be such a formal ass.

  “No, but the infirmary is, and we might have a new Ebola case. I was asked to come and consult, since Dr. Bordeaux couldn’t be located. Clearly, she is sorting out some personal issues.”

  Claire snorted at him, not caring that he raised his eyebrows at the unladylike noise. “What new Ebola case? I was there most of the day and it was all routine vaccinations.”

  “The man who came in with the head wound. He’s the one.”

  “But, they were all tested,” she said. None of the villagers had shown any signs of being positive for the virus. No one even had so much as a fever. “We’d better tell Dani.”

  “Not yet,” Martin said. “Let’s make sure it’s actually something to be worried about and not Dr. Montgomery trying to cause a panic.”

  “Then, let’s go. I want to see this for myself.”

  This was seriously going to derail all their plans for going stateside if it really was Ebola in the camp. They’d all need to follow quarantine procedures, which would keep them in Liberia another twenty-one days.

  Chapter 8

  Damon was vibrating with the need to punch something. Travis was his focus, but he knew Dani wouldn’t want him to seriously hurt a teammate and friend. And right now, he was in a killing mood. Seeing his hands on Dani—hurting her.

  He had her smaller hand in his as Damon led them toward her tent. She was the only thing keeping him from finding that bastard again and showing him what hurt was. And she was too quiet, not stopping him from dragging her through camp. That worried him.

  She should be giving him all kinds of hell.

  When he had her safely inside, he closed the door and dropped the cloth blinds to ensure privacy. “Dani?”

  Her face was expressionless, but her cheeks were pink and she was blinking rapidly, trying to hold back tears. Damon made the effort to calm down, taking a deep breath, before lifting his hand to her chin and tilting her face up to his.

  “Are you alright?”

  She nodded, the move jerky, and tried to move away. “Fine,” she whispered.

  “You’re not fine. Did he hurt you?”

  She rubbed her arms and shook her head. “Just a little.”

  One tear broke free and slid down her cheek and that was more than Damon could take. He pulled her into his arms and held her close. “It’s okay to cry, sugar. A lot has happened in the last two days.”

  Her sob nearly broke his heart. He scooped her up into his arms and sat them both onto her cot. With her face buried in his neck and her arms up around his neck, he couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be. And she felt damn good in his arms.

  Better than he’d ever imagined. Over the years, he’d imagined more than he’d ever admit to anyone. He gently unbraided her hair and ran his fingers through it in long strokes. He knew she found it soothing when she sighed.

  “I’m sorry,” she sniffed.

  “Shush. You have yourself a good cry.”

  Dani hadn’t lifted her head from his shoulder, so he couldn’t see her face, but he could feel her start to shake. With laughter. He pulled back so he could see her expression. It was tear-stained, and her cheeks were almost as red as her hair. But those big green eyes are what held him.

  “I think I needed that.” She ducked her head and continued to smile. “But now I’m feeling really stupid for being curled up in your lap like a little girl.”

  He grinned. Very glad she was getting her spunk back. “Got my shirt all wet too.”

  “That’s what you get for being all macho and sweet.” She was wiping away the moisture around her eyes, which was beginning to dry up, with the sleeve of her shirt.

  Damon couldn’t help but turn serious. He’d heard what Travis said and he wasn’t wrong. Dani was a healer, and he’d taken more lives than he could even talk about. But she wasn’t looking at him like he was some kind of pariah.

  “I have taken lives, Dani. Travis isn’t wrong about me. It was my job. Still is.”

  Her eyes widened and then she reached up to smooth the hair from his forehead. It was a tender gesture. One he hadn’t expected, but it felt nice.

  “You protected the men on your team, Damon. That’s what you do.” She frowned as she looked at the door. “What Travis said was—”

  She shifted in his lap and froze. There was no mistaking what was rapidly happening in his pants. He’d been able to control himself while she’d been upset and crying it out. But now, the smell of her hair and the feel of her curvy, warm body was bringing out his baser instincts. She wasn’t even wearing any expensive perfume, just plain soap and her own unique fragrance. It was a heady combination.

  “Maybe I should move,” she said. Her eyebrow was arched and her frown had turned a tad mischievous.

  Damon stifled a groan. “If you move any more, this situation is going to change your perception of me from caring knight-in-shining-armor to something a lot less complimentary, given recent events.”

  ***

  Da
ni didn’t want to move, and yet she did. The safe feeling she had in his arms was quickly turning into something else. Something much more complicated.

  Damon’s light topaz eyes had turned dark and serious. And the rigid length of him was snug against her bottom, making her heart thud in her chest. A heart that until this moment, she thought might be encased in ice.

  “Finish what you were going to say about Travis,” he said. And if his voice was husky now, she tried to ignore it.

  “He’s just wrong. You aren’t a killer.” She reached up and cupped his cheek, knowing he needed to hear this. Because it was obvious that he believed the same thing Travis did. She had to make him understand that what he’d done was necessary and even noble.

  “You made hard choices and served your country with honor. Screw what Travis said and anyone else who thinks that way.”

  She stared into his eyes, willing him to believe her. But then his eyes moved down to her lips and she realized that both of her hands were around his neck and her face was mere inches from his. If she moved any closer, she’d be plastered up against him.

  “I warned you,” he rasped.

  Then his lips touched hers. And it surprised her so much that she gasped and he slipped his tongue inside and took over. He was a conquering warrior and she was a prize fought for and won.

  Dani melted.

  His arms were around her in a second and she was taken. Her breasts pressed against his muscled chest, tingling and tightening in an almost painfully sweet sensation. Dani’s fingers tunneled into his long hair as his found her own.

  The kiss was a warm and wet explosion of taste. It was as if she’d been seeing in black and white her whole life and suddenly could see in color. Her body lit up, feelings she thought long dead rising eagerly to the surface.

  The sounds she made in the back of her throat would probably embarrass her later, but at this moment, they were totally involuntary.