A Marine of Plenty Read Online Free Page B

and the work, the gear would add to her overall discomfort.
    “If you’re not in here ,” he repeated, slowly. “I want you geared up.”
    “Okay, so that’s a yes.” She sighed, dreading the way the head protection would mess her hair. Like I need to be worrying about that right now?
    “Ma’am, this isn’t a safe place. At no point should you feel safe enough to take your helmet off outside or in, unless you’re in here, which is still not one-hundred percent secure.” He eyed her, caution and wariness marring his gaze. “It only takes once—one misstep, one moment of comfort, and a stray bullet.”
    Apprehension wrapped icy fingers around her spine. It only took once for Robbie, too. She couldn’t imagine his work in the field left him any less geared up—in fact, he likely had more. The gear hadn’t protected him.
    “Okay, duly noted. If you don’t mind giving me another minute?” She picked up the heavy jacket and swung it on. Her back protested almost immediately.
    “Not at all.” Walking a couple of steps closer, he brushed her hands aside, buckled up the jacket, and fixed the buttons before grabbing her helmet and offering it to her. “Always let us double check that you have everything in place. The Kevlar in the vest can stop a bullet, but not the force of it. You’d still take a hell of a bruise.”
    He adjusted the collar and buttoned it together. The urge to make a gurgling sound bubbled up. The poor captain seemed to be doing his level best to protect her and she struggled not to descend into juvenile antics.
    “Your throat always needs to be covered, too,” he admonished, and waited for her to buckle her helmet before retreating. “Ready?”
    “Sir, yes, sir.” Okay, a little juvenile, but he had that one coming.
    He grinned, and her heart stuttered at the absolute beauty in his raw, masculine face. The smile softened the blunt edges and turned darkly handsome into downright sexy. A second shiver chased up her spine, but had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the forbidden.
    “Good.” Did his voice just drop into the low, husky range? He glanced both ways down the hall and motioned for her to follow. Wiping her sweat-slicked palms against her jeans, she wanted to groan. If she didn’t get off the mad little see-saw, it would be a thoroughly unpleasant trip for all involved. Lagging behind him, she wanted to keep her distance, but Charlie had other ideas.
    Stopping, he frowned at her. “When I move, you move, unless I tell you otherwise, and you need to be here.” He pointed to the space right behind him. “On me, at all times.”
    She wanted to be on him, all right. The thought practically tingled on her tongue, and she bit down to keep from blurting it out. Waiting until she closed the gap between them, he started walking again. Instead of going outside, he led her through a maze of corridors. The building was at times finished and unfinished—like a cobbled-together mobile home, only the cement walls were far sturdier than manufactured materials.
    At a set of double doors, they encountered another brace of Marines, the three men nearly identical in their heavy gear and helmets. They flanked her, keeping her in the center of their square and pushed their way outside.
    Noise surrounded them. The shouts of some who still played basketball on their makeshift court, the salutes of enlisted to the captain as he strode past, motorized vehicles coming and going, and the crackling of thunder in the distance. She halted and frowned up at the blue sky.
    Where is the thunder coming from?
    “Jana.” Charlie’s voice snapped through her reverie. He waited three feet ahead of her, and she was in the open.
    “Sorry,” she muttered and hurried after him. “I heard thunder.”
    “It’s not thunder.” He scowled and picked up the pace.
    Another boom of it rolled across the sky, and she glanced to the walled barricade of the base. Were they under attack? None of the men