Read Online Finding Dani (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 3) by Kori David - Free Book Online

throat would probably embarrass her later, but at this moment, they were totally involuntary.
    “Goddamn, you taste good,” he said.
    “Hmm.” She wasn’t sure she was actually capable of words because he started kissing her again and it was so good she never wanted to stop.
    She’d been on some dates over the years, even shared some kisses, but none of those had inspired much more than a pleasant warmth. Nothing like the volcanic need raging through her veins. And just being in his arms, so strong and so gentle, made her want to cry again. And that was the problem. She needed him in a way that she shouldn’t. Dani couldn’t do this. She just couldn’t.
    She pulled away. “I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.”
    Damon kissed her again, a quick swipe of his lips. “Why the hell not?”
    “Because it isn’t right. It reminds me too much—”
    “Of Gabriel,” he finished.
    She scooted off his lap to pace the floor, mainly because the feel of him was a temptation she was dangerously close to throwing herself at. And how could he not remind her of her dead husband? They were twins, for God’s sake.
    “Listen, Damon—” she started, but a loud pounding on the door stopped her.
    “Hope you’re decent. I’m coming in,” Gunner Halverson said before opening the door.
    He stopped just inside, briefcase in one hand and a smirk on his face. A quick look at their disheveled appearance and it was clear there had been something going on. Dani could feel the tips of her ears get hot.
    “What’s up, Gun?” Damon asked. He didn’t bother to straighten up, just sat there and looked at both of them.
    “Sorry to interrupt, folks, but we have a situation.” His grin said he wasn’t sorry at all, but his eyes were serious as he set the briefcase down and began entering the combination for the locks.
    Damon stood at that point, but Dani wasn’t sure what was going on. “What’s the situation?” she asked.
    “Seems we have an Ebola case in the infirmary.”
    “What?” Dani shook her head. “But everyone was tested when they came into the camp. There was nothing but routine cases.”
    Gunner nodded as he popped the locks and opened the case. “That’s why we need to get some samples now. I have a feeling your mutated strand is here now.”
    Inside the case was soft padding that encased two vials of a milky white liquid and a number of syringes. Gunner began loading up three of those syringes in rapid succession, showing no hesitation as he turned toward her with one of the needles.
    “What is that?” she asked. It wasn’t something she was familiar with, especially since there was no label on the vial. She’d moved closer to look.
    “This is the reason I’m here, to study the virus and come up with an antidote, if possible. Those vials are a prototype that I refined for the CDC that they’ve been being testing on monkeys. I’d planned on using mine once we’d rounded up some sample subjects to see if there was some measurable success.”
    “So, why are you looking at us like we’re now your guinea pigs?” Damon asked. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the needle.
    “Jesus, Damon, you’ve been shot twice and fly that chopper of yours like you have a death wish. You’re really going to give me a hard time about a little needle stick?”
    “Why the fuck are you planning on giving us shots?”
    The grimace and wary tone pulled a reluctant smile out of Dani. She hadn’t known Damon had a fear of needles. But he did have a valid question.
    Gunner answered before she could put her question with Damon’s. “This is something I’ve been working on that is preventative as well as reactive. Obviously, top secret and not something even the higher ups know about. I brought enough for myself and Damon, just in case. But I can stretch it to cover the three of us.”
    Dani knew her jaw was about to drop. The top minds in the pharmaceutical companies, as well as government, were