Read Online Her Marine by Heather Long - Free Book Online

 
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    “ So they’ve got us surrounded, good! Now we can fire in any direction, those bastards won’t get away this time !” - CHESTY PULLER, USMC
     
     
    Brody checked the suit jacket’s fit against his button down. He’d skipped the tie altogether. Dress blues were more comfortable than business slacks and a tie. Damon Sinclair leaned against the bedroom’s doorframe. “If that doesn’t fit, I can jog over to the Captain’s or Logan’s.”
    “Nah, it’ll do.” Brody stretched his arms. The jacket was snug, but not uncomfortable. “You’re losing bulk.”
    Damon shrugged a shoulder. “I can still kick your ass. Sir.” He tacked the last on as an afterthought.
    Brody grinned. “You don’t have to sir me.”
    “Old habits die after the Marine, not before him.” Damon tossed him a set of keys. “I’m staying with Helena tonight, so the place is all yours.”
    “Thanks.” Brody shoved the keys in his pocket. “Hey, Damon…is Matt okay?”
    “He’s fine. He has good days and he has bad days. Fortunately the good days are starting to beat the bad. Today’s just not a good day. You stepping in for his date is a huge favor, one he’ll appreciate. I think Doc and his lady are taking him out to dinner.” Dinner with the Doc instead of his one-night stand might seem like a strange trade-off, but Brody didn’t mind filling in or even being asked to fill in. A Marine needed his help, and that was all he required.
    “Yeah, okay. It’s not like getting laid is a hardship.” Brody understood the younger Marine, Matt. The kid had found a home in the Corps. Brody never thought that having a family could make recovery worse, but then all he’d ever had to live up to was the Corps, and his brothers in the Marines.
    “Tick tock, Lieutenant. You’re gonna be late.” Damon threw him a wave and was gone. The chef was in his element. Most of the guys were, with few exceptions. Even Logan seemed downright cheery when they went out for beers. The Captain was completely in love with his fiancée, the Doc was tight with an actress, and Logan couldn’t shut up about a Gunnery Sergeant.
    A Gunny.
    Snorting, Brody inspected his appearance for neatness in the mirror and followed Damon out. The cook—sorry, chef—was already long gone. Apparently he’d met his match in an attorney, but it took a lot of patience on his part to keep her coming back for more. She must be worth it. He was damn near as cheery as Logan. The whole team seemed to be settling into civilian life.
    Sliding into the driver’s seat of the black hulk the guys loaned him for his leave, Brody couldn’t begrudge any of them. He was one of the last of his unit still on active duty. The new guys were a decent crew, and he got along with them well enough, but it was still damn good to see the rest. Years of working together made the conversation easy, the jokes ribald, and the acceptance smooth. They didn’t ask stupid questions, didn’t mention things better left unsaid, and didn’t give a good goddamn when they pissed him off.
    The GPS turned on with the engine and Brody plugged in the club’s address. Thirty-six hours earlier, he’d thrown his gear into the belly of a C-130 and left Germany for the long haul back to the States. Ten days of leave before he had to report in to the Navy Yard in D.C. Ten days to grab some pick up games with the guys, play poker, drink beer, and give the Captain shit about his new, old lady.
    Laughter rumbled in his chest. He checked the directions once before pulling out of the parking lot and leaving Mike’s Place in the rearview mirror. Brody had known about Rebecca for years, he’d seen her name on the return address of many an envelope. It had been his job to isolate the notes and put them away for the Captain on more than one occasion. He was glad the two worked it out even if they’d met through some crazy sex service.
    1Night Stand might be some exclusive outfit, but as far as