Free The Navy's Ghost (Bad Boys of Beta Squad) by Siobhan Muir

cared about someone’s fuck buddy.
    She smiled at Retro as he returned and let her gaze shift over to Magic. Maybe now she could fantasize about having one of these men as a boyfriend. Hell, I’m probably the best choice for them. She’d understand them being gone for long periods of time and always being on call better than any other woman out there.
    “Thanks.”
    “You say that a lot more these days, Ghost.” Magic winked, a humorous twinkle in his gray eyes.
    “Yeah, well, my m om taught me to be polite and since I can’t do much for myself, I figure I should dole out a little sugar to get someone else to do it for me.”
    “Your s ugar always worked on me.” Magic grinned and refilled her cup.
    Chris snorted. “Yeah right. How many times did I have to bust your ass when you started dragging in BUD/S? ”
    Magic laughed and heat bloomed in her chest. She loved his laugh , the sexy mixture of thick molasses and rich, warm velvet. She remembered his laugh when he had to pull splinters from her hands on the helo out of SERE. She could wrap herself up in it and snuggle forever.
    “Not as many as you’d like everyone to believe,” he said without rancor. “But I’d take your sugar any time if you’re givin’ it out.”
    Her grin split her face and one of her lips cracked. “Ow. It’s way too dry in here.”
    Retro leaned over her with a stick of lip balm in his hand.
    “Pucker up, buttercup,” he rumbled with a wink and she pushed her lips forward.
    He slid the tube over them and she thought his eyes sparked with arousal, but they shutter ed so fast she couldn’t be sure. She did hear him mutter “damn” under his breath, but he turned away once she rolled her lips together to coat them evenly.
    “Thanks, Retro.”
    “God have mercy, I could get used to hear gratitude all the time.”
    Chris warmed again and sweat trickled down the side of her head. Had the temperature in here increased or was it just the two sexiest men alive in the room? She smiled, but exhaustion crept in on her. At least the pain had faded. God, I’m thirsty.
    She closed her eyes and tried to breathe evenly. The futile wish for the world to go back to what it was echoed through her mind and frustration built until it spilled from her eyes. No, no, no. Can’t cry in front of them. But her emotions ignored her orders and tears slipped free.
    Chris grimaced. “Dammit, there I go again. It’s gotta be the drugs. I keep crying like a girl.” More tears escaped her eyes and Retro grabbed her hand, squeezing it while Magic wiped away the liquid sorrow.
    “I have to say I don’t mind the girly side of you so much, Ghost.” Magic caught her gaze when she opened her eyes.
    G ray eyes sparkled with compassion. Steel blue encircled the pupils, but it faded toward the edges of the irises. Humor and something else glimmered in their depths. Is that what love looks like?
    Retro snorted his derisive amusement from her other side and she had to agree with his sentiment as she turned her head toward him.
    “Mind? Hell, I think we’d both love to see you in a skirt and spike heels. Not that it’s ever gonna happen.” Despite his words, his expression filled with tenderness.
    Chris released a watery laugh, but the humor quickly faded and tired her out even more. Heat prickled her face and scalp, but she burned for the men beside her. She wanted to tell them what she’d been thinking about, but uncertainty held her back. Magic had shared his feelings, but she couldn’t get a read on Retro. And she had no idea what Magic would think of her interest in having them both. At once.
    Damn, they’ll think I’m a freak. The whiney voice ignited her anger. Put out or ring out, Brickman! You gonna chicken out because someone once said you can’t do it? The naysayers promised she’d never make the SEALs. How was this any different? Or any harder?
    But physical exertion paled in comparison to matters of the heart, and Chris didn’t have the