Free Never Surrender by Lindsay McKenna Page B

say much and had to keep their communication bland. Hell, he wanted to reach through that screen and haul Bay into his arms and kiss her senseless. Just seeing the light dancing in her blue eyes made him feel an avalanche of relief. She looked good. And happy.
    “I’m getting acclimated to my new digs over in the valley. Got a really squared-away SF captain over there. His team could care less whether I’m a woman or not.”
    Gabe chuckled. “Right on. You’re an 18 Delta, so they don’t care if you have two heads and sprout horns.” He heard her laughter, husky and sweet. His euphoria deepened as he saw her wrinkle her nose, her beautiful lips pulling up into a huge smile over his comment. He loved her. His lower body ached, needed relief. Gabe couldn’t think two thoughts on any given day without thinking of Bay, remembering the times they’d hotly loved one another until they were utterly exhausted.
    “Did you get with Chief?” he demanded.
    “Oh, yeah, I did.” Bay hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “He’s been wonderful, Gabe. When I can manage to get a helo hop over here, he lets me use the team computer. Really sweet of him.”
    Sweet had nothing to do with it, but Gabe nodded and said nothing. “You’re now part of the SEAL family, Bay. He’s gonna treat you right.”
    “He sure has. And, hey, the guys in this platoon have been really nice to me, too.” And then she gave him a wicked grin. “Unlike your team who wanted to burn me at the stake.”
    He absorbed her laughter, drinking in the beauty of her face. “Your nose is sorta red. Been outdoors a lot? Patrols?”
    “I’ve been working clinics outdoors. No patrols, though. The captain wants me to stay in the village where it’s safer.”
    “Smart man. Tell him thank you.” That was profound news and a relief to Gabe.
    She grinned. “Well, the captain said he didn’t want an angry SEAL climbing his ass, so he really wanted to keep you happy.”
    Gabe’s hands were sweaty. He’d had such fear for Bay going out on patrols, his imagination going wild, having a nightmare about her being killed. “Hey, tell that captain I appreciate him watching your back. But you’re right, I’d damn well climb anyone’s ass if they didn’t properly take care of you.”
    “Well,” she murmured, “I think you guys in the SEALs have such a tough reputation, that it’s already a done deal.”
    He sobered. “I love you.” Gabe didn’t give a damn who heard him. Bay’s face softened, and so many emotions crossed her very readable face. She struggled.
    “I love you, too. And I miss you so much, Gabe....”
    “It’s mutual, believe me.” He saw longing in her expression. And sadness that they were once more separated from one another.
    “It has to be hard on you, too.”
    Gabe snorted. “Hell, I’m stateside. What’s gonna happen to me? Get bit by a pissed-off rattler because I ran too close to the manzanita bush he was resting under? Find a scorpion in my sleeping bag and get stung?”
    Bay shook her head, laughing. “God, you make my day, Griffin.”
    How badly Gabe wanted to reach out and simply touch her flushed cheek, kiss her lips, feel Bay lean into him, her arms sliding around his neck. His throat tightened with those intense memories.
    “I’m glad I do,” he said. “I want to see you smiling and happy over there.” He wondered if she felt him come to her at night when she slept.
    “You make me feel happy,” she whispered, losing her smile. “I’m busy, so it takes my head out of missing you so much.”
    “You’re not too busy, are you?” Gabe demanded, frowning. Bay had promised him to not wear herself out like she had before.
    Holding up her hands, she said, “I’ve been a good girl. Reza is here, and he’s like my guard dog, taking your place. He meets me at my house every morning, and then we have MREs at HQ. Every morning, he sizes me up. ‘Baylee, you have shadows under your eyes. Baylee, you look thinner.