Free Never Forget: A Novella in the Echo Platoon Series by Marliss Melton Page A

bite didn’t put him off. In fact, he’d like to see Draco again whenever that works for you.”
    Amazement had him sinking back against his pillows.
    “I just remembered that your guests came in this evening,” she continued, “so you must be way too busy to pick up Curtis in the morning. If it’s okay with you, I can bring him over in the afternoon when I get off work, and he could play with the dog for an hour or so—not to get paid; just to keep the bond going.”
    His heart started thumping with elation. Not only was she coming over tomorrow, but she hadn’t cancelled their Friday date!
    “If that’s not okay, just let me know via text what your preference is. I know you’re really busy. Okay, so, I guess I’ll hear from you. Bye.”
    He texted back so fast that he had to type his reply three times to eliminate the typos.
    Great idea. See you tomorrow afternoon.
    Putting his phone back on the charger, he turned off the lights and yawned hugely into the darkness.
    Draco’s proximity filled him with a hankering to hold Maya close. The need to get to know her better had grown into a hungering in just a few days. If she bowed out of his life now, she would leave a void that might never be filled.
    At zero three hundred hours, Rusty’s phone vibrated with Maya’s return text. Draco’s snores drowned out the sound. Rusty read the message at zero five thirty in the morning the instant he woke up, and his smile was so wide it made his cheeks hurt.
    We’ll be by in the afternoon. See you around 4.

Chapter Nine
    ‡
    F ORGING R USTY’S DRIVEWAY, Maya was struck by how lively the place looked compared to her previous visits. His property crawled with men. Some played Frisbee between the oak tree and the veranda while others peered under the hood of one of the many parked cars. Others stood on the dock out by the creek, holding fishing poles. At her approach, every man stopped what he was doing to assess whether she was friend or foe.
    They were so fresh out of a war zone that their antennas were still set to high-alert. Ian had behaved the same way for the first week he was home, jumping at the least little sound. With half the men standing around bare-chested, she was glad she’d thought to change out of her work attire into shorts and a T-shirt. As she stepped out of her van, a dozen pairs of eyes skimmed over her slim, bare legs.
    Through her affiliation with the Navy, she was used to being outnumbered by men, but these specimens weren’t your average Joe—they were superhuman specimens of raw strength and intelligence. Just standing about in various postures of ease, they exuded physical readiness and supreme male confidence.
    “Hello,” she called to all within earshot, using just enough of her professional voice to send the message that she wasn’t there to entertain them. She added a small general wave in no specific direction.
    Undaunted, their stares conveyed enough appreciation of her femininity that her skin warmed and prickled. Some answered her greeting out loud. Others sent her come-hither smiles that reminded her they hadn’t been around women in quite a long time.
    But then Curtis pushed out of his side of the van, and taking stock of him, the SEALs came to conclusions about her availability and immediately looked away.
    Just then Rusty strode around the corner and self-awareness swamped her again. With a look that expressed apology and a willingness to make amends, he closed the distance between them.
    “Welcome back,” he said, including Curtis in his greeting. “How’s the ankle?”
    “Better,” Curtis answered, looking past him. “Where’s Draco?”
    Rusty grimaced. “In his crate. He’s a little freaked out right now with all the men around. When you take him out, please keep him on the lead, and don’t give him too much slack.”
    Curtis nodded gravely. “Okay,” he said, hurrying toward the far side of the house with just the slightest limp. He’d followed her orders to