SEALs of Honor: Markus by Dale Mayer

she?”
    “She’s as fine as she can be.”
    At the odd look on Mason’s face, he added, “She was fighting a major illness, apparently she almost died and her body is still weak. This excursion hasn’t helped. She lost everything to cover her medical bills and decided she needed to reconnect with the world around her now that she’s alive. She only landed in Alaska a few weeks ago.”
    “Not exactly a good welcome.”
    “No, but she’s a trooper. She kept apologizing for not being able to walk anymore.”
    Markus watched as Swede brought her inside and set her on her feet.
    “Bree, do you need an ambulance?” Mason asked.
    “Oh my goodness,” she cried. “No, I’m not hurt.” She beamed at Markus. “He was wonderful. Kept me warm and safe the whole time. Definitely a keeper.”
    Markus, in the act of taking a drink from his glass, choked and coughed.
    “Oh dear.”
    Before he knew it Bree was pounding him on his back. “Are you okay?”
    He grabbed her hands before she hit him again. “I’m fine. I just swallowed the wrong way.”
    But she didn’t look like she believed him. “Maybe you are hurt from carrying Jake and me. Maybe there is something more seriously wrong,” she cried. “I’ll never forgive myself if you’re hurt because of me.”
    He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
    She threw her arms around him. “I’m so glad. And thank you so much for saving me.”
    He realized that was the first time she’d actually expressed her thanks. “You’re welcome.”
    She pulled back and beamed up at him. Then she turned to the others on his team and said, “Markus really is a sweetheart.”
    He glared at the guys. If they said one damn thing wrong…
    Swede nodded solemnly. “Thanks for telling us. It’s important we understand what kind of man he is when we have to put our lives in his hands every day.”
    Ah hell. They were going to milk this to the end.
    “Oh my yes,” Bree cried. “He’s wonderful. So thoughtful, caring. He wrapped me up in a blanket and when I still couldn’t warm up he held me in his arms all through the dark hours.”
    The guys hid their grins. Markus groaned. “They’d all have done the same for you, Bree. It wasn’t anything special.”
    She spun to look at him, her eyes huge. Then her shoulders slumped. And he felt like a heel. Shit, he should have kept his mouth shut.
    “Of course, that makes sense. Sorry.” She turned away to the kitchen sink and using a glass left on the counter she washed it and then filled it with water. An awkward silence filed the room. The men glared at Markus. He glared back. He didn’t know how to fix this. Hell – who could?

Chapter 12

    B ree walked outside to where there were yet more men standing and talking in groups. Was anyone looking for the shooter? Poor Jake. Poor her. No, she was done with that whole self-pity thing. She’d tried it out when she’d first gotten sick, but that hadn’t worked for her. It wasn’t her style.
    She’d bucked up soon after.
    So if she slipped a little, especially when she was tired and exhausted as she was today, surely that was understandable – not acceptable but as long as it was only a tiny slip? Recoverable.
    It had to be the trauma that had made her so sensitive. She couldn’t do that to them. Markus was right. All his team would help her out. It’s what they were trained to do. It’s what they’d do naturally. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was her . She wasn’t special – other than a special kind of idiot for getting lost in the first place.
    She had to stop looking at Markus like a friend. When had that started anyway? During their heartfelt conversations? While he held her close in her arms?
    He’d been doing his job. Nothing more.
    That she might want it to be more wasn’t the issue. She couldn’t place her loneliness on his head. It wasn’t his responsibility, it was hers.
    And she needed to remember that.
    When she heard a door slam behind her, she