Temporary Home (15 page)

He poured her a cup of coffee he’d made earlier. “Not a problem. I’ve eaten.”

“Really?” She glanced around her kitchen, mug in hand. “You cleaned up after yourself? Thanks.”

“No, I ate over at Roxi’s.”

Pain flashed through her eyes. “Oh. I see.”

“I met her brother.”

Her head snapped up and she froze. “Ritchie’s back?”

There was a breathless quality to her voice. “Yes, got back this morning from what I understand.”

She worked her lower lip between her teeth. “I’ll swing by later and see him. I left the decorations in the living room. I’ll help you later tonight. Lights are in the garage. Thanks for doing this, Sam.”

He brushed a kiss along her cheek. “Have a good day, Laila.”

She headed for the door. “No Charlie Brown trees,” she called out over her shoulder.

He waited until he heard her vehicle leave, then went to the garage and checked on her lights. After seeing which ones worked, he went back inside and grabbed his hat, jacket and keys. Then he walked across the frosty grass to Roxi’s house and rang the doorbell.

Ritchie opened the door and waved him in. “Did Laila already leave for work?”

“Yes. She left before I came back over here. Said she’d stop by later when she got home to see you.” He removed his hat and held it in one hand.

“Okay.” Whatever Ritchie was going to say next was halted as Roxi came over to them.

“Ready?” he asked her, eager to get her alone.

“Sure am.” She slipped her purse on over her coat and pocketed her keys. “You know where my keys are to the Tribeca if you need them, Ritchie. We’ll see you later. Bye, Eric.”

“Bye, Sam, bye, Aunt Roxi!”

Together they walked out of the house and back across to where his truck sat, idling in the next drive. He’d pressed the automatic start on his way over to pick up his date for the excursion. Like a gentleman, he held the door for her. Unlike one, he thought all kinds of thoughts which involved things not fit for public eyes. Tearing his gaze from her perfection of an ass, he went to the driver’s side and hopped up.

“Thanks for taking me with you,” she said quietly.

“I’m glad you could come along.” After he’d spoken the words he realised just how true they were.

He watched her in his periphery. She pressed close to the door, almost like she was willing it to suck her up. Or as if she couldn’t wait to get away from him. Neither was a happy thought for him.

Roxi wore blue jeans and a light blue jacket. He knew below it lay a deep red, long-sleeved T-shirt.
And beneath that?
His brain taunted him with recollections of her naked body, spread out under his. Over his.

Christ, he had it bad.

Her hair was clasped at her neck with a simple barrette and she had black boots on. Simple. Sexy as all get-out. His woman. The truck swerved a bit as those words sank in.

His woman?
When the hell had that thought settled into his head?

He sliced his gaze to the woman in his truck. If she noticed the motion she never said so. In fact, she stared out of the side window as he drove.

“Roxi?”

She glanced at him, brown eyes wide and gentle. “Yes?”

Shit! He just couldn’t say it. He gave her a smile and turned back to the road. She kept her attention on him for a few moments, he could feel it. The sigh which left him was one of frustration. He didn’t know what to do. He knew what he
wanted
to do, but didn’t know
what
to do.

Pulling into the Christmas tree farm, he parked next to a minivan and another truck. The place was surprisingly busy this early. They climbed out and he locked up behind him. Waiting for her at the front of the truck, he had offered her his arm before he’d realised what he’d done. Thankfully, she took it. Slid her hand right into the crook of his arm and walked beside him, the leather of her glove on his jacket.

“Ideas?” he asked as they walked among the rows of conifer trees. He’d never had a tree before. He usually wasn’t around for the holiday, and if he was, he just didn’t celebrate. The farm was huge, boasting both pre-cut and those you could pick from and cut down yourself. Right now they were out in the back area where the live trees grew.

“Blue spruce? Those are always nice.”

He paused and looked around, lost in the woodland of Christmas trees. “We’re in the what…pine? Where the hell are we?”

She laughed and he glanced at her, brows raised in confusion. “It’s just funny to me. Two Marines lost at a tree farm. I can see the headlines now.”

Her joy was infectious and he laughed with her. She stepped away from him, shoulders still shaking, and looked at the nearest tree. Then she shook her head. “I have no clue. I’d say yes, we’re in pine but I didn’t get a map, did you?”

“Nope.”

“So even if we are in pine, it still really doesn’t help us at all, does it?”

She had a point there. “Well, we could always just walk back the way we came.”

“And admit defeat? Never. We’re Marines, damn it. We can do this.”

“Do you want one of these?”

Roxi shook her head. “I want a spruce.” She turned to the left. “Let’s go that way.”

“Lead on, Marine.”

She glanced at him, eyes alight with humour. “Oh I see, send in the lower rank first.”

He flashed a grin. “Yep. Get a move on.”

“Damn Gunnies.”

He heard the affection in her tone and shook his head as he set off after her. She moved with a fluid gait and he could easily picture her dressed in combat gear. The blue parka and jeans exchanged for camouflage and a helmet. Purse for an M-16.

“You’re supposed to let me know if it’s safe.”

“I thought you were supposed to lead by example.”

“I do. But then, my Marines don’t have an ass like yours, so I have no need for them to be in front of me.”

She froze mid-step and turned. “Is that why you wanted me taking point? So you could stare at my ass?”

He could lie about it. But he didn’t.

“Yep.”

She snorted, rolling her eyes. “At least you’re honest.”

The amusement in her eyes morphed into desire and she stepped closer to him. He groaned when the tip of her tongue peeked out and dampened her plump lips. She smoothed her hands up the leather of his jacket, to the top of his shoulders, and tugged. He couldn’t ignore her any more than he could stop breathing and live. He allowed her to do what she wished.

“So am I,” she whispered, a hairsbreadth away from his lips. “I want to kiss you.”

Oh, he wanted that too. Desperately. “You’re in control here, Marine. You want a kiss, you have to take it.”

“I plan on it.” Her words were a promise. One he personally couldn’t wait for her to make good on.

She slid a hand around the back of his neck, grazing his skin with the tips of her fingers, setting up goose bumps in their wake. Her other hand continued to hold his jacket. As if he’d be going anywhere. She rose up slightly and brushed her lips against his. He willed his limbs to remain still—hard to do when every inch of him demanded he take control and dominate. Somehow, he managed to do nothing.

Roxi nibbled along his lower lip before he felt her tongue begin to slip through the seam of his mouth. He opened for her and bit back his groan when she entered. Her tongue dipped and swept along his, coaxing it out to play.

She released his coat and wrapped her other arm around his neck too, then arched into him, pressing her full breasts along his chest. Her moan was almost his undoing. His cock went from hard to marble-hard.

“Let’s try down this row, Daddy!” a young voice ripped through the bubble they’d made around one another.

Roxi stepped back and stared at him. Her eyes were smoky with passion, her lips parted as her air left her in short little pants. He watched her chest rise and fall with the breaths she struggled to take. Not that he was any better. Grateful his longer coat kept his erection hidden, he reached out and stroked a knuckle down the side of her face, even as he looked up to see a family of three coming around the corner.

Roxi couldn’t stop the flutters in her belly. What had started as an innocent kiss had quickly changed into something more. Much more. She licked her lips to retain as much of his taste as she could then turned to see the people who had interrupted what surely would have been a heated exchange, with her being taken at a tree farm.

The parents gave them a nod and a brief hello before continuing on after their yelling child. Neither of them spoke but Sam did wrap an arm around her and draw her close to him.

“Let’s go,” he said, urging her to continue in the same direction the family had gone.

They found a sign which read “Spruce” and he looked up the row then back at her. “Here?”

She nodded and followed him in. She took her time, appreciating her view. One which had nothing to do with the trees around them and everything to do with the man before her dressed in solid black. He wore his jeans so nicely it truly wasn’t fair to others. He also had on this black mid-length leather jacket which—in her humble and horny opinion—went so well with the black jeans, gloves and boots. He also wore a black turtleneck.
Can we say yum?

He swung back around and pinned her with those incredible blue eyes. “You coming?”

Just about. Crap, she’d been so close during the kiss, especially after all her unfulfilling dreams. So near to splintering apart beneath his touch. “Right behind you.”

He waited for her and when she reached him, he captured her chin before he brushed their lips together and whispered, “We’ll have to pick that up later.”

His voice was like warm melted chocolate. It invited her to jump in and commit all kinds of sin. Ignoring the part of her heart that told her to keep him at a distance, she took his arm and rested against it before she continued on again.

They walked all through the tree farm not talking, but she didn’t mind. She thought over his question this morning, did it bother her that he didn’t talk so much with her? No. She loved this, just spending time with him, knowing he was there with her. What did bother her was the way he tried keeping his heart from her. She caught glimpses of it from time to time, but for the most part she couldn’t help but see the big wall he had erected around it.

A wall she wanted to breach. She understood. He’d not had it easy, but surely it was time to give someone a shot at getting close. A deep breath.
Not the time to worry about that
.

“Well?” he asked.

“Well what?”

“Which one?”

“Oh, um, well I’m fine with a pre-cut.” She grinned at him. “Would you believe I just wanted to walk around?”

“I’d believe it.” A fast, hard kiss. “Let’s get your tree, then.”

They headed back the way they’d come, just not going up each row this time. Back at the main part they purchased some hot cocoa and drank it while taking a short break as their selected trees were placed in his truck. Again, this was done in silence but she still didn’t mind.

Her phone rang and she pulled it from her pocket. “What’s up, Ritchie?”

During her short call with her brother, she kept her sights on Sam. He watched her right back. Not hiding it, just staring at her. His eyes were full of emotion that made her belly tighten.

“Everything okay?” he asked when she’d hung up.

“Yes. He just needed to know where some decorations were.”

Sam quirked his lips. “More like he wanted to make sure you weren’t off fucking.”

“That too.” She grinned. “Joke’s on him. I can still hold a conversation when doing that, so he wouldn’t have stopped anything.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Really?”

Shit.
More of the cussing, why can’t I stop doing that?
“Well…yeah…I mean…you know…um…”

“Seems to me that if you’re able to carry on a conversation with someone else while a man is in between your thighs, he’s not doing it right. No, ma’am, not at all.”

She felt a bit flushed. “Maybe I’m just good at multitasking.”

The predatory gleam in his eyes told her he wasn’t buying it. “Is this with every man you’ve been with?”

She didn’t even get upset he had asked about other men. Roxi knew exactly what this referred to. Their time together.

“Roxi?”

“Huh? Oh, um, no?”

“Why are you asking me? I asked you.”

“If I say not with you, will that make you happy?”

“Only if it’s true.”

“No one called while we were together.” His eyes flashed dangerously and she knew she was flirting with trouble. And yet, she couldn’t help herself. “But I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to talk on the phone.”

His jaw ticked. “Pretty sure?”

“Well, yes. I mean, come on, Sam. This is like someone saying they can fuck me until all I can do is sleep. It’s an expression. Just like my comment was just a comment.”

Okay. Not the right thing to say.

“You know you should really stop while you can,” he warned.

She realised that, just couldn’t quite get her mouth to shut up. “Life is full of expressions like that. Doesn’t make the—”

“Roxi!”

That did it. Her mouth snapped shut. “Hmm?”

“I’m pretty laid back. But this…”

“Really? You seem a bit tense to me.” She squeaked when he shoved to his feet, his empty cup crushed in his hand. True, it was paper but still, it hadn’t taken much.

“I’m beginning to think you like trying to make me crazy.” He moved around the table to her side and used his arms to block her in. Nose to nose he waited, poised to strike. Like a panther.

“Not really. It’s nothing against you, Sam.”

His eyes narrowed. “So you’re telling me I’m one you
could
talk on the phone during. Okay, Roxi. I accept.”

That sounded menacing. “Accept what?”

“Your challenge.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t challenge.”

“Oh, I think you did. One, that you can actually hold a conversation while I’m fucking you and two, that I can’t fuck you into exhaustion.” That last word fell from his lips in a dark and decadent promise.

“You’re…putting words into my mouth.”
Cripes.
When had she begun to sweat so much? It wasn’t far from Christmas but she was so hot she could be wearing a bikini and it would still be too much.