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He glared at her. She wasn’t perturbed by it at all. He watched her move her bishop before putting her gaze back on him. “So who’s Mrs Claus?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“You get to kiss her.”

He froze. “What?”

“Didn’t you know? You get to kiss Mrs Claus after the last kid has been on your lap and has had his or her picture taken.”

He jerked his gaze to Dean, who merely gave a sombre nod. The kids got pictures taken with him then the gifts were given out—which was where the things his fellow Marines dropped off came into play.

“No one told me that.”

“It won’t be bad, Sam. It’s all for fun and for the children.”

Dean nodded. “She’s right. Plus this year I thought they said there would be Marines with more gifts than before. It’s going to be a big thing this year. Bigger than most years.”

He knew that, they’d already discussed the Marines being there. Sam didn’t want to kiss anyone. Well, not other than Roxi, but he kept that to himself. He could kiss a woman for the kids to have a good holiday. Part of him wondered if they were yanking his chain but they seemed so serious about it. And there was the fact that Laila couldn’t lie to save herself.

He thought about the women who worked there. Okay, a cheek kiss. This could work. “For the children, then,” he said.

They had a nice dinner then he said goodnight and headed to the bowling lanes. Splashing through puddles, he ran to the door and slipped inside. He spied Brent and others he’d served with after searching the crowd and making his way over there. He was surprised at how glad he was to see them.

“Gunny!” Brent waved at him.

He gave a sharp nod and gestured for a beer from a passing waitress.

“You playing, Hoch?”

“Sure. Let me go get some shoes.”

They split up into teams and had a great time reminiscing, talking and just bullshitting around.

“Where did you run into Hoch, Killer?” Josh ‘Helter Skelter’ Jones asked.

“The jewellery section. He was in front of the rings.”

All heads turned to him. Both teams.

“You taking the plunge, Hoch?” another questioned.

Again, that unbidden image of Roxi filled his head. He could picture her in a wedding dress. All that white satin and lace against her dark skin. The lingerie she would wear beneath it. Garters, lace panties. His cock stirred and he shook off the vision.

“Nope. Just looking for a gift.”

Five people watched him with disbelief.

He shook his head in mild amusement. “Just a gift,” he reiterated.

“One that keeps on giving?”

He wasn’t about to give them any information on Roxi. So he didn’t say anything.

“Who’s here for the toy drive?” he asked to change the subject.

“All of us. In fact, there’s two more. Women.”

He nodded. He didn’t give a damn if it was men or women. The drive was the important thing. As they got back to bowling, he couldn’t get the thought of one of those rings out of his mind. The minute he’d seen it, he thought
Roxi
and knew that would be the ring he proposed to her with.

Whoa! Wait a minute here. His hand trembled and he lowered it, grateful it wasn’t his turn. When had those ideas begun to settle into his brain?

From the moment you met her
.

Yep. You knew she was different from the second your eyes landed on her.
This from his subconscious.

Advice he didn’t want from either.

“You’re up, Hoch!”

Appreciating the distraction, he took another swig of his beer and got up to bowl his frame. The rest of the time passed quickly and he left after a few hours. The men were hanging out longer but they understood when he told them about Master Guns. They all knew of the man, even if they hadn’t actually had the opportunity to meet him.

The rain still fell in torrents and he drove through it back to the house. Pressing the button for the garage door, he felt a stab of disappointment in his gut when he saw her vehicle wasn’t in there, even though he wasn’t expecting her home right now. He parked and headed inside.

He changed, after which he put his clothes in the laundry along with the ones he’d just purchased. While he waited for the load to finish, he picked up an album that sat above her television. A grin filled his face as he opened it and flipped through her childhood photographs. He took his time going through the expressive images.

The numerous pictures of her in various stages of growing up hit him low. She looked so happy. She and Ritchie both with their parents. Just another reminder of what he didn’t have. He closed the cover, sighed, and replaced it.

He walked to the item he’d purchased today and opened the box. Staring down at the object inside he wondered what she would do when—if—he gave it to her.

Her phone rang and he almost answered it but held off at the last second. He went towards the laundry room to move clothing from the washer to dryer. The sound of a man’s voice on the machine stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Hey, Roxi, it’s me, Lance. I’m in town for a few days. I’d love to get together. You know my number. Hope to hear from you soon, babe.”
Click
. The message ended.

Sam bristled. All over. Who the fuck was Lance and what the hell did he want with Roxi? And why did he care so damn much?

“Because I’m sleeping with her,” he told the empty room. And he sure as hell had no intentions of sharing her.

Roxi isn’t yours.
More unwanted advice from the brain.

Unwanted? Perhaps. However, it was true. He had no claim over her. But he knew he wanted one.

Have to get past your own insecurities if you want that to happen.

Like he didn’t know that already. He warred with that information and finished the trek to the washer to transfer the clothes to the dryer. Slamming his hands down on the top of the machine, he released a string of curses which would have had Dean looking at him in shock.

Did he? Did he have enough strength to defeat doubt and take a chance on Roxi? Sam wasn’t sure but he knew he needed to find out.

Sleep didn’t come that fast and he left early to run some errands with Dean. It was later in the following afternoon when he left Second Chances and was walking downtown looking for a gift for Laila when he froze. Roxi. He knew it was her. His body knew. He’d not seen her in the past two days. When she was home, he was gone and vice versa.

He’d missed her. Well, bully for him, now he got to see her. And she was with a tall, fit man. Jealously rose within him, tinting his world an ugly shade. The man had his arm around her shoulders and they were laughing and joking as they entered a small diner.

Why wasn’t she sleeping? More importantly, why was she here and letting this other man touch her with such familiarity?

* * * *

“I was so glad you called, Lance. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you.” Roxi gave the tall man a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“I know. We need to keep in better touch.” He helped her with her coat and held her chair for her.

Pulling off her gloves, she nodded in agreement. “Coffee, please,” she said when the waiter came to take their drink order. “We do. This once-a-year thing just doesn’t cut it anymore.”

“No, it doesn’t. But, with me moving to Portland, we’ll be much closer than when I was in Maine.”

“Very true. Thank you,” she said after the drinks arrived. Fixing hers the way she liked it, she stirred it a bit before leaning forward and resting her chin on laced fingers. “So. How are things?”

As Lance filled her in, she took in his shaggy, unkempt, dark-blond hair, piercing green eyes, and tanned skin. She couldn’t help but appreciate how he looked. But it wasn’t like that between them. Never had been. They were just very good friends. He travelled quite a bit and would call her whenever he got to town.

“Hey, I was thinking. We need to take a vacation.”

She sipped some coffee. “Do tell.”

“Remember when we went to Dubai?”

She sure did. She’d gone with him as his assistant but really just went for a free vacation. It had been a blast. “Oh yeah. That was a
lot
of fun.”

“Well, I have a conference coming up in Sydney, if you’d like to go with me.”

“Sydney? Oh, I haven’t been there in forever.” She shook her head. “I don’t know, Lance. I just got the promotion, I should probably stick around for a while.”

He waved it off. “It’s not for a few months.” He leant forward towards her. “Come on, Rox, it’s Australia. And right now it’s summer down there.”

Oh, that sounded so tempting. Warm sun. Beaches.

“Come on, what do you say? Want to go to Australia with me?”

“Yes, Roxi, are you going to go to Australia with him?”

At the new voice she jerked and turned to find Sam there. No expression on his face but she could see the fury in his body language. Jealousy? From Sam?

“Sam? What are you doing here?” Her heart pounded. “Is everything okay with Dean?”

He never looked at her, just continued to stare at Lance. “Shopping for Laila.”

Shortened sentences and a clipped tone. He wasn’t happy. Lance cleared his throat and she tore her gaze from Sam and met Lance’s.

“Oh, um, Sam Hoch meet Lance Noble. Lance, this is Sam. He’s here because of Master Guns.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam. I’m sorry to hear about Dean.”

“You know Dean?”

She watched Sam stiffen. Seriously, could the man get any tenser?

“Yes. Roxi introduced me to him years ago. Wonderful man.”

Now Sam looked at her and the emotions swirling in his eyes hit her in the gut like a sucker punch. “Nice to meet you. Sorry for interrupting.” He spun on his heel and walked off.

Licking her lips, she shrugged. “I’m sorry, Lance. Excuse me, please. I’ll be right back.”

“Go, go. I’ll order your food for you.”

She dashed out after Sam. The cold bit into her but she didn’t care. She spied him walking off down the sidewalk.

“Sam,” she called out. “Sam!” Roxi ran after him and grabbed his arm to halt him. “Wait a minute. What the hell is going on here?”

He peered down at her and frowned. “Where’s your jacket?”

“Inside.” She waved his question off. “What the hell was that about?”

He took his off and placed it around her shoulders. Immediately she was swamped by his heady masculine scent and warmth.

“What about you, Sam?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.” She reached again for his arm and touched it.

“Nothing. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

She bit back her growl of frustration. Why couldn’t he admit he felt something for her? “You weren’t interrupting. Want to join us?”

“Join you and what? Listen to you make plans to go to Sydney with a man who took you with him to Dubai,
Rox
?”

“Is that what this is about? Him asking me to Sydney?”

“Your business is your business.” The words were forced from behind clenched teeth.

Fine. If he didn’t want to admit anything she wouldn’t force him. “You’re right.” She removed his jacket and slapped it back at him, hitting him in the chest. “Have a good day, Sam.”

She was angry. Her steps took her back to the diner where Lance waited. She wasn’t sure if it was the cold or her fury at him making her shake so much. Her lunch companion lifted his brows and leant back in his chair.

“He’s a hot one.”

“Really, Lance, that’s what you have to say?”

“Well, he is.” Sitting forward, he tipped his head to the side. “You two going to be okay?”

“Why wouldn’t we? Didn’t you see how well that went?”

“Jealous boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend. He’s…”

A sly grin lifted Lance’s mouth. “Oh, do tell, babe. You’re just hittin’ that?”

She groaned and dropped her head into her hands. “Think you could say it any louder? Or perhaps cruder?”

“Of course I can. So you and handsome there are just fucking—”

Her head jerked up. “Stop it!” Mortification spread along her face as the waiter stood there with the ordered food.

His wicked grin waited for her, well aware of what she would do. Nothing. “Well, you asked if I could. Just trying to help.”

“I should hurt you. Really,
really
hurt you.”

His green eyes sparkled. “Would you, please. You know what I like.”

“You are such a pervert.”

He blinked thick long lashes at her. “But I’m your pervert.”

“I think I need to trade for another.”

He just shook his head and laughed. “Okay, seriously. What’s his deal?”

She released a long breath. “I really don’t know, Lance. There are times when I think he’s jealous but he won’t ever say I mean anything.”

“Have you told him you’re in love with him?”

“What? I never said that.”

“Didn’t have to, babe. I know you well enough. And I have never, and I do mean
never,
seen you run out after a man. And I bet before this Sam Hoch you never have.”

Okay, so that may very well be the truth. She’d not ever done that before. “Doesn’t mean I love him.”

“True. But that look on your face says otherwise.” He took a drink of his coffee. “Look, I didn’t mean to cause any friction between you two. I can talk to him and let him know I’m not a threat to your relationship and that our trips are purely platonic.”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t owe him any explanations. He’s staying at my house because of Master Guns, but if he’s not willing to say anything about how he feels then I don’t have to say anything either.”

Lance frowned. “Don’t be so stubborn you lose him forever, Roxanne.”

She didn’t want to lose him. But damn it all, he had to face his fears and she knew he had them. She’d known that when this had started.
That was before I fell in love with him.

“Enough about Sam. Tell me more about Sydney.”

* * * *

She had a leisurely lunch with Lance then drove home. All the while, her mind lingered on Sam and their interaction out in the cold. His truck sat in the drive—perhaps he was over at Laila’s—and she parked next to it as she waited for the garage to open then pulled inside. If it started to rain again, she might as well use the garage. She had one after all.