A Marine for Christmas (Hearts Ablaze: Men in Uniform) Read online

  Football. A game was on later tonight. He’d think about football. And his trip out to California next weekend. His body began to relax ever-so-slightly, and he concentrated on a list of all the things he’d need to pack.

  He decided to pick up the pace anyway to catch up to her.

  ***

  Thank God Ben’s car was gone, Amy thought as she slowed her pace to jog down her own street. She knew he wouldn’t stick around. After all, she’d left his things on the front porch exactly as promised. If anything, he might’ve just rung the doorbell to thank her before he went on his way. But her leaving his things out front sent a clear message—get lost. I’m in no mood for small talk.

  Her short run had certainly cleared her head though. The crisp autumn air filled her lungs, blood pumped through her body, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so alive. All in all, the weekend was now off to a great start. She had plans to kick back and relax at home tonight, but tomorrow she and Melissa were going out with a group of their girlfriends. Drinks, dinner, and dancing sounded like an awesome way to catch up and spend a Saturday night.

  Frowning, Amy realized that she heard footsteps pounding the pavement behind her. Footsteps that were ever so steadily getting closer. It was just another jogger, she reassured herself. She glanced back over her shoulder and was startled to see her neighbor Jason. Six foot two and the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome, she found herself slightly startled that she’d never noticed just how handsome before. Sure, with his chiseled features, dark, shortly cropped hair and piercing blue eyes, she’d always thought he was attractive. But what drew her attention now were his broad shoulders and bulging biceps, his muscular chest that narrowed down to a slim waistline. She felt a slight stirring inside her that she certainly hadn’t felt with anyone since Ben. Jason was definitely as good looking as Melissa had said. How was it that she hadn’t exactly noticed him before?

  “Amy, right?” he asked, his deep voice rugged and sexy. Or maybe he was just slightly out of breath from his run.

  “Yes,” she replied, hoping she wouldn’t sound as flustered as she felt. “And you’re Jason?”

  He easily caught up to her and slowed his pace to match hers. “Guilty as charged. I hope I didn’t scare you coming up behind you like that.”

  “Oh, you’re fine. I heard you coming.”

  “I don’t usually run around here.”

  “Yeah, I wondered—I’ve never seen you out before. I prefer the trails myself.”

  “Oh yeah? I’ll have to check those out sometime. I usually just run on base.”

  They slowed down as they approached their own houses. Amy stopped to stretch for a moment as Jason glanced over to her front porch.

  “Expecting a delivery?”

  “No,” she said looking over to where his gaze fell. A huge cardboard box was sitting on her doormat, blocking the front door. “Unbelievable,” she muttered, shaking her head.

  “Something wrong?”

  “My ex must have dropped it off. I left some things of his on the porch. Some skis. We broke up this summer. That must be my TV.”

  Jason looked slightly amused as she rambled on. “I’m sorry, it’s not your problem. I just can’t believe he’d leave a TV on my front porch. I told him just to keep it anyway. I mean how am I supposed to even move that thing?”

  “I’ll help you get it inside,” Jason said, his deep voice quiet and smooth.

  “Oh, you don’t have to,” Amy said, waving him off.

  “I insist. Come on,” he said, gesturing for her to follow him. She followed him up her own driveway and couldn’t help but stare at his ass as he moved. She bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing. He probably wasn’t expecting to be ogled when he’d offered his assistance. He bent down and heaved the giant box up in his arms as she watched, slightly dumbfounded.

  “Okay, um, just hang on a sec.” She turned her back to Jason and reached down into her shirt to retrieve her key from her sports bra. Note to self: find new place to store key. Like in her sock. Or a hidden rock. Or anywhere but her cleavage.

  Jason smiled as she turned back around. He was too polite to say anything, but she was certain he knew she’d just been tugging her key from her shirt. Cheeks flaming, she struggled with putting the key into the lock. Now he’d think she was an idiot who couldn’t even open up her front door. Relief flooded through her as she finally turned the key and pushed the door open. At least, if nothing else, her home was clean and presentable.

  “So, where do you want this?” he asked, seeing a small flat screen TV already set up in her living room.

  “Um, maybe the basement?” she said, gesturing toward the stairs. “Here, let me help you,” she said, walking over to assist.

  “I got it; no problem.” Jason said, easily carrying the box downstairs. Her basement was finished, but aside from wall-to-wall carpeting and paint on the drywall, it was completely empty.

  “Anywhere is fine. I wasn’t really planning to have an extra TV down here.”

  “Well, someday you’ll have kids.”

  “Kids?”

  “Sure, you’ll want a spare TV then. You’ll watch your show; they’ll watch theirs.”

  “Right,” she said uneasily. What did he know about children? As far as she knew, he lived completely alone. Maybe he had some nieces and nephews or something.

  Jason carefully set the box down against the far wall. “This is heavy, so let me know if you need help setting it up sometime. I’d be happy to move it for you.”

  “Oh, thanks. You’ve done more than enough. I don’t know how I would’ve gotten that thing inside.

  “My pleasure. So, I should get going,” he said, gesturing toward the stairs. Jason knew she probably didn’t want a strange man hanging around in her house, even if they were neighbors. Plus, he wanted to grab a shower after his run.

  “Right,” Amy agreed. “I need to shower and change anyway.” She headed back up the stairs with Jason behind her.

  “Your place is a lot nicer than mine,” Jason said admiringly. “I could use a decorator or something,” he chuckled. “Where did you buy your artwork?”

  “Oh, I actually painted those myself,” Amy said, feeling a slight blush come over her.

  “You’re a painter?”

  “Preschool teacher actually. But I paint in my spare time.”

  “Consider me impressed. These are amazing.”

  “Thank you,” Amy replied with a genuine smile.

  Jason eyed the painting of the ballet dancer a moment longer before locking eyes with Amy. “So, I’ll see you soon,” Jason replied, flashing her a grin.

  “Right, see you soon.”

  Jason didn’t mean anything by that, Amy told herself as she closed the door behind him. They were neighbors. Of course she’d see him again. Soon. She smiled and practically bounced into the kitchen to grab a glass of water before her shower. Why did it suddenly feel like her day had ended on a much better note than it had started with?

  Chapter 9

  “So he came over with his new girlfriend?” Amy’s friend Beth asked the next evening. The girls were out at a local restaurant and bar, waiting for Melissa and their friend Kara to arrive. Melissa had already texted them to say that she’d be running late. She’d spent the afternoon with Michael, presumably sorting through all that needed to be cancelled for the wedding that would never be. Amy was certain she’d be heaping mad by the time she arrived, and this was probably her only chance to vent to Beth about her own ex. Their friend Kara was married and the mother of twin baby girls. It was a given that she’d be late on the rare occasion that she joined the rest of the girls for dinner or drinks.

  “Yep,” Amy replied. She took a swig of her beer and glanced around the crowded bar area. It wasn’t likely that she’d see any of her students’ parents while out, but she tried to be careful when in public. Not that she was really one to go wild anyway. That was more Melissa’s forte, she thought with a smirk.<
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  “What’s so funny?” Beth asked, catching her expression.

  “Oh, it’s nothing.”

  “So what’d you say?”

  ‘To who?”

  “Ben,” Beth said, looking a little frustrated.

  “Oh, I didn’t. I snuck out the back door.”

  Beth choked on the margarita she was sipping. “You’re kidding!”

  “Nope,” Amy said with a grin.

  “What’d you do out back?”

  “I went for a run,” Amy recalled with a laugh. “Cut across the neighbor’s yard and headed out to the main road before eventually looping back. I was feeling pretty good, too. Then I ran into my neighbor of all things. Melissa has the hots for him,” she added confidentially.

  “Melissa? But Michael just broke up with her like two seconds ago!”

  “Oh, I know. I’m just teasing.”

  “So you ran away from your ex to go jogging with another man instead.”

  “Well, we didn’t really run together. We jogged by about five houses. We were both headed back home. Oh, and get this….” Amy proceeded to tell her friend about the TV on her front porch and Jason carrying it inside. They had moved on to other topics and their second drink each by the time Kara and eventually Melissa arrived.

  ***

  “Aaaaand we’re through,” Melissa announced, slamming her shot glass down on the counter. She’d arrived moments ago and insisted on ordering them all a round of shots before telling them about her afternoon with Michael. Only Beth had joined her as Kara was still breastfeeding and Amy didn’t do shots.

  “You really don’t want yours?” she asked Amy, fingers winding round the glass.

  “Have at it.”

  Melissa downed it in one gulp. “Ah, I really needed that this afternoon. What a massive headache I have from even attempting to have a conversation with that man.”

  “So it’s definitely over?” Kara asked, attempting to be the voice of reason.

  “Absolutely. Michael offered to reimburse me for some of the wedding costs I’d paid for. I mean, my God, it’s the LEAST he could do. The very LEAST. Who calls off their wedding with only two months to go? I am over men. OVER them. And if I see that bastard out here tonight with another woman, I swear I will—”

  “Shhh, calm down!” Amy chastised.

  “Trust me,” Melissa said, rolling her eyes. “If the same thing happened to any of you, you would be pissed off as well.”

  “Touché,” said Beth.

  “So he wasn’t sorry at all?” Amy asked, looking doubtful.

  “He was sorry he came over, that’s for sure.”

  The girls all laughed. Melissa was known for her melodrama, but there was no doubt that she would have given Michael hell now that she’d had a few days to stew over their cancelled wedding. What had been a sob-fest at Amy’s house a few days ago was no doubt a shit storm today, Amy thought with a smirk. She imagined the burly Marine quaking in his boots at Melissa’s wrath. Ha. As the day drew closer, Melissa was no doubt going to be feeling upset all over again. They were probably all in for a long couple months, at least until the holidays were over. A new year would mean a fresh start. At this point she was looking forward to a fresh start as well.

  Chapter 10

  Jason walked out of the restaurant, a paper bag full of carry-out food gripped in his hand. Man, he would have to start finding some guys to hang out with on Saturday night. It was almost depressing seeing all the fun-loving groups of friends and happy couples inside. You knew you were getting old when you wished you were home with your wife and kid on Saturday night, not picking up carry-out alone. Not that he and Kristin had been happily spending Saturday nights together in a long, long time. The deployments made sure to kill any real shot their relationship ever had. But even a night in with his son would be a million times better than spending the weekend alone.

  He clicked the remote to his car and was just opening the door when he spotted Amy across the parking lot. She was wearing tight jeans, those high-heeled boots all the women seemed to have nowadays, and a longish red sweater. He wasn’t sure what it was—maybe the loose way her hair cascaded over her shoulders, or the way those jeans made her legs look a mile long—but the overall look was sexy as hell. She was standing in front of her SUV, digging through her purse. As he glanced around, it didn’t seem like she was with anyone. He watched as she flipped her brown hair back off her face. He assumed she must be looking for her keys—why else would she be standing there alone in the parking lot at this time of night?

  Setting his bag of food down on the floor, Jason shut his car door and clicked the remote once again to lock it. By the time he had walked across the lot, she was stepping back from the SUV as her eyes swept the ground.

  “Amy.”

  She looked up, surprised, a slightly distracted look on her face. Her cheeks were a little flushed from the cool night air, but her sapphire blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

  “Jason, hi.” She glanced toward the ground again and then back at him. “I was just trying to find my keys. I swear I had them a second ago.”

  “Need some help?”

  “Yes,” she said gratefully. “I just had dinner with my friends, and they all left. Would you believe all of them parked in the other lot? Now I’m standing out here alone in the cold.”

  He watched her rosy lips as she spoke, imagining what it might be like to kiss them someday. Would she taste as sweet as she smelled? Whatever perfume she had on right now was simply intoxicating. He’d lean closer to take a whiff if that wouldn’t have been entirely inappropriate. As it were, she shivered in the cool night air, and he felt like a jerk for just letting her stand there. “Here, take my jacket,” he said, shrugging out of the brown leather one that he was wearing.

  “Oh, no, I couldn’t. You’ll be cold.”

  “I’ll be fine. I insist.”

  Amy hesitantly took it from him and put it on. “Well, if you’re sure.” The temperature had dropped dramatically from yesterday afternoon when they’d been out jogging. Typical for this time of year, Jason thought. It was practically summer-like one minute and then winter the next. Amy did look happier now that she was warm, even if she was still locked out of her vehicle. Not to mention pretty damn cute wearing his leather jacket. It engulfed her, covering her feminine shape, but somehow the look still worked for her.

  They both stepped farther out from her SUV at exactly the same time, accidentally bumping into one another.

  “I’m sorry,” Amy said, colliding into his chest. He reached out to steady her, and she flushed as she met his gaze. Jason had to resist the urge to pull her into his arms right then. She was the perfect height for him, her head just beneath his chin. It would be so easy to bend down right now for a kiss—not that he’d be doing that here in the parking lot. Hell, it’s not like they even knew each other. Not really. The attraction between them felt almost palpable though, with her gaze locked with his, and the two of them standing mere inches away from one another. He worked to keep his face neutral, wondering if the heat in his eyes might give him away.

  “It was my fault,” he disagreed, feeling somewhat chagrined now that she was backing away.

  “Maybe I left them inside,” she said, seeming uncertain as to what to do next.

  “I’ll come with you. If they’re not out here, I’m sure someone already found them and turned them in. But I’m happy to give you a lift home if you need it.”

  “Okay, thanks,” she said, looking slightly relieved. Had she really thought he’d just leave her stranded here alone in the parking lot late at night? Man, he’d have to work harder at being a friendlier neighbor if that’s how little she thought of him. Then again, her own friends had left—not knowing she was locked out, of course. But that would leave a person feeling rattled. And they didn’t know each other that well—maybe she’d thought he’d just continue on his way.

  “Come on,” he said, gesturing toward the front of the restaura
nt. “Let’s go check for those keys.”

  ***

  “I really hope they turn up,” Amy said, shaking her head disbelievingly as she climbed into Jason’s car. “Oh, you were picking up food!” she said with a frown as she spotted the forgotten paper bag on the floor of the car. “I’m sorry—it’s totally cold by now.”

  “What? Oh, no problem,” Jason said as he climbed in the driver’s seat. “That’s what they invented microwave ovens for.”

  She laughed and enjoyed the brief flash of a smile that he gave her before starting the engine. His blue eyes were sparkling, alert. Amy wondered what he was so happy about. Maybe he had a hot date later on tonight or something. Yeah right. It was already 9:30 p.m. And she’d never seen him with anyone before, come to think of it. “Well, I am sorry. But thanks again for the ride.”

  “So do you have your house keys? Or do we need to call a locksmith?”

  “I think one of the neighbors has a spare key. I hope so at least. I can’t imagine what a locksmith would charge at this hour of night.”

  “So you’ve got some great neighbors, huh?” Jason asked, his voice deep. He didn’t look over at her, but Amy thought she detected the hint of a smile in his profile as he stared ahead while driving.

  “Pretty much,” Amy replied with a laugh. “They drive me around, haul TVs inside my house for me. You know—all the usual neighborly stuff.”

  “The usual stuff, huh? So I guess I fit right in.”

  “Well, I don’t know if I could’ve relied on Mrs. Jones for all that heavy lifting,” Amy replied, referring to the elderly widow that lived next door to her.

  “Is that the sweet little old lady that bakes pies all the time?”

  “The very one,” Amy said with a smile. Although Jason hadn’t been around much, he had made a brief appearance at the annual end-of-summer neighborhood block party. She’d been with Ben then, spending the evening drinking beers and snuggled under his arm. They’d made love on her deck under the stars that night—under the town fireworks, as well. Although they’d been much too busy creating their own fireworks to pay much attention to the town’s festivities.