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

by Jameison, Makenna

  “I’m surprised you had school today,” Jason commented as Amy dug her keys out from her purse.

  “The roads were fine this morning. I shouldn’t have stayed late though. Traffic was terrible.”

  “For me, too. Nonessential employees were released early from base, but I think everyone else in the DC area was already on the road by the time I left. Took me two hours.”

  “That’s terrible,” Amy said, pushing open her front door. She pulled her key from the lock and walked inside.

  Jason stepped in beside her. “Where do you want these?”

  Once again, she felt a slight pang of sadness that Jason was just here for a moment. Of course he’d just come in to put down her things—it wasn’t like they were about to spend a cozy evening together.

  “Oh, just set them down anywhere. Thanks for your help.”

  “Sure thing. Let me know if you need any more assistance in the driveway,” he said, a twinkle in his blue eyes.

  Amy flushed, surprised that he was teasing her. He always seemed so serious before and until the past week or so, they’d barely spoken. Something about all their unexpected encounters pleased her, and she smiled back up at him. “You’ll be the first to know,” she joked. “I’ll just toss some pebbles at your window or something if I need help.”

  He laughed heartily. “Seriously though, if you need something, I’m right across the street. And I do want to see that painting.”

  “Definitely. Maybe you can stop by later on or tomorrow. I don’t want it to get wet if you carry it home now in the snow.”

  “I can still come by tomorrow, if that’s okay.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks again for your help.”

  “You’re welcome, Amy.” The sound of his deep, masculine voice saying her name sent an unexpected thrill through her. Of course he’d probably said her name plenty of times before. But something about her name on his lips and the memory of his arms around her in the driveway earlier made her yearn for something more. His gaze stayed on her for just a beat too long, and then he turned to go. Her heart fell ever so slightly as she slowly shut the door behind him.

  Chapter 15

  Amy pulled the shirt she’d been wearing over her head and slipped out of her wet jeans. Really, what had she been thinking not even bringing boots with her to school today? What if she’d gotten stranded on the road? Pulling a stretchy camisole over her head, she then rooted around in her drawers looking for a cozy cardigan. Finding a soft cream one that hung open but was nice and warm, she slid her arms through, wrapping herself in comfort. She then grabbed a pair of black yoga pants. They were stretchy and comfortable, and she planned to spend the next few hours camped out at her kitchen table getting some work done before dinner. Thank God she’d already swung by the grocery store so she wouldn’t have to go out again in this mess.

  She walked into the kitchen, surveying the contents of her fridge. Aside from a mad dash through the store grabbing what she needed to make pies for Thanksgiving before the store shelves were empty, she’d picked up some of her favorite foods as a special treat: French bread and Brie, which she never purchased, because who could eat that all by themselves, chocolate croissants for breakfast, and plenty of dark roast coffee, since she’d been running low. She had a roast and vegetables that she planned to cook tomorrow. Although that was a lot of food for one person, she’d freeze the extras and have plenty of meals for days. Plus, a nice roast in the crock pot reminded her of snow days when she was a kid, when her mom would have a meal cooking away all day long, filling up the house with a delicious scent.

  Amy sliced some bread and Brie for a snack and put on a pot of coffee. She set her laptop up at the kitchen table while the coffee brewed and looked outside to watch the snow heavily falling. The streets were completely covered now, and she was glad that she didn’t have to go anywhere else today. She poured herself a cup of steaming hot coffee and sat down, ready to get to work. Several hours later she was still sitting there, typing up the newsletter she’d send out to the parents for the month of December. She was just starting to get hungry for dinner when the lights flickered a few times. Sighing, she rose from the table and walked over to the window in the dim evening light. Hopefully the power wouldn’t go out. For now the neighborhood was lit up with street lamps and the light coming from frosty windows. They were only expecting several inches of snow, but in this area, that could mean accidents all over the place. She shivered, thankful that she didn’t need to be anywhere else this evening.

  An hour later her phone began to ring. “Hey Sweetie,” came Beth’s voice on the other end of the line. “How’d you do in the storm?” Amy could hear a male voice in the background and knew it was Nick. She glanced at the clock and realized that they were probably getting ready to sit down to dinner together. She’d need to find something to eat as well. Even though she’d planned a meal for tomorrow, dinner this evening hadn’t been on her mind.

  “The snow’s starting to taper off,” Amy said. “I’ve just been finishing up some work this afternoon. How about you guys?”

  “We’re going to try and find someplace open to eat because we lost power.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad. Is your whole building out?”

  “Yep. There’s a crew outside working already, so hopefully it will be back on soon. Want us to come pick you up?”

  “No, no,” Amy said. “I’m fine here, and I don’t want you guys to drive over in this mess. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Okay, Bye Hon.”

  “Bye.”

  Amy stood up from the table, ready to go raid her own fridge, when she heard the scraping of a shovel outside. She walked over to the window and was surprised to see Jason in her driveway. He had on a black ski jacket and black wool cap, and with the large shovel he was holding, had already cleared half of her driveway. She looked across the street and saw that his own driveway was clean as well, as was the sidewalk in front of his home. The snow had finally tapered off to a few flurries, and it looked like he’d made haste to get out there before nightfall.

  She quickly pulled on her snow boots and warm red parka before heading outside to greet him.

  “Hey there!” he called out. “I thought I’d quick shovel your driveway, too, before I go to Mrs. Jones’ house.”

  “Wow, thanks. You really don’t need to though. It’s only a couple of inches; I can go grab my shovel.”

  “It’s no problem,” he said walking over to stand in front of her. “I’m almost done already. I’m not so much ‘shoveling’ as just pushing the snow off the driveway. Luckily there’s not too much,” he added with a grin.

  “That’s right—you’re a California boy. You’re probably not used to all this snow.”

  Jason laughed, his blue eyes sparkling. “Guilty as charged. What I’m not used to is this crazy weather—I was jogging in a tee shirt a week ago. Now I’m out here shoveling snow?”

  “It’ll probably all melt tomorrow. The weather is always weird this time of year.”

  “I can see that,” he chuckled. “But I figured I’d help out a few neighbors as long as I was out shoveling my own driveway.”

  “Thanks,” she said gazing up at him.

  “You have some snowflakes in your hair,” he said, reaching out to brush them away. She froze as he touched her, remembering what it’d felt like as he caught her in his strong arms earlier that day. Had he felt anything, too? Or was she just like the kid sister across that street that he was always coming to rescue? He was probably ten years older than her, but she was thirty-one years old. It’s not like she was a child. So why was she always feeling so uncertain around him?

  “So I’ll stop by in the morning to check out that painting?”

  “Hmmm?” she asked, lost in her own thoughts.

  “The painting. Is tomorrow morning still okay?” His blue eyes met hers, and she had the strangest feeling that he was leaving things unspoken as well. They were out in her driveway, but at that moment it fel
t like they were the only two people in the world. The street was quiet around them, with no cars driving by or kids out playing. Amidst the soft white backdrop, it was almost like they were in their own magical winter wonderland.

  “Yes, that’s perfect.”

  “Great, I’m looking forward to it.”

  Amy wasn’t sure if he meant he was looking forward to seeing the painting or seeing her again in the morning. “Me too,” she hedged. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night.”

  “You too,” he replied quietly, giving her one last glance before he turned away to continue working. She could have sworn that she saw that heated look in his eyes once more.

  Chapter 16

  “It does look good there,” Amy said the next afternoon, admiring the artwork hung prominently above Jason’s leather sofa. The blues and greens in the painting added a splash of color to the room. The rest of the abstract stripes across the canvas (in various shades of cream, tan, and brown) simply blended right in. He really did need decorating help, she thought in surprise. There were no pictures or paintings anywhere else, no knick-knacks lying around—just a cool, sparsely furnished space. Complete with a giant flat screen TV and surround sound, of course. Boys and their toys….

  “It looks great.”

  She smiled at his firm assertion but knew he couldn’t see her face from behind. A moment passed, and Jason took a step closer so that he was right at her side.

  Her skin prickled as he stood so near to her, and she imagined that he could hear her heart beating wildly in her chest. The heat between them was palpable, and she wondered how many times she’d only imagined him pulling her into his arms. Did he feel it, too? That spark and connection between them each time they were in the same room?

  “It’s amazing,” Jason said, his voice deep. “Thank you. And thanks for letting me drop by this morning to pick it up.”

  She glanced over at him and smiled. Since she was in her boots and Jason was barefoot, for once she only had to look up a few inches to fully meet his gaze. All he’d have to do was dip his head down ever so slightly, and those full lips would be on hers. She held his eyes a moment too long and then glanced over to the door.

  When she looked back, his blue eyes were still firmly fixed on her. “I should get going.” Just walk away¸ she thought, nothing is going to happen. “I’m sure you have other things to catch up on. Bye,” she added hastily, turning to leave.

  “Amy.”

  His voice was rich and deep. When he said her name, it wasn’t a question or a command. The slow, smooth way that her name came from his lips was almost more like a caress. She stopped and looked back, the electricity between them magnetic.

  “Amy,” he said again, softer this time, as he stepped in her direction.

  She felt rooted to the spot, barely able to breathe, and her heart pounded in her chest as he walked closer. He didn’t stop inches away like he had done before and hardly even gave her the chance to think straight. In the next moment his hands were on her face, cupping her cheeks, holding her just so, and his lips were hot, desperate against hers.

  She hungrily kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck, so that their bodies were pressed tightly against one another. Her breasts pressed into his firm chest as they stumbled back together, Jason guiding them over toward his sofa. She clung to him between heated kisses as they moved through his living room, feeling lightheaded and overwhelmed and in a dreamlike state all at once.

  They clumsily fell back onto the sofa, Jason’s large frame covering Amy’s smaller one. Amy’s lips were swollen from his relentless kisses, her face was flushed, and he suddenly wanted all of her, now. He was aware that she was kicking off her boots, pulling him closer to her with her small, delicate hands. Jason ran his hands down her sides and slowly edged them beneath her lightweight sweater, pushing it up to reveal a black lacy bra. God, was there ever a woman who didn’t look sexy as hell in black satin and lace? The creamy skin of her luscious breasts poured out over the top, just beckoning for him to touch and caress. He felt dazed for a moment, staring at the breathtaking woman beneath him. Did she have any idea how turned on he was right now?

  He tugged one cup of her bra down, feasting on the sight of her bare breast. It was so round and smooth—suddenly he was as hard as a rock, his erection straining against the confines of his jeans.

  He cupped her breast, squeezing it gently as she gasped, and then ran his thumb over her nipple, watching as it peaked under his touch. “God you have perfect breasts,” he said in a low voice, tugging the other cup down and watching them both rise and fall beneath his breath. He lowered his head to one, kissing and tasting until his lips were encompassing that softness and female perfection.

  He moved his mouth to the other breast as she trembled beneath him. As his lips hotly took their fill of her, Amy breathlessly moaned. Oh, what he wouldn’t do to hear those sounds come from her lips again and again.

  His hand trailed down her flat stomach, deftly unbuttoning her jeans and sliding the zipper down. He briefly registered her surprise at the ease he’d had, and a moment later she gasped as his fingers slid across the satiny fabric of her delicate panties. He slipped a hand inside of them, his sure fingers automatically knowing the way. A moment later he was easing through her slick heat, and he sucked in a breath at just how wet and aroused she already was for him. As he found her most pleasurable spot, she gasped again and arched her back, pushing her breasts up into the air. He silently groaned as he took her breast even further in his mouth. He suddenly was desperate to be inside of her. As quickly as possible. But first he began to pulse his fingers against her sex, determined to finish what he’d just started—to unyieldingly make her come undone.

  Amy gasped as Jason began to pleasure her. She hadn’t been with anyone since Ben, and that was months and months ago. And although sex with Ben had certainly been good, she’d known him for practically a lifetime. There was a certain level of comfort she’d always felt when they were together. And comfort didn’t always mean excitement. Jason was practically a stranger compared to her ex. A tall, sexy, Marine type of stranger. He was new and mysterious; she’d known him for a matter of months compared to years. Now his muscular body was straddled atop hers, his mouth was hot on her breast, and his fingers were working their own magic—and damn, did he know exactly what he was doing.

  With each stroke of his fingers against her, Amy arched closer to him. The tension radiating through her felt magnificent—delicious and earth-shattering and unstoppable all at once. As the warmth began to spread through her body, she knew in only moments she’d be losing all control.

  “I can’t wait to be inside you,” Jason whispered huskily into her ear, his breath tickling her with each word. His hand caressed and kneaded her aching breast, taking over where his mouth had just left off. “But maybe I should finish what I’ve started first?”

  “Uh-huh,” she whimpered, unable to give him more of a response.

  His strong fingers caressed her swollen nub, and he suddenly slipped two inside of her, filling and stretching her for what was certain to come next. His thumb slid back and forth across her clitoris, faster and faster, and a moment later Amy’s cries filled the living room. “Oh! Ohhhh! Jason!” she screamed, unable to contain herself any longer. Her body arched and then collapsed back onto the sofa. She panted as she looked up at him and could detect the arousal forming in his eyes as well.

  “Honey, we’re just getting started.”

  Chapter 17

  They’d made love once right on the sofa, in such a hurry they’d barely had time to rip the clothes off of each other first. When they were finished, and after he’d managed to give her a second amazing orgasm, Amy had relaxed in the warmth of Jason’s arms, sharing kisses with him in the waning afternoon light. As the day had given way to evening, Jason had lit a roaring fire and opened a bottle of wine. Content to relax together knowing that the hours of the night still stretched out before them, they’
d talked and kissed in front of the flickering flames.

  Jason had pulled his jeans back on and Amy her long sweater to ward off the chill, but she lay snuggled against his chest, inhaling his masculine scent and the hint of soap and aftershave she detected. She absentmindedly caressed the hard planes of his firm torso, practically in disbelief that they’d just made love right here in his living room.

  Jason ran his muscular hands up and down her bare legs. She shivered delightedly at his soft caress. “I kind of liked it better when you were wearing nothing at all,” Jason whispered huskily, running his fingers farther up her bare thigh.

  “And why is that?” she teased, trailing her fingers down his washboard abs so they just hooked under the waistband of his jeans.

  “Ugh—you’re killing me,” he groaned. “But in the best, most erotic way possible.”

  She straddled his lap, kissing him, and felt the bulge beginning to grow beneath his jeans. Lowering her lips to his neck, she sucked gently, and Jason unwittingly began to gently thrust beneath her.

  “Hmmm,” she said, feeling his male hardness brush up against her sex.

  She lowered her mouth to his shoulder, and as he reached around her, pulling her close, the flash of his tattoo caught her attention.

  Jason followed her gaze, and she slowly began to trace the emblem with her fingertips.

  “Do you have a thing for guys with tattoos?” he asked, his voice gruff.

  “I never did before…,” she admitted. “But I have to say—it’s kind of hot.”

  “Time to go upstairs,” he said desperately, clenching his teeth as he stood up, lifting her to the ground as well.