Christmas or Bust

by A. M Burke

  “Apology accepted but you better not kiss me like that again unless you want to get in an accident,” he warned half serious. “You’re damn distracting.”

  “So I’ve been told,” Nora smiled. “Is there an acceptable way to kiss you?”

  “Nothing that’s legal or safe at the moment.”

  Nora laughed. “Duly noted.” Settling back down in her seat Nora glanced out the window as the landscape flew by but the scenery couldn’t hold attention for long with Elliot sitting next to her. She turned her attention back to the man who was now her fiancé and grinned when she caught him looking over at her. “You’re going to get us in an accident,” she warned, “and then what will you tell the cops? ‘Sorry officer I was too busy staring at the beautiful women sitting next to me’. I don’t think that will fly.”

  “I don’t know,” Elliot said rubbing his chin as if in deep thought. “You start batting those pretty eyes of yours and they might be sympathetic.” Nora rolled her eyes at him and Elliot grinned, grabbing her hand and give the back of it a quick kiss before running his thumb across her knuckles, stopping to pay special attention to her ring finger. Rubbing a circle around the ring Elliot smiled a secret smile that wasn’t missed by Nora.

  “What’s that smile for?” she asked him.

  “I’m just still happy you said yes,” he told her.

  Nora looked curious. “I thought I was a done deal?” she asked.

  “Darling I seem to recall telling you that you were never a done deal,” he reminded her and Nora blushed remembering the comment after their first night together.

  “Do you think that if we hadn’t ended up in that motel in the snow storm that we’d have ended up together?” Nora asked the question that had flitted through her mind more than once.

  “Of course,” Elliot insisted immediately. “It might have been a different course or taken a bit more time but it would have happened.” Looking over at her Elliot could see she was processing the words, probably over analyzing as was her bad habit. “Trust me,” he insisted cutting her a look. “If you hadn’t gotten on the plane I would have and then I would have shown up at your hospital and made a scene and probably have gotten arrested or committed.”

  “Certainly committed,” Nora agreed with a smile. “Our mental wards are filled with love sick men and women.”

  “Nice to know I’d be in good company at least,” he said dryly and smiled at her. “I like how this worked out better though.”

  “Completely agreed,” Nora said smiling back at him.

  “So should we make a pit stop in Vegas and get married?” he asked and Nora scoffed at him.

  “Sure, you can deal with my parents and Claire,” Nora told him and Elliot shook his head.

  “Probably not a smart idea,” Elliot laughed. “I’m not sure which scares me more.”

  “Claire,” Nora answered, “definitely Claire.”

  “I’ll have to tell her you said that.”

  “Evil man,” Nora chastised but was grinning.

  “Who you’re marrying,” Elliot reminded her.

  “Fine, you win,” Nora sighed and leaned over the consul and kissed his closest cheek again.

  “I thought I warned you about your distracting habits Dr. Nora,” Elliot said looking pleased.

  “I’ll take my chances Marine,” she said sitting back down in her seat.

  “I’m glad you took a chance,” Elliot said serious.

  “Me too,” Nora agreed and smiled over at him thinking that smiling at him would never get old. She was shocked at the turns her life had taken in such a short time but it was a good sort of shock. She felt like she’d been radiating happiness for three months now and there seemed to be no end in sight. This was love she’d decided and even though it was scary as hell as long as she had Elliot beside her she could be fearless. It seemed odd to feel so safe in the face what some would call uncertainty but with Elliot by her side Nora knew she could take on the world.

  “You’ve got this funny look on your face,” Elliot said breaking into her thoughts.

  “I do?”

  Elliot nodded. “You looked really determined all of the sudden,” he explained. “Something on your mind you want to share?”

  “Just thinking I feel ready to take on the world,” Nora said honestly.

  “Good,” Elliot smiled. “Because that’s just what I intend to do with you.”

  The End.