Have Yourself a Marine Christmas (Always a Marine) by Heather Long Page A

replaced the worried lines wrinkling her brow.
    “The day I saw Salter kiss you.” It had pissed him off.
    “Craig is harmless.”
    “Yeah, he can be harmless five feet away from you and keeping his lips to himself if I have to staple them shut.” Giving her a squeeze, he released her and reached for his sandwich. She hadn’t denied again that they were dating. The tautness in his chest eased.
    Cradling her coffee cup, Noel watched him from beneath lowered lashes. “So, we’re dating.”
    “Yes.” He nodded. “I chose lunch today, you get to pick what we do this weekend—you do still have a three-day weekend, right?”
    She scrunched her face and winced. “About this weekend….”
    “You said you were taking a long weekend because you cut your vacation short.” Which was his fault and he could have kicked himself when he realized it. Instead of a full ten days with her family, she’d gone home for Thanksgiving, the wedding, and then turned around and driven straight back to him—because he’d started skipping his physio.
    “Technically, I’m not working ….”
    “But?” What was she up to?
    “I have to do some shopping and I promised to help finish the decorations for the run. We’re doing it next week and there’s a big event for all the kids—it’s a lot of holiday stuff.”
    “Oh. I can handle it. I’ll go with you.” He’d rather spend the time with her anyway.
    “Ryan…I don’t want you to have to handle it. It’s Christmas—and I’m going to a mall. And stores, and then there’s the decorating. I need to pick up some gifts to ship home or they won’t get there in time. That’s a lot of Christmas if you don’t want to hear the music or see the decorations.” Worry intensified in the depths of her eyes and he sighed.
    “It won’t be a problem—I’ll get to spend the time with you.” How bad could it be?
     
    ***
     
    Saturday morning in a mall was pure chaos, a fact he’d nearly managed to forget. Adding to the madness were the nearly two dozen kids ranging in ages from six to fifteen they’d met in the parking lot. Fortunately, he wasn’t the only Marine in attendance. Nearly a dozen other able-bodied Marines and their spouses supervised.
    “You could have mentioned the field trip,” he complained under his breath.
    Mischief filled her smile. “We’re not chaperoning.”
    Rebel frowned. “Then why the hell are we with them?” Noel had trailed the bus into the lot and chosen a spot adjacent to where the buses parked. She’d pitched in with the organizing, and as they’d trickled into the mall in groups, he and Noel joined them.
    “Because we’re heading in the same direction.” She glanced past him and slowed. Following the direction of her gaze, he turned to study the snow and twinkle light-bedecked store window of a clothing shop. Most of the mannequins were outfitted for skiing—something one simply wouldn’t be doing in Dallas, like—ever. “I’m going to duck in here, I’ll be right back—” And she was off, beelining into the store.
    A tapping on his arm derailed his intention to follow her. Glancing down, he eyed a little girl staring up at him. A quick scan revealed the others had all moved deeper into the mall and he didn’t recognize anyone else trotting briskly for their destinations.
    Careful of his balance, he crouched down. It took a hell of a lot to make sure he didn’t topple—but his thighs took the burn and he got himself down on eye level with the little girl. “Lost?”
    “No, sir. I’m s’posed to stay with you and Miss Torres.” The little girl couldn’t have been more than five-years-old. Noel wouldn’t have lied to him about their not chaperoning the trip. She kept searching the store where Noel disappeared.
    “I see. You like Miss Torres?” It was a guess.
    “Uh huh. She helped me decorate the tree for my daddy.” The little girl shifted from one foot to the other.
    “Did you sneak away from your group?” She