A Soldier's Christmas: I'll Be Home for ChristmasPresents Under the TreeIf Only in My Dreams

by Leslie Kelly

  She was adorable in her earnestness, and he barely suppressed a grin at the way she anxiously twisted her hands.

  “Ground rules?” he repeated.

  “Sure.” She indicated the bed. “You know, like staying on our own side of the bed.”

  “And that’s it?”

  She gave him a bright smile. “Yeah.”

  “Okay, agreed.” He gave her what he hoped was a serious nod of agreement.

  “Good.” She pushed her fingers through her hair. “God, I need a shower.”

  Aiden watched as she unzipped her duffel bag and rummaged through the contents. He caught a glimpse of something lacy and pink before she wadded the scrap of fabric up inside an army T-shirt. Then, grabbing a small cosmetic bag, she tucked everything under one arm and made her way to the bathroom.

  “I won’t be long,” she called, “and then it’s all yours.”

  Walking over to the bed, Aiden flung himself across the mattress and stared up at the lace canopy.

  He was alone in a room with Lily Munroe. She was interested. He was interested. He knew what could happen tonight, if he let it. But he’d been serious when he’d told Lily that he didn’t do casual. If he thought she’d consider more than just a one-time hookup, he wouldn’t hesitate to let her know exactly how he felt about her. But she’d made it clear that she didn’t want a serious relationship. So, as far as he was concerned, they’d reached an impasse.

  And yet, as he heard the shower turn on, he couldn’t prevent his imagination from picturing Lily, naked and wet beneath the steaming spray. With a groan, he closed his eyes.

  It was going to be a long night.

  4

  LILY SHOWERED QUICKLY, unable to stop thinking about the man in the other room. The man she was about to share a bed with. She couldn’t believe how quickly things had changed, and recalled again their conversation in the taxi cab. He’d thought she was involved with Brad Dixon. He wasn’t completely wrong, and she had only herself to blame for giving him that impression. Remembering how she had led Brad on made her feel ashamed. She’d only done it in order to make Aiden jealous, and it had completely backfired on her.

  But now Aiden knew the truth...except for the part about why she had encouraged Brad. She wasn’t sure she’d ever have the courage to tell him why she’d done that. She brushed her teeth and then quickly toweled her hair dry, running her fingers through it to loosen the tangles before pulling on the clean panties and the T-shirt along with a pair of loose shorts that she’d brought in with her. There was nothing about her clothing that was immodest, but her heart pounded with anticipation as she prepared to go back into the bedroom.

  She opened the bathroom door, immediately finding Aiden sprawled across the bed. As Lily cautiously approached, she realized he had fallen asleep. Creeping closer, she bent over him, fascinated, even though she’d seen every inch of his body when she’d cared for him during his illness. He’d removed his camouflage jacket and wore a light brown T-shirt that stretched across the taut muscles of his chest and shoulders. Although he’d lost some weight as a result of the fever, he was still supremely fit and uncompromisingly male.

  His face was turned to the side, and his lashes lay dark against his chiseled cheekbones. A light stubble of golden whiskers covered his jaw and throat, and Lily’s fingertips itched with the urge to rub over the bristled skin. One of his hands rested on his flat stomach, and she watched the even rise and fall of his chest. He looked so peaceful and she didn’t want to wake him up. Quietly, she shook out the extra blanket that lay folded neatly on the foot of the bed and leaned over to cover him with it.

  At the first touch of the blanket, however, he came violently awake, grabbing her by the upper arms as he surged to a sitting position, his eyes searching wildly around the room for any perceived danger, before returning to her face. Too startled by his reaction to speak, Lily could only stare back at him.

  “I was dreaming,” he said, his voice rough with sleep. Slowly, he released her arms, but slid one hand to the nape of her neck, preventing her from pulling away. “Of you.”

  Lily stopped breathing. He was so close that she felt the warmth of his breath against her cheek, saw the varying striations of color in the incredible blueness of his eyes. When he drew her down, she didn’t resist, but welcomed the press of his mouth against hers. His lips were warm and firm, and with a soft sigh, she leaned into him.

  He gathered her closer, one hand sliding around her waist to settle at the small of her back, while he cradled her cheek in his other hand and deepened the kiss. Lily was only vaguely aware of putting one hand on his shoulder for balance before he rolled over and pulled her beneath him on the bed. The change in their positions allowed Lily to wind her arms around his neck as he braced himself over her, kissing her with a sensuousness that made her bare toes curl.

  A sudden knock on the door interrupted them, and Aiden pulled away, looking a little dazed. Lily sat up and dragged in a deep breath, feeling flushed and breathless.

  “I’ll get it,” she offered, springing up to open the door. A young woman stood there with a tray in her hands. A boy of about six or seven peeked out from behind her.

  “Hi,” the woman said with a smile, glancing past Lily and into the room. “I hope I’m not disturbing you. I’m Inge’s daughter, Abby. This is my son, Josh.” She held out the tray. “We thought you might like some hot tea or cocoa, and my mother sent up some of her cookies. They just came out of the oven.”

  “Thank you.” Lily took the tray from her hands. “This looks wonderful.”

  “Great. Well, have a good night.”

  Lily closed the door with her hip and carried the tray over to a small table near the fireplace. On the tray was a teapot filled with steaming water, two matching teacups next to a plate of gingerbread cookies and a canister of whipped cream. A small basket contained tea bags and envelopes of powdered hot chocolate. The basket was adorned by two candy canes, tied together with a slender red ribbon. Still shaken by the intensity of Aiden’s kiss, she concentrated on the tray, unable to meet his eyes.

  “I hope you’re hungry,” she said lightly. “There’s enough hot chocolate and cookies here to feed a small army.”

  Aiden pushed himself off the bed and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Lily, about what just happened—”

  “Forget it,” she said, and gave him a quick smile. “I know what it’s like to wake up and have no idea where you are or what’s going on. Like you said—you were dreaming. It’s fine.”

  He frowned. “No, that’s not what I meant.”

  Lily didn’t want to hear him say that kissing her had been a mistake, not when it had felt so right to her. He’d told her that he didn’t do casual, and she knew Aiden Cross was one of those guys who put honor above everything. But for that one moment, she wanted to believe that he had kissed her because he wanted to—because he couldn’t help himself. Desperate to stop him from minimizing the kiss, she snatched a cookie from the plate and held it out to him.

  “Here, try this.”

  He obediently took a bite and gave a soft hum of appreciation. Reaching out, he took the remaining part of the cookie from her hand.

  “Is it good?” she asked unnecessarily. From the expression on his face, he was having an unforgettable experience.

  “Here,” he answered. “Try it.”

  Before Lily guessed his intent, he broke off a piece of the gingerbread cookie and pressed it against her lips. She accepted it automatically, chewing and letting the exquisite flavor explode in her mouth. Aiden hadn’t removed his hand, and now he brushed his thumb across her lower lip.

  “Delicious,” Lily agreed, when she could speak.

  “Yeah,” he murmured, and shifted closer, his gaze on her mouth. “Delicious.”

  He was going to kiss her. She raised her
self on her toes to meet him, inwardly rejoicing. She wanted this—wanted him. She’d craved his touch since the moment she’d first laid eyes on him nearly nine months ago. Now he covered her mouth in a kiss that was both soft and firm, tasting her, and he made the same hum of pleasure deep in his throat that he’d made when he’d eaten the cookie.

  When he finally pulled back, his eyes were bluer than she’d ever seen them, seeming to glow against his tanned skin. He tipped his forehead against hers.

  “Okay, now I definitely need to take a shower,” he said in a rueful tone. “A cold one.”

  Lily nodded, momentarily at a loss for words. She watched as he moved away from her and unzipped his duffel bag to pull out a clean pair of clothes and a toiletry bag, before going into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. Lily sank into the nearest armchair and drew in a shaky breath.

  She was trembling all over. Just the memory of that kiss made her feel a little boneless. She sagged back in the chair, feeling elated and nervous all at the same time. She wanted to laugh out loud with delight, and she pressed her fingers against her mouth to prevent herself from making any noise. She heard the shower turn on, and the images that ran through her mind were so explicit that she knew she had to find a distraction.

  Glancing at her watch, she saw it was nine-thirty. She’d called her father from the airport in Germany to tell him she would be home that night. He’d sounded both pleased and a little panicky, explaining that he hadn’t yet bought a Christmas tree. He didn’t say so, but Lily had known that he hadn’t bought any gifts, either. She’d assured him that she didn’t need a tree, and that spending time with him was all she wanted for Christmas.

  A lie.

  Because faced with the choice of spending the holiday at home with her father or here with Aiden, she’d choose the latter every time. Feeling like a bad daughter, she pulled her cell phone out of her backpack and quickly dialed her father. She listened as the phone rang on the other end, a little relieved when it went to voice mail. In the bathroom, she heard the water turn off.

  “Hi, Dad,” she said into the phone. “It’s me, Lily. Our flight got diverted, and now we’re grounded due to a huge storm system. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get another flight out tomorrow. In fact, it’s looking like I might not be able to get home for Christmas, after all. So I hope you didn’t go to any trouble and get a tree. I know how much you hate that stuff.” She paused. “I’m staying at a bed-and-breakfast near Fort Atterbury, called the Gingerbread Cottage. It’s really sweet. Well, I’ll call you tomorrow when I have some more news. Bye, Dad.”

  She hung up the phone, guiltily relieved that she hadn’t been able to reach him. She should be happy—she didn’t need to hear his false good cheer, telling her how much he was looking forward to her visit, when she knew it wasn’t true. She’d been home a half dozen times in the ten years since she’d joined the army, and during those visits, he’d always been a little uncomfortable around her, as if he wasn’t sure what to say to her. In fact, she always got the sense she was somehow interfering with his routine, which seemed to revolve around the meals he ate at the local diner. But there was a part of her that was still childish enough to want her father to miss her. Sighing, she turned around just as the bathroom door opened.

  And her breath caught.

  Aiden stood silhouetted in the doorway, his impressive body wreathed in steam, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. He stepped into the room, seemingly unaware of how Lily gaped at him. Seeing him naked and unconscious was one thing—seeing him nearly naked, with all his glorious muscles in perfect, mouthwatering, flexible condition was another thing altogether.

  “Who were you talking to?” he asked.

  “My father,” she said, dragging her thoughts away from his physique. “Only, he didn’t answer, so I had to leave a message. Hopefully, he isn’t at the airport waiting for my flight to arrive.” She frowned. “Are you feeling okay? You look flushed.”

  “Yeah, it’s warm in here,” he said, dropping his T-shirt onto the bed and shoving his folded uniform back into the duffel bag. “I thought the jungle was hot, but between the shower and the fire, this room is a sauna.”

  Forgetting her lustful thoughts, Lily moved immediately to his side. Ignoring his startled expression, she placed the back of her hand against his forehead. His skin was warm and still damp from his shower, but she didn’t detect any sign of fever. Still not convinced, she put her hand on his wrist, checking his pulse as she watched the seconds tick by on the bedside clock. Was it only her imagination, or did his heart rate seem a little high?

  “I’m fine,” Aiden said irritably, pulling free from her hold. “Just a little overheated, and dead tired.”

  “Sorry,” Lily murmured, crossing her arms and tucking her hands against her body, lest she be tempted to touch him again. “I guess I can’t always turn off the medic in me. But you should probably take some painkillers before you turn in. That way you’ll at least get a good night’s sleep.”

  He gave her a lopsided grin, and before she could guess his intent, he reached out and pushed a strand of her damp hair behind her ear. “I don’t want any painkillers.”

  Lily swallowed hard and tried to act as if his touch wasn’t having an explosive effect on her heart rate. Or her body temperature. Or her limbs, which felt suddenly very weak. “Why not?”

  “They give me really bizarre dreams, and I wake up more tired than if I didn’t take anything. Besides, I don’t want you treating me like I’m still sick. I’m not.”

  Lily nodded. “I know. It’s just that with dengue fever, the fever can sometimes recur.” Correctly interpreting his warning look, she lifted one hand. “But I see that’s not the case with you. You’re just tired.”

  “Thank you,” he said, with exaggerated emphasis.

  “So how long is the navy giving you to rest up?” she asked. While Lily knew he’d been sent home to recuperate, she didn’t know how long they would allow him to recover before he had to return to duty.

  Aiden shrugged. “Six weeks, and then they’ll perform another health assessment. If everything goes well, I should be back with my unit by February. What about you? Do you get a break before you need to report to your next assignment?”

  “I would if I had a next assignment.” Sensing his attention sharpen, she lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “This is it for me. I’m getting out.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s just time. I’ve been doing the army thing for ten years, and now I’m ready to do something different.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well... I thought I’d go back to school and become a pediatric nurse. Maybe work at a local hospital.” She sensed his surprise. “What? You think I’m making a mistake?”

  * * *

  “NO, I THINK it’s a great plan,” Aiden said, and he realized he meant it. He liked thinking Lily would be safe in one place. He liked thinking of her in nursing scrubs, taking care of children. Most of all, he liked to think that if she was willing to put down roots, maybe she’d be willing to consider a committed relationship.

  With him.

  “What about you?” she asked. “Do you plan on staying with the SEALs?”

  “For now, I do.” Aiden had a life plan, and it involved a career as a navy SEAL, at least until he had a family of his own. Then he would get out of special ops and become an instructor. He didn’t ever want his wife worrying that he might not come home from an assignment. But he wouldn’t share any of that with Lily. At least, not yet. They were treading dangerous waters, so he sought safer territory.

  “Why don’t we have a cup of hot chocolate and turn in? With luck, we’ll get through the processing in time to catch a flight before noon tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good.”

  * * *

  LILY TRIED TO FOCUS on pouring two cups of
hot chocolate, but her gaze continued to slide toward Aiden and all that smooth, tanned skin, and she ended up sloshing the hot water over her fingers. With a soft exclamation, she set the teapot down and flapped her hand.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Aiden came to her side and took her hand in his, inspecting it. “You should run this under cold water.”

  “It’s fine,” she said, feeling herself go warm beneath his regard. “The water was hot, but not hot enough to do any damage. It just surprised me more than anything.”

  “Well, you’re the medic, so I’ll have to take your word for it.” He released her hand, but he was still so close that she could feel the heat that rolled off his body. His gorgeous, muscled chest was right there, blocking out everything else.

  Turning away abruptly, she gave each cup of cocoa a brisk stir and picked up the canister of whipped cream, holding it up. “Do you want some?”

  “Sure. Load me up.”

  Lily had a sudden, vivid image of herself covering those delicious pectorals in whipped cream and then licking it from his body. Her hand trembled a bit as she sprayed the cream into the mug and handed it to him, then she picked up her own mug. Lily watched him sip the hot chocolate, fascinated when he used his tongue to lick the whipped cream from his lips. She wanted to do the same thing.

  He looked at her over the rim of his mug, and she was certain he must see the naked desire in her eyes. She bent her head and took a hasty gulp of hot chocolate to hide her confusion. They drank in silence for several moments before Aiden set his nearly empty cup down on the tray. Picking up the T-shirt he’d discarded earlier, he pulled it on. Lily tried to conceal her disappointment.

  “I’m going to make a few phone calls,” he said. “So if you want to change and get ready for bed, I can either go into the bathroom, or step out into the hall.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “To give you some privacy.”

  Setting her mug down, Lily spread her arms. “For what? This is it, Chief Cross. I’m as ready for bed as I’m ever going to be, so if you were expecting sexy lingerie, I’m sorry to disappoint you.”