Christmas or Bust

by A. M Burke

  “That has nothing to do with what we are talking about,” Elliot bit back. “And you’re offering too narrow a view. You have to examine the situation before baselessly placing blame.”

  “Exactly,” Nora agreed.

  “Exactly what?” Elliot asked confused.

  “You don’t know all of the facts so you can’t make mitigating assumptions.”

  Elliot blew out a loud breath of annoyance but had to agree. “You’re right about that at least,” he admitted grudgingly but didn’t go so far as to ask her to explain her situation.

  “I’m glad you said that, it keeps you from being tossed out of the car,” Nora snapped mimicking his early comment.

  “No need to get snippy,” Elliot growled and Nora huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and turned her head away to look out the window. The action brought Elliot’s eyes to dangerous territory momentarily. Catching himself Elliot scowled as well and turned his attention back to the road. He didn’t need reminding that Nora Ellis was an attractive woman. He normally fancied himself a fan of blondes but Nora’s dark brown hair, nearly black, looked so damn soft and silky he could easily imagine it spilling across the dark green shade of his pillow cases of his home back in Boston. Elliot gave himself a mental shake; those thoughts were very dangerous thoughts to be having. Having Nora in his bed wouldn’t be a bad idea; it would be a disastrous idea.

  Epically bad.

  He had no problem finding temporary partners when he wanted them so there was no need to let in thoughts of sleeping with Nora Ellis. No, no, that would be a very bad idea. He guessed she would be clingy. She’d be the sort that wouldn’t leave him in the morning without breakfast or at least the offer of it. Maybe she’d leave a strategic item behind, like her wallet or car key for an excuse to come back or call him. Or worse she’d start trying to move in covertly, leaving a few key pieces of clothing here or there, a razor in the shower, or her coffee mug in the cupboard. That had happened to Elliot more than once and he hated the scene when it all had to finally be confronted. He didn’t like being that guy, it made him feel like an ass and a half but he was always upfront with the women he encountered- he wasn’t looking for a relationship. Not now, and maybe not ever.

  Elliot shifted his dark hazel eyes to Nora who was still staring broodily out the window, her own dark brown eyes alight with indignity direct at him. He stifled a smile at her bad mood. It was perverse to see her so unhappy but she looked pretty, even when she was scowling. Elliot caught himself. He shouldn’t think she was pretty any time. That was dangerous territory. Dangerous territory indeed.

  Chapter Three

  Nora stayed silent until the rumble of her stomach began to become noticeable. Elliot seemed fine with the silence. Driving peacefully along as they cruised across Pennsylvania making good time Nora guessed since they’d only encountered a few minor snarls of traffic and construction seemed to be at a minimum this time of year.

  Nora was miserable. The silence was anything but comfortable and she was starting to get hungry but she didn’t want to be the first to breakdown the stony wall set up between them. She didn’t want to put on her headphones, it seemed too much like a move a petulant teen might do and although she craved something from the bag of snacks she’d packed she wouldn’t give in. But as she started getting hungrier and the growls in her stomach started to become more noticeable Nora knew she’d have to swallow her pride. Stealing a glance at Elliot after her stomach growled loudly she considered that maybe death by starvation was a viable option.

  To her amazement though Elliot spoke first.

  “What did you bring in that snack bag of yours?”

  “Munchies, some fruit, a couple of granola bars,” Nora answered as she tried to keep her stomach from growling by clenching the muscles. “Why? Want something?” Nora asked innocently.

  “Granola bar would be nice,” Elliot answered and Nora reached in back and grabbed the canvas tote she’d loaded her snacks into. Careful to not jostle Elliot, Nora sat back down and pulled a granola bar from the bag and unwrapped half of it for him before handing it over. Elliot thanked her and began to munch. Nora helped herself a bar as well, pulled out a bag of gummy worms, a green apple, and a packet of peanut butter sandwich crackers before setting the bag back in the back seat.

  Elliot watched her out of the corner of his eye demolish the granola bar, the crackers, and start in on the apple as he still chewed on the granola bar. He wondered if she ate like this all the time and if she did how the hell she stayed so skinny. She’d been slowly stripping layers since they got in the car and was now in a t-shirt that complemented her form.

  “Hungry were you?” Elliot asked as Nora finished the apple.

  “Not really,” Nora lied. She hit the button for the window and tossed the apple core out.

  “Liter much?” Elliot asked.

  “Bio-degradable,” Nora argued and pulled open the gummy worms. Feeling charitable now that her stomach wasn’t so empty she offered the bag to Elliot first who politely declined.

  “You are actually a doctor right?” Elliot asked after watching Nora eat three of the worms in under a minute. “Not one of those fake holistic Hollywood doctors?”

  “Last I checked my medical degree was legitimate.”

  “Aren’t doctors supposed to be,” Elliot paused to search for the word, “healthy?”

  Nora laughed and Elliot found her liked the sound. “I’ll let you in on a little secret; doctors are rarely as healthy as they tell their patients to be. I doubt I would have made it through my first year as an intern if it wasn’t for Sour Patch Kids.”

  “So you don’t practice what you preach?” Elliot guessed helping himself to some gummy worms.

  “I do my best to be healthy, everything in moderation,” Nora told him. “And I drink plenty of water and run almost daily.” She watched him take another few gummies. “And what about you? Aren’t Marines supposed to be in peek physical health? I don’t want just anyone watching out for the country.”

  Elliot laughed and Nora smiled in reaction to the deep baritone of it. “Same as you, we all have our vices.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.”

  They lapsed into silence again, this time more comfortable. Nora watched the road ahead of them, thinking of nothing in-particular as they continued on. She should be working on the article she promised the chief she’d submit after the holidays but it was nice to just sit for a little while. She couldn’t remember the last time she just sat and did nothing. The steady hum of the tires on the pavement were surprisingly relaxing and with the lack of tension between her and Elliot she found herself being lulled into a peaceful state she rarely achieved.

  After a few more minutes of silence from Nora Elliot glanced over at the passenger seat and couldn’t help but smile. She was cute when she slept, curled up, her head resting against the window.

  Elliot shook his head in disgust at himself. He had to stop thinking of her as cute.

  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  When Nora came too her mouth was dry and the sun had shifted in the sky. The clock confirmed she’d slept through the normal lunch hour and her stomach was rumbling again.

  “Morning sleepyhead,” Elliot said seeing her come awake.

  “Please tell me I didn’t talk,” she said without thinking and then was immediately mortified. Elliot chuckled lightly.

  “A little mumbling, nothing coherent,” he assure her. That much was true. He’d strained to hear over the whirl of the tires and rumbles of traffic to try and catch what she was saying but he wasn’t able to make out any words.

  “It’s embarrassing,” Nora admitted. “I’ve learned to sleep anywhere,” she explained, “but I have the unfortunate habit of talking in my sleep when I’m dozing.” Elliot chuckled again. “It’s true,” Nora insisted. “Apparently I had a conversation with one of the top surgeons in the hospital once in the break room. I don’t remember it at all. I was completely aslee
p.”

  Elliot laughed full out again and enjoyed Nora’s scowl. “Well its good timing. I was about to pull off for a pit stop.”

  “Good, I could stand to stretch my legs. We haven’t stopped in ages.”

  “I’m hoping to keep these sorts of breaks short,” Elliot said.

  “Define short,” Nora asked warily.

  “If you’re going to spend an hour in the bathroom I’m going to drag you out of there,” he warned.

  “Oh I’d like to see you try,” Nora grumbled grumpily. Why couldn’t they have a conversation that didn’t digress into an argument?

  “You think I can’t or you think I won’t?” Elliot asked glancing at the list of gas stations on the upcoming exit sign.

  “I have no doubt in your ability,” Nora told him. “What I doubt is your ability to accomplish it while I scream bloody murder and you get arrested for attempted kidnapping and then I drive your car across the country by myself to California.”

  “Got it all figured out do you?” Elliot asked.

  “Sure do,” Nora said reaching down to find her purse on the floor.

  “But seriously,” Elliot said taking the exit.

  “But seriously,” Nora parroted.

  “Don’t take too long.”

  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  It was going to be a very, very, long trip if all stops went like their first one Elliot decided. They’d stayed nearly thirty minutes at the gas station. Correction, Nora had stayed nearly thirty minutes at the gas station; Elliot had been ready to go in a fraction of the time. He did his best to keep his grumblings to himself but Nora obviously sensed his annoyance and addressed it when they were back on the road. He’d pointed, rather shortly in Nora’s opinion, about the amount of time it had taken them at the gas station and, of course, a fight had begun and quickly escalated.

  “If you are that long at every stop we won’t reach California until New Years,” Elliot grumbled.

  “Stop being dramatic,” Nora replied, “it’s unbecoming.”

  “I’m not trying to be becoming,” Elliot said back, “I’m trying to keep a schedule.”

  “I can’t help the lines in the bathroom Elliot,” Nora told him.

  “There is no way that the line was that long.”

  “Next time I’ll take a picture to prove it.”

  “Now who is being dramatic?” Elliot asked.

  “You do realize that this is the oldest argument of all time don’t you?” Nora asked. Elliot gave her a look that said she was clearly crazy. Nora wished he’d keep his eyes on the road. She’d offered to drive but he’d flat out refused and Nora wondered if she’d ever actually get a chance behind the wheel. The man was a control freak. “The bathroom argument,” Nora said simply. “Despite years of being told otherwise and being shown physical evidence men still do not grasp that it takes longer for women to use the facilities than men.” Elliot shot her another ‘you’re crazy’ look before returning his eyes to the road. “There are certain physical differences between men and women,” Nora started to say before Elliot interrupted.

  “I know about the physical differences between men and women,” he snapped and Nora grinned, happy she’d hit a nerve.

  “You never know,” she told him teasingly. “I mean, I’m a doctor so I know all about it but I know the majority of Marines are innocent and pure and wouldn’t know such things until they’re married and to my knowledge you’ve never been hitched so I didn’t want to be offensive or rude.” She grinned over at him, feeling confident in her teasing. The heated look he shot her took away her confidence and the feeling of being sucker punched once again took hold. She was getting pretty sick of that feeling. As his eyes raked over her body Nora was able to push aside her dumbstruck feel and grab onto indignity instead and she took hold of it with a death grip.

  “Believe me honey,” he told her with a slow drawl that pulled out a bit of the southern accent that crept out from Claire from time to time, “I know all about the physical differences between a man and woman. I’m very familiar with them.”

  “You sure you’re not the doctor?” Nora asked trying to regain her footing.

  Elliot shot her another look, this one more reminiscent of cat-caught-canary. “Not officially but I’ve played doctor plenty of times.”

  Nora had about a million retorts she wanted to throw at him and if he hadn’t been driving she probably would have given into the urge to break his nose. Instead she pulled out her iPod, plugged in her headphones and stared stoically ahead. As the first song of her playlist kicked on Nora thought she heard a laugh and whipped her head around to glare at him but Elliot was straight faced, eyes on the road, only the hint of a smile tugging on his lips.

  Chapter Four

  They barely said anything for the rest of the day except to confer on where to stop for dinner and Nora offering to drive one more time only to be turned down. They made good time and found the hotel Nora had made reservations at with relative ease. Elliot hadn’t wanted to call ahead to schedule places to stay, preferring instead to get as far each day as they could manage but Nora hadn’t wanted to take a chance of not finding a room along the way. They’d exchanged a few terse emails on the subject a few weeks back when their trip was first being cemented but Nora had finally won out, using points she’d accumulated from credit cards to book rooms with relative ease. She’d been stock piling the points for an eventual trip to Hawaii but this seemed like just as good a use. The promise of a clean bed, hot shower and a roof over her head was much more appealing then sleeping in the backseat of an SUV.

  “We could have made it another two or three hours at least tonight,” Elliot observed as they pulled into the hotel’s parking lot.

  “If you want to keep going feel free to,” Nora told him. “Just be sure to backtrack and pick me up in the morning because I’m not going one more mile today.”

  Elliot pulled into a spot, set the car in park and sighed as he killed the engine. “It’s going to be a really long trip,” he started to say as Nora jumped out of the car and interrupted him.

  “It’s going to be a long trip no matter what so quit complaining and let’s get inside,” Nora shot back. “I need a hot shower in the worst way.” Elliot banished the image of Nora in the shower from his mind as he too climbed out of the car. He watched her go to the back of the car and start pulling out all of her bags.

  “What are you doing?” he asked her.

  “Bringing my stuff in,” Nora answered wondering what else it could look like.

  “All of it?” Elliot asked exasperated.

  “I don’t want it to get stolen.”

  “So every night and every morning you plan on hauling,” he paused to take a quick count, “six bags in and out of the car?”

  “Well I’ll leave the snack bag,” Nora shrugged, “unless we want snacks of course.”

  “Oh of course,” Elliot agreed sarcastically.

  Nora placed a hand on her cocked hip, glaring at him under the weak light spilling out from the interior of the car. “Is everything I do a joke to you?”

  “Not everything,” Elliot admitted, “but a lot of it, yes.”

  Nora rolled her eyes skyward and prayed for the patience she’d never been able to achieve. “Then what do you suggest I do oh all-knowing one?”

  “Leave everything you don’t need out here,” he said giving the obvious answer. “That small one is an overnight bag I’m guessing?” he asked nodding at the small roller bag propped at her feet. When she nodded her went on. “Well take that, and your purse, and leave the rest. Problem solved.”

  “I’ve got presents and clothes and medical books in the other bags,” Nora said gesturing to the bags spread out in back of the car. “I don’t want anything to go wandering if you know what I mean.”

  “I actually have no clue.”

  “Get stolen,” Nora explained in a near whisper.

  “Oh for heaven’s sake,” Elliot breathe
d out. Pushing bag out of the way Elliot popped open a compartment set into the floor of the car and pulled out an older, cameo colored blanket. He shook it out and spread it out over Nora’s remaining bags and his own duffle he had thrown in the back as well. “See problem solved.”

  “Well that’s completely inconspicuous,” Nora said sarcastically. “No thief would ever dare to look under something. Well done Sherlock, does the government know about you and your cutting edge crime control methods?”

  “Claire never mentioned you were such a charmer,” Elliot told her.

  “Claire never mentioned you were such an ass,” Nora replied. “I mean I knew you were a jerk, I just hadn’t figured it was this much of your personality.”

  “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were flirting with me,” Elliot said so casually that Nora was so shocked she struggled for a reply. Elliot took advantage of her discomfort and decided to add to it. “Oh look, you’re blushing now too.” Nora started sputtering in response, too busy seeing red to be able to reply as wittingly as she might have hoped. “The car will be locked,” Elliot went on to assure her, changing tactics. “I’ve even installed extra alarms. I parked here,” he said point up at the lamp post with a security camera attached, “for a reason. I will also promise to replace anything that gets hurt, damaged, lost, stolen or whatever may happen, be it an act of human, God, or otherwise, while you are out of sight of your bags. Do we have a deal?”

  Nora processed his words for a moment. “Can I get that in writing?”

  Elliot grabbed up his backpack from the back seat before closing up the car and locking it. He then picked up Nora’s bag and started towards the front doors of the hotel. “I thought you were a doctor, not a lawyer,” he said over his shoulder as Nora followed after him.

  “You often times have to be a little of both, and I can carry my own bag,” Nora told him.

  “Wouldn’t want to be an ass and not carry a lady’s bags now would I?” he asked her and nearly laughed at her expression. But he didn’t laugh, suddenly in a black mood. He needed some sleep he decided or else he wouldn’t enjoy getting this much of a rise out of Nora and observing her expressions. Maybe it was a good thing they stopped now, not that he’d ever admit it to Nora. “We’re getting up and on the road by six by the way.”