Christmas or Bust

by A. M Burke

  They were on the bed before she’d even registered her knees were buckling. The to-go box tumbled off the bed but neither gave it much notice as Elliot slid them up the bed, the slick material of the comforter making the move easier. Elliot was hovering over her, the lower half of his body keeping hers comfortably pinned to the bed while he balanced on his right forearm, the left pushing under her shirt as skilled fingers with calloused pads worked their way up her ribcage to the undersides of her breasts. Nora sucked in a breath when he made contact with her sensitive flesh and she felt Elliot smile against her lips.

  “Ticklish?” he asked, his fingers moving lightly, causing another intake of breath.

  “In a sense,” Nora said with a giggle. She freed a hand from under him and shoved against his shoulder, pushing him back so she straddled him, leaning over to kiss him gently, but passion quickly took control he was kissing with as much fervor. Nora lost track of things then. Only dimly aware of her losing her clothes, Elliot’s following suit, the cool air of the room a momentary distraction before they were under the covers and Elliot was warming her again. There was another moment of pause when Nora thought she should put an end to this before it went to long when Elliot went to retrieve protection but she knew that even though she could end it then, she didn’t want to. Elliot returned to the bed, heated skin barely cooled despite the temperature in the room which Nora suspected was cooler than it should have been considering the noise the heater was making but it was low on her priority list. Elliot was back, taking her in his arms, kissing her and making outrageous promises that he shouldn’t have been able to fulfill but he proved he was a man of his word.

  “Nora,” he said her name as a breathy sigh and Nora felt pretty much the same way. She pulled him back down for a kiss that shouldn’t have be as powerful as it was considering all they’d just done but it made her toes curl nonetheless. Elliot rolled onto his back breaking the kiss but pulled her with him, letting her settle against his side, using his shoulder as a pillow. He liked her pressed against him. She was warm and soft and smelled good. He’d been with plenty of women who were warm and soft and smelled good but Nora was different somehow, he couldn’t place it or find a word but he knew it was a good thing.

  “Did I leave you speechless Marine?” she asked tracing a finger across his chest. He made a noise in response but Nora took that as an affirmative and smiled to herself as she snuggled closer. She didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she felt Elliot move, gently laying her back on the pillows and swearing under his breath as he slipped from beneath the covers. Nora knew why he was swearing, the room was freezing.

  “Elliot?” she questioned, sitting up and keeping the covers around her.

  “Go back to sleep,” Elliot ordered pulling his pajama pants on.

  “It’s freezing,” Nora commented looking around the room and blinking when Elliot flipped on the desk lamp near the heater situated under the window.

  “I’m aware,” Elliot muttered as he tinkered with the dials on the heater.

  Nora muttered an apology and slipped her nightshirt back on but left the little shorts in a pile on the floor. She went to stand next to Elliot, peering over his shoulder as he pulled a cover loose and peered inside.

  “Anything I can do to help?” she asked.

  “Not unless you have skills in HVAC repair that I’m unaware of,” Elliot replied sharply and Nora straighten, stepping away as she bit back a tart reply of her own. Instead she tiptoed into the bathroom, resigning herself to the fact that Elliot could only be nice when she was trying to get her into bed. It had been nice when it lasted but Nora guessed there wasn’t much she could do about it. After freshening up Nora poked her head warily back into the bedroom and saw Elliot still working with the heater that was making weak noises as it slowly came back to life.

  Suddenly famished Nora scooped up the forgotten to-go box off the floor and found the contents not too destroyed and helped herself to a few cold curly fries. Elliot was standing, hands on his hips, glaring at the heater as it slowly rattled back into working order, as if staring at it would keep it from misbehaving again. When heat started rolling back into the room Elliot finally stepped back and noticed Nora cross-legged on the bed with the belated meal in her lap.

  “I’m starving,” he said joining her on the bed and took the majority of the remaining fries from the container. Nora said nothing but picked up a soggy crouton and popped it into her mouth, watching him move onto the sandwich. He looked back up at her after two large bites. “You ok?” he asked looking concerned after swallowing.

  “So you like me again?” Nora asked dryly, shocked with herself that she’d even asked it. She didn’t care did she? She could practically read the thoughts filtering across his eyes. ‘She’s one of those girls’ or ‘What have I gotten myself into?’

  “I just heard what I said, and I’m sorry. Just forget it,” Nora muttered sliding off the bed and retrieving the second box of food and the paper bag with the small bottles of wine. She helped herself to the second sandwich and considered him as he considered her.

  “I wasn’t thinking anything,” he told her finally. “I’m just sorry that I snapped at you earlier.” The apology surprised her but Nora nodded numbly and picked at her sandwich. Elliot watched her as she ate in small bites and looked anywhere but at him. Setting aside his unfinished sandwich and taking Nora’s out of her hand he took both takeout boxes and set them aside. Standing over her from the side of the bed Elliot reached down and pulled her up so she was standing between his spread legs. He kissed her quickly, not giving her a chance to protest. “Mad at me?” he asked when he briefly broke the kiss and then went on before she answered. “Well I guess I’ll just have to make you like me again,” he said and dotted kisses along the stretched opening of the neck of her shirt. “You liked it when I kissed you here,” he reminded as he nipped at the base of her neck and then kissed up the side. “And here,” he whispered when he reached below her ear.

  “I don’t need reminding,” Nora said more breathlessly than she would have liked.

  “Ahhh but I’m not reminding,” Elliot corrected, “I’m getting you to like me again.”

  “I like you ok?” Nora told him in a reproachful voice that was betrayed by the smile in her eyes.

  “You sure?” he asked looking playful. It was extremely disarming; he looked so much younger and carefree with the slight crinkle around his eyes and the devious glint in his dark depths. “Because I’ve been told I can be extremely convincing when I need to be.” His hands were back under her shirt again and Nora had no recollection of how they’d gotten there.

  “I have no doubt sir,” Nora said pushing his hands away and scooting back under the covers. “Your reputation precedes you.”

  Elliot pushed her over to join her under the covers. “Meaning?” he asked.

  “I have it on very good authority-“

  “I’m sure that authority being Claire” Elliot chimed in.

  “-that you are quite the ladies man.”

  “Is that necessarily a bad thing?” Elliot asked his face serious but his tone teasing. “It means that I know what I’m doing.”

  “It just means no one has told you what you’re doing wrong,” Nora teased back and saw something flash in Elliot’s eyes. He found her funny.

  “Well madam,” he said as seriously as he could manage, “is there something about my performance that you could advise me on?” Nora was suddenly tongue-tied. “Well Dr. Nora? Nothing to say? My performance must have been flawless then.” Nora rolled her eyes and shoved at his shoulder.

  “Your ego is out of control sir,” she told him.

  “Ego? Is that what you crazy kids are calling it these days?” Elliot asked and Nora snorted out a laugh. “So you’re sure?” Elliot pressed. “Nothing you can critique? Nothing from a medical point of view?”

  Nora looked up at him from where he was leaning over her. She knew he was teasing but wondered if maybe he rea
lly was looking for some sort of reassurance. She thought she’d aptly praised him but who knew, perhaps his other past partners were more vocal and giving with their praises. Nora fought down a frown, she didn’t want to think about the probably numerous women he’d taken to bed before her. She also didn’t want to think about the women who would follow her. Curling a hand around the back of his neck Nora smiled as she pushed such thoughts from her mind and pulled him down to kiss her. She’d rather show than tell.

  Chapter Seven

  They ate the cold remains of their dinner and drank down the wine while still cuddled under the blankets as the heater tried in vain to keep the room comfortably warm.

  “Where did you even get the wine?” Nora asked as she finished off her respective bottle.

  “They were actually selling them at the diner,” Elliot told her. “I took it as a sign.”

  “A sign of what?” Nora asked confused.

  “That by getting you your requested dinner I’d be able to get in your pants,” he said with a lecherous grin that as much as Nora wanted to smack it off his face she found it adorable at the same time. Man she was in trouble.

  “This is a version of my requested dinner,” she said collecting up the boxes. “Imagine if you’d actually come through with the real thing?”

  “My mind can’t even begin to comprehend,” Elliot told her and grabbed her back up in his arms when she returned to the bed. Nora settled against him, her back to his chest, their legs entwined with Elliot’s heavy arm draped over her hips.

  “So I was a sure thing huh?” Nora asked after a few minutes of silence.

  “Far from it,” Elliot muttered back. And that had been the problem. He’d been worried that he’d make a move and be rejected. He’d been turned down before but the difference here was that he didn’t want to be rejected by Nora. He wasn’t sure what he would have done if he’d made the move and Nora hadn’t responded favorably. Probably he’d have slept in the car and bought her a plane ticket the rest of the way to California and then work for the rest of his life to avoid her. He heard her chuckle lightly.

  “Glad to know I’m keeping you on your toes,” she told him tilting her head back a bit so she could get a better look at him. “I think if you hadn’t made a move on me I’d be a bit worried,” Nora went on. “You were staring at my cleavage so much in the car I’d be worried there was something seriously wrong with me, or you, if you hadn’t tried something.”

  Elliot didn’t say anything in response, just pulled Nora back down to spoon against him. Nora adjusted slightly, pulling the pillow a bit closer and letting her hand settle on the bed close to where Elliot’s poked out from under the pillow. Her hand had barely settled when his fingers covered her. She smiled knowing he couldn’t see it.

  “The cop on the road,” Elliot muttered startling her.

  “Pardon?”

  “The cop on the road was staring at your chest so much that I almost got out of the car and slugged him.”

  Nora was silent. She’d been aware of the cop’s wandering eyes but not of Elliot’s reaction to it. She removed her fingers from his and felt him tense, guessing he was worried she was angry but she instead began to stroke the back of his hand.

  “I think that would have been a bad idea,” Nora finally spoke trying not to giggle.

  “Don’t laugh,” Elliot told her though Nora could tell he was also trying not to laugh, “I was seriously considering it.”

  “Well I’m seriously glad you didn’t,” Nora went on. “I’ve got a feeling he wouldn’t have taken too kindly too it and if you’d ended up in jail I’d have been lonely.”

  “Lonely?” Elliot echoed. “Well we couldn’t have had that.”

  “Yes that would be tragic,” Nora agreed sarcastically.

  “Careful you’re starting to wound my pride,” Elliot warned and his words struck a chord in Nora. She remembered a little over a year ago when Claire had been beside herself when she found out that Elliot had been shot in a training mission gone wrong. She’d begged Nora to decipher the medical jargon she’d be told over the phone because Elliot had listed her as his emergency contact and Nora had spoken to the doctors on the phone, confirming that Claire hadn’t been lied to and that Elliot would recover just fine. The doctor had been chatty, chattier than a military man or a doctor should have been but apparently he had read a paper that Nora had published earlier in the year and decided it was a good opportunity to network.

  “You were shot last year,” Nora said out of the blue and immediately regretted it when she felt Elliot tense behind her.

  “Yeah?” he asked.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from,” Nora apologized. She felt Elliot shake his head against the pillow. “Claire was terrified.”

  “I’m still not sure where this is going,” Elliot muttered, it seemed like odd pillow talk.

  “She didn’t know you’d been hurt before,” Nora went on. “And she still doesn’t know, I never told her.”

  “And how do you know?”

  “Claire was worried, I called the hospital where they transferred you for recovery,” she explained, “and I found out a few things.”

  “Nora, I still don’t know what this has to do with here and now,” Elliot sighed, no longer hiding his annoyance.

  “When you said ‘wound’,” Nora told him, “my mind just went off. I don’t know why, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s ok,” Elliot said relaxing again behind her. There was a long stretch of silence between them, not nearly as comfortable this time. Nora resumed stroking the back of Elliot’s hand, trying to achieve the easy calm they’d had only minutes earlier.

  “If it makes you feel better I didn’t like being shot,” Elliot said softly and Nora’s fingers stilled on his hand before curling around it.

  “I can imagine it isn’t all that fun,” Nora agreed. She’d seen what gunshots did to the human body. She didn’t like to imagine Elliot on the operating table, fighting for his life or worse in the field with gunshots and enemies still bearing down on him, hurt and scared though he’d probably never admit it. Stubborn idiot would probably be a hero and get shot saving someone’s life, not considering that Claire was at home worried sick about him.

  “No, it isn’t fun,” Elliot agreed.

  Silence stretched again, the heater was the only noise in the room. Nora was getting sleepy but she felt the odd conversation wasn’t over yet. Elliot’s hand on her hip slid down to wrap around her waist, pulling her closer against him.

  “I didn’t tell Claire because I didn’t want her to worry needlessly,” he finally told her.

  Nora didn’t think the worry would be ‘needless’ but she kept that too herself. “I never told her,” Nora told him, “it wasn’t my place to. Your doctor shouldn’t have told me in the first place.”

  “I figure you knowing I’d been shot might make you be nicer to me when we met,” Elliot teased.

  “If I was nice to everyone who I know who’d been shot I’d never get anything done,” Nora replied sarcastically. She’d spent too much time in emergency rooms working on people who would just go out and return the favor as soon as they were able. The cycle, to Nora, was endless and she worried unbreakable. She’d seen too many supposed ‘gangbangers’ trying to make a stupid name for themselves, chained to the beds as she worked on them and knowing that she was saving their lives just so they had the chance to go out and kill someone else. Nora had burned out quickly on trauma surgery, instead focusing on pediatric surgery but even then she saw things she didn’t want to see. One of her advisors was trying to push her into pediatric cancer research but Nora didn’t think she’d be able to handle that.

  “That many?” Elliot asked. He had his chin resting on her shoulder, face pressed into her now dry hair. She felt so good next to him and he was having a hard time not turning her over and making love to her again.

  “I worked in the Emergency Room for a while,” Nora explained him but didn’t
go into details.

  “Not for you?” Elliot asked her.

  “Too much excitement for me,” Nora said, “and no George Clooney to keep me company.”

  “Can I say something that might make you angry?” Elliot asked after a heavy sigh.

  “Go for it,” Nora answered, she felt like she owed him at least one uncomfortable question.

  “You don’t seem to like being a doctor all that much,” Elliot said and Nora didn’t reply. She wasn’t angry, not in the least. She wasn’t entirely happy but that could be said of anyone who didn’t like facing the truth.

  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  Nora wasn’t sure when she fell asleep but the light that slipped in from the curtain Elliot parted told her she’d slept for a good long while.

  “Bright,” she muttered pulling the blankets over her head.

  “Yes sunshine has been accused of being bright,” Elliot told her. He pulled down the blanket and smiled when Nora pulled the pillow over her head in retaliation. “You look all ruffled in the morning,” he told her plucking the pillow away.

  “I hope that’s not supposed to be a compliment,” Nora grumbled pushing a hand through her tangled hair.

  “It is,” he assured her cupping the back of her head and pulling her up for a kiss.

  Ignoring his sentiments and trying not to feel self-conscious Nora looked around him after he broke the kiss and glanced out the crack in the curtains. “Is that snow?” she asked in disbelief. Elliot’s lips turned down in a grimace as he turned back to the window.