Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 22647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“I like it. John Deere Green is my favorite color,” Elliott rumbled.
I tossed a grin over my shoulder at him. “Sounds like you’re my soul mate.”
His face changed, growing serious.
With steady, deliberate steps, he made his way to me and stopped less than a hairsbreadth away from my lips.
He brought his hand up, cupping my face. “I know two things. One, I’m in love with you. Hopelessly, irrationally, and insanely in-fuckin’-love with you,” he emphasized that statement with a deep kiss that left me breathless. “Two, I’d do abso-freakin’-lutely anything for you. Anything. I’d even fucking dance with you in front of a million people. If that doesn’t say something, I don’t know what will.”
“How about I only make you dance on Christmas?” I teased.
“Deal,” he said fiercely.
Chapter 3
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. But if the white runs out, I’ll drink the red.
-E-card
Blaine
2 years later
Christmas number one
This wasn’t how the first Christmas as a married woman was supposed to go.
I’d stupidly dreamed of this day since I was a little girl.
I was supposed to have my prince charming make Christmas cookies with me, and help me hang Christmas lights. Then we’d open presents together Christmas morning, and he’d give me a puppy that we’d name Steeler.
What I wasn’t supposed to be doing was eating the Christmas cookies I’d made, by myself, in my tiny one bedroom apartment alone. Nor was I supposed to sleep in my bed, by myself, with my husband halfway across the world.
However, I knew one thing.
I married a soldier.
That was the way of life for an army wife. I knew what I was getting into, and I loved Elliott with all my heart and soul. I’d do absolutely anything for him. Even spend our first Christmas, as a married couple, alone while he risked his life for The United States of America.
Tomorrow, at least, wouldn’t be as bad as today. I’d be going to my parents’ house in the morning, followed by Elliott’s parents in the afternoon. I wouldn’t be alone, and that was, most likely, due to my husband, God love him, who hated the fact that I’d be by myself.
I’d planned to spend it by myself since our parents were so far away from where Elliott was stationed, but they’d all convinced me that it would be better for me to come back home. I’d tried to argue that I had a ton of things to do for my new business, but they’d pushed and pushed until I’d finally given in.
So why, if I had to drive five hours across Texas tomorrow, was I not sleeping when I had to get up in an hour?
Because I was going to be Skyping with my hot husband any minute.
I looked down at the Christmas pajamas I was wearing and grinned.
They actually came out of the kid’s section.
Yes, I was small.
Yes, I shopped in the kids’ section at times. So shoot me.
Ding. Ding.
The sound made me smile, and an excited squeal started to bubble out of my throat.
Clicking answer on my computer, I fairly bounced on my knees as I waited for it to connect.
And then it did. There he was. The light of my life. The man that got all my hormones raging with a single smile.
“Hey, baby,” he said in his deep rumbly voice.
I smiled at him. “Hey, hot stuff.”
He grinned that heart-stopping grin that set my belly to tumbling. “I like it when you call me hot stuff.”
He looked good. Happy.
So many other times he’d looked sad, but something about him today made me think that he was pleased.
“Hey, did you get my care package?” I wondered.
He nodded. “Yeah, we did.”
I rolled my eyes.
When Elliott and I had first started dating, I hadn’t realized he was in the army. Then he’d been given the orders that he was to deploy for six months, and the cat had slipped out of the bag. However, by that time, I was so entrenched in everything Elliott that I didn’t care. If he was happy, I was happy. I’d wait my whole life for him to come back to me.
I jumped into the role of army wife and started sending him care packages, letters, notes, multiple emails, and love all from thousands and thousands of miles away.
Lots and lots of love.
Then he’d told me about his unit, and I’d started taking care of them as well.
“Did you like it?” I wondered.
I heard a voice from the background. “Loved it!”
I rolled my eyes. There was never any privacy. Ever. But I still loved each and every one of them.
“Shit, baby I’ve got to go. They’re calling us up,” Elliott said suddenly.
My heart dropped. I’d only had him for less than a minute.
Hells bells.
I want you to stay! I thought sadly.
“Okay, baby. Be careful,” I said instead, knowing he didn’t need to hear what I really felt.
He smiled sadly. “I will. Merry Christmas, B.”
“Merry Christmas, E,” I repeated back.
He winked, and then he was gone.
And I was all alone.
Again.
***
Elliott
“Do you think she bought it?” Sam, my captain, asked.
I looked over at the five other men in the room with me and smiled. “Hell yes she believed it. Just don’t tell her you saw her in those pajamas.”
They all laughed.
My brothers. My best friends.
We’d been in the same Army Ranger unit for four years now, and Blaine and I’d been dating for all four of those years.
It was only in February of this year that Blaine and I’d tied the knot, and each of them had stood up with me.
They were the best friends a man could ask for, and did silly shit with me just so I could surprise my wife on Christmas.
Such as decorating a hotel room like our command post in the middle of Iraq, and then staying in their dusty clothes long enough to sell the tale.
James stripped off his brown shirt and went to the bathroom to wash up while talking. “All right, I’ve got to go. My mom and sister have my little girl, and I’m dying to see her.”