Read Online A Soldier for Christmas by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jillian Hart
Ads: Link
should date him.”
Kelly shook her head. “Too complicated. He’s leaving soon. He’s stationed in California. Plus, I’m done with romance.”
“Bummer.” Lexie returned to the couch where the TV droned the latest local news.
Bummer was an understatement, but that was life.
Kelly stepped out onto the front porch and her gaze found Mitch by feel rather than by sight. He’d retreated to the darker corner of the landing, but he radiated such a strong essence of might and honor that she saw him clearly, even when the twilight shadows hid his features.
She came closer and could just make him out leaning against the railing, his arms crossed over his chest. The embers within her heart breathed to life. Just a flicker, but it was bright and joyful.
This is happiness, she told herself. Mitch was a good friend, the pizza-bringing, kindly, offering-to-help-her-with-her-homework type of friend. Why shouldn’t she feel gladdened by that?
Mitch met her halfway, reaching out for the pad and pen. “If I hear you had trouble and you didn’t ask me for help, I’m gonna be pretty mad at you.”
She wasn’t fooled; she spotted the good-natured crook of his grin, even in the shadows. “It’s my strict policy never to get someone as big and strong as you mad at me.”
“Good policy.” His grin widened as he wrote and handed her back the book and pen. “I’ll provide the movie next time. Deal?”
“Something PG.”
“There’s a challenging mission, but lucky for you, I always prevail. Good night, Kelly.”
“Night. Drive safe.”
He raised one hand in answer, moving down the stairs silently. Not even the bottom step squeaked as he disappeared from her sight, taking the brightness of his presence with him.
In his Jeep, heading north over the moon-drenched Montana landscape, Mitch thought over the evening. Not bad. It had gone much better than he had the right to hope for. Kelly had relaxed around him, especially with her roommate there.
Over pizza consumed at the balcony table, with the rustling trees, the wind and sun, he’d asked questions about college life. About Kelly’s life. He learned that she worked full-time at the bookstore and supplemented that with babysitting jobs. That she was a straight-A student. She was starting to do extra study for the exams to get into graduate school. And that she daintily picked green peppers off her pizza.
She amazed him. Life had brought her a lot of twists and turns. The image of her standing on the top step, the light from the apartment behind her, the moon’s glow falling over her in the dark night, remained. She was pretty determined that all the two of them had in store was friendship.
He considered her side of things. It sounded as if she’d been alone for most of her formative years. And just when she thought she’d found a place to belong and someone to love, it had been ripped from her.
Pretty devastating. No wonder Kelly had given up on dating. On trying to find love again. No wonder the friendship-only thing was so important. He could understand that. He knew what deep losses could do to a person. Closing your heart off kept you from getting too close and feeling too much. It was easier.
But it was no way to live.
Plus the tangled-up emotion in his chest had little to do with friendship feelings. Tonight he’d really felt at home on the couch beside her, with his feet up on the coffee table. He’d enjoyed the simplicity of sitting at her side, and it had felt right. He’d like to spend a lot more evenings just like that. But not as just her friend.
As the highway unrolled before the reach of the Jeep’s headlight, Mitch thought how life resembled his limited view. You just couldn’t see what was up ahead. Life came with risks and love did, too. You had to give with your whole heart, but you were really just driving in the dark. The turns and obstacles ahead were a mystery, veiled in the night, and you just couldn’t know how things would
Kelly shook her head. “Too complicated. He’s leaving soon. He’s stationed in California. Plus, I’m done with romance.”
“Bummer.” Lexie returned to the couch where the TV droned the latest local news.
Bummer was an understatement, but that was life.
Kelly stepped out onto the front porch and her gaze found Mitch by feel rather than by sight. He’d retreated to the darker corner of the landing, but he radiated such a strong essence of might and honor that she saw him clearly, even when the twilight shadows hid his features.
She came closer and could just make him out leaning against the railing, his arms crossed over his chest. The embers within her heart breathed to life. Just a flicker, but it was bright and joyful.
This is happiness, she told herself. Mitch was a good friend, the pizza-bringing, kindly, offering-to-help-her-with-her-homework type of friend. Why shouldn’t she feel gladdened by that?
Mitch met her halfway, reaching out for the pad and pen. “If I hear you had trouble and you didn’t ask me for help, I’m gonna be pretty mad at you.”
She wasn’t fooled; she spotted the good-natured crook of his grin, even in the shadows. “It’s my strict policy never to get someone as big and strong as you mad at me.”
“Good policy.” His grin widened as he wrote and handed her back the book and pen. “I’ll provide the movie next time. Deal?”
“Something PG.”
“There’s a challenging mission, but lucky for you, I always prevail. Good night, Kelly.”
“Night. Drive safe.”
He raised one hand in answer, moving down the stairs silently. Not even the bottom step squeaked as he disappeared from her sight, taking the brightness of his presence with him.
In his Jeep, heading north over the moon-drenched Montana landscape, Mitch thought over the evening. Not bad. It had gone much better than he had the right to hope for. Kelly had relaxed around him, especially with her roommate there.
Over pizza consumed at the balcony table, with the rustling trees, the wind and sun, he’d asked questions about college life. About Kelly’s life. He learned that she worked full-time at the bookstore and supplemented that with babysitting jobs. That she was a straight-A student. She was starting to do extra study for the exams to get into graduate school. And that she daintily picked green peppers off her pizza.
She amazed him. Life had brought her a lot of twists and turns. The image of her standing on the top step, the light from the apartment behind her, the moon’s glow falling over her in the dark night, remained. She was pretty determined that all the two of them had in store was friendship.
He considered her side of things. It sounded as if she’d been alone for most of her formative years. And just when she thought she’d found a place to belong and someone to love, it had been ripped from her.
Pretty devastating. No wonder Kelly had given up on dating. On trying to find love again. No wonder the friendship-only thing was so important. He could understand that. He knew what deep losses could do to a person. Closing your heart off kept you from getting too close and feeling too much. It was easier.
But it was no way to live.
Plus the tangled-up emotion in his chest had little to do with friendship feelings. Tonight he’d really felt at home on the couch beside her, with his feet up on the coffee table. He’d enjoyed the simplicity of sitting at her side, and it had felt right. He’d like to spend a lot more evenings just like that. But not as just her friend.
As the highway unrolled before the reach of the Jeep’s headlight, Mitch thought how life resembled his limited view. You just couldn’t see what was up ahead. Life came with risks and love did, too. You had to give with your whole heart, but you were really just driving in the dark. The turns and obstacles ahead were a mystery, veiled in the night, and you just couldn’t know how things would
Similar Books
