Read Online I'll Be Home For Christmas (A Coming Home Novella) by Jessica Scott - Free Book Online Page A

about so we don’t have to smell him?”
    Iaconelli growled and stomped out of the tent, mumbling something about missing his old platoon and whiny little bastards. Carponti grinned and tucked the little stitch of cloth in his pocket. He headed across the FOB to the commo shelter and hopefully a call to his wife, then figured he’d stop by the company ops and check on Trent on his way.
    The closer Christmas came, the more depressing the sad little decorations looked. Someone had decorated the counter in the company ops now and there was quiet Christmas music playing as Carponti stepped into the dusty office.
    Carponti froze in the doorway.
    Lieutenant Randall stood far too close to the only female in the company, PFC Adorno.
    Carponti cleared his throat and strolled in, noting the way Randall jumped back. “I thought you worked in the motor pool,” he said to Adorno.
    She flushed and tucked her cropped dirty blond hair back behind one ear. “I did. I’ve been pulled up to work in the company.”
    Carponti frowned, watching Randall attempt to slink away. Oh, wasn’t that interesting. Relationships between officers and enlisted were forbidden but Randall was attempting to sleep with one of his direct reports? Interesting, indeed.
    He looked at the LT. “Sarn’t Iaconelli is looking for you.”
    Randall sniffed. “He knows where I work.”
    “God, you are one charming bastard, you know that, LT?”
    “Sergeant—”
    Trent wasn’t in the company so Carponti left before the LT could launch into another diatribe about Carponti’s military bearing and disrespect. Couldn’t have witnesses around when he told the LT to kiss his ass, now could he?
    * * *
    He dreaded her answering the phone. As much as he wanted to hear her voice, a tiny, selfish part of him didn’t want her to pick up.
    He didn’t have the energy to find a way to make her laugh. He was tired. Bone tired. The kind of tired that made him want to sleep for a week. Maybe then things would be okay.
    Maybe then he’d find his missing sense of humor.
    “Hey.” Her voice slid over his skin, a balm over all the ragged exposed wounds.
    “You awake?”
    Nicole’s voice was tired. “I’m working.”
    “Oh yeah?”
    “Yeah.” Her smile was soft and sexy. “It’s that case I can’t really tell you much about. I’m with my partner and we’re on the way back from Waco.”
    “He’s keeping his hands to himself, right? I don’t have to come home and, like, unleash my PTSD on him, do I?”
    She laughed quietly. “No, honey. David isn’t going to violate your precious.”
    He smiled, wishing they were alone so he could tell her how much he missed her. But they weren’t. So small talk it was. “So did you decorate the house for Christmas yet?”
    “I started but… it’s hard without you. Have you heard anything else about R&R? Are you still trying to get home?”
    He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m on the list for next week. If the fates align, the planets are all in conjunction and Sarn’t Ike doesn’t have his period, it’ll work out.” He paused, unable to tell her that he was thinking about pulling his leave until things settled down. It felt wrong to think about leaving his platoon over the holidays. But instead he said, “I really want to be there for you. I know this Christmas is going to be hard.”
    “Yeah.” A rustle of fabric. “I want you home, honey.”
    “I know. Trust me, I’m having a blast on my vacation over here in the desert. It’s so much fun getting blown up every day.”
    “Not funny.” She sniffed. “Is it that bad?”
    He shrugged even though she couldn’t see it and leaned forward, cupping his face in his hands. “It’s not that bad. It could be worse.”
    “How?”
    “We could be getting attacked multiple times a day.”
    “Not funny.”
    He smiled. “It’s a little funny.”
    “No, it’s not.” She was serious. Shit. He hadn’t actually meant to freak her out.
    “Hey, so I made