Off Limits Marine

“Uncle Gabe can always dance with us,” Lisa said, reaching out to pull him into their circle. “Annie, you don’t mind if he dances with us, do you?”

“Actually, I’m a bit tired. I think I’ll go sit down and rest.”

“No,” Sky said. “Stay with us!”

“Yeah, stay with us,” Gabe said.

Annie shook her head, then turned and walked off the dance floor. The three kids watched her leave, then gave Gabe a disapproving look. “She was tired,” he said with a shrug.

“Maybe you should go after her,” Lisa said.

“She’s been avoiding me all day. She’s so good at it, I’m thinking she might have gone through SERE training since the last time I saw her. Survival, evasion, resistance and escape. She’s got evasion down.”

“So go ahead and test her resistance,” Lisa teased.

Gabe grinned. “We do have a lot to talk about.”

“I’m sure you do. I’d start with that kiss.”

“She told you about...”

Lisa nodded. “She sure did. Bold move, Captain Pennington.”

“Stupid move,” he said. “I need to apologize.”

“Ask her to dance,” Lisa said. “I’ll go request a slow song, and you’ll have four or five minutes to say what you need to say.”

Gabe left the dance floor, more determined than ever to speak with Annie. She had to know that the kiss was just a simple expression of affection. He’d never meant to cause her a single moment of pain or regret.

He found her at the dessert table with a plate full of sweets. She watched his approach with a suspicious eye but didn’t make a move to evade him. Gabe decided that humor was the best option, so he stood next to her and stared out at the dance floor.

“If that plate is too heavy, I’d be happy to hold it for you,” he said.

“You once said I was the strongest woman you knew,” she said. “Were you lying to me?”

“I wasn’t referring to your biceps,” he said. “And I think I said that you were the most amazing woman I knew.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Trust me,” he murmured. “I remember every word we said to each other that day.”

“Just the words?” she asked.

He turned to her, their gazes finally meeting, her eyes flashing with defiance. Gabe grabbed the plate from her hand and set it on a nearby table. The band began a soft country ballad, and he jumped on the opportunity. “Why don’t we dance? It will make it much easier to talk. And it will burn off a few of those calories you were about to consume.”

“Do we have anything to talk about?” Annie asked.

“I’m sure I’ll find something,” he said, taking her arm and leading her along. When they reached the dance floor, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. He’d never been much of a dancer, but he decided to do his best impression of Fred Astaire. “I’m going to start with an apology. I’m sorry about that night. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I never should have kissed you.”

“Why did you do it?” she asked.

He fought the urge to tell her the truth. That he’d been desperate, convinced that the moment between them might be the last they ever spent together. He was heading back into a war zone, and though he didn’t want to think about dying, he couldn’t help himself. For him it was a life-and-death decision, not the impulse of a horny Marine.

No, he wouldn’t tell her the truth. He’d take a page out of Erik’s playbook and let her believe that it was driven by some other form of desire.

“You know, I’ve tried to figure it out. I think I just wanted to make you feel better. Kissing is the only thing I know that always works with a weeping woman.”

The explanation sounded silly and shallow. He added a crooked smile as she regarded him suspiciously, hoping that might sell it.

“You’re speaking from your considerable experience with women?”

Gabe chuckled. “See? We’re talking. That’s a good thing. Do you forgive me? Because I am sorry. And I do regret my behavior that night. If you forgive me, we might be able to be friends. And besides being an excellent dancer, I’m an outstanding friend.”

He could see her softening, and when she finally smiled, he felt a surge of satisfaction. It wasn’t over between them. He’d have another chance. And this time, he wasn’t going to blow it.

“Come on,” he murmured, leaning closer. “You’re not the type to hold a grudge.”

“All right. I forgive you. But if you try it again, I might have to punch you.”

“That sounds like fun,” he teased. “I guess I have something to look forward to.”

They continued to dance, leaving the banter behind and giving Gabe a chance to focus on the steps. It felt good to hold her in his arms, to feel her body sway against his. She was exactly as he’d remembered her—stubborn, feisty, opinionated. And sweet, funny and beautiful. All at the same time.

When the music stopped, she quickly stepped out of his embrace and clapped politely. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“I haven’t had any cake yet,” Gabe said. “Would you like to join me? I think we left your plate over there.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he placed a finger over her lips. “Before you say no, remember that we have a lot to catch up on.”

“All right,” she finally said.

They found an empty table, and he pulled out her chair and waited for her to sit. “Can I bring you anything else?” he asked. “Champagne? Or some punch?”

“Punch,” she said. “No, champagne.” She forced a smile. “I better stick to punch.”

“I’ll bring you both. Be right back.”

Lisa and Nellie were standing near the cake table as he stacked a few more pieces on Annie’s plate. Each of the four layers was a different flavor, so he chose a variety. “Great cake,” he said.

“Have at it, buddy,” Nellie shouted.

Lisa sent him a knowing smile, as if she’d been watching the two of them. “Be nice,” she warned, handing him a cold bottle of champagne.

He stopped at the punch bowl and balanced a cup on the edge of the plate, then returned to the table. He carefully set the plate in front of her. “I didn’t know what flavor cake you liked, so I brought all of them.”

She stared silently at the plate for a long moment and he realized that bringing her so much might seem like a comment on her eating habits. Jeez, when was he going to learn to think before he acted?

“Didn’t you bring yourself a plate?” she asked. “What are you going to eat?”

He pulled out a chair and plopped down next to her, chuckling at the cool look she cast his way. “I thought we could share.” Gabe speared a bite of carrot cake, then popped it in his mouth. “Good cake. So, how have you been?”