She drew out a large roll of red and green wrapping paper. “I was going to decorate my door. I have tons of this stuff.” She looked down at the huge roll. “Want me to do yours, too?”
He grinned. “No, but thanks.” Then he winced.
Her eyebrow arched. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Hand-to-hand training today. It was all good.” He partially turned as the outside door opened.
Rory stalked inside with a bouncing Fabio at his feet. “I have orders to leave first thing in the morning. Fabio is yours until Knox gets home.” He paused. “Oh. Hi, Marlie. Nice holiday roll.”
She chuckled. “Thanks.”
Bosco shook his head. “I’m shipping out first thing, too. I can’t take the dog.”
Marlie’s eyebrows lifted. “You’re both leaving?” She shuffled her feet, looking a bit lonely. “Well, how about you come in for a goodbye dinner? I made a huge chicken casserole. You’re more than invited.”
Rory was already moving beyond Bosco to reach Marlie’s door. “Sure. That’s great. Thanks. I’ll help you with the wrapping paper. Whole door?”
“Yeah.” She looked at the happily panting dog. “I could watch him for a while if you want.”
Bosco shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ve got it.” It wasn’t fair of them to take advantage of her sweet nature. Well, except to eat dinner. He was starving. So, he motioned for the dog to follow, and they all tromped into her apartment. He whistled. “Nice.”
“Thanks.” Her furniture was a comfortable and thick white sofa with matching chairs, and a large Christmas tree already twinkled from the corner by the fireplace. The woman had moved in fully, now, hadn’t she?
Fabio ran over and flattened himself in front of the gas fireplace, which crackled merrily—or at least blew merrily.
Rory made quick work of the door, and soon, all three of them were eating the delicious chicken casserole. Bosco cast Marlie several looks, but the woman truly seemed to just enjoy their company. Oh, he’d told women before that he wasn’t looking for romance, and they’d still flirted or tried to get him to change his mind.
Not Marlie. She seemed perfectly content with how things were.
Should that bother him? Because it freaking did.
Rory finished eating. “Man, that was good.” He grinned. “I like to cook, but it isn’t a skill. My girl can’t cook, either. She almost burned down an entire campground while making mac and cheese.”
“Your girl?” Marlie asked, her eyes lighting up. “You’re married?”’
“Nope,” Rory said. “Serenity and I were engaged for about two months, and then she threw the ring at my head. But we’ll get back together soon.”
Bosco sighed. “It’s been three months, bro. You’re not getting back together.”
Marlie’s expression softened, making her pretty eyes look more tawny than green in the evening light. “I’m so sorry.”
Rory’s jaw tightened, and his eyes held that glow that probably scared terrorists or whoever he dealt with when he was away from home. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. We had a misunderstanding, and I’m giving her time and space to figure things out.” He glanced at his watch. “We’re a few weeks out from the new year, and that’s her deadline to do so.”
Marlie cut Bosco a look and then focused on his brother. “Um, what then?”
“Then she’s out of time and space,” Rory said evenly. “I’ll help her figure the rest out.”
Shit. His brother really would kidnap Serenity if she didn’t get her act together. But she was stubborn and smart--and right now really pissed. Bosco shook his head. “Dude. You lied to her.” The poor woman had thought Rory worked for the forest service like Quint, except he traveled more to federal lands.
“I did not lie,” Rory retorted. “I can’t talk about my work, and you know it.”
Yeah, and he also knew that Serenity McDerny was a stubborn-ass Irishwoman. “Don’t come to me for stitches when she shoots off your balls.” Bosco stood and cleared his plate, not liking how familiar he felt. Marlie looked kissable, plain and simple, and he had to pull his head out of his ass and stop thinking about her sweet mouth.
He had his rules for a reason. Yeah. Jennie. That had been a painful lesson and one he wasn’t going to repeat—especially with a kind hearted woman like Marlie. “Can I use your—?”
She nodded. “Yeah. To the left of my office.”
He headed to the bathroom as Marlie and Rory finished clearing the dishes, noting the cheerful reindeer candles in the small powder room. She sure liked to decorate for the holidays. He walked out, catching the tail end of a conversation that was none of his business.
