“So, I hear you’re available for dinner on Christmas.”

Jesus Christ, did the lieutenant have her father on speed dial or something?

“Well—”

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Desiree MacDermot!” The acid tone that still made her cringe zipped across the line. “Dinner will be at six. Bring pie. Love ya.” Her mother hung up. As always, the woman was short and to the point.

Dez dropped the phone back in its cradle. This Christmas had gone to hell fast.

She looked up and saw gold eyes staring at her. Actually, they were devouring her.

Holy shit.

The woman was fucking gorgeous.

“Don’t look at me like that, Mace.”

He dropped his feet to the floor. “Like what?”

“You know like what.”

He leaned on the desk, his chin resting in the palm of his hand, and he waited. Waited for her to realize they would be together.

“What, Mace? What?”

“I’m waiting on you.”

“Don’t bother.” She casually waved him off. “Apparently I’ve gotta go buy pie.”

She sounded so despondent, he couldn’t help but smile. “Not a big fan of the holidays?” He’d have to work with her on that. He loved Christmas but had never been able to really celebrate it with his own family. He really wanted Dez to enjoy Christmas as much as he did. Right now, however, she looked like a puppy that got her tennis ball taken away.

“The whole season brings me out in a rash. I usually work during the holidays, but now, because of your sister, I’ve gotta deal with them.”

“Them?”

“The family.”

He understood her pain. Of course, his sisters weren’t about to demand his presence to anything, especially if there might be a chance he’d end up embarrassing them. And since Mace went out of his way to embarrass them that would be a damn good worry.

“Oh God. I gotta go shopping now.” She buried that beautiful face in her hands. “I hate holiday shopping.”

“You know what? I gotta go shopping too. We should go together.”

She started to drag her hand through her hair, then abruptly stopped. She shook her hand out and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Have you always been this pushy?”

“I’ll buy you a hot chocolate.”

He watched her fight that amazing smile. “Go away, Mace.”

“You’re going to leave me to the tender mercies of these cruel New York streets? All alone? On Christmas? No family?” He sighed, giving her his best “sad look.” He’d perfected it over the years with quite a few sympathetic barhooks. “Missy doesn’t want me around for her big Christmas banquet tomorrow. She says I’llembarrass her in front of all her friends.”

Dez damn near growled in anger. “You’re her brother. How could she do that to you?” Yes! He had her. At least…well…he did have her.

“Hey, hoss.” Bobby Ray Smith, also called Smitty by his closest friends and the entire United States Navy, grabbed a chair from one of the other desks, pulled it up next to his, and sat down. “They do have some beautiful women in this city.” Why, oh why, did he meet with Smitty first before coming here? Cause you’re a dumb ass, Llewellyn.

Smitty suddenly caught sight of Dez. And like the dog he, literally, was…“Well,” he stated with that slow easy grin that got him more pussy than either of them would ever be able to count. “Hello, darlin’.”

The two shook hands, and Mace had the overwhelming desire to rip Smitty’s arm from his socket.

Dez caught sight of the anchor tattoo on Smitty’s forearm. “Navy?”

“Yup. Got out a few months ago.” Smitty’s slow drawl seemed more annoying than usual. “And Mace got out yesterday. Huh, hoss?”

Mace nodded.

“Navy, Mace?” She actually sounded disappointed.

“Now darlin’, what’s wrong with the Navy?” Smitty still hadn’t let her hand go. Suddenly Mace hated his best friend.

“Nothing. Except it will never be the Marines.”

Dez pulled her hand away as the men glanced at each other.

“You were a Marine?”

Dez glared at him. “You don’t have to sound so shocked, Mace. And I wasn’t just a Marine. I was an MP, baby. Sergeant MacDermot when I discharged.”

Smitty gave that damn charming smile. “He was commander. I made lieutenant. We were SEALs together.” Normally, Mace would have no problem with Smitty dropping that bit of information. Amazing how much sex that little admission would get them. But he didn’t want the flea-bitten bastard making his moves on Dez.

“Wow.” Dez seemed less than interested. “That’s really impressive. Bet that line got you a lot of oral sex too, huh?”

Smitty blinked. “You think I’m lyin’?”

“No. Not at all.” Dez shrugged. “I just don’t care, uh…”

“Bobby Ray Smith. But you can call me Smitty.”

“Of course you’re Smitty. Because everybody in the military has a friend named Smitty.” The two smiled at each other. Nope, Mace didn’t like this one goddamn bit.

“So…” Dez glanced at Mace with one raised eyebrow. “Smitty, are you enjoying our fair city?”

“Oh yeah. You know, Mace is taking good care of me and my kin.”