Recon Marines II: Marine's Heiress, The by Susan Kelley Page B

assistance other than holding the door
while Vin and Dillon carried the supplies out to the
hopper.
    After Dillon and Banner compared lists
to make sure they had everything, Vin gave the storekeeper Emma’s
list of medical supplies. Vin followed him around while he moved
through the stores and picked out the things on the list and a few
things he had locked up behind his counter.
    While Vin shadowed Banner Dillon roamed
the store and picked up things, examining them in a suspicious way.
Vin didn’t understand until after he took Emma’s things to the
hopper and returned to see what kept his companion.
    “ You have a girl waiting
for you, Dillon?” Banner asked.
    Dillon laughed, and his face darkened.
He glanced at Vin with an expression that might have been guilt.
“I’m hoping so, Mr. Banner. Do you think a pretty woman would like
this?”
    Dillon had selected a glass vase, its
top swooping in fanciful curves like a frozen sea wave. Did women
find such things pretty? Vin knew Dillon intended it for Emma,
surprising himself with his insight. And shocking himself with a
spurt of anger. At whom?
    Before he could think himself out of
it, Vin started a tour of the store. An entire shelf of odd shaped
glass vases lined the back wall. They lacked any discernible
function, and he’d seen nothing like them in Emma’s surgery. Did
that mean she didn’t care for trifles or that she hid her means to
possess them? Her family fortune could buy her all the baubles she
wanted but that would give away her disguise. Damn. He searched a
small display of gaudy jewelry. The selection overwhelmed his
decision making ability. They all looked silly to him and he’d
never seen Emma wear a necklace or ring.
    Vin gave up and headed for the front of
the store. Why did he search for a gift anyway? Because she made
his heart race and he wanted to press his body against hers?
Because she looked so fragile but her heart was that of a fighter?
And for all her strength, compassion ruled her actions, even for
the two bastards he’d left on the cargo vessel. Emma wasn’t like
anyone he’d expected her to be. She wasn’t like anyone else in the
universe and certainly wasn’t a spoiled rich girl.
    A display near the front of the store
stopped his thoughts and his feet. A glass pane protected them from
handling. They looked like a perfect fit for Emma’s small
hand.
    Banner stomped from behind his counter.
“Do you like those, Mr. Smith? I’m thinking of sending them back
with the next silver cargo. Can’t seem to sell them to any of this
lot at the mine.”
    Vin had lots of credits to his name
thanks to the crystallized iron he’d taken with him when he left
his brothers behind. “I’ll take whichever one is the most
expensive.”
    * * * *
    Emma stowed the supplies, thrilled to
have her shelves full of antibiotics and pain relievers again. Her
refrigerator now held intravenous blood replacer and more medicines
than she hoped to ever need.
    The blue tinged vase from Dillon sat on
top of the counter. She’d accepted it from him at dinner the
previous night, not wanting to embarrass him in front of the other
diners. Dillon’s shy courtship continued no matter how much she
discouraged him. Moe told her to make her denials firmer but she
didn’t want to hurt the young man.
    Baubles had never interested her, and
Dillon’s gift wasn’t of good quality, but she would display it for
a while. Hovel Port needed more young people so Dillon could meet
someone else.
    Vin had said little the night before,
reporting the successful dumping of the robbers onto an outgoing
freighter. The rest of the town had sorted through the supplies
with jubilation that lent a celebratory air to the evening. Though
most people had stayed up later than usual, Emma had noticed the
men leaving for the river at their usual early hour. The ten day
cycle ended on the morrow so today should be a good day of panning
in the shallows. While the men worked, Emma intended to