McDonald_MM_GEN_Dec2013 (8 page)

Sam swerved across the line and an oncoming car blew it’s horn at him. “Let’s go back to that comfortable silence you like so much until we get home—to my house. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” Eve said, shrugging with a smile on her face as she looked out of the window again.

It wasn’t long before Sam’s hand reached over the console and captured one of hers. His tight grip on her fingers made her smile.

After Sam parked in the garage, Eve climbed out and waited for him to open the door into the house. What she found inside was yet another surprise to her. “Wow, this place sure looks different. I guess I haven’t been here in a while.”

She took off her coat and laid it across a chair, as Sam looked around too.

“About six months ago, I decided I needed it to be different. Mostly the makeover is just paint and new furniture. The only part of the house that still looks the same is the kitchen and Nathan’s room. I did buy a new desk for my office. I got in the habit of working from home when Angeline got sick. Now I do it because I like it, so I wanted to be more comfortable in the space.”

“I haven’t changed anything in the house,” Eve said, feeling now as if it was something important that she’d forgotten to do. “Most of the time I find the familiarity of it all to be soothing to me.”

Sam tossed his keys on the wraparound counter and hung his coat on the back of one of the high-back counter stools. “Nathan and Megan helped me do this. I think they did a good job. Don’t you?”

That had her attention shifting. “Megan helped? That may just be the first secret she’s ever kept from me in her life. I think I’m actually proud of her for not saying anything.”

Sam smiled at her teasing. “Can I offer you a glass of wine? I have two kinds of red. One is the kind you like best.”

Charmed, Eve nodded. “Why do you have the kind of wine I like?”

Sam didn’t answer at first. He opened the bottle, attached an aerator, and poured out a glass for each of them. He walked around the counter to hand her one.

“I have your preferred wine in my house because it allowed me to dream of moments like this one. Plus, I don’t do much booze even though I drink wine pretty regularly. I guess I believe all that stuff about red wine being healthy.”

“Me too. Well thank you then—for having the wine I like—and everything else,” Eve said, taking a sip. “I had a good day, Sam. Joyce and Greg are terrific. They adore you.”

“The feeling is mutual. I have exceptional in-laws,” Sam said.

“Indeed, you do. Most are like mine. My in-laws tolerated me, but they didn’t approve of my relationship to their son,” Eve said, taking the wine glass he offered. “Care to show me your gas fireplace? I’m glad you got Greg and Joyce’s furnace going. Their house was definitely chilly for several hours today and I hadn’t necessarily dressed for warmth. I’m thinking any fire that takes the chill off me tonight is a good one.”

“Would that even be true of the fire I’m intending to build in you?” Sam asked.

Eve smiled and took the hand Sam held out to her, feeling something inside her shifting into acceptance. “Yes. Even that one,” she said.

***

They were sitting on pillows on the floor much like they had sat on the rug at Eve’s house the evening before. With a fire in front of them and his Christmas tree twinkling behind them, Sam thought the day probably couldn’t get much better for him, but he was going to go for it anyway.

Reaching behind the chair he leaned against, he pulled two Santa hats into his lap. The largest one he put on his head, squashing it over his wildly curling hair that needed a haircut he’d forgotten to get. The other hat he handed to Eve.

“Mood enhancer,” he said.

Eve sputtered trying not to laugh. Sam looked like a wicked Santa with that mischievous glint in his eyes. She set what was left of her wine on a nearby table and then took the other hat still dangling from his long fingers. “What mood are you wanting to enhance? I’m not sure we know each other well enough for you to be enacting my naked guy fantasy yet.”

“Don’t be a skeptic. Just put the hat on,” he ordered.

To be a good sport, she complied. She flopped the white fuzzy ball to the side of her head, snickering when it bounced off her ear. Sam nodded when she was done and reached behind him again to pull out a gold foil box. He handed that to her as well.

“When in the world did you have time to buy me a present?” she demanded.

“It’s nothing major. I bought this when I bought the rose and the decorations for your sound booth at work,” he said.

Eve smiled. “The decorations were amazing. Tell me the truth. You’re really an elf, aren’t you?”

“If you mean elf as in a tiny guy with small extremities, then no—I’m definitely not an elf,” Sam said.

Eve chuckled. “More bragging?”

“Not even,” Sam said.

“How can I open this present? I feel completely guilty. I didn’t get you anything,” Eve protested.

“You slept with me last night, which was very nice by the way. Then you spent Christmas day with me, at my in-law’s house no less. Those acts are more significant to me than anything you could have bought in a store.”

“You’ve got to stop saying things that make my heart flutter in my chest. What am I going to do with you and your constant compliments?” Eve demanded.

Sam laughed at her consternation. “Are you taking suggestions?”

Eve flushed at the wickedness lighting his eyes and couldn’t help wondering what Sam might actually have the nerve to ask of her. “On second thought, I’m not sure I’m ready to take suggestions yet.”

“Fine. Then open the gift I got you instead,” he ordered.

Sighing in resignation, Eve undid the store wrapping and carefully lifted the lid. Inside was a necklace with a gold mistletoe charm dangling from a beautiful chain. She looked at Sam and suddenly knew why he’d bought it for her. “Is this a keepsake? A test? Or a combination of both?”

“You have always been both beautiful and smart,” Sam said. “What it means depends on you. If things work out like I hope, next Christmas you’ll be saying that we got together because of a kiss under the mistletoe. You can wear the necklace when you want to remember that.”

“And if we crash and burn instead?” Eve asked.

Sam shrugged. “You’ll give it away to a friend, or to Megan, I suppose. But I’m going to try like hell not to let that happen. I’m willing to take a chance and see if it will work. Are you?”

Eve held the gold necklace up and watched it sparkle in the firelight. “You’re not a bathrobe buying kind of guy at all, are you?”

“I’ve been known to buy some lingerie now and again. Maybe I just have a different idea about how to keep a woman warm during winter,” Sam said, leaning over and kissing her cheek. When Eve laughed nervously, he reluctantly pulled back. “Was that funny? I was going for sexy. I must be more out of practice than I thought.”

“Not at all. It’s just that I feel like we’ve speed dated a year’s worth in a couple days this week. You’re moving awfully fast for me, even though I admit you have successfully woke up all my girly parts out of hibernation,” Eve said.

“Tell me the truth, Eve. Am I really moving too fast?” Sam asked, his voice a husky whisper.

Eve sucked in a deep breath as she tried to explain. “I don’t know. I am so confused right now that I couldn’t even begin to answer that question. Or any question about how I feel about the changes between us.”

Sam sighed and leaned away. “So I am rushing you. You can tell me so, Eve. I’m a big boy.”

Eve sighed back. “You’re a big boy who obviously pouts when his romantic gestures aren’t instantly returned. Get that defeated look off your face right now, Sam. I said I was confused. I didn’t say I wasn’t turned on. You already know that I am.”

She put the necklace carefully back in the box. Then she crawled over the short distance between them into his lap, not surprised when Sam accepted her action and pulled her closer.

Putting her arms around his surprisingly firm shoulders for someone who did desk work for a living, Eve hugged him close. All the warmth of sleeping in Sam’s arms last night came back, along with memories of Joyce informing her that Sam had a crush on her.

Eventually, she pulled away and looked into his face. “How long are you willing to wait for me to figure out how I feel about this change of situation between us?”

Sam slowly let out the breath he’d been holding. “I’d like to say for as long as it takes, but loneliness is gnawing a hole in my gut. I’ve been desperate to fill that space for a while now. I’ve been celibate for almost as long as you have, Eve. If you’re not interested, I’ll probably have to go look for someone who is, even if she isn’t you. It’s not what I want though.”

Her hands tightened on him. The idea of Sam finding someone he wanted other than her didn’t sit well. “No matter how confused I feel, I don’t think I can let you do that now that I’ve kissed you. Last night was . . . I guess last night got me thinking about how nice it would be if . . .this is hard as hell to say, Sam. Baring my body is lot easier than baring my soul to you.”

Groaning, he leaned forward and buried his face in her neck as he swept hands up and down her back. She felt wonderful and smelled amazing. This was the woman he wanted, if she would have him. “I want to promise you anything it takes to keep you in my lap as well as my life, but in the long run, I can’t do any of that. All I can say is that I’ve waited for this chance with you. I will always be glad I told you about my feelings, no matter what you ultimately decide.”

Eve wrapped her arms tighter, using one hand to stroke his head. She liked this man, really, really liked this man. Was that enough reason to be sexual with him? Suddenly she had tons more sympathy for some of her listeners with similar dilemmas who called in to her show.

“I want you. I do,” Eve whispered. “I just never slept with a man without having made a solid commitment to him first. I like you, Sam. I like you more than any male in my life right now. Is that enough?”

She felt his sigh go through her, and then his arms tightened.

“All I really care about is that you not regret anything you do with me. If you did, it would probably break my heart. I’m already a little bit in love with you, Eve. When the grief let go of me a few months ago, you were the only second chance at love I wanted to take,” Sam declared. “I’m sorry. I never meant to tell you so soon. You probably think I’m crazy to even think that way.”

Her fingers toyed with his hair. Sam was in love with her? Her belly fluttered in alarm at the news, but also in excitement. She would have to give the prospect of it some thought—but not tonight. Tonight she wanted to not think at all. It was the only way she could override her own confusion.

“Close your eyes, Sam. I can’t kiss you while you’re staring at me. You make me too nervous,” Eve admitted.

“You make me nervous too you know,” Sam said, but obediently closed his eyes. Her lips trailed over his face and then down his throat. He squirmed under her and shifted her closer. What he wanted to do was latch on hard and roll her onto the floor.

“I know I haven’t said anything to you, but I really like your new cologne,” Eve said, kissing his jaw. The texture of his evening beard tickled the tip of her tongue. “I also like the way you seem able to wake my body up every time you come near me.”

“Your voice is driving me crazy with lust. Am I allowed to touch you back?” Sam asked.

“Yes,” Eve answered. Seconds later, she drew in a breath when Sam’s hand covered her breast and squeezed possessively as he stroked her nipple with his thumb. A throaty groan escaped and vibrated her lips against his neck.

“That moan of yours is the best gift a man could ever get,” Sam declared.

He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her face away until he could look into her eyes. Liking what he saw, he kissed her, then pulled her bottom lip between his teeth until she groaned again. “Do you have any idea how incredibly sexy you are right now? This is like ten times better than I imagined.”

Mesmerized by a second hand coming to the other breast, all Eve could do was groan again as Sam stroked her. “Don’t let go this time,” she pleaded.

In a move so smooth she couldn’t have described how he did it, Sam had her on her back and was lying on top of her. It was amazing to know she was still capable of such a grand feeling.

“Be with me tonight,” Sam ordered.

“Okay,” Eve replied.

While modesty warred with desire in her head, her thighs parted willingly until Sam was between them. All that separated him from her was her flared skirt. Which he could easily lift. If he wanted to do such a thing.

“I’d like nothing better than to move our clothes out of the way and just sink inside you. But that’s just sex,” he said.

Eve heard his words, but his actions were louder when Sam raised up and surged against her. He was hard and she was hot.

“Oh God,” she heard herself say when he hit everything exactly right.

Her legs shifted around his looking for a way to lock him in place. Color flooded her cheeks as she realized what she was doing

“Sorry—been a while,” she choked out.

Sam buried his face against her throat as Eve’s need roared out of her like a dragon breathing fire on its victim. Shocked at the hotness of thrashing woman under him, Sam uttered a swear word he rarely used, and then hissed as he followed his body’s urge to move against the inferno between her legs again. Eve’s back arched with his motion and her body bowed up to get closer. Swearing one more time, he covered her mouth with his mouth, and used his weight to hold her as still as he could. He had to slow things down. Didn’t he?

“Evelyn, I want inside you. I want inside you now. Come to bed with me before I take you on the floor like a teenager. You’re so damn hot, you make me feel like a kid Nathan’s age,” he whispered.

“I’m afraid to move. What if I change my mind on the way down the hall?” Eve asked, whispering the question. She ran her hands over Sam’s back and down over his hips. Maybe pulling him closer wasn’t the best of ideas, but it sure felt good.

“I’ll build the fire again. Promise,” Sam said, kissing her hard once more.