It was the first night in a long time that January went to bed without dreading the next morning.
In the morning, January was surprised to wake to a message on her phone from Deckard sent around 1 a.m., wishing that he had come back over when she got home. As she rolled over in bed she smiled to herself, but her grin didn’t last long as her phone rang, flashing a number from her office across the screen, reminding her that she had a day at the office to look forward to.
The only plus side to a busy day at work was that time usually flew by and this day was no exception. The fact that it was Friday helped motivate January even more.
It was a relief to be back home with the weekend in full force. January sighed in relief, her bag slung onto the small entry table as she entered her house and immediately walking toward her bedroom, shedding her clothes with every step. The turtleneck went after the shoes, then her bra was removed with a flip of her wrist against her back, and finally, she shimmied her pants down as she approached the bathroom. January wanted to take a long hot shower before Deckard arrived, but she knew that she didn’t have the time. He was on his way over and January still had to come up with something to make for dinner.
Even though she knew she needed to rush through the shower, she couldn’t control herself from gliding her hands down her soapy skin as she imagined how the night alone with Deckard may go.
Her fingers slipped between her legs and swirled effortlessly around her clit, sending shockwaves through her body. She pictured Deckard in her mind. Her hands were his hands. Her touch was his touch. The building orgasm was caused by him, not her, and it was delectable. January heard her cries echo against the tiles of her shower stall and she had to brace herself against the glass door with her free hand as the quakes purged through her body.
It took a few minutes, but January finally came back into herself and stared blankly at the knob of the shower as the steam rolled around her. Begrudgingly, she reached out and twisted the knob to turn off the water with her limp limbs. She stepped out of the stall, grabbing her towel from the hook and wrapping it around her body.
Though the towel was made of the softest cloth, it felt rough and scraped painfully against her sensitive skin. A curse mumbled from deep in her throat as she twisted the towel into itself to secure it around her body just as her doorbell sounded.
She shouted, “Coming,” but knew that the person on the other side of her door wasn’t going to hear.
Tucking her body behind the door as she opened it, she was surprised to see Deckard standing there with Chinese takeout dangling in a bag from his fingers.
“You’re early,” she exclaimed.
In response, Deckard held up his bag. “I come bearing gifts.”
January rolled her eyes as she ushered him inside, ignoring his growing grin as he took in her towel-clad body.
“You can set that up in the kitchen and I’ll slip on some clothes.”
“Don’t change on account of me,” he pointed out, earning himself a growl from January.
“Behave. I’ll be right back.”
On her way back to her bedroom, January made sure to pick up the clothing she had strewn about the room and hallway in her haste for a shower. She carried the pile and dumped it in her hamper then pondered for a moment about what to wear that evening. She wanted to look cute, obviously, but she also wanted to be comfortable.
In her closet, she sifted through the slacks, blouses, and dresses, but none of them seemed to fit what she was looking for. Comfort overruled fashion as she opened her dresser, pulling out a pair of black leggings and an oversized sweatshirt she had cut the neck out of so that it hung over one of her bare shoulders.
Her hair was still twisted up on top of her head to keep it from getting wet during her shower and she decided to leave it there.
The scent of Chinese food wafted into her room and January decided what she was wearing was going to have to do because her stomach was making noises she had never heard before.
As she stepped in the kitchen, she had every intention of telling Deckard how good the meal smelled, but she was struck dumb as she found him piling some of the food onto plates looking like a domesticated god.
“Wow,” she mumbled, taking him in. Today he wore a light blue shirt, almost the same color of his eyes, and she swore that it was going to be her new favorite color. It looked amazing against his tanned skin and the scruff of his chin.
“You going to stand there all day?” he asked without raising his head or eyes in her direction. He knew she was there all along. “Or do you plan to join me?”
Deciding not to try to cover up her ogling, January strolled into the kitchen and planted herself on one of the bar stools at the island. “I’m starving. I could smell this all the way back in my room.”
“I asked Samantha which meal was your favorite, so if you don’t like it, you can blame her. But if you do, just forget I said anything.”
January giggled as he set the plate in front of her then walked around to take his own seat.
“Don’t worry, I’m not picky. There isn’t a Chinese dish I dislike. So you’re in luck.”
“I knew there was a reason why I liked you.”
Their meal was eaten in silence, the comfort of each other’s presence enough to keep their minds at ease.
Last night January had started thinking of the different kinds of decorations and ornaments her mother used to have them make for their tree. A few stuck out clearly and she was lucky enough to find the supplies in town during her lunch break. The string and bags of popcorn were sitting on the counter while the air-dry clay and plastic balls were in a basket in her living room.
She had a plan and hoped that Deckard was on board.
“I like you like this,” she heard above the noise of her slurps from the lo-mein noodles she held on her fork.
With an unattractive number of noodles still dangling from her mouth January turned to look at Deckard in confusion. “Like this?” She was fairly certain not only did she look like a pig at the moment, but that she most likely had soy sauce splattered on her face. A neat eater she was not.
Deckard laughed as he grabbed one of the eggrolls sitting on a plate on the counter between them. “No, like this.” He motioned up and down to her outfit. “Relaxed. Carefree.”
“I am far from carefree or relaxed. Being around you has me on high alert.”
“Well, it shouldn’t because I think that you’re just as beautiful like this as you are all done up. Hell, I even like you in just a ratty T-shirt. Actually, I won’t lie, I prefer you that way the most.”
“You just like my legs,” she joked as she added a new forkful of noodles into her mouth.
“I do, but it’s more than that. I really just like you. You intrigue me.”
She pondered that for a moment. Besides their attraction, she really didn’t know that much about him except that he was a dentist. She knew she should probably remedy that soon, but January was afraid that she was going to get more attached to him the more that she knew.
“Do you think we should try to get to know each other better or just leave things as they are?”
A clatter rang out as Deckard dropped his fork on his plate and turned ninety degrees on his stool to face her direction. When she followed suit and set her own fork on her plate, Deckard grabbed her knees and twisted her to face him, placing both of her legs between his. She loved the feel of his hands on her thighs.
“What do you want to know?” he asked.
“Like your favorite color. Where you like to vacation? Are you a homebody or do you like to go out? I don’t know. It’s silly.”
The feeling of warmth spread through her as Deckard settled his hands on her knees. “Why is it silly?”
“Because we’re like a week away,” she explained.
Cocking his head to the side, he analyzed her as he asked, “A week away from what?”
Agitation pulsed through her at his response. “Until you lea
ve!”
Nodding Deckard didn’t look as freaked out as she felt. She was already falling for this man that has made himself at home in her life, and she wanted to blame someone for how she was feeling, but January knew that she was the only one that could control her emotions. She stole another glance toward Deckard and found him with a smile on his face as if he had just watched a kid perform a magic trick.
“Did you forget that you’re leaving? Did you need a reminder?”
“No, I didn’t forget. I just wanted to focus on spending my limited time with you. And we could always figure out a long-distance thing if we really wanted.”
“I don’t think I’m cut out for that. I’m too needy.”
Leaning toward her, the air around them began to crackle as invisible sparks ignited between them. Deckard’s hands began to slide up her inner thighs as he brushed his cheek against hers.
“I know exactly what you need,” he whispered in her ear and January’s body shivered at the feeling of his breath sweeping across her neck.
“What’s that?”
A trail of delicate kisses lined her neck and lead up to the corner of her mouth where Deckard placed a final kiss. “You need. . .to show me how you want this tree decorated, so that we can move on to getting to know each other better.”
Playfully she slapped his shoulder as he stood from the stool and gathered their plates.
“You know that was mean, right?”
“The anticipation will be worth it. Now explain to me what I’m going to do with string, popcorn, and a needle,” he said as he held up the unpopped popcorn bag and the spool of string.
Two hours later, three baking sheets held the clay creations Deckard and January had created. Most were shaped using cookie cutters January had in her kitchen while there were a few that were shaped like snowmen and stockings. Deckard had been surprisingly good at molding the clay with his fingers. January would bet her favorite pair of shoes that Deckard could mold her body just as easily.
They had also grabbed some pine cones from out in her backyard, tying some string to them so they could hang on the tree.
January watched and held back her laughter as Deckard attempted to unravel the Halloween themed lights and drape them on the tree. There was a reason why she preferred pre-lit trees, January wasn’t patient enough to untangle lights. She would have thought Deckard would be able to tackle the project in a calm manner, but she saw that he was getting frustrated.
She offered to help him, but he shrugged her off. His determination was evident. January went back to her task of creating the popcorn garland. The unfortunate part was that just as much popcorn made it into her mouth as it did on the thin string.
“All done!” Deckard shouted as he stood next to the tree with his hands on his hips just above the low slung denim.
“Good. Me too,” she said as she grabbed the garland coiled on the table. “Can you help me wrap it around the tree?”
“Of course.”
Together they draped the garland and ribbons she had picked up at the general store around the tree, weaving them in and out of the branches as they worked their way from the top to the bottom.
When they finished, January plugged in the lights then stood back to admire their work.
“Wow,” they murmured in unison. Deckard moved from his spot next to the tree to stand beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“This really is something,” he murmured in her ear.
It was. The tree was fun and bright, but as January scanned it over, she realized something was missing.
“We need a tree topper.”
Gazing down at her, Deckard asked, “What’s that?”
“Usually, it’s an angel or star, sometimes a bow. Essentially, it’s like the cherry on top.”
“I see. Do you have anything like that lying around?”
January contemplated. She wasn’t sure what she had around the house, but she was certain she had something that would work.”
Her stare traveled around the room, but nothing caught her eye until she landed on the large marquee D made of metal that sat stoically on her end table. He caught her eye as the idea formed.
With the help of her guest, she placed the letter on the tree and was amazed at the transformation.
“It’s beautiful,” she stated softly as she stared up at the tree.
Deckard’s voice had changed a few octaves lower when he replied, “Yes, it is.”
Instinctively she looked up at the man that had moved next to her and met his pinned stare.
“Deckard.” The name flew from her mouth in a voice she didn’t recognize. It was wanton and needy and a far cry from how she usually sounded. Deckard not only had her feeling emotions and desires she had never felt before, but he even had her sounding different.
January didn’t know how to ask for what she wanted.
Where was Santa when she needed him?
“If you keep looking at me like that, I won’t be held responsible for my actions,” Deckard growled. The bellowing noise had January’s panties soaked before he could even finish his sentence.
“How am I looking at you?”
“Like you wish that I’d strip you bare and have my way with you. Does that sound about right?” Deckard asked, extending his hand to run down her arm. At the contact, January jumped. She was so lost in his words and how they made her want to liquefy into a puddle that she didn’t notice him move. The conscious effort to blink was a summon she could barely retain, let alone focus on what Deckard was doing.
His fingers skimmed across the naked skin of her shoulder where her sweatshirt had dipped. The move was both innocent and seductive, causing goosebumps to raise themselves all over her body. Despite the warmth of the room, the hairs on her arms stood up on its ends as she watched Deckard lean his head closer to her exposed skin.
An invisible circular path was drawn as Deckard moved his fingers aimlessly around her bare shoulder. “I really like this spot on you.” His lips placed the softest of kisses along her collarbone. “I like how you react.”
Something in the back of her mind registered that they had only known each other for a couple of days, regardless of the way her heart was telling her that it didn’t matter what her brain was trying to say.
But she couldn’t stop blurting the words, “Are we moving too fast?”
He immediately paused, his full lips hovered over her skin, and January wished that she could turn back time just a few seconds, especially when Deckard straightened his stance.
“Is that what you think? I won’t push you, January. We don’t have to do anything that you’re not ready for.”
A tiny sigh flew from her lips. “I have no idea what I want. I just know that regardless of how hard I fought it at first, I want you.”
“Why did you fight it?” he asked as he tucked a wayward strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail behind her ear.
“I don’t know. I was scared, I think. I’ve never had relationships go very well when the holidays are involved and well. . .you were like the epitome of holiday cheer when we met.”
“I was?” he asked, January forgetting that though they met the same way, the situation was different.
“You were busy decorating a ton of Christmas trees and helped me find an ornament for my parent’s tree.”
Deckard took a step toward her, even though she didn’t know it was possible for them to be any closer. The hand that had been drawing lazily on her shoulder moved to cup her jaw. “Did I help you find what you were looking for?”
The way he asked the question January wasn’t sure if he was speaking about the ornament or something else entirely. She licked her lips, the sudden dryness of her mouth making it difficult to answer. His eyes scanned her face, those blue eyes of his darkening to an almost black, reflections of the lights on the tree glittered in his irises.
She painstakingly swallowed the lump lodged in her throat. “Yes, you did,” she whispered, w
ishing that she hadn’t spoken and ruined their moment seconds ago.
She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t just the ornament that he had chosen for her and the beautiful inscription, it was that he gave her the chance to be with him. She wanted to reply with, “You,” but somehow she didn’t think he’d understand the depth and feeling of the reply.
“I guess I should probably head out because I know that if I stay any longer, I’m liable to try to convince you to let me have my way with you.”
“That would probably be a good idea. I think I just need to wrap my head around everything. And also make a mental note that you have a little alpha in you. I didn’t see that coming.”
“I’m full of things that would surprise you,” he added just as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Gingerbread houses tomorrow?”
With the reminder, January instantly perked up. “Yes! And after talking with my parents last night, they want to join in. So, you . . .um. . . get to meet my parents.”
His hand slid down her arm until their fingers latched together. “I’m looking forward to it.” With a gentle squeeze of her hand, he pulled away taking heavy steps toward her door. “Goodnight, January.”
“’Night, Deckard.”
As he stepped outside, January grabbed a blanket from her couch and draped it over her shoulders, shielding her body from the cold as she moved out onto the porch behind him. His massive figure disappeared behind his truck and she watched as the lights of the vehicle turned on and then slipped away into the darkness as he drove away.
The night closed in around her and the weight of her consequences weighed heavy on her shoulders. One wish changed everything and January didn’t know how to come to terms with her feelings about it. She just knew that the wish didn’t alter the fact that her parents were still focused on a winter holiday that overshadowed her birthday and that Deckard wasn’t going to stick around. There was no way a dentist with a flourishing career would upend his life to move to Pineville, Ohio with a population of a few thousand.
A Snowflake Wish Page 8