Holiday Wishes: Christmas of Love Collaboration

by S. L. Sterling

  Declan went on for another fifteen minutes, another two glasses of wine for me. I was grateful I had done my speech first because I wouldn't have been able to do it now. The second Declan had finished, I excused myself from the table and headed out the side door to the patio.

  The blast of frigid air hit me the second I opened the door, and I could breathe again. I pulled the door shut behind me, drowning out the voices and the music and walked across the snow-covered patio, crossing my arms over my chest.

  I leaned against the railing and looked out over the property. I could still hear his words, “Don't mess this up.” They sounded funny coming from his lips. How could he give that advice when he had been the one fully responsible for messing us up?

  Why had I promised Kenzie I wouldn't say anything? I had a ton to say to him, and it all started with demanding to know why he had done what he had done. I bit my lip. I would keep my promise to her, even if it killed me. I already knew that if I started with him right now it wouldn't end well, and it would ultimately ruin her wedding. That was the last thing I wanted to do. She shouldn't have to suffer because I was hurting.

  I leaned against the cold railing, fighting off a shiver, and did my best to clear my mind. I heard the MC announce the first dance between the bride and groom and wished I could have been in there to watch. I'd been standing there about five minutes when I heard the click of a door behind me and loud music poured out onto the patio. I turned in time to see Declan step out onto the patio, smile shyly at me, before he shut the door behind him, the music quieting considerably.

  "Everything okay? What are you doing out here?" he asked like he had a right to know before taking a few steps towards me.

  I let out the breath I was holding. It must have been the wine because I didn't have it in my heart to be mean to him. "Just clearing my head and freezing," I said, crossing my bare arms over my chest and rubbing them with my hands, trying to warm myself.

  "Here, hold on." With a quick flick, Declan had undone the button on his suit jack and slipped out of it, wrapping me in it. "That better?"

  The scent of his cologne sent a tingle through me, and the warmth from his body was welcoming and instantly warmed me as I slid my bare arms into the arms of his jacket. "Yes. Thank you."

  He was quiet, and we just stood and looked at one another for what felt like a long time, and then he cleared his throat. "It's been a while," he said, his eyes falling from my eyes to my lips.

  "Yes, it has."

  "We really should talk," he said.

  "No, Declan, not now." I didn’t trust myself enough, I didn’t trust that I wouldn’t get angry and cause a scene.

  He glanced at me at my abrupt answer and was about to say something when the next song played. From the first two notes, I knew immediately what song it was. Richard Marx had always been one of my favorite singers, and his song “Right Here Waiting” had always been known as “our song.” I knew the longer this song played, the more the memories and feelings would flow, and that I needed to get inside and away from Declan Brookes. Instead, his eyes met mine, and he held his hand out for me to take.

  "How about a dance? Just for old times sake?"

  I hesitated. I didn't know what to say. This song was one we danced to at every high-school dance we'd attended, and instantly my mind went right back to every one of those memories. The memories of being held in his powerful arms and feeling the safest I think I had ever felt in my life. I remembered resting my head on his shoulder, nuzzling my nose into the crook of his neck, and inhaling his scent.

  "Just one dance, Harper. I promise not to bite."

  I looked into his eyes, I wanted to feel his arms around me and remember what it felt like to be held by him again, no matter how angry I still was. Hesitantly, I placed my hand into his. He pulled me into his arms and started dancing, holding me close as the song played. I leaned in, rested my head on his shoulder, and I couldn't help but breathe in the musky scent of his cologne. As the song played and he held me securely in his arms, he lightly whispered the words of the song into my ear, just as he always had.

  I closed my eyes, trying hard to fight the feelings that were rising in me. I was somewhere between wishing we were still together and fighting to remember how angry I was with him, but the longer I stood, him holding me in his arms, the longer the second feeling was waning and the first was rising.

  "Wow, did you see that shooting star?" he whispered in my ear.

  I had seen the star shoot across the sky, but instead of letting him know, I shook my head no.

  "Remember how we always used to wish on them?"

  "That in order for the wishes to come true we had to whisper our wish to one another."

  "Yes. That is it," he whispered, while holding me in his arms, while the music still played. He pulled me tighter against him and whispered, "Well, I have one more wish, Harper. I want you back."

  A chill ran through me at his confession. I pulled my head back and stared into his eyes, and as if in slow motion, he leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. When he pulled back to look at me again, I couldn't help but allow myself to step in and kiss him back.

  I closed my eyes and met his lips. I, too, wished for something, only I never whispered it. I wished that somehow, in my heart, I could find a way to forgive Declan Brookes. As I leaned in to meet his lips again, I knew I needed to figure out how to move forward, so I could invite Declan back into my life for good.

  Chapter 6

  Declan

  Our lips had parted, and we stood there staring at one another when the door to the patio opened, music and loud laughter forcing us apart instantly. Harper turned to look out over the snowy landscape as a few people stepped out onto the patio and made their way over to the railing, completely ignoring the fact that we had been in the middle of a private moment.

  I stepped up behind Harper and placed my hands on her shoulders. "Did you want to go back inside?" I questioned.

  "Might be good idea," she said, removing my jacket from her shoulders and handing it back to me.

  She walked ahead of me, pulling the door open and stepping into the crowded room. I pulled the door closed behind us. Harper immediately headed over to her table and drank down the contents of her wine glass. I slowly approached her and was just about to say something when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Kenzie and Devon standing in front of me.

  "Declan, thank you so much for all your kind words." Kenzie said, leaning in to give me a hug.

  "No problem, Kenzie. It was my pleasure."

  "No, really, the ending of the speech was so heartfelt, oh and Harper, you’re my best friend. Your words were just so meaningful," she said, throwing her arms around Harper and pulling her in for a hug. "I wish you guys had never broken up. You both should be together forever."

  I glanced to Harper, a look of sadness falling in her eyes as she looked to me. "All right, well, thanks for everything, guys. We are off to bed," Devon said, trying to pry Kenzie off Harper. "She needs to sleep it off."

  Kenzie turned and looked to Devon and started laughing. "I don't know what you are talking about. I'm not drunk. Everything I said is true. They need to realize they are perfect for one another."

  "You need to realize it’s time for bed now," Devon said, looking at both of us and mouthing an apology.

  "I'm heading up now too. I have a long day of travel ahead of me tomorrow," Harper said, giving both Kenzie and Devon one more hug.

  "All right, let’s go," Devon said, once again prying Kenzie off Harper. They were about halfway to the exit when Kenzie slipped out of Devon's arms and ran back over in our direction.

  "My God, I just noticed you two are standing side by side in the same room and not fighting. I also saw you both slip out the side door. Are you both going to get back together?"

  I glanced to Harper and she to me, neither of us saying anything.

  "Don't fuck up my wedding, Brookes," Kenzie slurred, a hiccup finding its
way out, causing her to laugh and cover her mouth.

  "Come on, Kenzie, let’s get you up to bed," Devon said, grabbing her and trying to turn her around, once again mouthing an apology.

  "Whatever you do, keep it down," she said in a hushed whisper as Devon pulled her away.

  I watched as he guided her out of the reception and into the hallway to wait for an elevator. Hopefully, they didn't have to wait long, I thought to myself.

  Harper looked at me, placing her glass down on the table, a laugh escaping her.

  "What's so funny?" I asked.

  "Nothing, just Kenzie," she said, glancing at her watch, letting me know that it must be getting late for her.

  "Are you really going to turn in?"

  "Yes, I think so."

  "Would you like to get some dessert first?" I asked, nodding to the dessert table.

  "Um, I probably shouldn't. I could go for a tea or coffee though."

  "Why don't you come back to my room. We will get a tea or coffee and talk."

  Harper glanced around the room, looking a little nervous at my suggestion. "I don't know, Declan."

  "I could come to your room if that makes you more comfortable. Or perhaps the lounge in the lobby."

  She bit the corner of her bottom lip and looked at me. "All right, I guess you can come to my room if you like."

  Without another word, she took a couple of steps and turned to see if I was following her. I was a little shocked at her response, but I followed her anyway.

  We got into the elevator and each stood on opposite sides. We said nothing, and when the bell notified us we were on the ninth floor, I allowed Harper to exit first, following behind her down the hall until she stopped outside of room number fifteen. She inserted a key, opened the door, and walked in, holding the door for me.

  She walked into the room and pulled her heels off, dropping each one to the floor. I closed the door and turned in time to watch as she unclipped her hair, allowing her soft, sexy curls to fall. I instantly wanted to grab her and run my fingers through the mess of curls.

  "Tea or coffee?" she questioned as she picked up the phone.

  "Coffee please."

  She quickly placed the order and then hung up the phone, sitting down on the end of the bed, pulling her foot up to massage it.

  "Here, let me," I said, stepping further into the room and sitting on the chair across from the bed. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind, but she placed her foot in my hand.

  I dug into the ball of her foot with my thumb, and her eyes closed instantly, a soft moan escaping her lips.

  "I forgot how good your hands were," she mumbled as she leaned back on her arms.

  I said nothing—I couldn't—but the raging hard-on behind my zipper reminded me I was still as attracted to her as I was years ago. She slipped the first foot out of my hands and replaced it with the other, repeating the same actions.

  A knock on the door caused me to stop. She pulled her foot from my lap and walked over to the door, bringing in the tray of tea and coffee and setting it on the table in the corner. She poured us each a mug and handed me mine. She sat back on the end of the bed and sipped her tea, holding the mug with both hands. We both sat there in uncomfortable silence, staring at one another as we sipped our drinks.

  "What are we doing here, Harper?" I questioned, placing my mug down on the desk as I watched her run her fingers through her hair. "It's not exactly a secret that you hate me."

  Harper averted her eyes from mine and looked down to the mug in her hand. "This is closure, Declan."

  I nodded and glanced around her room. "Is that what you want? Closure?"

  "You have no clue," she whispered.

  "I think I have some idea, Harper. I was there for that kiss. It sure didn't feel like you wanted closure. It also didn't feel like closure when you invited me back here."

  Harper stood and placed her mug on the table. I stood, setting my mug down, and watched as Harper walked over to me and placed her hands on my chest. "It's what I want, Declan. It's what I need to move on," she said, standing in front of me, biting her lower lip as she looked into my eyes.

  I knew that when Harper bit the corner of her lower lip, she was doubting herself. It had always been a tell-tale sign.

  She met my eyes. I took a chance and ran my hands over her hips and up her back, looking down into her eyes. She stepped forward into me, and I stepped back until we were only inches from the wall.

  "If closure is what you truly want, then I will give you what you want."

  Instead of answering me, she leaned in and met my lips, shoving me up against the wall. Her kiss got harder, and more intense, as her hands made their way around my neck. I wrapped my arms around her waist and spun her around, pushing her up against the wall. I gripped both of her hands and raised them above her head, holding them there while I assaulted her mouth.

  She let out a low, throaty moan as I gripped her ass with my free hand and ground myself against her. She pulled her arms from my grasp and began working at the buttons on my shirt, I pulled the zipper down on the back of her dress

  Within seconds, she had my shirt open and was pushing it off my shoulders. It hung from the waist of my pants as my fingers pulled the straps of her dress off her shoulders. I peeled that dress off her body inch by inch, my lips exploring every part of her body as I went.

  She didn't hesitate, her fingers found the button on my pants, then the zipper, and then before I knew it, both my pants and boxers were in a pile, around my ankles. She pulled her lips away from my mouth and looked me in the eye before she slowly kneeled in front of me. I couldn’t help but watch as she took my cock in her hand, gripping me just firmly enough, and ran her hand down my shaft. I tipped my head back and let out a throaty moan. When I looked back down at her, she surprised me by bringing her tongue to the head of my cock. One soft little lick was all it took, and she brought me completely to my knees when she sucked my cock into her mouth.

  "Harper, fuck, you've got to stop, baby," I gritted out as I looked down and met her eyes.

  She continued sucking me until I pulled myself away from her and stood her up; I kissed her hard, pushing her against the wall. Gripping her ass, I wrapped her legs around my waist, and turning her toward the closest bed, I dropped her onto the mattress. With her legs spread, I kneeled between them and lined myself up with her entrance and slowly pushed inside of her.

  She raked her fingers across my back as I buried myself in her repeatedly, slow and deep at first, then hard and fast. I loved the sounds she was making and could feel my orgasm building fast, so I slowed myself down again, back to the slow, deep, and steady pace.

  I could feel her body tightening around me, could feel the tension in all her muscles as I continued that pace. I met her lips and kissed her as she came, muting her moans, as I felt my orgasm build and emptied myself inside of her.

  I lay there for a moment, catching my breath before I raised myself up and looked down into her eyes. Neither of us said anything, and I rolled off her and collapsed onto the bed beside her. We both lay there quietly, breathing hard for a few minutes. As I ran over everything that had gone on throughout the evening, I realized that I had missed so much about her. I also realized that no one had ever compared to her. Not even the women I had dated for three years after her could compare to Harper.

  I ran my hand over my face and was about to get up when Harper rolled onto her side and rested her head on my chest. She let out a yawn and placed her hand on my chest. I almost froze as she curled into my side. I placed my arm around her, pulled her in close, reached up and shut the light off, and held onto the girl I had been missing for all these years.

  Chapter 7

  Harper

  Declan was still sound asleep when I tip-toed out of my own room well before the sun came up and went down to the lobby to get some air. I wandered the halls of the main floor of the hotel, and then sat down in front of that immense fireplace in the lobby. I leaned back into
the over-sized chair and looked up at the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree.

  I didn’t understand how last night had even happened. When I had seen him in the lobby at first, I had sworn to myself that I was going to hate him to the ends of the earth, but then I found myself in his arms. As he held me outside on that patio, the more my body, mind, and heart betrayed me. Then when we had gotten into the quiet of my room, alone, where I had planned on finishing that closure conversation, all hell broke loose. The more I was near him, the more something came over me.

  "Harper? What are you doing up so early?" I heard a familiar voice say and twisted to see Kenzie walking over to the free chair beside me.

  "What are you doing up?" I questioned, glancing at my watch.

  "Heartburn. Drinking as much as I did does that to you." She smiled and sat down next to me and pulled out a package of antacids from the tiny bag she was carrying. "Are you okay?"

  "Yes, of course. Why?"

  "Well, normal people are still asleep at four in the morning. Plus, I've known you for a long time. You don't get up this early unless something is bothering you. So, spill it."

  I sat there staring at the tree trying to figure out what to say, or better yet how to say it, without being angry with myself. It wasn't the fact that I had slept with Declan. It was that I had let myself down and went against what I said I would never do, which was give him another chance.

  "It's Declan, isn't it?" Kenzie asked, placing her hand on my knee.

  I turned and met my friend’s eyes, tears building in mine. I shook my head yes.

  "Perhaps you should give the guy another chance. Hear him out, instead of harboring all this anger you’re holding onto."

  If only she knew, I thought to myself. I had never told Kenzie exactly what had happened and wondered that if perhaps I had things might be different. I had just told her we had broken up after I had returned from that Columbus Day weekend and asked her never to mention him in my presence again.