Christmas Overnighted

by Lara Norman

  “I have a confession,” she said as she added extra pepperoni to the frozen pizza.

  “What is that?” he asked in amusement.

  “I love frozen pizza. More than delivery most of the time.” She refused to meet his gaze in case he thought she was nuts.

  “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “No, but I imagine there are plenty of people who would never touch frozen pizza.” She popped a piece of pepperoni into her mouth and chewed with a grin on her face. “And to them, I say, to each their own.

  “You’re adorable. I love you.”

  Her grin grew wider until she felt that her face might split. “I love you, On-Time Delivery guy.”

  He laughed at her. “I’m Kline Construction guy the other eleven months of the year.”

  “I hadn't thought of this before, but you must have a tool belt and a hard hat, right?” The mental images she’d conjured up were very intriguing. There was sawdust and sweat and . . .

  “Of course I do. Why?”

  “Oh, you know. I’m picturing you in jeans with your tool belt slung low over your hips, a bare sweaty chest and the hard hat.”

  His eyes widened. “I see. Dirty thoughts about carpentry turn you on, huh?”

  “You turn me on.”

  He walked away from the oven where he’d been waiting for it to preheat and sauntered around the island to where she stood. He tilted her head back and captured her lips with his. He claimed her mouth in a heated kiss, turning the simple contact into a bout of foreplay that left Cora struggling for breath.

  “I love hearing your thoughts, Cora. No matter what they are, you always manage to intrigue me.”

  She lifted up on her toes to kiss him again, the heat in her eyes a clear message. She would lay on the floor and fuck him right there if he was agreeable, but just then the oven beeped to let them know it had reached full temperature.

  “Shit.” It was succinct, considering that they pulled apart with flushed skin and heaving chests. “I was about to beg you to fuck me, Warren.”

  His eyes glinted. “Let me get this in the oven and then we’ll see what we can accomplish in twenty minutes.”

  She moaned. There were perks to finding a lover, and so far they included more sex in the last two days than she could remember having in recent history. After he slid the pan in the oven and started the timer, he stalked over to her and swept her into his arms.

  She thought he’d aim for the counter or maybe the table again, but he brought her to the living room and set her on the couch. She was going to sit up, but Warren kneeled on the floor and pulled on her ankles until she was sprawled across the couch with her legs hanging over the edge. He unfastened her pants and yanked on them until she had to lift up to slide them past her hips. When they were peeled off, he lowered his head and swiped his tongue along her pussy in one sure stroke.

  She choked out a sound that couldn't be construed as a complete word. The way he moved his tongue was driving her crazy. He alternated between using the flat of his tongue and then the tip, flicking at her clit until she was insane with the pleasure of it. Her entire body was writhing when he added two fingers inside her with a tempo set to make her come in record time.

  “Ohh! Warren!”

  Her toes were tingling when she came, and it was mere moments later that he covered her body with his and pushed inside her. It was a hell of a position, but he didn't let that stop him as he drove into her. They went up and over together, and Cora knew she’d have to ask him to dress the way she’d envisioned sometime in the near future.

  “Jesus.”

  Warren was fixing his clothes when the timer went off. “I call that a success.”

  “I can’t move, so you’ll have to get that,” she said.

  He laughed loudly on his way to the kitchen.

  Twenty-Five

  Cora woke up alone the next morning. She didn't realize that the house was empty until she went downstairs to find Warren and hopefully get some coffee. Instead, she wandered aimlessly, trying to figure out where he could have gone. She looked out the windows into the backyard and saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were no tire tracks leading from the small garage, and a more gentle snow fell than the type they had the day before.

  It was Christmas Day, and Cora was alone in someone else’s house.

  She searched in the cabinet above the coffee maker and found a bag of coffee grounds. She set it up and then stood there with her arms folded over her stomach while she waited for it to brew. She was trying not to feel abandoned, but it was very strange for him to leave on a holiday and not say anything. Not that she had anything to compare it to, but it felt wrong. She couldn't fathom what he was doing, and suddenly she was worried that something had happened to him. She made another pass through the rooms she was still unfamiliar with and began feeling sorry for herself before she was finished with her investigation. Arriving back in the kitchen, she saw that the coffee was ready and poured herself a cup. The day before, he’d woken her with breakfast and coffee. He’d said Christmas was special and meant to be spent with those you love.

  So where the hell was he?

  Cora was finishing her coffee when she heard a rumbling engine from the front of the house.

  She set her cup on the counter and moved toward the front door. It opened before she reached it, and Warren burst through along with swirls of snow.

  “Oh crap. I meant to be back before you woke up. Sorry.” He moved right up to her and kissed her soundly. “Get dressed, your present is ready.”

  She was prepared to lash into him for scaring her the way he did, but he was so sweet that the anger died on her lips. “I haven't eaten yet!”

  “I’ll make you a bagel while you get dressed. Deal?”

  She smiled up at his exuberant, pinkened face. “It’s a deal.”

  True to his word, Warren was waiting for her with a bagel and a thermos of coffee when she came back down the stairs. He picked her coat up from the arm of the couch and offered it to her first. When she was ready and he opened the door, she stood unmoving in the doorway.

  “What the hell is that?”

  There was an enormous vehicle parked on the street in front of the house. The tires were taller than she was, and it was orange.

  “It’s my friend’s. He came out and picked me up and then I dropped him off. He’s letting me borrow it today,” he told her.

  “Okay.” She wasn't sure what else to say, so she walked down the front walk and tried not to shiver in the cold morning air.

  Warren jogged in front of her and opened the passenger door. He handed her the thermos and napkin-wrapped bagel before hoisting her up with his hands on her hips. She gasped a little as she was practically launched into the . . . thing.

  “What is this, again?” she asked as he climbed in the driver seat.

  “It’s a custom-made demolition vehicle. I believe the base was a Blazer before Eric screwed around with it.”

  The noise of the engine was nearly deafening when he turned the key. Cora tried to relax back in the seat as Warren navigated the snowy streets. The plow had not been

  through yet and she realized that was why he’d borrowed the monstrosity they were sitting in.

  “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see soon enough. Eat your breakfast, we aren't going far.”

  Cora busied herself with the cream cheese and bagel and watched the snow- covered scenery pass them by. She felt like a giant in that vehicle, and let herself enjoy the new perspective. It wasn't long before she felt like she recognized the neighborhood they were in, but she couldn't figure out why.

  “This looks . . . why do I know that house?” she murmured.

  Warren smiled at Cora’s astuteness. “You told me you looked this street up online.”

  “I did?”

  She recognized the next house as well, and then she realized what he was doing. “Oh, my God!”

  He pulled into the driveway of a
pale yellow stone house with a white porch. The pitched roof was lined with snow, and the bushes were like white blobs standing sentinel. Cora was clambering out of the truck before Warren even put it in park.

  “You brought me to the Victorian!”

  She ran for the front porch and tried not to trip over her own feet as the snow slowed her progress. Warren was directly behind her before she hit the front door, and he swung her out of his way with a teasing laugh.

  “Merry Christmas, Cora.” He kissed the top of her head and unlocked the door, standing aside so she could enter first.

  Cora looked around as Warren flipped the nearest light switch. They were in a foyer with a hallway directly in front of them. There were rooms on either side of them, but Cora was drawn to the one on the left. She sucked in a breath and put her hand on her stomach as she found a Christmas tree set up on a rug thrown over the concrete floor. There were colorful lights blinking steadily and a pile of presents underneath.

  “What did you do?” She turned to him with tears in her eyes.

  “I got your order and brought it here. All of your gifts are under that tree.”

  “Shut up.” She said it quietly in disbelief. She moved forward to run her fingers over the branches of the fake tree she’d ordered but not expected to see. “You did this for me?”

  He was standing behind her, so when she turned and threw her arms around him he buried his face in her neck. “I did.”

  “How?”

  “It was sitting at a warehouse about forty miles from here. I had my supervisor from On-Time keeping an eye on the tracking information, but it was never going to be moved any closer unless this snow let up. So I got the idea to get the truck with the big tires and drive out and get it.”

  “How long have you been up?” Her question was muffled in his sweater.

  “Awhile.”

  “I guess so.” She looked up at him. “Warren, this is the nicest thing anybody has ever done for me.”

  “I wanted you to have a fantastic Christmas for once. I love you.”

  The last part was whispered as Cora pulled his head down to kiss him. Her hands went to his pants and she was about to slip them inside when he grabbed her wrists.

  “Sweetie, we aren't alone.”

  Cora took two giant steps backward. “What do you mean, we aren't alone?” she whispered. “Are your employees here?”

  “No, but yours are.”

  Julia and Andrea came around the corner from the hallway. Cora’s eyes bulged as she spotted them, and then she ran over and hugged them both. She was a tearstained mess by the time she pulled back.

  “What in the world?” Cora asked.

  “Warren asked us the other day if we wanted to help him with your Christmas gift, and of course we agreed,” Andy said.

  “I wouldn't miss seeing you happy for the world,” Julia added.

  “I love you both,” Cora whispered. She felt like she’d lost her voice. “You are the best friends I’ve ever had.”

  They hugged again and Cora looked over at Warren as he stood near the tree. He smiled at her. “Would you like a tour of the house?”

  “Absolutely.”

  As they walked through the incomplete rooms, Cora could picture what it would look like when it was all finished. She could see a mix of her furniture and Warren’s, rugs and curtains and paint on the walls. She could see them in the kitchen working together to make dinner for their friends and family. She could even picture inviting her parents and trying to make amends. She needed to forgive them and move on with her life if she intended to be happy and to never again let her upbringing get in the way of that happiness.

  “I don't know how you pulled it off, but you managed to bring me the best Christmas ever, and you did it overnight.”

  “That’s my job as the On-Time Delivery guy, Ms. LeGrand.”

  She stopped to kiss him, and she didn't care if they had an audience. “You did good.

  Thank you so much.”

  “I look forward to spending the rest of my life making you happy, Cora.”

  Her heart squeezed at his words. She was finally where she wanted to be. “I can’t wait.”

  “Merry Christmas.”

  “It’s going to be the best Christmas ever.”

  He kissed her softly again. “I have to agree.”

  Epilogue

  They’d managed to make it an entire year. It was hard for Cora to believe, but she and Warren were husband and wife and living in their beautifully remodeled Victorian style house. They say everything happens for a reason, and that was why Cora believed she was lucky enough to meet Warren at a time in her life when she thought that she would never have anything of significance outside of her job. There had been a few ups and downs over the course of the year, but Cora could look back on it all with pride and a sense of accomplishment.

  The tree was lit and Christmas carols were playing quietly in the background. The number of presents stacked up in the living room had grown since Manu and Rewa had shown up, but Cora didn't mind for a change. The generosity behind the gesture was what she was choosing to focus on. It wasn't the same as her childhood, not this year.

  Her parents had come to the wedding, of course, and for the most part, they were back on friendly terms with each other. It made Cora happy to see that they could at least get along for her sake. She didn't want her wedding day ruined by any fighting, but she needn't have worried. Her mother was quiet and respectful, her father walked her down the aisle, and best of all, they liked and respected Warren. Cora had been given the chance to meet David and Roberta before the wedding since they lived closer to Warren and Cora than Cora’s parents, and she found that they were a welcoming couple that enjoyed being involved in their child’s life. They made a point of having dinner together once every few months, and Roberta had even been the one to throw a bridal shower for Cora.

  There had been deep discussions about who would stand up for Cora at the wedding; between Julia and Andrea, Cora couldn't decide who to choose. In the end, they both did it, and nobody found anything wrong with it.

  Warren had his oldest college friend, Joe, come out from California for the wedding. Warren had a few friends in Maine, and they came as well. It had only been about six months ago, but Cora already felt that they'd been married for years. They had moved into the Victorian in the spring and married in the backyard in the summer. It was exactly what they'd wanted; the right size, a style they enjoyed, and it was in a good location. Warren had an office to work out of, and even a workshop in the backyard that he liked to use sometimes when the sunlight remained late into the summer evenings. One of the best features was the garage that Cora had wanted so badly. It had been the best thing for her this winter when the snow came. She was more than happy that she didn’t have to worry about de-icing her windshield or digging the tires out of the snow.

  Cora enjoyed decorating the rooms and having her new husband install the features she wanted. Everything was chosen together, from the tile, to the flooring, to the paint colors. Since the day Warren showed her the concept for the kitchen hardware, they had worked together to make sure everything was as they wanted it moving forward. Cora continued to find throw pillows and curtains and pictures for the walls, but overall it was a great house and they were in love with the space it afforded them.

  Since it was Christmas Eve and their friends and families were over, the space was coming in especially handy. The kitchen island had afforded them the space to cook and bake in exactly the way they had envisioned. There was a large table in the dining room, big enough to seat everybody for the meal Cora and Warren had worked on together. Warren had made a table big enough to seat twenty people if the leaf was inserted, and he joked that it was like living in a castle with their extremely long tables where someone had to shout to be heard by the person at the opposite end. Julia and Andrea had helped with the party by bringing dishes over since they lived locally, and helping to decorate ahead of time. Julia’s
kids had come over, too, so Murray and Frances and their spouses and children were crowded around the table. It was warm and cozy in the Kline house; the one put together by Cora and Warren’s love.

  Dinner was loud and boisterous, conversation and drinks flowing freely. The children were well behaved and fun to talk with. Cora was feeling emotional over having so many people gathered together for a holiday that she used to despise. It felt like she had a never-ending supply of second chances, and she was never going to take them for granted.

  Everyone was going to open gifts after dinner, and Cora was a little skeptical of what her parents might have brought in the huge stack of gifts they’d brought in. She couldn't imagine that they knew her very well anymore and wondered if she would be stuck with a fake happy face and items she’d have to lug to the store to return. She was in the process of reminding herself that it was always the thought that counted when Warren leaned over and kissed her on the ear.

  “I love you, you know that, right?” he whispered to her.

  She blushed and turned her head to smirk over at him. “How could I not know when you proved it to me so thoroughly this morning?”

  His grin was intimate and made Cora’s heart pick up speed. It didn't take much effort

  to bring up images of what they had done that morning. Warren had woken her up and loved her slowly and thoroughly, citing it as a Christmas Eve tradition. It didn't hurt things at all that he had given her a repeat performance in the shower later, although it had been a much faster-paced encore. “Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I?”

  “What are you two whispering about down there? I think it's time for gifts.”