by Mia Ford
“What do you think, Spike?” I asked him.
His motor began purring but he didn’t even lift his head.
I thought of calling my mom and talking to her but I wasn't a teenager anymore. I was a grown woman who had a man going to extreme lengths to prove to me that he cared about me.
"Let it sink in," I told myself. "Sleep on it. Everything will be clearer in the morning." I stood up and went to the kitchen. Crazy as it sounded I was looking forward to a bologna sandwich with potato chips and red wine for dinner. The idea of even boiling water seemed like too much work. As luck would have it there was a Humphrey Bogart movie on the classic movie station. I'd push everything out of my mind and watch Sam Spade solve some murder then I'd go to bed and see what tomorrow brings.
I actually made myself two bologna sandwiches and brought them into the front room to watch television and eat. But just as I was getting comfortable my doorbell rang.
Carefully, I tiptoed to the door and looked through the beveled glass to see a familiar silhouette. Without hesitation, I opened the door.
“So what, did your stepmom just call you to tell you she hung up with me?”
"As a matter of fact, she did." Lucas looked at me from beneath his thick eyebrows like he was afraid I might take a swing at him. "Am I interrupting you? You look like you're in for the night."
I was wearing my comfy sweats, my bulky terrycloth robe, and my bear claw slippers. I peaked around him and saw a white pickup truck parked at the end of my driveway.
“What in the world is that?” I choked.
“The Ferrari just wasn’t sending the proper message.” He thrust his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and shifted from his right leg to his left. “I thought this might be a little more practical.
“It suits you.” I nodded.
He grinned like that was what he was hoping I’d say.
“So, uhm, were you planning on staying in?”
“Yeah. I am in for the night. But I just made myself some supper. Would you like to join me?” This would be interesting.
“Are you sure?” He straightened. “I’d love that.”
“Well, come on it.” I stepped aside. “Please, wipe your feet. I like to keep my house clean.”
“You have a beautiful home.”
"It's not a mansion." I snipped. "But it's mine."
Lucas looked at me nervously.
“What are we having for dinner?” He asked.
"Bologna sandwiches and potato chips," I replied proudly.
“My favorite.” He grinned slyly, taking one of the sandwiches off my plate and sitting down on the couch.
I sat down at the other end and left a good deal of space between us. We ate in silence as Humphrey Bogart was visited in his office by Lauren Bacall to help stop a man from blackmailing someone else.
“Tilly?”
“Yes, Lucas.”
“I love you.”
I kept my eyes on the screen.
“But I don’t have any money, Lucas. I’m not the girl for you.”
"Yes, you are." He insisted.
“How do you know?”
“Because I’d be willing to leave it all behind if you’d just say you’ll give me one more chance. I’d leave it all.”
I looked at Lucas and saw his eyes red with tears.
"I've hurt you so bad. I don't blame you for being skeptical. But if it takes five years, ten years, a hundred years I don't care. I'll prove to you that my love is true. There will never be anyone but you, Tilly."
I sat stone still and stared at the television. Before I could move Lucas scooted closer to me. He took my hand in both of his and stroked it gently, holding it to his cheek then squeezing it before looking again at my face.
When I turned to him I smiled. I couldn’t help it. But I didn’t say a word.
“But there is one thing that we need to do.” Lucas wouldn’t let my hand go.
“What’s that?” I whispered.
“Well, I’ve been such a jerk that I’ve never asked you out on a real date.”
“You’re right.” A smirk crept across my lips. “Airport food doesn’t count.”
"No, it really doesn't." He agreed. "Tilly, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me to a movie and maybe grab a burger or something to eat afterward."
“What, no caviar and champagne? No steaks and lobsters?” I teased.
“No. I think we’ll save that for our honeymoon.”
“Really, you’re that sure of yourself?”
“No. I’m that sure of us.”
The Perfect Gift
Blurb
She’s my sister’s Best Friend
And I want to give her something…BIG!
I am a billionaire businessman with an empire to run
Women were just an after thought in my life
Until that hot Christmas Eve
When I fell for those amazing curves of hers
It was supposed to be just for one night
After a long gap I see her again at my sister’s wedding
She’s still HOT as ever but avoiding me
I guess she is hiding something
Don’t worry son! Daddy’s gonna win back your Mommy!
Chapter 1: Dex
As the small symmetrical icy crystals floated gingerly from the sky and landed on the lawns of Central Park, I felt a sadness swell inside my chest. It was Christmas Eve, a time I relished when I was growing up. My parents always decorated the house to match the festive nature of the city with garlands, lights, and the smell of cinnamon and pine. They threw big lavish parties at their sky-high penthouse in Canton Commons. The wealthiest families in New York would put aside their high natured snobbery to bring gifts, food, and merry greetings to share with everyone else. As children, my sister Natalie and I would run around the house with the other children, playing with our toys and soaking up the feeling of Christmas. It had always been my favorite time of the year.
Years later, I found myself staring at the lights twinkling in the park, people walking hand in hand through the Christmas Eve snow, and carolers wishing people well, all the while feeling nothing but the silence of a now mostly empty home. After my parents died, the holidays stopped feeling like a magical time. There were no more parties, no more crackling fires, and the decorations sat in storage boxes, hoping one day to be picked up and used again. My sister loved Christmas and tried to keep the spirit alive but it was too much for one person. With me running the company now, I didn’t have time for such frivolous things as holiday parties. It almost felt like my parents took the holidays with them when they passed.
Neither Natalie nor I had a family of our own, so we either spent the holidays with each other or I went to work and left her to her own devices. This year, with my pending travels approaching I decided not to work on Christmas Eve. I tried not to be the scrooge, so I gave my employees off on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Usually, I ended up spending that time alone in the office, eating Chinese food and watching A Christmas Story while going over financial reports. Everything was settled this year since I was going to be leaving soon and so there I sat, reminiscing and staring out at the city. It was cold outside, colder than any Christmas I remembered and even inside the penthouse, I kept my sweater on to fight the chill. I could hear Natalie down the hall, getting ready for something, though I thought she would be spending the evening here in the penthouse.
I pulled up the number to the local Chinese delivery place and figured I’d order us some food for the night. I didn’t know what Natalie liked to eat anymore, so I sat waiting for her to come out of her room. The fact that she could always keep a cheery attitude during the holidays comforted me. I looked up as she walked quickly down the hall and pulled her coat from the closet. She put on the wool pea coat and turned back, surprised to see me still sitting in the living room.
“Oh,” she said, slightly startled. “Dex, what are you doing here? I thought
you were going to be working like you do every year.”
“Since I’m leaving in a couple of days, I figured I’d break that habit and spend Christmas Eve here with you,” I replied, watching her face twitch nervously. “You look like you're going somewhere.”
“Yeah. I, uh, I was going to go spend Christmas with a friend,” she said, walking over and sitting down on the arm of the chair. I could tell the quieteness of the house was really starting to get to her and I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the idea of spending Christmas Eve alone. “I should have mentioned it. I’m just so used to you always being at work that I honestly didn’t even think to say anything.”
I shook my head, trying not to make her feel guilty. After all, she was right, I didn’t even take weekends off anymore. The last time I had any time off was for her birthday and I didn’t really take off, I just left the office at five instead of midnight. Natalie had gotten used to living her own life, without any real family to spend time with. Part of me wanted to tell her not to worry about it but the other part of me wanted to ask her to stay and hang out.
“Why don’t I do this,” she said. “I’ll call and make sure it’s okay and we can just go together.”
I nodded and smiled, deciding that spending the holidays with people I didn’t know was better than being alone. I watched as she walked back in the hallway and called her friend. She talked for a few minutes and then hung up, bouncing cheerily out to the living room and waving me over. I grabbed the bottle of hazelnut liqueur I bought for tonight and we walked down to the garage where my car sat waiting.
Since I gave all my employees the night off, I drove myself, slightly confused as I made my way out of Manhattan and through the boroughs. We ended up in Brooklyn, which was weird since I assumed Natalie meant she was going to see one of the rich kids she grew up with. However, as I pulled up in front of the five-story brick walk-up, I realized whoever we were visiting had much less than we did. I almost felt foolish having thrown on my seven hundred dollar Gucci sweater and ungodly expensive belt. I smiled at Natalie as we got out, stepping over the piles of snow that had been pushed off the streets by the plows. I was glad she didn’t see my confusion. I didn’t want it to look like I was being judgmental toward her friends. That was my sister though, if you didn’t know her as a child, she seemed like any other normal girl from a middle-class family. Her heart was always too big for her to ever come across as the snobby rich girl from the upper East side.
As we climbed the stairs I could smell food cooking in the oven and I started to relax. The warmth of the glow coming from under the door already made me feel at home. Natalie knocked and we stood back as we heard footsteps from inside. The door flung open and a short round woman with curly red hair and rosy cheeks answered, smiling big and wrapping her arms around Natalie. She smiled warmly before turning to me and pulling me down for a hug. I laughed from surprise but welcomed the happy greeting.
“Come in, come in. I’m Andrea,” she said, stepping to the side and waving us inside. “You can put your coats up there and then follow me back to the kitchen. That’s where all the magic is happening.”
I set the bottle of liqueur on the floor next to my snow-covered shoes and hung up my jacket. Natalie smiled big and squeezed my arm as she walked forward. She took Andrea's hand as they walked toward the smell of food and the sound of Christmas Carols. Natalie looked really happy just being in this place. I instantly felt better about leaving her for my travels since she seemed to have made her own little family right here in Brooklyn. As I turned into the kitchen I looked around at the apple wall paper, farm themed wall hangings, and cook books propped on shelves all over the walls. It was like I had been transported from Brooklyn to a farm house in the country. There was a large turkey on the counter next to several bowls full of all the normal Christmas food.
My eyes scanned the kitchen, landing on my sister as she hugged a curvy brown-haired girl. She was facing the stove while stirring something but the lights from the kitchen made the streaks of red in her hair stand out. I could tell Natalie was whispering something to her and as she turned around and caught my gaze, my knees went weak. Her green eyes cut through me like a knife and instantly I wanted to know more about her. She nodded once and looked down, her cheeks growing red. She was shy, which made her even more appealing to me.
“Dex, this is my best friend Casey,” Natalie said with a knowing look. “Casey, meet my big brother Dex.”
“Nice to meet you,” Casey whispered with even brighter cheeks.
“Okay,” Andrea said, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get this food on the table!”
I started grabbing dishes and helped bring all the food out to the large oak table sitting in the dining room. I looked up at the pictures hanging on the wall. There were several of a man that I assumed was Andrea’s husband posing in his officer’s uniform. His ribbons were encased and hung next to the pictures, making me think he was no longer with us. I didn’t want to bring it up, not knowing the details, so instead, I sat down and began passing the food around.
“So, how did you two meet?” I looked at Natalie and then over to Casey.
“Oh, we met in college,” Natalie said with excitement. “We ended up being on the same team for one of our Sophomore projects.”
“That’s awesome,” I said. I turned to Casey and added, “Did you grow up in New York?”
“She sure did,” Andrea answered. “In fact, her father and I, God rest his soul, grew up here in Brooklyn. I’m glad she decided to stick around.” Andrea looked at Casey and winked as we ate our food and continued the conversation. I wanted to know more about this girl. In all reality, I wanted to see more of this girl, and I didn’t mean on a date. She was gorgeous with unguarded eyes and thick curvy body. I could only imagine what it would feel like to run my hands over her smooth skin.
I excused myself from the table and grabbed the cordial I bought, hoping they would enjoy it. It was extremely expensive but that wasn’t something I wanted to mention in present company. I showed Andrea who oohed at the bottle and pointed me to the cordial glasses in the china cabinet behind us. I brought out four glasses and poured a small amount into each, making sure Casey’s was a bit fuller than the rest. She smiled at me as she reached out to take the glass. As our fingers skimmed across each other’s, I could feel the electricity between us.
We sat around the table listening to Andrea tell stories of Christmas’ when Casey was a little girl. The woman was so happy and so jolly that you couldn’t help but feel loved just by sitting around her table. I kept a close eye on Casey’s glass, making sure to refill it each time it got low. I wanted her to loosen up because the pull between us was thick and hungry. Each time she caught me staring she would look for a bit too long before blushing and turning back to her mother. Her innocent personality was sexy but I knew there was something raw and needy inside of her. I stretched my leg out under the table and grazed her foot with mine. She rubbed it back, staring forward and listening to her mother’s continued stories. Natalie seemed to be in her own little world, which left me and Casey trapped in this bubble, bursting at the seams to be let loose.
Maybe it was the fact that I was leaving, maybe it was the hazelnut liquor or even the twinkling Christmas lights, but I wanted Casey and I wanted her bad.
Chapter 2: Casey
When Natalie called and asked if her brother could join us for dinner, I had no idea I would end up standing in front of the hottest guy I had ever met. As soon as my eyes met his, I knew I was in trouble. He pierced me with a stunningly blue gaze and there was just something about the way his eyes glimmered as he flashed his wide smile with his wavy blonde hair curling around his face that left me breathless. I longed to put my hands in his curls and pull him close. The warmth in my chest was caused by a combination of his lustful stare and the hazelnut liqueur he refilled my glass with over and over again. There was a serious air of danger emanating from him, which usually made me run in the op
posite direction from but for Dex, it only pulled me further in.
As we talked about our childhoods, my mother stood and started clearing the dishes. As always, I took notice and stood as well, reaching for the empty bowls and plates. Natalie grabbed my hand and winked at me, glancing over at her brother who was still staring intently, waiting for me to finish my sentence. I handed her the bowl and stepped back from the table, grabbing my glass.
“I’ll help clean up,” Natalie said brightly. “You did so much before we got here. Go relax and show my brother around the house.”
I blushed at her words, knowing she noticed our heated glances and attentive behavior toward each other. I backed up as she moved around the table picking up plates, unsure of what to do. I looked down as I felt Dex’s hand grab my arm and pull me toward the living room. I smiled sweetly at Natalie and allowed Dex to pull me away, finding him too sexy to ignore. I could feel the alcohol surging through my veins and loosening my nerves. I strolled over to the couch and sat down, watching as he followed. He sat close and turned to face me.
“What did you get your degree in?” He was very interested in my life and I was very interested in his luscious lips.