Married for Christmas (Willow Park)

by Noelle Adams

  His grin and mocking expression faded in an instant, and he gazed into her eyes with naked tenderness. "I know that, honey. You have no idea how deeply I know that I could never have done it alone.”

  She knew he was talking now about so much more than sex, so she got choked up again. This time, however, she managed to maintain her control.

  But then he tilted his head until his cheek was pressed against her hair. “Thank you, Jessica.”

  Her shoulders jerked a little. “Stop,” she whimpered, her voice muffled by his skin. “You’re going to make me cry again.”

  “Thank you,” he repeated, low and husky, burying his fingers in her hair. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

  “Shut up,” she demanded desperately, too afraid to even look at him. “No more sweetness. I’m already a puddle of mush. I can’t take any more.”

  He lifted his body off hers just slightly, enough to expose her face. This time he didn’t say anything, but his eyes were adoring. She surrendered, sighed, let the tears come, and momentarily reveled in the sappiness.

  Life didn’t often offer moments of almost perfect bliss, so she might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

  It lasted a long time. It lasted until Christmas morning.

  ***

  The next morning, Jessica woke up feeling blissfully happy.

  She knew she was blissfully happy, even before she opened her eyes.

  She instinctively rolled over toward Daniel until she realized with a grunt that his side of the bed was empty.

  It was then that she opened her eyes.

  She sat up abruptly.

  The bathroom was empty too.

  It was Christmas today, and he’d told her he loved her the night before.

  But he’d left her alone again this morning.

  Slammed with a surge of outrage, she jumped out of bed and yanked on flannel pants and a sweatshirt.

  Bear jumped up from her bed too, evidently believing something exciting was about to happen.

  They both ran downstairs and down the hall to the closed door of Daniel’s study.

  Jessica pounded on it. “Daniel!”

  “Don’t come in.”

  “I will come in.” She tried the doorknob, but it was locked. She pounded on it again. “I know you love me, and I’m not going to believe anything else. You can’t hide from me again. If you’re upset about something, then you have to tell me what it is!”

  Bear snuffled loudly at the crack between the door and the floor as Jessica kept pounding—with the flat of her hand now since her knuckles started to hurt.

  She gasped in surprise when the door suddenly swung open.

  Daniel was still wearing his pajama pants, although he’d pulled a sweatshirt on as well, and his hair was sticking out in all directions from going to bed last night sweaty.

  “I’m not going to let you pull away from me again,” she said with all the authority she could muster, trying to push past him into the study, since he was blocking her entrance.

  He grabbed her and kept her from forcing her way into the room. “I’m not pulling away. Jessica, would you stop pushing. I’m not pulling away.”

  He was stronger than her so her attempts to fight his grip were futile. When his words registered, she blinked up at him. “You’re not?”

  “I’m not.”

  “Then what are you doing in here with the door locked?”

  He gave her a longsuffering look. “I was working on your Christmas presents.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yes. Oh.”

  He was looking far too smug now, so she frowned at him, merely out of principle. “Well, I woke up and you weren’t there. And then the study was closed. It happened before, you know, so I thought…”

  “I know it happened before.” His expression changed. “I’m so sorry it happened before, honey. It’s not going to happen again.”

  “It’s not?”

  “It’s not.” He leaned forward to kiss her, but she ducked her head.

  He frowned. “I said I wasn’t pulling away. Why aren’t I allowed to kiss my wife?”

  “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

  He chuckled and pulled her into a hug. “Well, go brush your teeth while I finish your presents because I’m definitely going to want to kiss you later.”

  “Presents? You got me more than one?” She tried to peer past his shoulder into the study. He couldn’t have hauled the desk into the study this morning all by himself.

  His strong arms stymied her attempts. “No peeking.”

  She huffed, mostly for show, and let him close the study door again. Then she went to brush her teeth, make coffee, and drag the present she’d bought him down the stairs and into the living room to put under the tree—which was no small feat.

  Then, feeling so happy she was almost trembling with it, she poured her energy into trying a scratch recipe for cinnamon buns she’d found last week—one that didn’t take forever to make or look too difficult for her to manage.

  She drank coffee and sang Christmas carols and mixed up her dough and rolled it out until Daniel finally emerged from the study, carrying an armful of presents.

  “Oh,” she gasped, running over to inspect them. “How many did you get me?”

  He turned his body to keep the presents away from her hands. “They’re not all for you, so don’t get too excited.”

  “They’re not? Who else did you get presents to open for today?” She managed to catch a glimpse of the tag on one of the presents. “You got a present for Bear?”

  She was so astonished and delighted at this fact that her voice squeaked.

  Daniel attempted to look dignified, which was a challenge lugging an awkward stack of presents and with his hair sticking up straight on end. “You will find out about the presents at the appropriate time.”

  She giggled and returned to her cinnamon rolls, wanting to hug herself.

  He would have had to buy the presents before this morning, which meant even before last night he’d gotten a present for Bear.

  She got the rolls in the oven and was heading for the living room when she saw Daniel emerge from the study carrying one last enormous gift.

  “Oh, that’s a huge one! What is it?”

  “Mind your own business.”

  “It is my business. Isn’t that my present?”

  “No. This one isn’t for you.”

  “Oh. Is it for Bear?” She twisted her head to try to read the tag.

  “I’ve never seen a nosier woman. Can’t a man put presents under the tree in peace?”

  “Of course not. Can we open them now, or do we have to wait until after breakfast?”

  He set the big present under the tree and then turned back to her. His face softened when his eyes rested on her face. “We can do anything you want.”

  She clapped her hands, too giddy to contain it. “Let’s open presents now. But I have to warn you, I only got you one present.”

  “Well, that works out well, since I like giving presents more than getting them.”

  “It’s a really good present, though.”

  “It better be.”

  “You can open yours last. Bear wants to open hers first.”

  Bear was snooting around the wrapped gifts, pushing a couple aside until she could snatch one that was in the shape of a bone.

  She held the wrapped present in her mouth with obvious satisfaction and wagged her tail, expecting praise for her accomplishment.

  Jessica unwrapped the bone, with some help from Bear who kept nosing at the paper, and then the dog settled down to happily chew her big bone.

  Then Jessica got to open her presents. Despite Daniel’s protests, most of them were for her. He’d gotten her pair of gorgeous earrings that were way too expensive, cozy fleece pajamas with big white dogs wearing Santa hats on them, a hardback novel about hijinks in a church choir, a beginner’s cookbook for people who could barely boil water, and a set of computer-printed “coupo
ns” for free car repair, performed by Daniel, of course.

  Jessica was laughing so hard she was almost in tears as she opened the coupon set.

  “You’ve got two more to open,” Daniel said, looking adorably pleased with the reception of all of his gifts.

  She knew one of them was the desk out in the workshop, so she looked at the large wrapped present under the tree. “The big one?”

  “No, not the big one.” He got up to grab a small box she hadn’t noticed behind the larger one.

  Jessica immediately unwrapped the box and then lifted the top. Inside was a folded sheet of paper.

  Frowning in confusion, she unfolded the paper and stared at it for a minute before the words registered in her mind.

  It was a trip itinerary. For a trip to St. Lucia in March.

  She blinked a few times and then lifted her eyes to Daniel’s face.

  He looked just slightly diffident. “I thought maybe we could have a honeymoon. But, if you’d rather go somewhere else—”

  “No,” she cried, throwing herself at him. “It’s perfect!”

  He laughed, obviously unable to doubt her response was utterly sincere.

  “But can we afford it?” she asked, reason returning to her once her excitement had settled slightly.

  “Yes, we can afford it.”

  “Because I don’t need an expensive—”

  “I said we can afford it.” He gave her a stern look. “I’ll let you inspect the budget for it, if you must, although it’s a gift so you’re not supposed to ask about the price.”

  She hid a smile. “Okay. Just checking.” She leaned over to kiss him. “For a rather infuriating man, you really might be the best husband in the world.”

  “I’m glad you recognize it.”

  “Now what about my other present?” There was still the large unwrapped gift on the floor, and she had the sudden anxiety that the beautiful desk hadn’t been for her after all.

  But it had to have been for her. It had three platforms for three computer monitors.

  “You can’t have your other present. I have to wait until Micah can get over here to help me bring it in.”

  She let out a sigh of relief at this affirmation. “Can’t we just go out and look at it?”

  Daniel narrowed his eyes. “You know! You went around peeking and found it in the workshop.”

  “I didn’t mean to peek,” she admitted. “I accidentally stumbled on it Sunday morning. It’s the most beautiful desk I’ve ever seen. I had no idea you could make something like that.”

  Leaning back against the couch, he smiled over at her. “I’ve never made anything so hard before. You have no idea how long I worked on that thing. But I had to channel all my feelings for you into something, and the desk was the only thing I allowed myself to do.”

  She smiled back at him sappily. “It means so much to me that you made it.”

  They kissed for a minute until Bear set down the remains of her bone to come investigate her owners’ inexplicable distraction.

  Jessica pulled out of the kiss and stroked the dog’s head. “Now what about the big present?”

  “I told you that one isn’t for you.”

  “Who is it for?” Jessica got up to look for herself, and Bear came with her.

  The dog figured it out before Jessica could inspect the tag.

  Bear stepped onto the present and started scratching it up enthusiastically.

  “Hey,” Jessica said, trying to get the dog off. “You’re going to mess it up.”

  “She’s not going to mess it up,” Daniel admitted resignedly.

  Jessica pulled away the torn wrapping paper to discover the present was a huge, luxury dog bed.

  Delighted, Bear turned several circles on it, scratching up a good place to flop down on it.

  Jessica was laughing hysterically as she went to give Daniel a hug. “I knew you secretly liked my dog.”

  “I don’t like your dog.”

  “Yes, you do. Don’t try to deny it.”

  “I don’t like her.”

  “You’re a preacher. You shouldn’t lie.”

  “I’m not lying.” They were on the couch again, and he settled her more comfortably against him. Their lips were just a breath apart. “I don’t like her. I love her. But not nearly as much as I love you.”

  They kissed for a minute, sweetly, gently. Then she said against his lips, “I love you too. Thank you for all my presents.”

  “You’re welcome. I still haven’t gotten to open my present.”

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot.”

  She had gotten him the complete works of Bonheoffer in a very expensive, beautifully bound hardbacks. They’d been way too expensive, but she knew he’d love them.

  “My present can wait.” He kissed her again, more deeply this time. “Other things take priority.”

  “Okay.” She kissed him back, and it wasn’t long until they were both passionate and excited, Daniel leaning back against the armrest and Jessica on top of him, straddling his hips.

  He’d just slipped his hands under her sweatshirt when Jessica became aware of a strong scent penetrating her consciousness.

  “What’s that?” she asked, pulling up and sniffing the air.

  “What do you think it is?” He sounded just a little grumpy at the interruption of their embrace. “It’s what happens when your gorgeous body is all on top of me like this.”

  She choked on a laugh, but was too distracted to follow through on what he’d started to press up against her.

  Then the scent finally triggered something in her brain.

  “The cinnamon rolls!” she gasped, scrambling up off him and then off the couch and running frantically for the kitchen.

  It was without doubt the best Christmas morning she’d had in her life, and she had nothing in the world to complain about.

  Except for the fact that the cinnamon rolls were hopelessly burnt.

  Teaser Excerpt from Bittersweet

  If you enjoyed Married for Christmas, you might enjoy Bittersweet by the same author.

  “What British novelist also invented the mailbox?”

  Zoe had been eating her salad, but at this question she set down her fork. “Wait, I know this one. My professor talked about it in lit class last year.”

  She’d been trying for cool indifference—as if knowing the answer to Adam’s trivia question was second nature to her—but her voice reflected obvious excitement.

  She couldn’t help it. Adam had been asking her random trivia questions for two months, and this was the first one she actually might know.

  Adam wasn’t smiling, but his eyes—such a dark brown they were almost black—warmed in amusement. “I’ll clarify that we’re talking about the red pillar mailboxes in England.”

  “Yeah. I know this.”

  “So who is it?”

  “It’s Thackeray. No, wait, that’s wrong. That wasn’t my answer.” She racked her mind, searching for the name she remembered hearing in class last year.

  Zoe always did fine in school—getting B’s without straining too much—but she’d never been academically inclined and certainly didn’t collect various snippets of knowledge for the sole purpose of knowing them the way Adam did.

  “I’m waiting,” he said, an irresistible edge of teasing in his voice.

  “I know this.” She stared down at the strawberries and pecans on her salad. “We didn’t actually read this guy’s books—my professor just mentioned it in passing. When he was talking about Dickens, I think. I know it.”

  “If you know, then you’d better tell me.”

  She curled her lip to show she wasn’t pleased with being rushed, but was soon distracted by searching her memory. “Wait, I know. Tramp…trollop…Trollope!”

  Adam laughed uninhibitedly—the sound washing over her and giving her a distinct kind of pleasure. “Right. It was a strange way to get there, but you got there.”

  Zoe threw her hands in the air. “Ha. Victory!”


  The other diners in the café turned around at her outburst, but Zoe didn’t care about the attention she’d drawn. Getting one of Adam’s trivia questions correct was worthy of a celebratory gesture.

  Zoe was an assistant department manager at the upscale department store next door, and she always came to the café for her lunch break when she was scheduled to work midday hours.

  A couple of months ago, she’d noticed a brown-haired guy had started to show up to eat lunch at the same time. He was always reading or working on a laptop, and he was just slightly geeky with his impressive array of camp shirts and his intent focus on his thick books—just geeky enough to be adorable.

  One day, he’d come over to ask if he could have the salt from her table.

  The next day, he came over to ask her for the salt again.

  The third day, she asked him why he hadn’t grabbed the salt before he sat down.

  They’d started having lunch together after that.

  At first, Zoe assumed he was interested in her and would be asking her out. He wasn’t really her type. She’d always dated athletes when she was in high school and college.

  But, from the first time she’d talked to him, she was awed by how smart he was. Plus, he was funny and very attractive with his amazing dark eyes, lighter brown hair, and very fine shoulders. He also seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say, which wasn’t always her experience with guys.

  She didn’t think he was her destined soul mate or anything, but if he’d asked her out, she definitely would have said yes.

  He never did, so more than a month ago he’d moved in her mind from “potential date” to “casual lunch buddy.”

  Still reveling in her trivia victory, Zoe picked up her fork to finish her salad.

  “How did your history midterm go?” Adam asked, after finishing off the last of his sandwich.

  She nodded until she swallowed her bite. “It was fine, I think. I didn’t do great, but I’m pretty sure I passed.”

  She’d been working at the department store since she was a freshman in college in order to make some extra money to buy the clothes and shoes she wanted. A few months ago, the store had wanted to promote her. She hadn’t yet graduated, but—after long conversations with her parents and her friends—she’d decided to take the job with its longer hours and finish college part-time.