“I’ll need more, now, won’t I, darlin’ Jordan?”
Slow is better, he’d said to her. “You ass,” he chided himself. “Too cocky for your own good.”
Then he had to smile. He’d made himself scarce, and she’d come to him—with a present, no less.
His normal optimism returned. “You’re mine, sweetheart, and it’s only you who doesn’t know it yet.” He shook his head. “Not that I have the first idea what to be doing with the likes of you.”
Will studied his window with greedy eyes.
And couldn’t help laughing.
God save me, the woman does call a merry tune.
TWO DAYS LATER, ON Christmas Eve, Jordan toasted Jimmy Stewart with her eggnog. “Here’s to sappy movies, pal. You made the best.” The joyous faces and uplifted voices of It’s a Wonderful Life shone from her TV screen, and she wiped away a traitorous tear. “What’s wrong with you?” She hit the power button on the remote and the screen went dark.
She’d survived the inevitable argument with both of her parents in their separate calls, hadn’t she? Why wasn’t she in California instead of Texas? Why wasn’t she married? Would she ever have kids?
She should be celebrating that triumph, not letting some stupid movie get to her.
She loathed Christmas more than any other holiday. It was all about families, and every avenue to escape it was closed. No stores open, no clubs to lose yourself in music and dancing and whatever else might ensue that would help you pass the time until the world got back to normal.
There might be a bar open somewhere, maybe, full of people without families, but she just didn’t have the heart to go look for it. She could manage one night, anyway. Not like she hadn’t done it before.
She padded across the loft in fuzzy socks to get more eggnog. Halfway there, her buzzer sounded, and Jordan glanced at the clock in surprise. Almost midnight.
The buzzer again.
She shrugged. “What the hell. Might as well see who it is. Probably just some curious drunk.” She hit the button. “We gave at the office.”
“Now, darlin’, would that be any way to talk to a man bearing gifts?”
Will. “I’m not speaking to you. Go away.” Where had he been while she’d been on pins and needles to know what he thought of her present? Giving him a window had been a stupid idea—hadn’t she known that? “Why are you here at this hour?”
“Santa Claus has much territory to cover. I just finished sneaking off Marly’s roof.”
“You played Santa Claus for them?”
“I’m thinking that up there where you’re warm is a better place to have this discussion, sweetheart. That is, unless you have company.”
“I should say yes.”
“Open up, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me sweetheart.” But she hit the buzzer. “You better mean that about gifts.”
“Now, would Santa be coming to such a good girl empty-handed?”
His cheer made her grind her teeth—but even Will was a welcome distraction.
She heard his footsteps on the stairs and yanked the door open. “Where have you been? Why haven’t—” She burst out laughing.
The transformation was amazing. His powerful frame made an impressive Santa, but he looked much plumper than normal. Friendly blue eyes gleamed at her above a snowy-white beard, and he brandished a large package. “Lovely to see you smiling, even at my expense.”
Jordan stepped back and let him inside. “What’s padding you? You’re not that big.”
Will waggled his fake white eyebrows at her. “So nice that you’ve been paying attention. And here I was thinking you only noticed my handiwork.”
She moved closer, and he stepped away. “Oh, no. No prodding and poking at St. Nick. Inappropriate behavior, Ms. Parrish. Only good girls receive gifts.”
His good humor was infectious. For the first time in nearly a week, Jordan’s heart lifted. “All right, spoil-sport. So what’s in the package?”
“Perhaps some child is waiting for this one.”
“Uh-uh. You’re too honorable. You’d never wave a package under my nose and then take it away. Now give.”
“Now give,” he echoed. “A cheeky bit of baggage you are. It’s not Christmas morning. This will be going under the tree.” He looked around the room, then back at her. “No tree?”
“A waste of resources.” She jutted her chin.
“Not even artificial?”
One string of lights haphazardly draped over the bookcase, and a couple of poinsettias. For the first time, she saw how sterile this must look, especially if he’d just been at Marly’s.
“Never mind that. Perhaps you’d be sharing a little of that eggnog with Santa?”
Jordan glanced back at him, peering closely for any sign of pity. If it was pity, he’d be back out the door before he could blink.
He smiled and sat down on her big overstuffed chair, setting the package to one side and patting his lap. “On second thought, why don’t you come sit here, young lady, and tell me what you want Santa to bring you?”
“Santa as a dirty old man. Now, that’s more my style.”
Will shook his head, his gaze never leaving hers. “No, Jordan. It isn’t. Now, come here and let me give you your present.” He held out a hand in welcome.
She felt suddenly shy. “No eggnog first?”
“Not yet. I’m halfway to melting in this outfit.”
More eager than she wanted to admit, Jordan approached. She had no idea what could be in the box, but she couldn’t resist the unexpected treat. “But I don’t have a present for you.”
“A little elf delivered one to my back door.”
“That was a housewarming gift. Did you—never mind.” If he hated it she didn’t want to know.
His gloved hand turned her face to him. “’Tis a beautiful window, Jordan. Perfect.”
“So why—” She clamped her mouth shut.
“I needed to think,” he said. “And I had something to finish. This is not the night to argue, sweet. This night all the world brims with love. We’ll speak more of the window, but for now, end the debate and let me see your face when you open this.”
At that moment, the child inside her that Jordan had long thought dead chose to make its appearance. Though she knew it was Will in the costume, that little girl wanted to sit on his lap and open the present, one she hadn’t anticipated, hadn’t begged to receive. A gift, in the purest sense of the word.
She pulled the box to her as she settled on his lap, feeling unaccountably shy but also supremely protected. Even more than she wanted to open the gift, she longed to cuddle against him, to lean her head on his shoulder and be a different Jordan than the world saw every day.
Nonsense. She hugged the package to her as solemn blue eyes studied hers. “Am I too heavy?”
“Not a bit. I’m thinking I could be happy like this for a long while.”
Inside Jordan something eased, uncoiling when she hadn’t even known she was tightly wound. “We’re so different.”
“Yes.” He nodded, his smile solemn. “That’s us, sweet heart. The Odd Couple.”
But she didn’t have a sassy comeback this time. “Are we? A couple?”
His gaze never left hers. “I’m thinking yes.”
“But why, Will? I’m—”
“Shhh,” he whispered, placing one gloved finger across her lips. “’Tis useless to wonder the why of it, sweetheart. I’ll gladly speak with you for hours of what I love about you, but it isn’t your head you must be heeding—it’s your heart that needs to be heard.”
Love. No. “I don’t let my heart call the shots, and you shouldn’t either. You barely know me.”
“Ah, but you, my stubborn sweetheart, cannot tell my heart whom to adore.” He bounced her gently. “Now, will you open this present before I expire from the heat?”
“Sorry.” She was surprised to feel reluctant. Once she started opening the wrapping, it would soon be over, thi
s special surprise. “Maybe I’ll wait until tomorrow, after all.”
He shrugged. “You may wait…but I’ll not be leaving until I see your face.” He stretched and yawned. “Best be getting the sofa ready, Jordan darlin’. It’s been a long day.” But his smile was wide as if he was certain she’d crack.
She hugged it once more. “Thank you, Will. This is a wonderful surprise.”
“As was my window.” Pleasure beamed from his face. “I hope you like what’s inside as much.”
For the first time, she understood that he was nervous, and somehow that settled her. She began to open it carefully.
“Hmm. I always pictured you tearing into packages, ripping paper with abandon.”
She shot him a glance, then grinned. “Oh, what the hell—you’re right.” She reverted to type and tore at the wrapping, eager to get inside.
Once she did, her heart stuttered. Lifting out the most exquisite wooden jewelry box she’d ever seen, Jordan gasped. “Oh, Will—this is beautiful.” She pushed the wrappings aside and settled the gift on her lap, running her fingers over the silky-smooth edges, the tiny golden hinges, the beautiful carving of a Celtic design with her name worked inside the coils.
She glanced at Will, who watched her closely. “I’ve never seen anything so exquisite. You made this, didn’t you?”
He nodded solemnly. “Don’t you want to look inside?”
“I do.” Barely able to tear her gaze away from his, she started to open the lid, but it didn’t immediately lift.
“Here, press this.” His gloved hand was too big, so he bared it, then pointed to a tiny recess.
Jordan marveled that those big hands could perform such delicate craftsmanship. With trembling fingers, she pressed against the recess and heard a click. The lid opened slightly, and she raised it to peer inside.
Jordan gasped again. Delicate as the air, a slender golden chain rested on dark blue velvet, a heart worked in hammered gold dangling from it, a blood-red ruby nestled inside the gold. She lifted it in her fingers and watched it catch the light, then darted her gaze to Will.
He looked less certain of himself than she’d ever seen him. Vulnerable. She thought she liked that, and she smiled.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
There was no way she could tease a man whose heart was in his eyes like that. No matter how much it frightened her or what accepting this might mean.
But she had to ask. “What does this mean, Will?”
“’Tis only a little trinket, nothing special.” But his eyes told the lie.
“Will, I…”
“Let’s see how it looks.” He shed his remaining glove, then took the necklace from her. “Turn around.”
Jordan obeyed, and he fastened it around her neck, then opened the top of the jewelry box wider so she could examine it in the mirror. The heart lay nestled just below the hollow of her throat, the ruby catching the light.
Will’s finger traced around the heart, and his touch burned against her skin. Their eyes met in the mirror.
Jordan swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “Will, I’m overwhelmed. The necklace… I’ve never had anything so delicate. And the box is incredible…. I can’t believe you made this. You shouldn’t be building houses. You’re an artisan. You could make a fortune on something like this.”
“Ah, but a fortune isn’t important to me, Jordan darlin’. I don’t want masses of people buying work I completed in haste to satisfy a banker. Money is not the measure—it’s the pleasure in the eyes of the recipient that’s my reward. The hours I spend are precious to me, and I will not invest them to be paying overhead or keeping my attention on the bottom line. This work is my joy, and I only ask to be present to see the reaction when my work is received.”
“Did you see what you needed tonight?” She couldn’t imagine the hours this must have taken.
He held her gaze in his. “Yes, darlin’, I did.”
“I’m glad, because for once in my life, words fail me.”
He chuckled softly. “Now, that in itself is a feat to trumpet.”
“Want your thank-you kiss now?”
He shook his head. “I want out of this suit first.” Will shifted beneath her.
“Wait—let me.” Carefully, she laid the jewelry box on the side table. She removed his hat first, then his beard. Beneath them, his face was shiny with sweat, his shaggy hair matted down. She ran her fingers through it, lifting the strands and blowing through pursed lips to cool him. He closed his eyes and sighed in pleasure.
Then she began unbuttoning the jacket. “Good grief,” she laughed. “No wonder you’re sweating. Poor man—is this a down vest underneath?”
“I had to make it look authentic, and I couldn’t gain fifty pounds in time.”
She laughed, unzipping the vest, while he peeled off the eyebrows. She stripped the vest away but stopped in midgesture at the sight of his muscular frame clearly outlined by a sweat-soaked T-shirt. “My, Santa, what nice muscles you have,” she attempted to joke through a throat that had tightened with lust.
Jordan was touched to realize that Will was blushing, actually blushing. He leaned forward and pulled the jacket and vest from behind him and dumped them on the floor. When she started to rise, he used his other hand to pin her to his lap. “You’re fine right here.”
But she wasn’t sure anymore. He’d played havoc with her heart for weeks now. The kisses they’d shared glowed in her memory like a beacon. And now he’d thrown gasoline on the fire with his gift.
She was so afraid he’d put her off again if she asked him to make love to her. She bunched her muscles to escape, but he stopped her once more.
“And would you be planning to renege on your thank-you, then?” His gaze pinned her, suddenly angry and fierce. “Is it because of the fellow you were with a few nights ago?”
“What fellow?”
“The one with the black leather jacket.”
“You were watching me? Spying on me?” She reached for the clasp of the necklace. “Forget it. Take this back. Take all of it.” She leaped from his lap. “Get out.”
He rose, towering over her. “I won’t. I wasn’t spying. I’d had the thought to come see you because I missed you. But you were up to your old tricks, weren’t you?”
“So what if I was?” But she hadn’t been. Jordan had thought about it, yes, but only because she wasn’t ready to make Will any promises they would both regret down the road.
“How can you do that?” His expression was thunderous. “You’d brought me a window—damn it, a perfect one. Then you went out with some bloody oaf who’s not worth half of you because you’re frightened of what’s between us?”
Not worth half of you. Even now he defended her. She had to make him leave. She couldn’t give in, couldn’t let herself— “I said get out. You don’t know anything, you, you bloody oaf,” she spat.
Those blue eyes speared into her, taking their time—too much time, damn it. Studying her like some bug on a pin.
Then a smile spread across his face.
“Don’t you smile at me.” She pointed at the door again. “I said go away. And take your gifts with you.”
“You sent him packing, didn’t you? But you won’t admit that because you’re scared. Come here.” He took a step toward her.
She took a step back. “Don’t touch me.”
He didn’t slow, and she couldn’t seem to move. Then his big hand was on her cheek, and he was examining her too closely, seeing too much. “You fight yourself as much as me, darlin’ Jordan. Why are you so afraid for me to love you?”
“You can’t love me, Will. Don’t.” She closed her eyes. “Please don’t.”
But it was too late. His lips were on hers. At first gentle and soft, easing hers into parting, then sipping, tasting with small, deadly kisses, each one crushing her resistance with their tenderness.
“Jordan…” He groaned and drew her into him, that hard body that felt so much like a shelter in which s
he could hide. Where she could leave behind so much pain, so much sadness….
His mouth cruised over her face, down her throat, stealing the breath from her as his hands untied her robe.
For a second, she stirred, aware of how unsexy her flannel boxers were.
“Shh. I’ll never think of Yosemite Sam the same way again, darlin’.” His soft chuckle faded as his mouth danced a new and devastating glissade over her skin. He bared her body as he was baring her heart, walking her slowly backward toward her bedroom, then impatiently, gloriously sweeping her up into his arms.
I can’t promise, she wanted to protest. This won’t last, she needed to warn him because he was so good, so kind, so…
Sexy. Sweet heaven, the man was driving her out of her mind, taking time—so much of it, too much of it until she would scream—to tease at odd spots on her body, avoiding the clearly sexual and in the process, driving her up and up and up….
Until his hand covered the thatch of hair at her thighs, his touch both electrifying and somehow cherishing.
Jordan crested with a cry. Soared and floated for endless moments as she marveled that he’d made her come without ever even—
“Oh, dear mercy…” Was that her voice so high and thin as his tongue swirled around her nipple?
She felt his chuckle against her more than heard it. “Will…”
“Shh, sweetheart. Relax.”
Relax? Then Jordan realized that he’d stripped away his own clothes. She watched that big, hard, warm body cover hers.
Oh, how good he felt. How much she relished the sensation of him—she, who was nearly always on top. Who preferred it that way. In control.
But Will was teaching her how little she knew as he continued his assault on her senses, devastating her every defense, dismantling them as though they were a child’s building blocks. “Will, let me—” She was rising again as his fingers, his tongue, his heated breath… “Don’t—”
“Again, darlin’ Jordan.” His voice was warm honey. Darkest velvet.
“Will, I want you in—” Then all thought fled again as her body came apart, as she flew higher still.
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