A Merry Little Christmas

by Melanie Schuster

  “I hope you can do it fast because it looks like Donnie and Warren just arrived” Paris said dryly.

  “Why on earth are they here so early? Why can’t men ever do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it?” Angelique asked with obvious irritation.

  “Because then they’d be women,” Paris answered. “Okay, we’ll have to regroup. I’m going to disappear upstairs to take a shower and get dressed and Angel, you’re going to have to drag Donnie off somewhere on a fake errand. Go get some ice or some wine or something. Ready?” She looked at both women before opening the back door, which led into the kitchen.

  There stood Warren and Donnie with an alarming-looking apparatus and a big box. Warren gave them a winning smile and informed the ladies that they were going to deep-fry a turkey as their contribution to the dinner. “It marinated all night, plus I injected it with my special mixture and it’s going to melt in your mouth,” he promised them.

  In short order the patio had been cleared of snow, the deep-fryer had been set up and all was ready for the undertaking that would begin as soon as the oil was hot. In the meantime, Angelique had to take matters into her own hands. She turned to Donnie with a big fake smile and asked where the dogs were. Donnie looked surprised for a second, and then replied that they were at home. It would never have occurred to him to bring Jordan and Pippen to Evilene’s lair.

  “Well, we have to go get them,” she said gaily. “They love a party and they’re very well behaved. And we need some more ice,” she said hurriedly. “I’ll meet you at the car, let me get my coat.” She stared meaningfully at Lisette as she skittered out of the now-crowded kitchen to fetch her coat from the hall.

  Paris immediately jumped up and said she had to go get dressed. “I went to my Zumba class this morning and I have to get clean and cute. See you later,” she said as she also left the room.

  Warren and Donnie looked at each other and shrugged. “I guess we’ll be back soon. If I’m not back in an hour, put out an APB on me,” Donnie said as he went out the back door.

  Lisette was saved from having to say anything as Angelique called her from the living room. She went to see what her friend wanted and was touched to see Angelique fluffing her shiny black hair and taking a last look in the small mirror in the entry hall. “Okay, I’m going to keep him gone for a least an hour,” she instructed Lisette. “So you better go for it.” She looked down at her outfit and mumbled, “Do I look okay?”

  She was wearing jeans that fit perfectly, accentuating her long legs, and had on a pretty turtleneck with horizontal stripes in bright colors, plus her low-heeled ankle boots, nicely polished as always. Angelique had a fetish for keeping her footwear like new. She was wearing her usual Youth Dew and a small pair of gold hoop earrings. Lisette assured her that she looked adorable. Angelique smiled at her friend as buttoned up her pea coat and put on a knit cap and the long knitted scarf that matched the sweater.

  “You look beautiful, too,” Angelique replied. “Now, go get busy, we’re on a schedule here!” With a wink she dashed out the front door and ran lightly down the steps to Donnie’s car. He was waiting next to the passenger side and gallantly held the door open for her, making sure she was seated before closing it behind her. In seconds, he had come around to the driver’s side and seated himself, fastening the seat belt and checking the traffic before expertly backing the car down the driveway. The car was filled with music as the thrilling voice of Will Downing poured from the stereo system, and the air was full of the utterly masculine odor that was part Donnie, part his expensive aftershave. Suddenly, Angelique found it a bit hard to breathe. She sat up a little straighter and reminded herself to stay calm. Something was overwhelming her; it was like being in a fragrant steam bath at a luxury spa, only a lot more sensual. Before she could figure out why she was so caught up in a simple car ride, Donnie reached over and took her hand, the left hand that wasn’t yet wearing a glove.

  “So you’ve finally got me where you want me. Now what?” he asked in a low, sexy drawl.

  ***

  Lisette went back into the kitchen, hoping she looked more composed than she felt. She looked perfectly lovely in black skinny jeans and a pale green sweater that buttoned up the front with tiny, enticing mother-of-pearl buttons. Her wavy hair was shiny and soft and she was wearing small black opal studs in her ears. A soft, beguiling fragrance trailed her as she went to rejoin Warren. She appeared serene and composed, but at the moment she was anything but. Warren was leaning against the kitchen counter as if awaiting instructions. Smiling, she offered to hang up his leather jacket. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable?” she invited. “Would you like to watch television in the living room?”

  Before she could chastise herself for inviting him to go into another room and leave her behind Warren took the lead. “No, I don’t want to watch television,” he said with a smile. “What I want to do is watch you. There’s nothing on television that can compare to you.”

  Lisette knew she was blushing; she could feel the heat along her cheekbones. She went to Warren and held out her hands for his jacket. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” she said softly. “Now, why don’t you go sit down and I’ll make you a cup of coffee or something.”

  Warren shook his head. “I’ll hang this up, I know where the closet is. And why don’t you sit down and I’ll make something for you, honey. I can tell you ladies have been working all day. Allow me to do something for you, Lisette.” The smile she gave him was as warm as summer. She did as she was bid and sat down at the wooden table in the sunny window-lined eating area of the big kitchen. In a few minutes Warren had returned to the kitchen and washed his hands at the sink, singing softly as he did so.

  “You have a nice voice,” Lisette told him.

  “Glee club. Glee club and years of singing in the church choir,” Warren said casually. With a minimum of effort, he located the coffee and the filters and soon the rich aroma of coffee filled the room. He and Lisette chatted easily while the coffee brewed and he located two big cups with matching saucers. He worked quickly and efficiently, heating milk and taking a bottle of chocolate syrup out of the refrigerator. He brightened upon finding a container of heavy cream and took it out, too.

  Lisette watched in fascination. “What are you making, Warren?”

  “I’m making you a cup of cafe mocha, honey. It’s going to be so good you’ll want it every day, so be careful you don’t get addicted,” he said with a comically raised eyebrow. He looked in a drawer and found a small whisk, which he used to whip a small amount of the cream. Finally everything was ready and he prepared two cups of a mocha mixture that smelled absolutely heavenly. He topped off each cup with a swirl of cream, asking Lisette if he’d put too much on hers.

  “There’s no such thing as too much whipped cream. I adore it,” she confessed.

  Warren smiled as he scooped up a dollop from the small bowl in his hand. He held his finger out and Lisette licked the cream off delicately with a little sound of pleasure. Warren put the finger in his mouth as if to savor the taste of her tongue. He looked incredibly sexy doing it and Lisette suddenly felt light-headed.

  She lowered her gaze and picked up her cup with unsteady hands. “Thank you so much, this was very sweet of you,” she murmured.

  Warren looked at the adorable picture she made in the bright sunlight and he moved his chair closer to hers and sat down. He took a small drink of the mocha and made an expression of approval. “I haven’t lost my touch,” he said with a half smile. Then his face got serious and he looked directly at Lisette, examining each aspect of her beauty, noting her fine features, her soft skin, her full lips and her bright, alert eyes, which were locked on his. Abruptly he asked her what fragrance she was wearing.

  “It’s called Lumiere,” she replied.

  He nodded absently. “I’ve never smelled that on anyone else. And now I don’t want to smell it on anyone but you. It’s perfect for you, soft and
feminine just like you,” he said, still looking into her eyes. He could have stared at her for the rest of the day and been perfectly content, but he knew he was making her uncomfortable. “I’m trying to memorize your face. I want to learn everything about the way you look, so that when I’m not with you can I remember you accurately and get excited about the next time I’ll see you.”

  Lisette’s hands started shaking again and she set her cup down rather abruptly. “That was very beautiful. It was ... poetic,” she said shyly.

  Warren smiled and took her small delicate hand in his. “Don’t be shy with me, Lisette. I hope you know I would never hurt you or disrespect you in any way,” he said solemnly.

  Lisette looked at him with equal seriousness. “I know that, Warren. I trust you,” she said simply.

  They continued to sit that way, with her tiny hand resting in Warren’s big, capable one. Lisette was smiling and she looked perfectly happy. Warren began rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, slowly tracing a circle on her soft skin. “I need to ask you something, honey. I know we don’t know each other well, but I want to remedy that. I want to get to know you and I want you to know me. What I want,” he said in a soft voice so unlike his normal booming tone that Lisette had to strain to hear him, “is to spend some time with you.” He looked at her hand and brought it to his mouth, caressing it with his lips until she sighed. “That’s not completely accurate, Lisette. I don’t want to ‘spend some time’ with you; I want to date you, if you think we suit each other. I want...”

  Lisette finally squeezed his hand to silence him. “Yes, Warren, I think that’s a brilliant idea. I think we will suit each other nicely.” She smiled and reached across the table to stroke his cheek with her free hand. “And I think you should kiss me.”

  Warren’s handsome face broke into a wide smile. His eyes lit up with passion and pure happiness. “Your wish is my command Lisette.”

  He stood up and held out his other hand to her. She rose and came around to his side of the table. He pulled her into his arms and they held one another for a long, delirious moment before their lips found each other. They opened their mouths to taste the sweetness that awaited them, their coffee-flavored tongues mating and dancing over each other in an awakening of passion so satisfying it was almost like pain. When they finally pulled away from each other, Warren was alarmed to see tears in Lisette’s long lashes.

  “What’s wrong, honey? Didn’t you like it?” he whispered.

  Lisette smiled at the concern in his voice. She rubbed her face against his big broad chest like a sleepy kitten and looked up at him with yearning and surrender. “I loved it,” she confessed. “And I want some more, please.”

  “Well, then, more is what we’ll have,” he replied before bending to her lips again.

  ***

  After Angelique got over her initial shock at Donnie’s remark, she realized he was just playing with words, teasing her. She regained her equanimity and told him they needed extra ice for the party. “And maybe some wine or beer or something,” she added. Donnie drove around until he found a Merchant of Vino, a big market that specialized in spirits and gourmet foods. He parked the car and they went inside in a companionable silence. Donnie asked her what kind of wine she wanted and she confessed that she wasn’t much of a drinker. “It all tastes the same to me, especially champagne. What do you think would be good?” She looked up at him with a smile.

  Donnie almost stumbled as he looked down into her face. She looked adorable, as always. The bright red hat she wore made her toffee skin glow, and her clear lip gloss made her mouth look edible. Her fragrance had the usual effect on him and her happy mood made him want to do something really crazy. Instead he found a cart and tried to act as though her presence at his side wasn’t affecting him in the way it was. He selected a few bottles of Mondavi Chardonnay and a few bottles of a great merlot from Australia called Black Opal. Placing them in the cart, he looked down at Angelique, whose hand was resting next to his on the cart. “Now what? Can you think of anything else we need?”

  Angelique bit her lower lip very gently as she thought. The simple gesture brought that old lovin’ feeling back, to a body part Donnie would prefer remained inert. She suddenly stopped biting her lip and ran her tongue across it, ending in the corner where the cute little beauty mark resided. She did it so quickly and naturally, Donnie knew it was unintentional, but it was like something had reached inside him and gave him a good squeeze. Luckily for him, Angelique spoke and it seemed to break the spell.

  “Do you think we need more beer? We have a case, I think, but is that enough?” Again she turned her face up to Donnie, so sweetly and naturally that for a moment it felt like they were a couple. He cleared his throat and gruffly replied to her question.

  “I think that’s plenty. If the guys want some more they can go get it. Maybe some pop for the kids, but that’s about it.”

  “Oh, we have fruit juice for the kids—too much soda is bad for their teeth. That’s the leading cause of tooth decay; I’ll bet you didn’t know that, did you? Oh, look,” she said as she darted off down the aisle.

  Donnie looked at her as she was exclaiming over something in the gourmet section. The mention of teeth made him think about the time he’d taken her to the endodontist, something he hadn’t thought about in a long time. She’d been in so much pain that day and so frightened that it hurt him to look at her. The memory of that afternoon was permanently etched in his brain. He’d had to hold her like a child to convince her to let him take her in, and once they were there, the thought of him leaving her side was out of the question. He had to stifle a chuckle as he recalled the fact that no one on the office staff dared tell him to sit in the waiting area.

  He’d pulled a stool up next to the chair where she was being treated and held her hand the entire time. Anytime she made so much as a whimper, he’d glared at his friend John Taylor, the endodontist who’d been kind enough to take her in as an emergency. Afterward, he’d apologized to John, who waved it away like it was nothing. “Don’t worry about it, Donnie. I’m the same way with my wife. You should’ve seen me in the delivery room when we had our last kid. I’m pretty sure I’m permanently banned from the hospital,” he’d told him.

  Angelique rejoined Donnie before his reverie got any weirder. She showed off her prize, a big jar of marinated artichoke hearts, something she and Paris both adored. He led the way to the checkout where he took out a platinum card to pay for everything. They left the store in a few minutes and drove to his house to get the dogs.

  “You know, we really don’t have to get them,” he said.

  “Yes, we do! I haven’t seen them in such a long time, and I’m sure they don’t like being home alone. Besides,” she glanced at the dashboard’s digital clock, “I can’t go home yet.”

  That caught Donnie’s interest. “What are you up to, Evie? Why are you running me all over town and trying not to go back to your own home, hmm?”

  Angelique gave him a smile that was both sheepish and defiant at the same time. “I’m, umm, well, we’re matchmaking, if you must know. Paris and I are both doing this, so I guess we have to share the blame. Lisette is crazy about Warren and we’re trying to give them some time alone,” she said. “I think he likes her, too, at least it looks like that to me. What do you think?”

  By now they’d reached Donnie’s bungalow and he brought the Jaguar to a stop in the driveway by the rear entrance. He turned off the ignition and turned to look at her. “I think it’s about time somebody busted a move. Warren is crazy about her, too. How much longer do we have to be gone?”

  “About a half hour or so. Do you mind?” she asked with a shy smile.

  “Not at all, this is just what Warren needs.”

  He swung his long legs out of the car and went around to the passenger side to let Angelique out. Even though the drive had been neatly shoveled and there were no icy patches, he held her arm until they got to the back door. He opened the door and ap
ologized for going in first.

  “Excuse my manners—I just don’t like the idea of you getting set on by my beasts,” he said

  Angelique smiled to herself at his thoughtfulness. In a few minutes they were greeted by the happy, dancing dogs who were thrilled with her unexpected visit. Donnie calmed them down after she petted and praised them.

  “Go lay down. Go,” he said sternly and they went to their big pillows in his laundry room, albeit with great reluctance. Then Donnie turned to Angelique and asked if she’d like to see his house.

  “Yes, I would,” she said thoughtfully. “I’ve never seen your house, Adonis.”

  He looked surprised for a moment and then thought about it. “I guess you haven’t. I’ve never invited you over here before, I wonder why?” he mumbled more to himself than to Angelique. “Okay, Angel, you’re now going to get the grand tour. Come with me.”

  He took her hand and led her through the kitchen, the dining room, the living room and the three bedrooms. One of the bedrooms was completely unfurnished, one was set up like an office and one was apparently Donnie’s bedroom, judging from the mammoth unmade bed. Like her very tall brothers, Cochran men had a need for a huge bed. There was a bathroom with a big claw-foot tub, and a powder room he deemed unworthy of a visit. They talked about the house as they toured it. It was a typical Arts and Crafts-styled bungalow typical of Detroit in the 1930s. There were hardwood floors throughout and big fireplaces in the master bedroom and the living room. It was nicely furnished in a masculine manner, but it lacked a real personality, although Angelique prudently kept this thought to herself. They ended up in the basement game room, with Angelique walking around and admiring the arcade games. Donnie, meanwhile, was admiring her. She walked over to the bar and sat on one of the tall stools. Playfully, she patted her hand on the counter and called, “Bartender!”