by Zuri Day
“Hey, babe, yourself,” she said, her heart filling.
“Busy?”
“A little. What’s up?”
“I know we didn’t make concrete plans for Christmas yet, but I was thinking that you could spend the night here Christmas Eve and then Christmas morning we could take a trip to someplace warm for a couple of days.”
She leaned her hip against the counter. “A trip to someplace warm? What are you talking about?” Her interest was definitely piqued.
“Are you game or not?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On what time we’re leaving and what I need to pack!”
Mitch laughed. “Leave everything up to me. Pack light. That’s all I can tell you. And bring your passport.”
Her eyes widened. “Oww wee. I like the sound of that.”
“Thought you would. Listen, I gotta run. Place is a madhouse tonight.”
“You think you’re going to stop by later?”
“You don’t have to ask me twice. See you around midnight.”
“See ya.”
Cara slowly put down the phone. She had never been happier in her life.
“What! And he didn’t say where he was taking you?”
“Nope.”
Cara and Stella walked along Fulton Street trying to find something for her husband, Vincent.
“Hmm, well, if he said you need a passport, it ain’t the West Coast.”
Cara chuckled. “Right. Hey, how about getting Vincent season tickets to the Nets?”
“He hates the Nets.”
“Oops.”
“He could use a new coat, though.”
“Sounds good. Let’s try Neiman Marcus.”
They walked in the direction of the recently opened high-end store.
“Still haven’t found him a new place, huh?”
Cara shook her head no. “Nothing seems to strike his fancy. And he’s dragging his feet with the buyers who were interested in his house.” She frowned at the thought.
“Hmm. Maybe he really doesn’t want to go.”
Cara glanced at Stella. “He has plans.”
“And what about you? How will you fit in? Have you two talked about it at all?”
“No, not really.”
They got on the escalator and rode up to the men’s department.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. It’s almost as if neither one of us wants to talk about how things are going to change between us. As if not saying anything will keep it at bay.”
“Take it from me. Not talking is the worst thing you can do as a couple.”
“Humph, don’t I know it.”
Stella touched her arm. “I’m sorry, but you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I do. I guess I don’t want to deal with it, Stella. There are times when I feel like I can’t breathe when I think about him. When we’re together, nothing else matters. Nothing. I don’t want that to change.”
“Sounds like you’re in love, girl.”
“I haven’t said it out loud, but I think I am.” She paused a beat. “I know I am.”
“Oh, Cara.” Stella wrapped her friend in her arms. “I’m so happy for you.” She stepped back and released her to see the sparkle of tears in her eyes. “Happy tears I hope.” She wiped them away with the pad of her thumb.
Cara sniffed and nodded her head. “Problem is, I don’t know if he feels the same way.”
“Maybe you’ll find out on your secret getaway,” she teased.
“You think?” she asked with the hope of love in her heart.
“Yeah, girl, I think. Now, let’s find my man a gift so we can get out of this madness.” She hooked her arm through Cara’s and they went on their search.
The forecasters predicted snow for Christmas and this time they were definitely right. A light snow had begun to fall by midday on Christmas Eve, and by twilight a good two to three inches coated the ground, with no signs of letting up.
Since they were leaving to go to who knew where in the morning, Cara opted to leave her car parked and take a taxi to Mitch’s place. If she could get one in this weather. She’d been trying for nearly an hour when she finally lucked out.
She’d packed a small overnight bag with lingerie, toiletries, some jewelry, a couple of T-shirts, jeans, shoes, and a dress. Beyond that she was clueless what to bring. He said he’d take care of it. She had to trust him. She put on her coat, boots; checked her purse for her keys, phone, wallet, and passport; grabbed her suitcase and Mitch’s gift; and headed out to the waiting cab in front.
The normal ten-minute ride took nearly a half hour. The snow was coming down so heavy at times you couldn’t see in front of you. Cara gave the driver a very large tip and made him promise to be careful.
She stepped over a small mountain of snow to get from the street to the curb. At least it looked like he’d shoveled in front of his house, but his hard work wouldn’t last very long. Before she got to the door Mitch was coming outside to meet her. He gave her a quick kiss, took her suitcase, and snaked his arm around her waist.
“It’s slippery. Be careful,” he said, guiding her along the way.
Once inside she shook the chill off and quickly got out of her coat and boots. That’s when she looked around. The room was bathed in candlelight, and soft music filtered in from the wall speakers. The center table was dotted with a silver bucket of champagne and long-stemmed glasses. The aroma of something delectable teased her nostrils. He’d even purchased a small tree that twinkled with white lights. It looked like a picture from a postcard.
Mitch was grinning like a schoolboy from the look of wonder on her face. “You like?”
She bobbed her head. “Love it.”
“All for you, babe. I want this Christmas to wipe away all those other Christmases. We start new.”
She blinked back tears and hurried over to him and was enveloped in his embrace.
He kissed her long and full and slow, teasing her mouth with his tongue, stirring her soul. Reluctantly he released her but took her hand and let her fully inside. He pulled the bottle of champagne from the bucket and popped the cork. The sparkling brew bubbled over much to their delight. He filled their glasses and took a seat next to her.
Mitch stared deep into her eyes, hoping to see in hers what was reflected from his soul. “To new beginnings,” he said softly.
“New beginnings.”
They sipped.
Cara put down her glass. “Are you going to tell me now where we’re going?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Let’s just enjoy the moment. Tomorrow will be here soon enough and you’ll find yourself in . . .” His widened his eyes with his grin.
She gave him a shove. “You are so mean.”
“You won’t be saying that after I’m done with you tonight.”
“Oh, really,” she challenged.
“Yeah, really.” He pecked her lightly on the lips. “Come on, dinner is waiting on you.” He pulled her to her feet and they went into the dining room that he’d dressed complete with a sparkling white linen tablecloth, red tapers that flickered in silver holders, white china, and gleaming flatware.
“This is so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
The long table behind the dining table was lined with covered silver serving platters.
“Buffet tonight. Help yourself.”
She lifted the cover on the first dish and found asparagus with his special sauce. The next held fluffy wild rice. There was also zucchini, angel hair pasta, and stuffed Cornish hens browned to perfection, but the pinnacle of the display was the lobster Newburg. She was beside herself. But why should she be surprised. Mitch prided himself on his culinary skill and he never disappointed.
“Dinner was . . . absolutely incredible,” Cara said as they sipped an after-dinner wine.
“It’s always my pleasure to serve you.”
Her cheeks flushed from t
he hungry look in his eyes. She took him in over the rim of her glass and her pulse quickened. Yes, she did love him. She knew that now. It was scary and exciting at the same time.
“Dance with me.” He took her glass from her hand and gently pulled her to her feet.
Something slow and mellow was playing. An instrumental. She moved into his arms and they swayed together to the music buffeted by the gentle breeze of the notes.
Cara closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest and realized that this was the first time they’d danced together. There were so many firsts between them.
When the song ended he didn’t release her. Instead, he looked down at her. “Let’s go upstairs.”
She didn’t even know how she came out of her clothes or he out of his. Everything, the entire evening, seemed like magic, the magic of the holidays. And she was finally a part of it.
They made love, real love, slow and easy, that took them to new and unexplored heights.
Mitch held her so close to him. He wanted to absorb her into the depths of his being. Never in his life, with all of the women he’d bedded, had he ever felt this way. Complete. He wanted to give her all of himself, not just for tonight but for always. If he was certain of nothing else, he was certain of that. And tomorrow when they were away he would tell her. He’d tell her everything and he’d tell her what was in his heart.
Cara’s eyes fluttered open. The soft glow of morning filtered through the partially drawn drapes. The bright gleam of winter white lit up the horizon. She reached for Mitch and found the space next to her empty.
Pulling herself up, she slipped into her jeans and top and tiptoed downstairs. She wanted to get his gift. When she got to the bottom of the landing she heard his voice. He was on the phone. She inched across the living room in the direction of the tree but stopped when she heard her name.
“It’s been a long haul. Yeah, so I lied to her about selling the house. If that’s what it took to get her in my bed, then it was worth it.”
Cara felt sick. All of the pain of the past rushed up from her gut. The hurt and humiliation weakened her knees. Then all she knew was that she had to get away. She hurried toward the closet, grabbed her coat, boots, and purse and ran out, leaving the door swinging on its hinges.
The bitter cold stung her cheeks. Snow swirled around her, blinding her and mixing with her tears. She ran to the corner, slipping and sliding. She heard her name being yelled and she moved faster. A taxi was letting out a passenger across the street and she flagged it down.
The sound of her name grew closer and more urgent. She reached the cab, pulled the door open, and climbed inside, but not before Mitch grabbed the door and jumped in next to her.
“Get out! Get away from me.”
Mitch grabbed her shoulders. “What is wrong with you? Why did you run out like that? What happened?”
She turned to him her eyes blazing, her heart breaking. “I heard you! I heard what you said.”
It took a moment for what she was saying to register and then it hit him. His face crumbled.
“Yeah, I know. Now get out.”
“Cara, you’ve got to listen to me.”
“I don’t have to do shit! Get out.”
“No, you’re going to listen.”
She folded her arms in front of her and turned her face away.
“I’ve wanted to be with you from the first moment I saw you, Cara. But you didn’t seem interested. Only in business, so . . . I lied. I told you I wanted to sell my house so that you could get to know me and I could spend time with you and hopefully make you feel about me the way I feel about you.”
She pressed her lips tightly together.
“Look, what’s it going to be? I can’t sit here,” the cabby grumbled.
“Give us a minute,” Mitch snapped. He turned back to Cara. “That was the only reason why I lied to you. The only reason. And I fell in love with you along the way. I love you, Cara.” He reached for her. This time she didn’t flinch. “Do you hear me? I love you. And I’m sorry. Please. Stay.”
And the damn broke. Tears flowed from her eyes and he gathered her in his arms.
“I kind of lied to you, too,” she said against his chest.
“Huh?” He leaned back and looked at her.
“I dragged out the whole process because I didn’t want you to leave.” She blinked and looked up at him. “Because I’d fallen in love with you,” she whispered.
Relief washed over him and he took her mouth, claimed it as his, leaving her breathless when he broke away.
“Come on.” He took her hand. “We have a plane to catch in three hours.” He opened the door and pulled her out behind him. “Sorry for the holdup, bro,” he said to the driver, who grumbled something under his breath.
“Merry Christmas,” Cara sang out, and they ran hand in hand back to his house.
Christmas night as they lay on the beaches of Rio with a blanket of stars above them, Cara marveled at the diamond that glistened on her finger and the man who would be her husband. Her heart was so filled with joy and love that she felt that she would burst from the enormity of it.
They vowed from that day forward that they would always be honest with each other no matter what, love each other unconditionally, and figure out where they were going to live. But one thing that they knew for certain was that they would never spend a night apart. That was a promise they relished to keep.
Cara turned and rested her head on Mitch’s chest, listened to the strong, steady beat of his heart. He tenderly kissed the top of her head and drew her close. This Christmas was the happiest day of her life, and she looked forward to all of the Christmases to come, and to sharing them with the one man who captured her heart and soul.
Epilogue
One year later
Cara locked up her office that now bore the tagline Cara Holiday-Davis Real Estate and Interior Design. She took a last look and was filled with pride. She’d taken Mitch’s suggestion and shortly after their spring wedding she added interior design to her services, and the response was so overwhelming that she’d had to hire two new people to keep up with the demand. Mitch did open his restaurant in Philly, but hired an amazing manager who was running the new establishment better than Mitch could have hoped. And as promised, they never spent a night apart.
Cara slid into her car and put the small envelope that contained his Christmas gift on the seat next to her. She beamed with excitement thinking about the grainy black and white image that rested inside the envelope. An image of their future. Their lives were about to change once again, and she’d already designed the room in her mind.
When she opened the door to their home the aroma of something magical wafted in their air. It was Christmas Eve after all, when magical things happened. She held the envelope against her chest.
“Honey, I’m home!” And she walked into the waiting arms of her husband.
A Sexy Christmas Carol
Zuri Day
Chapter 1
He watched her.
Had noticed her from the moment she entered the upscale club. Later, he’d swear he felt her before she arrived. She looked good, even better than he remembered. He allowed a slight smile as she spoke to the host and took off a waist-length fur. Classy, not trashy. While most of the women walking around seemed to be competing for who could show the most T&A, the woman who held his attention wore a form-fitting yet tasteful chocolate brown dress that fell to just above the knee with matching leather, studded ankle boots. The woman who’d come in with the sudden object of his affection was undoubtedly gorgeous but in a packaged sort of way—as in coming from a bag, bottle, or surgeon’s skill.
Alex Worthington sat in the shadows sipping a tumbler of ginger ale and taking his eye from the brown-skinned beauty to other parts of the VIP room, canvassing for any sign of trouble, any hint of disorder, debauchery, or mayhem. It’s what he was paid to do; but given how much he abhorred injustice, he might as well have protected society for fre
e. His eyes narrowed as he saw a hardhead walk up to the tastefully dressed woman he admired, flashing a smile and running game probably harder and faster than Vick threw a touchdown. He took another sip of his drink, slow and deliberate. Anyone watching would have sworn he was on some white liquor high. Wrong. There was absolutely no drug—legal or illegal—running through his veins. And not just because he was on duty either. Watching them zip up the body bag on an old college friend who’d OD’d had been his scared straight moment, warning bell, and wake-up call all rolled into one. On very rare occasions one might catch him sipping bubbly in a toast to a friend. But he liked having his head on straight, both on and off the job.
“Hey, man!”
Alex looked into the eyes of a familiar face, perturbed that someone had pulled him from his thoughts. “Sho Nuff. What’s up, dog?” He smiled, and even though it didn’t quite meet his eyes, it was convincing enough for the inebriated audience for which it was intended. Alex knew the stories that plagued this rapper’s career were all too true. Sho Nuff was a man on a mission, who’d do anything to get ahead. For several years, he and Marlon “Mr. President” Simmons had swapped first- and second-place spots on the hip-hop charts. The spoils from the past two years had gone to Alex’s employer, Mr. President. So Alex was wary about Sho Nuff’s overly friendly demeanor. Right now this rapper and Marlon, the man he’d been hired to guard, were on cordial terms. But he also knew that this type of hip-hop blood could turn bad in a heartbeat, and his .44 Glock notwithstanding, there was probably enough firepower up in this joint to fend off the Taliban.
“Your boy sure knows how to throw a party!” Sho Nuff nodded in Marlon’s direction.
“A new year, another chance to make that money.” Alex watched the smile spread across Sho Nuff’s face.
“True that, man. True that.” Sho Nuff stepped to his left to give Alex dap.
“Excuse me, man.” Alex immediately shifted to the right, holding out his arm in a motion that signaled for Sho Nuff to move over. “You’re cutting off my line of sight.”