by Anthology
“Hmph. That’s a shame. She seems like a nice girl. And I hear what you’re saying, but I also got eyes in my head, and I’ve seen you look at her. You’re practically drooling, boy.”
“It’s not like that.” I shook my head. “I learned my lesson, Uncle Nolan. I’m not going to be responsible for wrecking another girl’s life.”
“And you think you’d do that to her? Seems to me, she’s old enough to know her own mind. I understand that you’re trying to be a better man. I admire you for that. Change isn’t easy. But far as I know, you never forced a woman to be with you. Maybe before you chose the wrong ones, the ones who weren’t worth sticking around for. And I think you have changed. Maybe you know better now.”
I kicked at a pile of pine needles on the ground. “Not sure I can take that chance.”
Uncle Nolan laughed. “Trent, son, life is nothing without taking chances. We take a chance with every breath we draw. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but just so you know, that pretty blonde lawyer lady gets googly eyes every time she sees you, too. I don’t know much, but I know you don’t get a lot of chances like this. Seems like it’d be a shame to miss it.”
I sucked in a deep breath. I’d been hearing what a loser I was for so long, it felt odd to hear someone else tell me I was being too hard on myself. But I thought of Elizabeth’s wide blue eyes and the smile that made my heart skip. I’d never known a girl like her before. Plenty had made me want to get into their pants, but none had made me want to get into their hearts.
Elizabeth did.
“Uncle Nolan, would it be okay if I didn’t leave here with you on the twenty-second? Maybe . . . I might hang around down here for a little while and then fly up north. If you’re all right with it.”
He grinned. “Sounds like a plan, son.”
* * *
I waited outside the building, watching for Elizabeth. She was usually pretty punctual, leaving work right around five, but today, it was nearly six before I spotted her coming through the foyer. I knew the minute I saw her that something was wrong; she wasn’t walking with her typical spunk. She was moving slow, and one hand was up behind her neck, rubbing it as though a killer headache lurked back there.
She was through the doors and about to head for her car when she caught sight of me leaning against a planter.
“Hey.” She paused. “What’re you doing? I thought you were working every night until you leave.”
I lifted one shoulder. “We’ve slowed way down. Uncle Nolan told me to take the night off.”
“Okay.” She stared at me, her forehead drawn together. “Well . . . have fun.” She pivoted away from me on one high heel.
“Where’re you going?” I called out the words before she could get very far.
“Home. Home to a long hot bath, a carton of chocolate-peanut butter ice cream and a Leverage marathon.” Her voice held all the weariness I’d seen in the slump of her back.
“Can I tempt you with something else? Maybe . . . a walk on the beach, and then I take you to get that ice cream?”
Her eyes flashed up at me, confusion and question in them. “A walk on the beach?”
I nodded. “Yeah. You look like you could use it, and I know I could. It’s pretty today. How often do you get to stroll on the beach at sunset in December?”
“I don’t know.” Her mouth twisted, and I knew she was considering it. “I’m really tired, Trent. It’s been a shitty day.”
“Give me this.” I closed the small gap between us and took her free hand, the one not holding the bulging briefcase, in mine. “C’mon, Elizabeth. I only have a few days left here.”
She sighed, dropped her head back and closed her eyes. “Okay, fine. Let me go home and change—”
“Nope. Come with me now. You can leave your shoes in the truck. If you go home, you won’t want to leave again, and besides, we’ll miss sunset if we don’t go now.”
“Geez, when did you get to be so pushy?” she grumbled, but she started walking toward the truck. “Let’s go.”
She let me hold the door for her as she climbed into the cab. When she reached for the seatbelt, I stopped her hand.
“Here, let me.” I gave it a tug and leaned over her body, not missing her sharp intake of breath as my hand skimmed over her hip. I pulled the belt tight and grinned. “There you go, all safe and sound.”
Elizabeth was quiet as we drove into the heart of the Cove. She leaned her head against the seat, her eyes staying closed until I parked the car in the Riptide lot again. Tonight it was empty, since the restaurant closed at five during the week when nothing was going on in town.
I took off my boots and stuffed my socks into them before rolling up my jeans. When I came around to the other side of the truck, Elizabeth was waiting, her shoes off and her hair down out of its pins. It danced over her shoulders, making me want to wind it between my fingers.
I offered her my hand, and with just the slightest frown, she took it. As we walked down onto the sand, the sun was shooting its last beams from behind us, turning gold when it hit the water.
“Someday, I want to do the sunrise to sunset deal.” Elizabeth lifted her face to the sky. “You start out here, at sunrise, then race across the state to see the sunset over the Gulf.”
I considered. “Would you really have to race? Doesn’t it take, like, four hours or so to get from here to Clearwater? Unless you’re going by horseback, you could be there before lunch.”
She laughed, and the sound was like bells. “You’re right. Well, maybe you could stop for lunch along the way. And then you have to remember the traffic on the Four. It’s a pain in the ass.”
“So you keep telling me.” I led her down to the edge of the water, where the waves lapped at our feet.
Elizabeth squealed. “Oh my God, it’s cold.”
“Not that bad.” I dropped her hand and stood behind her. “If you get used to it, it feels good.” I lifted her hair, moving it over her shoulder, and began to rub her neck. “You looked tense, coming out of work.”
“Mmmmmmm. Like I said, it was a rough day.” She leaned back into my hands, and my mouth went dry at her near-moan of pleasure. “You can stop doing that in, oh, about ten years or so.”
I’d have done it, too. The feel of her skin under my hands made my body leap to life, and I knew it was more than just the months I’d been sex-free. It was Elizabeth herself, every part of her, her scent, her low voice . . . all of her. I wanted to lay her out here, on the sand, and kiss her senseless as the waves broke over our bodies. I swallowed hard and willed myself to take it slow.
“This is just perfect. Thanks for suggesting that we come to the beach. My default reaction to a bad day is to cocoon in my apartment and throw a huge pity-party, table for one. But this is better.”
“Yeah.” My voice sounded like the croak of a frog.
Elizabeth turned her head, looking back at me, her eyes searching my face. “You okay?”
“Sure.” I cleared my throat and slid my thumbs beneath the neck of her shirt, pressing the muscles at the top of her spine.
“Are you looking forward to getting back to Michigan in a few days?” There was just a trace of wistfulness in her tone, but it was enough to be my undoing. My hands stilled, and then they slid down to her upper arms.
“No. No, I’m really not.” This time, I couldn’t hide the mix of desire and need in my words. I caught her chin between two fingers and my thumb, nudging it up enough that I could reach her lips.
“No, I don’t want to leave.” I hesitated for a breath of time, savoring that moment of urgency just before our mouths met.
I planned to kiss her slowly, to coax open her mouth, to woo her. But the instant we connected, something exploded inside my chest. Elizabeth made a small noise in the back of her throat, and I couldn’t do anything but consume her.
I opened my mouth over her lips, my tongue searching for hers. She turned in my arms and brought her hand to the back of my neck, pressing her b
ody against me. Her breasts were crushed to my chest, and she ground her hips into me.
I sucked her lower lip into my mouth, tickling it with my tongue. She stroked hers over mine and then swept it beyond, testing and tasting. She made me think of cotton candy and summer time, as the salt air surrounded us, the dampness coating us.
“Trent . . .” She lifted her head a fraction of an inch away from me, so that I could almost feel the vibration of her voice against my lips. “What’re we doing?”
I smiled, rubbing my fingers over her arms. “Taking a chance.”
* * *
We walked the beach for over an hour, until the sky was a blanket of stars. I held Elizabeth’s hand the whole time, and the way her fingers felt between mine was unlike anything I could remember. I’d spent most of my adult life—and some before then, too—focused on getting girls into bed. I never wasted time on crap like handholding or talking with a girl. If she didn’t want to get hot and heavy fast, I moved on to the next one, who did. There was always a next one.
But having Elizabeth next to me, listening to her talk, only made me want to spend more time with her. I wanted to hold her against me, even if that was as far as we took things.
For now, anyway.
We walked to Jimmy’s and had ice cream cones. The Christmas lights had come on by then, bathing our faces in a red and green glow.
“Tell me about you.” Elizabeth turned the tables on me, smiling at me over her mint chocolate chip cone as she used the line I usually gave her.
“What do you want to know?” I brushed long locks of hair out of her face.
“I told you why I don’t make a big deal out of Christmas. What about you? I get the feeling you didn’t have much of a family life growing up. I’d think holidays wouldn’t hold many happy memories for you.”
“Yeah, you’d think that, wouldn’t you? But actually, Christmas was the one time of year that things were different for me. My mom . . . she was crazy, but she’d been raised in a church-going family, and so when it came to the holidays, she always found some way to straighten up. We didn’t have much in the way of stuff, but for two or three weeks, she was my mom.” I sighed. “And then New Years came around, and it all went to hell again.”
Elizabeth reached up, hesitant, and touched my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
I caught her hand and turned my lips to kiss her palm. “I’m not. You know how you were talking about how important it is for things to be real? Well, for me, Christmas was the only real time of year. Every year, it felt like anything was possible. Things could change. Life could be different.”
She reached up on her toes and kissed my cheek. “You, Trent Wagoner, are a much deeper man than you let on.” She narrowed her eyes as she popped the last bite of cone into her mouth. “Unless that’s just a line you use to get a girl into bed.”
“Honey, I never had to use a line to get any woman into bed. Or into my truck. Or up against a wall.” I stepped closer to her. “Or in the dark corner of a quiet street.”
She giggled. “Down, boy. You might not have to sweet-talk your way into my bed, but I’m not going to let you grope me on the streets of Crystal Cove.”
I traced a finger over her jaw and around to touch her lips. “I’m not trying to grope you here.” Leaning forward, I kissed the tip of her nose. “And I’m not trying to get into your bed. Not tonight. I’m a new man, remember?”
“Hmm. And this new man doesn’t like sex?” She lifted one eyebrow.
“Oh, he likes it. He likes it a lot. But he’s thinking he might like it even more with the right girl, rather than the convenient girl.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “Do you have any ideas about who the right girl might be?”
“She might be closer than I expected.” I held her a little closer. “But I’ve also got another new rule. No sex on the first date.”
“Well, we’re both in luck then, because this, tonight?” She pointed at me and then back at herself. “Not our first date. Not by a long shot. It’s like our . . .” She cast her eyes up, thinking. “Fifteenth date or something.”
“Nope. Those were friend-dates. Tonight is our first date.”
“How do you figure?”
“Because.” I covered her lips with mine but kept it quick. “Because tonight I kissed you. That’s why it’s our first official date.”
“Aha. I didn’t know about that definition.” Her smile faded just a little. “Will there be a second date?”
“Funny you should mention that. I was just going to ask if you’d like to spend Christmas Eve with me.”
“Wait—what?” Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open just a little. “But you’ll be gone by then. Back in Michigan.”
“Really? Then why did I make a reservation for two to have dinner at the Riverside Hotel on Christmas Eve?”
“You did? You’re not leaving?” The delight in her voice sent a wave of warmth through my chest. A small part of me had been scared she wasn’t going to be happy that I was staying.
“Not before Christmas. If you’ll let me spend it with you, that is.”
This time her smile was huge.
Chapter 5
Christmas Eve
Elizabeth
“Welcome to the Riverside Hotel. Merry Christmas!” Abby Donavan met us at the door of the restaurant inside the hotel. She wore a dark green silky dress that flowed from gathered shoulders and on her lips was a brilliant smile.
“Merry Christmas.” I leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You look beautiful. Where’s your handsome fiancé?”
Abby’s face went pink, but her smile dimmed a little. “He’s been on a job in Missouri all month. He was supposed to be home—well, here—by yesterday, but he’s stuck in the airport. That freak snow storm that hit the Midwest this week.”
I squeezed her arm in sympathy. “Oh, Abby, I’m so sorry. Your first Christmas together, too.”
She shrugged. “It’s all right. I know he wants to be here, and that’s all that’s important, right?” She lifted her gaze to Trent and winked. “Why, look here, if it isn’t the Christmas tree salesman! Isn’t this the guy who shot you down, Elizabeth?”
I laughed as Trent slid his arm around me. “I never take no for an answer. And just like the Mounties, I always get my man.”
“Yeah, she wore me down.” Trent bent over in a huff of breath as my elbow met his stomach. “With her gentle and loving ways.”
Abby’s lips twitched. “I see. Well, let me show you to your table.”
The Riverside Hotel restaurant was decorated in period holiday pieces, with greenery draped around doorways and windows tied with burgundy velvet bows. Our small round table was covered in a deep green tablecloth and set with fine white china.
“Did I tell you how handsome you look tonight?” I sat back in my chair, letting myself drink in the view. Trent had put on a new charcoal-gray suit with a crisp white shirt, and it fit him like a glove. A very snug, muscle-hugging, probably-should-be-illegal glove.
“You might’ve mentioned it a time or two, but feel free to say it as much as you like.” His eyes swept over me. “And while you say it, lean forward so I get another eyeful of your . . . ah, assets.” He waggled a brow, and I laughed, shaking my head.
“Men. Show a little cleavage and you go ga-ga. It never fails.”
“Only your cleavage, honey. That dress . . . whooo, boy. You’re a knock-out.” He winked at me as the waitress arrived with our appetizers.
We’d just finished our salad course when a loud voice at the door cut through the dining room.
“Where’s my beautiful fiancée?”
Ryland Kent stood in the doorway, looking incongruous against the palm trees as he held a winter coat, with an overstuffed duffle on his shoulder. His eyes searched the room.
“Ryland?” Abby stepped out of the kitchen, her hand at her throat. “What are you doing here? I thought—”
“You thought I’d let a little thing like snow keep me from sp
ending Christmas with the most beautiful woman in the world?” He dropped his bag and coat and took three long strides toward her.
Abby Donavan was one of the most elegant, cool and composed women I’d ever met, so no one was more surprised than me when she met Ryland half-way and leaped into his arms.
An ‘awwwww’ swept over the room as Ryland took Abby’s face in his hands and kissed her thoroughly as her arms clung to him. I couldn’t help the sigh that escaped my lips.
Across from me, Trent cleared his throat. “Wow, huh?”
“Yes. So romantic.” I laid down my fork. “They’re very much in love.”
“Elizabeth?”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to get our dinner to go and get out of here?”
Heat like I’d never felt before rose up my body.
“Oh, yeah. I do.”
* * *
I knew Trent had been on a sex-fast, and I knew he’d put a lot of work into making tonight perfect for the both of us. But I was surprised at how nervous he seemed on our way back to my apartment.
He checked his phone before he climbed into the cab, and he drove with extraordinary care. As in very, very slowly. I was about ready to push him out of the way and put the pedal to the metal, because I wanted to be alone with this man now. Like yesterday.
“Trent, did you change your mind? About me, about tonight? Because it’s okay. If you did—”
“What? No. Of course not.” He shot me an incredulous look. “Why would you say that?”
“Because a snail crawling backward down the side of the road just paced you, dude. And you took the long way around, instead of the direct route. Listen, if I spooked you by saying you should check out of your motel room and stay with me tonight, I’m sorry.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Elizabeth, just because I haven’t had sex in a while doesn’t mean I’m like some jumpy virgin. I’m taking my time to make sure we get there safely. Because honey, once we get inside your apartment, ain’t nothing going to move slow. Okay?”