by Howe, Olivia
No matter how burning they were.
Eric promised to call the next day.
He did. To tell her he was leaving town and couldn’t say when he’d be back.
Chapter 8
After checking on Tyler one last time, Winn settled on the couch and settled into the funk that had stifled her good mood since last week.
She’d wanted to tell Eric she was in. Ready to let herself be happy—with him, if he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Then he got the news his mother was sick, in the hospital in Florida.
So Eric was with his parents for the holiday, and though they’d exchanged a few sweet messages, they hadn’t talked any about their status.
Tonight, as her future remained cloudy and still filled with worry, she raided the freezer and gave in to the emergency pint of Ben & Jerry's—and to her favorite Christmas movie.
Gus always made fun of her for watching the movie every Christmas eve, and for reciting the lines. Despite that, he enjoyed it, too, because it was not only a Christmas movie, but a love story as well. He held out hope he’d fall in love again—and that Winn would find love one day herself.
She’d found love and wanted to act on it. Now.
The sinking pit in her stomach and the squeezing in her heart told her she loved Eric beyond reason. Reason was nowhere in sight when you loved someone after knowing them for a month.
Winn scooped fudge chunks and walnuts out of the nearly soupy ice cream as a line in the film echoed her sentiments—how Christmas was a time to be with the ones you love. She had Tyler. She wished Gus could be here.
She wanted Eric here. Next to her. Holding her.
In her bed.
She glanced out of the window, surprised to find it was snowing. A scratching at the door caught Winn's attention, but believing it was the wind or a small animal, she ignored it.
The subsequent knock startled her from her seat.
Who in the hell would be here on Christmas Eve when everyone she knew was with family—or was nowhere near Darden?
She tiptoed to the front door, wary after catching a late-night showing of In Cold Blood a couple nights ago when she couldn’t sleep. Brutal murder in a country town…
That was silly. The criminals in the movie were after a safe full of cash. She had a few bucks in her wallet.
Still, she crept closer to the door as quietly as possible. Just in case.
Another knock, this time harder and louder, reverberated through the wood.
“Winn? I know you’re there. I heard the floor creak. It’s me.”
The last part was unnecessary. She already knew that voice.
Eric.
He was six hours away, in St. Augustine.
Or not.
She slid the chain lock off and twisted the deadbolt. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself for disappointment in case she was hallucinating, she ripped open the door.
And threw herself into Eric Donnelly’s arms, dropping kisses all over his face.
He carried her inside, pressing her to the wall. She gripped his shoulders as he caught her face in his hands, the touch sending sparks of excitement to her belly. The sparks combusted when he pressed his lips to hers, coaxing open her mouth with his tongue. Her teeth grazed his full lower lip, and he pushed tighter against her as she wrapped one leg around his hip.
She frantically tugged on his sweater. “You… have… too… much… on.”
He groaned against her mouth and released her, pulling away.
Jesus, what now?
“Winn, hold on…”
Was he turning her down? Did he come here to break it off?
On Christmas Eve.
What the hell?
She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “Sorry. I thought you came for that. That’s not why you’re here, is it?”
He furrowed his brow. “No. God, yes, but that’s not all. Wait. Did you think I was ending it?”
“Aren’t you?” Her voice trembled in fear.
He reached for her again, pulling her tightly to him. His hands stroked her hair, the touch as soothing as his voice. “No, but I do have a surprise, of the good kind. It’s in the truck and probably shivering by now.”
Winn shook her head as a rush of confusion shot through her body. “A surprise? What the…?”
Eric held out her coat and kicked her shoes at her. “Come on. I’ll need your help to move it inside. Actually, not it. Him.”
Him?
A dog? Of course, he’d picked out a dog for Tyler and brought it to him for Christmas. “It’s too soon, right?”
Eric chuckled. “You can ask him yourself.”
“Sure. Like the dog’s going to answer me.”
Winn headed out the door, careful on the slick steps as Eric trailed behind, laughing still.
When she stepped closer to the truck though, laughing was the last thing from her mind.
Instead of a dog, strapped into the passenger seat of Eric’s truck was a beautiful, familiar face.
“Gus!” Her shriek tore a gaping hole in the crisp night air, and she jumped up into the cab, throwing her arms around his neck.
The tears fell. Hot, happy tears. Gus was home for Christmas.
Eric had made her biggest holiday wish come true.
***
Nothing felt better than holding Winn in his arms again.
Except for the joy on her face, lighting up the icy night like the midsummer sun, when she’d realized Gus was home.
That right there? That’s what Christmas was all about.
“Oh good grief, sis, you’re choking me!” Gus chortled as Winn released her grip and stepped from the cab. “Surprise, I guess?”
Winn playfully swatted at him as Eric went to the back of the covered bed. He carried Gus’s chair to the passenger door and unfolded it.
The happiness faded from Winn. Her shoulders slumped as her eyes darted from the chair to her brother.
“What’re you all sad about, Pooh? Did I interrupt your showing of that sappy movie?”
“Y-you know that’s not it.”
“Well, whatever it is, none of this morose crap on my Christmas break, you hear me?” Gus squeezed Winn’s shoulder and then twisted his face up in a goofy expression, making her laugh. “Now take me inside. It’s fucking freezing out here!”
Winn stepped aside and Eric transferred Gus from the truck to the chair and then rolled him up the ramp built onto one side of the porch as Winn retrieved her brother’s bag.
Winn put coats in the closet and returned to the two men in her living room. “Coffee anyone?”
Eric shook his head.
“Nope. I’m ready for bed. Which one’s my room?”
Winn’s eyes narrowed as she pointed at her brother. “None of them. Since I didn’t know you were coming, your room’s not made up.”
“Well, get to it, then, woman!”
“Hmmmph. Not until you two—” She pointed at both of them now. “—tell me how this happened.”
“Funny story.” Gus grinned.
“It started when…” Eric said at the same time. He deferred to the guest of honor. “Go ahead, man.”
“You know, after you asked me about getting Tyler a service dog, I did a little research on this guy.” Gus nodded at Eric. “I liked what I found, but wanted to talk to him first. I called, and we chatted for a while.”
Winn turned to Eric, eyes wide. “You never told me you talked to my brother!”
“Eh, no big deal. We chatted a little about Tyler, guy stuff, you…”
“Me?” Her face turned five shades of red. “Oh good God.”
Eric reached for her and pulled her soft body onto his lap. Right where she belonged. “Nothing bad. We only talked once until yesterday. But I knew nothing would make you, or Tyler, happier than having Gus home for the holiday.”
“But your mom… you should be there
with her.”
“She’s feeling better, being discharged tomorrow. I couldn’t stop talking about you and she told me to leave. So I called Gus to arrange his jailbreak. Left Florida this morning to drive to Durham and back here. No big deal.”
However, the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered “thank you” breathlessly in his ear showed it was indeed a big deal.
He would get his thanks later. “You’re welcome. Now let’s go get Gus’s room ready.”
Eric slid Winn off of his lap and stood, pulling her up.
They went into the room she’d chosen for Gus, with the attached bathroom complete with accessible shower. They quickly made the bed and retrieved fresh towels.
Gus refused help to get ready for bed, and Winn’s face lit up again as her brother transferred himself to the queen-size mattress. She squeezed him tight again, and after closing the door behind her, took Eric’s hand and led him to her room.
“Now I can thank you properly.” Her husky tone was full of promises as she pushed him against the wall this time and twined her fingers in his hair to pull his mouth to hers.
As much as her touch thrilled him, made him want to do wicked things to her, with her, his body refused. “I’m sorry. I was on the road for twelve hours today and I won’t be any good to you. Let me rest a little, then I promise I’m all yours.”
“Fine.” She mock-pouted. “But you are in for some serious trouble after.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He grinned as he caught her in his arms and carried her the few steps to her bed. He pulled off her shoes and his own, then curled up behind her, inhaling her sweetness.
He was happy to be back.
Happy to be home.
***
Winn stretched as she slowly awoke, her head full of delicious dreams of the amazing man she’d fallen asleep with last night. She reached back for him.
But the bed was empty. She jumped up and scurried to the hall and into the living room. No sign of him. She opened the front door to find his truck was gone.
Her breath came in sharp gasps, the steam floating away in the crisp morning air to join the snow continuing to fall from gray clouds. Where was he? Why did he leave without saying goodbye?
At the crunch of tires on gravel, relief flooded every cell of her body. He was back.
He waved as he jumped from the truck and opened the back door, releasing the hounds. His hounds.
Maggie, Jock, and Tuck skittered up the stairs at Eric’s command. He slipped inside and wrapped his arms around Winn as the dogs sat patiently on the porch. “It’s okay I brought them, right? I wanted all of my family to be together today.”
His family.
“Of course.” She choked out the two words over tears of happiness. “Because Christmas is a time to be with…”
“People you love?” He looked into her smiling face. “If I’m right, that’s a line from the sappy movie you love? Don’t tell Gus, or I’ll lose my man card, but it’s one of my favorites too.”
She stood on her toes and kissed the tip of his nose.
“And I do, Winn. Love you.”
The words hung in the air as she fought for her voice. “Y-you do? I love you too.”
Eric whooped and picked her up, swinging her around in the air. “That’s all the present I need. Well, and this.”
She slid down the length of his body, molding to him, his warmth filling her with desire, and an aching need to—
“Holy shit, what’s all the noise?” Gus rubbed his eyes as he wheeled himself into the living room.
A delighted squeal ripped through the air as Tyler raced from his room and jumped on his dad’s lap. Gus squeezed his boy until he squealed again.
“Daddy!”
Winn sobbed. “Oh my God!”
Eric kissed her head and rubbed her shoulder.
Gus looked over Tyler’s head at Winn. “Has he been…”
She shook her head. “He hasn’t been talking at all.”
A rattle at the front door drew Tyler’s attention, and he giggled. “Dogs!”
He ran to the door, and shouted, “Snow!”
He went to the closet and put on his shoes, headed out the door before Winn stopped him. “Breakfast first, then change your clothes, then outside. But let the dogs in now, please.”
Tyler opened the front door and let the pups in before heading to the table and sitting, hands folded in his lap as he waited for breakfast.
Winn laughed. “I was going to make a full breakfast, but someone may object to the time it would take.”
“Oatmeal then?” Gus asked.
“Perfect!” Winn grabbed a bowl and some oatmeal, whipping it up quickly. She served it to Tyler topped with cinnamon and the apples Eric had sliced.
He washed it all down with a glass of milk, then pushed his chair out and put his dishes in the sink. He turned to Gus with bright eyes and a smile. He held up his arms, pinky and thumb on each hand out as he motioned downward.
Gus rubbed Tyler’s head. “Yes, now. Let’s go change.”
The pair of Winn’s favorite blond boys disappeared into Tyler’s room. The little boy emerged in snow pants and a sweatshirt, then dug around the closet for his boots this time.
Winn handed him his coat and slipped on her parka to follow him. He opened the door and slowed only to turn back and whistle. Maggie and Jock, curled together, looked up from the far corner of the room, snorted and laid their heads back down. Tuck responded, though, his nails clicking on the floor as he skittered to the door.
Eric grabbed Winn’s hand and pulled her outside to watch boy and dog flopping around and throwing snow into the air with their wild movements.
Winn swiped at her tears. “It’s the most beautiful thing ever.”
Gus wheeled over to Winn and Eric. “You know what’s beautiful, Pooh? That smile. The one on your face.”
“Yeah?” She touched her cheeks.
“Yeah. But help me down the ramp. What’s Christmas snowfall without a snowball fight?”
“Is that a challenge?”
“You better believe it!”
Winn pushed the chair down the ramp and parked it on the walk below, the walk miraculously cleared of snow.
By Eric.
Her Christmas miracle.
Winn and Eric ran to the other side of the yard while Tyler gave Gus buckets of snow to make snowballs.
Before Eric and Winn could strike the first blow, Gus drove a snowball into her shoulder, knocking her back.
She fell into Eric, who caught her in his arms and kissed her again.
Her cool skin turned to fire as he tightened his grip and warmed her face with his ticklish beard.
A few more snowballs bounced off of them, but it wasn’t enough to distract her. He’d been gone so long and they had time to make up for.
“Come on Tyler, this is no fun. They won’t stop kissing and it’s so gross.”
Tyler made raspberries with his mouth to indicate his disgust, and Tuck yelped.
Gus laughed. “I know buddy. How about I make hot chocolate?”
Winn pulled herself away from Eric. “Mmmmm. Hot chocolate. Can I have some?”
He yanked her back to him. “Later. I’ll just have marshmallows. Off your belly.”
She snorted, but heat crept from her toes to her face at the very idea. “Now there’s a holiday tradition I could definitely stand behind.”
“I hope so. Because I plan on having you this Christmas, and every one after. If you’ll have me.”
She tapped her fingers on her chin. “Hmmm. If I’ll have you? Of course I’ll have you, you dolt!”
Winn wrapped her arms around his neck and ground her lips into his, sealing the deal with a hot holiday kiss.
Because she’d never be able to say ‘no’ to the man who’d shown her Christmas was no longer a season of grieving or despair.
It was a time of joy. A time for love.
And a season of hope.
Dedication:
To my friend, Cammi. Enjoy reading this Christmas tale.
And to anyone who needs to be rekindled with their holiday spirit.
Chapter 1
Not a Fan
Christmas isn’t my favorite holiday. Actually, I loathe it. Christmas rotates around holiday spirit, family, friends, and… couples. Very single me will be all alone, sleeping the awful day away or working. I have to keep myself busy this week and my thoughts far away from Christmas.
Someone’s phone goes off, bringing me back to reality.
Work.
Being an associate of The National Gazette is something I excel at. I revolve my whole life around my job. I’m what they call a “workaholic.” And I’m okay with that.
“Alicia.” Jenny snaps her fingers in front of my face. What a snob!
“Yes?” She’s lucky I have to be nice to her, only because she’s my manager and a bad one at that.
Jenny throws a sheet of paper on my desk. “Your new article.”
“On?” It’s like she expects me to read her damn mind.
“Cole Castello.”
“The owner of Castello Trade?” My heart skips a beat. Cole Castello is the wealthiest bachelor in Quincy, Massachusetts. He owns Castello Trade, a brokerage firm.
Jenny winks at me. “Have fun,” she says, walking away and leaving my jaw almost touching the floor. She turns back around and yells, “You have an appointment with him at his office.”
“What time?” She isn’t the smartest manager.
“At three. You better hurry up. He waits for no one.”
I check the time— thirty minutes to get there. I grab my notebook and pen, throwing them into my purse., and run out the front door looking like a lunatic.
***
Everywhere I look there is something red or green. Everyone is in the holiday spirit. Some are holding hands with their loved one, with matching Christmas sweaters. Others are shopping for their family and friends.