I flung the door open before I could get carried away with the fantasy. Then I blinked twice. Nick stood on my doorstep looking awkward and uncomfortable. Despite the fact that the snow had picked up again, he was wearing only a red, short sleeve t-shirt, a pair of form hugging jeans, and a pair of black boots. I swooned a little at the sight of him and then snapped back to reality. I had a better chance with Santa.
“Oh hi, Nick. Is everything all right?”
His smile dazzled me and I wondered how someone so perfect could even exist.
“I don't mean to bother you. It's just that... I've been meaning to ask for a while and never got up the nerve... we're having a quiet little dinner tonight and we were hoping you and your daughter could join us. I mean, I was hoping...”
Confused, I studied his face. He seemed nervous but I didn't understand why. He tucked his hands into his pockets and glanced back at his house as if he suddenly wished he hadn't ventured so far from it.
“Sorry, I know it's Christmas and you probably have your own plans,” he continued as he turned back to me.
“No, actually... it's just Abby and me and we were only probably going to have grilled cheese sandwiches. We'd love to stop by, if that's really okay with you and your girlfriend, I mean.”
“Girlfriend?” He looked puzzled for a moment and then it clicked. “Oh, you must mean Grace, the woman from the car?”
I nodded.
“Grace is my sister. She's in the middle of a divorce and is spending some time with me.”
“Oh.” I wasn't sure why it mattered but I felt relieved. Butterflies tickled my stomach. Nick was looking at me in a way that felt oddly familiar. He smiled again and something inside me buzzed. I knew those eyes...
“Anyway, I've been meaning to stop over for ages, but you were always with someone else and I didn't want to intrude.”
“Jake,” I said. I recalled a couple of times Nick had been out in the front yard when Jake brought me home from another one of our disastrous attempts at dating. “He's my daughter's father.”
“Right.”
I shrugged as if to say he didn't matter to me beyond that which was true. I'd made my attempts for Abby's sake but there was nothing between us to salvage. I was finally, completely over Jake.
“Is six o'clock okay with you?”
“Yes, that's fine.”
I felt Abby behind me. Nick's gaze went from me to her and he smiled warmly.
“Well hello there,” he said.
Abby didn't say anything. She ran to Nick and threw herself into his arms hugging tightly.
“I knew Santa wouldn't let me down.” The words were muffled as she buried her head against him and held tight. Nick looked at me wide eyed and I panicked. I realized what Abby must have thought when she saw Nick at the door and I only prayed she didn't tell Nick who she expected him to be.
“Abby, please, let go of our nice neighbor.”
She did, but reluctantly. She looked from him to me and back to him again and I heard her sigh.
As soon as Nick went back to his house, I turned to her and tried to put to rest any crazy notions she might have going through that pretty little head of hers.
“Nick is only a friend,” I told her, “Like I said before, there are some things even Santa can't give us. People and relationships... they are complicated. Things take time.”
Abby gave me a mischievous smile. “I know, Mommy. Santa told me it might take time.”
“Santa told you?”
She squealed and ran off to play with her toys, finally happy like a kid should be on Christmas. I decided to let it drop. Eventually, she'd get the idea out of her head that Nick was anything more than a nice man who lived across the street. And maybe once winter gave way to spring, I'd be ready to put myself out there and try dating again, for both our sake.
Except I had to admit there was something odd about the way Nick looked at me. Was it always there and I was just too busy to notice? I felt warm and heady. As Abby was busy playing with her gifts, I went back to the box I'd found in my stocking and took out the small handwritten note on a piece of stationary with the initials SC printed on top. In the note, Santa promised my wish would come true and he'd signed it with love, St. Nick .
I considered the possibility that Nick had dressed up as Santa and broke into my house last night but I couldn't fathom it. It was all coincidence I told myself. I'd had a crush on Nick since he moved to the neighborhood and yet, I'd been reluctant to admit it even to myself. Perhaps last night I'd imposed his image over my strange visitor just because I'd craved his touch so long? Maybe Santa really did exist except he wasn't the jolly, old fat guy we pictured as kids?
Santa was magic...
As I got ready for dinner at Nick's house later that evening, I felt like a kid at Christmas. There was nothing logical or rational about my expectations when it came to spending time with him, but I couldn't stop the possibilities from occupying my mind. I selected a bottle of my favorite wine, took Abby's hand and made my way across the street with all the anticipation of a little girl about to embark on an amazing adventure.
Maybe, I thought, Christmas Wishes do come true.
Alisa began her writing career hoping to touch someone, somewhere with her words. If this is not the case, then she will settle for knowing that someone, somewhere is touching herself while sharing her erotic fantasies.
She is a reader, a writer, a daydreamer, a lover, and an ice cream eater. She likes her fiction the same way she likes her life - steamy, flirty, and fun! A romantic at heart, she's a sucker for a happy ending.
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If you are interested in other books by Alisa, please consider the following titles. You can find them on her Amazon Author Page www.amazon.com/author/alisaeaston
Seduced by the Boss
Business, with Pleasure
Unbroken Pleasures
Friends with Benefits
Masked Desires
Play Date: The Litchville Mother's Group Series
Slumber Party: The Litchville Mother's Group Series
Claim My Desire
You're All I Want for Christmas
Awakened Desires
Surrender
Three to Tango
In His Arms
Lacy's Neighbor
Naughty New Year
Temptation's Kiss
Naughty for Santa: An Erotic Holiday Romance Page 4