Revving Up the Holidays

by A. S. Fenichel

  He stepped off the bike, zipped his fly and took her underwear from her. “I promise.”

  “Good night.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  Isaac tucked the scrap of material into his pocket and reached for her arm. “You’re not running away, right? You just need to go home. If I thought you were running from me again, I would chase you back to your condo.”

  Finally, she looked at him. “I’m not running.”

  “Good.” He leaned down and kissed her. Her arms wrapped around his back and her fingers toyed with the hair at his collar.

  He could have kissed her all night long. He would make sure to do that one day. He broke the kiss and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Good night. I’m going to call you tomorrow.”

  Her eyes darted around the shadowy shop floor. He feared that she was about to make some kind of argument, but she just nodded.

  Chapter Seven

  Isaac had said he would call, so when he phoned the following morning, she hadn’t been surprised. He told her he’d be over around two in the afternoon. That had been a complete shock. Why would he come over so early? She assumed he would come by after dinner for sex.

  She worked all morning to finish grading so that she could relax when he arrived.

  Still, her heart jumped into her throat when the doorbell rang. She was certain she was having some kind of attack. It was insane that a grown woman with a doctorate degree could get so torqued up over a man. But this was Isaac and she couldn’t deny that she was in love with him. She just wished she hadn’t told him.

  The last thing she would have expected was to find Isaac on her stoop with a small pine tree and several large shopping bags.

  “What are you doing?”

  His grin melted her heart. “It’s Christmas Eve. I’m starting a new tradition.”

  She leaned over and peeked inside one of the bags and found it full of decorations. “You bought all this for me?”

  “May I come in?” He leaned the tree against the side of the building, grabbed the bags and walked inside, not waiting for an answer.

  She knew her mouth gaped but she couldn’t imagine why he’d brought all the Christmas décor.

  “I bought one of those stands to hold the tree up. It’s in one of these bags.”

  He rummaged through the bags. She put her hand on his shoulder. “Why did you do this?”

  Straightening, he pulled her into a hug. “You shouldn’t stop celebrating Christmas because your parents aren’t here. I just wanted to give you a new tradition, a new start.”

  It might have been the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. Tears welled up on her bottom lids and when they tumbled down her cheek, he kissed them away.

  “Are you going to help me decorate?” she asked.

  His wide grin had her heart pounding. “I thought I would, if you want. I’ve never done it before, but you can show me.”

  “I’d enjoy that.” The idea of decorating her house had been painful without her parents alive to enjoy the season. She’d planned to let the holiday pass unnoticed for the year and hope she’d be more festive next year or the one after that. But with Isaac there to share the tradition, her enthusiasm rocketed.

  Maybe her heart wouldn’t be broken. They could keep in touch after he left to go back north. In the meantime, he’d be in town for another week. Why should she deny herself the memories of spending time with the man she loved? Maybe it would be worth the heartbreak to build some memories with Isaac. She’d never get another opportunity to be with him. It would be foolish to ruin their moment with worry over the future.

  “What should we do first?”

  She looked around her small condo. “Let’s move the couch and put the tree in front of that window.”

  He moved the furniture while she pulled everything out of the six large shopping bags. “This is a lot of stuff.”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t know how much we would need. Remember, this is my first Christmas tree.”

  She found the tree stand and put it in place before Isaac went back out the front door and retrieved the tree. A few minutes later, they managed to get the thing to stand up straight and secure. She filled the pan with water and breathed in the piney scent.

  “We have to string the lights first.”

  He pulled two boxes of twinkle lights from their packages and they worked them around the tree starting at the top, tucking and turning until they reached the last sappy branch at the bottom.

  Piece by piece, they placed glass balls of red and gold all over the tree. He’d bought stars and snowmen and a dozen other boxes of decorations. It was far too many ornaments and most would remain in the box, but the gesture was so sweet that she didn’t mention it again.

  He was getting the hang of it, and if his grin was any indication, he enjoyed the process.

  She asked, “I thought you would have to work today since you took so much time to finish your Harley.”

  His hand stopped midway to the branch and he turned toward her. “I work too much. While I was rebuilding that bike, I realized I’ve let my life pass me by.”

  She took the red star from his hand and hung it for him. “And did you discover why you allowed that to happen?”

  “I was running from that reckless kid I used to be.”

  “I loved that kid,” she said.

  His smile made her body hum. “Yeah, it’s ironic, I did too. I wanted to make my father proud and I thought making a lot of money would accomplish that. In the process, I hardly ever saw him again.”

  “So what’s the solution?”

  “I’m going to work just as hard but not as much. At least I’m going to try. I’m also planning to come back and visit my family more often.”

  She wondered if that meant he would visit her too, but she didn’t have the courage to ask the question directly. “Hanukkah and Christmas don’t always come so close together, do they?”

  He returned his attention back to the decorations. “No. Hanukkah is on the Jewish calendar. All the months are twenty-eight days long and no leap day every four years. Instead there’s a short month every seven. That’s why the holidays don’t always match up.”

  Pushing aside her worries over his eventual departure, she placed a crystal snowman on the tree.

  “If the weather is good tomorrow, we could go for a ride.”

  As a teen, she’d prayed that he would take her for a ride on that bike. She’d waited for him to look at her, but he never did. “That would be fun. It sounds as if you learned quite a lot while working on that bike.”

  Sitting down on the couch, he reached one hand out, beckoning her to join him. Without hesitation, she slid down beside him, so close that when she crossed her legs her thigh crossed his as well. They stared up at the little tree for a silent moment. It was nearly finished and filled the home with cheer that had been sorely lacking. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she sighed, snuggling deeper into his side.

  “It was kind of a meditative thing to stay in that shop with the bike splayed out before me and to know that if I didn’t put her back together no one would. I still can’t believe I left her behind when I went to college. I loved that bike.”

  “I’m glad you put her back together. It’s good to evaluate your life now and then.”

  “Is that what you’re doing down here?”

  “I’m…no…I…” She took a deep breath. “I don’t really know what I’m doing. I guess it was easier to stay than it would have been to go back.”

  “That’s not much of a reason to put down roots.”

  “This is where we’re from, Isaac. What’s wrong with coming home?” She pushed against his side to extricate herself from his embrace. He held on for a moment but then lifted his arm, and she stood up.

  He moved to the edge of the couch. “There’s nothing wrong with coming home or even putting down roots in your hometown, if you’re doing it because that’s what you want. But if you gave up your prestigious j
ob at George Washington University in order to appease two people who are gone, then you’re making a mistake. You’re staying here for the same reasons that I didn’t come back and it’s no way to live.”

  She turned her back on him. “Sadie talks too much.”

  He laughed. “Maybe, but our little shopping trip to get those Hanukkah gifts was good for us.”

  She put her hands on her hips and faced him. “Did you tell her about Leslie?” She wanted to take the harshly spoken words back the moment they were out of her mouth. She’d been deflecting the conversation. That was it, he would walk out the door and she would never see him again.

  He took a step closer and ran his hands up and down her arms, giving her goose bumps. “I did tell her and I told my mother.”

  “I’m sorry.” Closing the gap between them, she wrapped her arms around him. “I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”

  “It’s okay. I should have told them a long time ago and Sadie shouldn’t have told me your business. Though, she only did it out of concern for you and I’m glad she did. You’re not an easy woman to read.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, for instance, I’m not completely sure if you like the Christmas tree or you’re just humoring me. The only time I’m one hundred percent certain of how you’re feeling is when we make love. That’s when you come alive and let all your barriers down. Other than that, the only time I’ve seen you lose control was the night you ran out of the shop. I’m not saying you should get hysterical more often, but a little emotion would be helpful.”

  It wasn’t as if she hadn’t heard it before. Her ex had called her a cold fish and tried to provoke fights all the time. “Just because I don’t wear every emotion on my sleeve doesn’t mean I’m not having them.”

  She tried to get out of his arm. He held on. “I know that, Giada. I don’t want to change you. When you feel safe enough, you’ll let those walls down. I can wait.”

  She stopped struggling. What did that mean? Where was he waiting? Why didn’t she ask the questions rifling through her head? Coward.

  Resting her head on his chest, she saw the nearly finished tree sparkling back at her. “I love the tree, Isaac. Thank you.”

  His lips pressed against the crown of her head. “You’re welcome. Shall we finish decorating it?”

  She was about to agree, when she realized her mistake. “Oh my God. How could I have forgotten? Wait right here.”

  She dashed for the large storage closet in the hallway. It was the place where she’d tucked away all her keepsakes from her parents’ house. She hadn’t been able to take much due to the size of the condo. But she’d not been able to part with certain things. She boxed them all up and hid them away in the closet for a time when she would be stronger and ready to look at them again.

  The light in the closet came on and she looked over her shoulder to find Isaac standing in the double accordion doors. He surveyed the closet. At least he’d had the good sense to turn on the light that she’d completely forgotten was there.

  Her heart pounded and she was hyperventilating. Could she have sold it with all the rest or left it in the old house when she sold it? “I know it’s in here somewhere. The box is marked ‘Mom’s stuff’ and I know it’s in here.”

  He gripped her shoulders and lifted her off her knees, turned her and held her face in his palms so she was forced to look him in the eyes. “Calm down. Don’t panic. We’ll find the box.”

  She nodded, and he smiled before kissing her nose.

  He wanted emotion, he was sure getting it now. He started pulling boxes off the shelf and stacking them on the floor. They checked the labels until he pulled the sixth or seventh box down. “Here it is.”

  Giada grabbed the box out of his hand and knelt on the floor in the hall. She stared down at her own handwritten label and thought she might throw up. All the things that were most precious to her mother were in the small packing box.

  He put all the other boxes back in the closet and turned off the light. Then he leaned down and offered his hand. She took it and rose to her feet. He reached down and picked up the box and together they returned to the couch.

  She took a breath and stared at the box. He slit the tape that held the lid tightly closed with his pocketknife.

  Giada gave the snug lid a tug, revealing a wad of white tissue paper. Reverently, she removed the bundle of paper and unwrapped the angel which had topped her parents’ trees since before she was born. Her porcelain face, white wings and blonde hair had held up well over the years. Her mother had taken special care to store the angel where the temperature wouldn’t crack the delicate pottery. Her white dress was trimmed in gold thread and she wore a dark-red cloak. She was stunning and Giada’s heart hurt looking at her.

  “She’s beautiful. Do you want to put her on our tree?”

  Our tree. She liked the sound of that. Nodding, she got up. Isaac pulled a dining chair over so that she could reach the top. Then he held on to her waist while she affixed the cone over the top of the pine tree.

  The two of them sat back down on the couch and admired their work.

  “Did you want to go through the rest of your mother’s things?”

  Her throat was clogged with emotion. “Not tonight,” she croaked.

  He placed the lid back on the box and took it down the hall to the closet. When he returned, he helped her clean up all the bags and packaging and put them in storage too.

  It was late when they finally had everything looking festive for the holiday. “I’m starving.”

  She laughed, realizing her stomach had growled as soon as he’d mentioned hunger. “How about I make a quick pasta?”

  “Is that traditional for Christmas Eve?”

  She said, “Among other things. My mother used to invite all the neighbors and put on a big spread with seven different types of fish and pasta. It’s an Italian tradition called the Feast of the Seven Fishes.”

  “Wow. I don’t think we can manage that on such short notice. Maybe next year.”

  He was just being cute. She shouldn’t read anything into his mention of next year. She had a week. She would enjoy it. No regrets.

  She pulled cans of diced tomatoes, olive oil and tomato paste out of the pantry and opened them. Once she had a little oil in the pan, she peeled and added two cloves of garlic.

  Isaac leaned over the countertop and watched her every move. “What can I do?”

  “Can you dice an onion?”

  “I’m sure I can.” He came around the counter and took the knife from her. Before she knew it, he was standing next to her, dicing away while she cut up mushrooms. Cooking with him had a familiar note to it. The kitchen was small but they never got in each other’s way. He acted the part of a proper sous-chef and she finished up the sauce while the water came to a boil.

  As soon as they sat down at the table, she wished she’d prepared something really special for him. She’d never wanted to show off in the kitchen before. She was an academic. Cooking was her mother’s thing. Still, she’d learned quite a lot growing up, and those skills had kept her fed over the years.

  If he minded the simple meal, she couldn’t tell. He ate with enthusiasm. “If this is what you do with twenty minutes, I can’t wait to see what you can do with an hour.”

  She laughed and ignored the innuendo. “I can recite some Shakespeare, but if you want all of it, that will take more than an hour.”

  When her plate was empty, he kissed her on the lips and picked up both plates. He headed to the kitchen.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You cooked. I’ll do the dishes.”

  “Really? Are you trying to impress me?”

  He looked over his shoulder. “Yes. Is it working?”

  “Yes.”

  She put away the remaining pasta and watched his broad back hunched over the sink. There was something very sexy about a man in the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, letting
her fingers drift over his rippled abs. “You said you work all the time, but you must find time to exercise.”

  “Ben built a gym at the office. He says a healthier staff works more and better.”

  “Ben Silverman, right? That’s who you work for?” She remembered Isaac’s friend from high school.

  “Yup.” He dried his hands and turned so that he was facing her. “His father built the company and he and I helped to open the New York office when we graduated from college.”

  She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of being in his arms. “Thank you for giving me Christmas, Isaac.”

  Leaning down, he kissed her nose. “Can I stay the night? I’d like to wake up with you on Christmas morning if you don’t mind. We don’t have to make love. I just want to stay with you.”

  She had no idea when he had become so gallant, but if he was trying to make her love him more, it was working. Even so, not having sex while he was there, in her condo, after all the things he had done for her, plus doing the dishes—it was a ridiculous notion. She tugged open the button on his jeans and unzipped the fly before dropping to her knees on the kitchen floor and pulling his already stiff cock out of his shorts.

  His eyes were wide and his lips parted as he looked down at her. “Okay, so abstinence is not what you want.”

  She kissed the swollen head. “Definitely not.”

  He moaned as her mouth closed over him and drew him in. She circled the head with her tongue and sucked him deep again. When she looked up, he was staring down at her. His impassioned eyes bolstered her desire to pleasure him. With her hand wrapped around the base of his shaft, she took him in down to her fingers while sliding the taut skin up and down. She watched as he threw his head back and moaned. The guttural sound ripped from his mouth and had her creaming in her panties. The idea that she could give him so much pleasure was the biggest turn-on. Her nipples pressed against her T-shirt and the friction sent jolts between her legs. Her lips stretched around his girth before letting him pop from her mouth. She licked along the vein that ran the length of him.

  His moans increased as she continued her ministrations. She watched as he stiffened. He was close to coming. Her excitement escalated and she thought she might come with him in spite of never being touched.