by Flesa Black
Kate looked out her window at the sparkling decorations, strung twinkle lights, and snow-painted, glass-paned windows. “I suppose it’s a little shocking the first time you see it.”
Tinsel Town
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“It’s what I used to think the North Pole looked like.” His eyes were wide as he maneuvered the rental car slowly, gawking at the glittery state of the small town. “I know I’m going to be branded a tourist, but this is…amazing. Look at that tree. Is that the town Christmas tree?”
She swiveled to see the tall spruce that grew beside the white gazebo. “It is. We’ll have a decoration party tomorrow night, and the mayor will light the tree right after.”
“Will there be hot chocolate and cookies?”
She had to chuckle at his little boy look. “Yes, plus popcorn and brownies.”
He grinned back at her and she felt her anxiety ease. But when they passed over the railroad tracks, her stomach clenched. “Two streets up on the right.”
Clive seemed to feel her tense mood and didn’t press her. Instead, he drove where she directed and finally stopped in front of the brick colonial. She stared up at her childhood home, a home that had seen plenty of changes inside, but none outside. There was still the sturdy oak in the yard, the row of hedge bushes along the front, the shutters painted black, the columns white, the sturdy swing on the front porch. Her mother had kept the yard and outside of the house as organized and serene as the inside had been wild and chaotic.
“I see your parents are in the spirit, too.”
She quirked an eyebrow as Clive leaned across her. His scent, dark and masculine, was like a heady aphrodisiac. He was so close, close enough to touch, to taste, to enjoy. But more than his sexuality was the fact that, through the whole trip, he hadn’t treated her feelings or fears flippantly. He’d been…kind. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting; a man who had nothing on the brain but having sex and collecting a paycheck would have been easier to deal with. She probably could have dismissed him right after that first dinner. But Clive was different, and that difference was definitely putting her off balance.
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“A wreath and candle in every window, lights around the columns and bushes, red ribbon on the door. But the huge wreath around the doorway…that’s impressive.” He said it all with a bit of awe and a touch of disbelief.
“If you like all of this, just wait until you see inside.”
“I can’t wait.” He grinned and hopped out of the sedan, leaving behind his distinct scent and a blast of cold.
A moment later, he was opening her door, holding out his hand to help her stand. Over his shoulder, she saw a curtain flicked aside and knew they were being watched. Well, we might as well start now, she thought, and sent him an adoring look. His eyes flashed for a moment, a look that could have easily been pleased shock, but it was gone so quickly she couldn’t be sure.
“We’re being spied on,” she said between her closed teeth.
“Oh.” She could have sworn he sounded disappointed, but she discarded the idea when his lips tilted up. “We should give them something to talk about.”
Suddenly, his mouth was on hers, warm, delicious, and coaxing. He nipped on her bottom lip, drawing a groan from her as he laved the spot with his tongue. She felt her knees wobble and was pulled against his hard length. Even through his leather coat, she could feel his heat, so alluring that she curled into him without thought. He continued his gentle assault, rasping his tongue along her teeth until she opened for him. He delved in, swiping and tangling, teasing and tormenting, as she clung to his shoulders.
Memories of their time in bed together came flooding back, potent and real, in bright Technicolor: His calloused, skilled hands; his hot, persistent mouth; his hard, demanding body…everything that had turned her on and drew her out. His words were there, too, the promises he’d made about teaching her what she wanted to know. The things she found herself desperately wanting to learn. Her skin tingled at the idea of them all, her desire dominating her embarrassment.
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When he eased the kiss, she gave a sound of protest, a verbal manifestation of her body’s disappointment. He leaned in to press one last, tender kiss on her lips before pulling away. Her breath came in jagged spurts now, but if hers was harsh, so was his. She didn’t have to ask if he’d enjoyed their embrace as much as she had; she could feel the thick proof pressing against her belly. Need snapped like a whip, stinging her nipples and her clit at the same time.
“Don’t forget our agreement. I’ll lead you in bed, and you take the lead with your family and friends.”
She nodded mutely as he tweaked her nose.
“Tonight,” he promised, and stroked his knuckles down her cheek.
“Kate! Kate, you made it!”
The sound of her little sister’s voice was like a bucket of snow in the face. God knew what would have just happened if they hadn’t been interrupted. And the hell of it was, she didn’t know whether to be disappointed or not.
“Kate!” Molly collided with her and squeezed her so tightly that she had to wheeze for air.
Kate did her best to keep her voice light. “Hi, Molly. Is Zach with you?”
Her sister pulled back, a wide grin on her pixie face. Snow-bunny Barbie, Kate thought, and took Molly’s ungloved hands in her own.
“No, he’s in town helping Mr. Tyler get the inflatable snowman to the top of the hardware store. He’ll be over for dinner.” She turned a knowing eye to Clive, who was busy pulling wrapped packages from the trunk. “And who is this fine specimen?”
“Molly!”
Her sister shrugged, looking completely unashamed. “What? I’m curious…and I’m sure not blind.”
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Clive chuckled and moved to stand beside Kate. “Hi, I’m Clive, Clive Thibodaux. Nice to meet you.”
“Very nice to meet you. I’ll call you Clive, and you can call me Molly.”
He sent her a charming smile, and Kate had to stifle a laugh as the other woman blushed. It was nice to know his heart-stopping appeal was universal. Or, at the very least, affected Frazier women.
“Why don’t we go inside,” Kate suggested.
She trailed behind Molly, keeping herself beside Clive. He leaned down, bringing his warm mouth directly against her ear. She felt like steam was curling from her toes, and wouldn’t have been surprised if the snow underneath her melted into a slick puddle.
“I think your sister likes me.”
Kate couldn’t stop the shiver that ran along her nerves and tangled deep in her stomach. “I think you have a way with women.”
He chuckled, the sound so sensual that she could have sighed from it. Instead, she swallowed her reaction and took a deep breath. “Well, here goes nothing.”
With a determined tilt of her chin, Kate stepped over her parents’ doorstep and into the warmth of her childhood home.
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Chapter Five
Clive stepped into a Christmas movie spectacular. The stairway banister was wrapped in greenery, fat red and white candles dotted the entryway tables along with small ceramic international Santas, and handmade snowflakes were stuck to the walls. But that wasn’t the half of it.
The holiday section of their local superstore had apparently exploded in the living room, leaving behind a bright, chaotically beautiful scene. Mismatched stockings hung in front of a black grated fireplace. Ceramic gingerbread houses with candy canes sticking out of the top sat on each end of the mantle, with what looked to be a hand-carved nativity scene featured prominently in the center. The scrollwork around the two doorways was covered with red velvet ribbon, with holiday greeting cards pinned down each side. The windows were draped with evergreen dotted with red and white berries. Crocheted snowmen and women kept each other company on the top of a tall piano. A ceramic Victorian collectible village had been set up on the coffee table, complete
with ice skaters, horse and buggies, and lampposts. Holiday music played from an unknown source, gently filling the air with glee.
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And in the corner, standing like the crown jewel of the season, was a tall, slightly uneven, tree. Its limbs were draped with layers of silver tinsel and multicolored lights.
Ornaments of every shape, color, and size hung from the branches, some handmade and looking years old, others plainly newer and store bought. He even saw several that were obviously made by children’s hands, hanging like precious gems among the glittery jumble.
“Told you.”
He turned to see Kate smiling, mirth dancing in her eyes. He shook his head and headed toward the tree with the packages. He heard more voices float into the room, followed by greetings and laughter. He chose to stay in the background, allowing Kate time to get her bearings. When she was ready, she would call him over.
After placing the presents, he stood and turned to find several people had gathered around the green striped couches. A bull of a man had his arm draped around Kate, his gray hair thick and bushy, with a hint of a light wave. His voice had a thick, full tone that spoke of no-nonsense. An older woman stood across from the man, her maternal smile sweet as she watched Kate. Her gently cropped hair was meticulously styled, her red holiday sweater draped over her slim curves. Obviously this was where Molly had inherited her blue eyes and blonde hair. It was just as obvious that this was where Kate had inherited her fine facial structure. Another woman stood chattering to Kate, her gold hair pulled back in a sensible braid, her blue eyes framed with thin-rimmed glasses. A tall man stood beside her, one of his large hands resting on the woman’s shoulder while the other was tucked into his khaki pants. The joy that surrounded the small group cascaded out in waves to fill the room.
Kate turned then and beckoned him over with a wave of her hand. He came, a smile on his face, and enclosed her hand in his. He faced her family, saw the skeptical looks, the open curiosity, and readied himself for a night of grilling.
* * * * * *
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It hadn’t been as awful as he’d anticipated. The family had introduced themselves, had welcomed him with smiles, and then launched into stories about what had been happening around town. Kate’s twin nephews, Mikey and Tommy, had come barreling in demanding their Aunt Kate’s attention. The three-year-olds were covered with chocolate, their brown hair spiked and wild as most young kids’ was. With their arrival, the family had begun telling stories about the girls and their past Christmases when they’d been babies. The arrival of Molly’s fiancé had set a whole new conversation in motion, this one a discussion about the upcoming wedding.
All in all, he considered himself fairly lucky to have escaped the most pressing questions. Now, as he sat at the large dinner table, his plate piled with roast chicken, vegetables, potatoes, and homemade rolls, he was actually relaxed. The voices, all talking at once, some over each other, sat comfortably in his ears. This was something he was definitely used to, thanks to his own family.
He was just forking in a bite of potatoes when Kate’s father, Mike, spoke.
“It’s strange. Our Katie hasn’t ever mentioned you, Clive.”
He swallowed as he set his food aside. Times up, he thought, and smiled. He cast a quick glance at the glass doors that led out to the back deck; if it got bad, he supposed he could make a break for it with Kate in tow. Taking a fortifying breath, he gave her father his full attention.
“Well, she told me that she didn’t want to take away from Molly’s day.”
“Take away from my day?” The woman in question sent Kate a wide-eyed look. “How can your having a boyfriend take away from my wedding?”
Kate shifted in her seat, her thigh bumping into his. “Well, you know how people are.
I’m such an oddity around here that everyone would be speculating about the man I was dating.”
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Dana twisted her lips in annoyance. “Oddity…really, I wish you’d quit saying things like that.”
“We’re all strange,” Molly put in. “We’re Fraziers, aren’t we?”
Everyone chuckled, and Clive reached underneath the tablecloth to squeeze Kate’s knee. He looked at her, willing her to meet his eyes. When she did, he said, “No, Kate isn’t odd. She’s beautiful, and brilliant, and amazing.”
There was a collective silence after his statement, and Clive turned a sheepish grin to the group. “Sorry, I guess I sound…”
He shrugged, knowing that what he’d said was exactly what he’d been thinking. There was no way he would apologize for that.
Kate’s mother, Nona, gave him a radiant smile. “Well, now, Mr. Thibodaux, I think you sound just fine.”
Mike gave him a stern look. “Just how did you meet Katie?”
“I told you, Dad, we’re neighbors. We live in the same apartment building.”
“What do you do for a living?” This came from Dana’s husband, Josh, who looked like he was enjoying the grilling just a little too much.
“I’m a professor,” he supplied, tightening his grip on Kate’s knee.
“What do you teach?” Dana asked.
“Human…Interaction in Modern Man.” He figured admitting to teaching human sexuality might be too close to the truth and could very well blow his cover.
“Do you do anything else besides teach?”
“Dad!” Dana and Molly gasped at the same time.
“Not that there’s anything wrong with that. A father has a right to be curious.”
Clive nodded in understanding. “I’ve written a book, actually. My parents were the first people to ask for my autograph.”
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“And your parents? What are their occupations?” Kate’s father wanted to know.
“They own a sports shop in Louisiana. They and my sisters have been worried about my love life for years.” He stopped to give Kat a meaningful look. Somehow, it felt important for her to understand that she was more than the paycheck she thought he was getting. “My parents are visiting my sisters in Washington State right now.”
“Washington State?” Zach, apparently taking pity on him, tried to steer the conversation to something more mundane. “I love the Seahawks.”
“Do you like football, Clive?” Mike was assessing him with hard eyes.
“I do, sir. But since Kate doesn’t, I usually tape the games and watch them later.”
Nona nodded in approval. “That’s very considerate.”
“My daughter likes opera. Do you like opera?”
“Yes, sir, I’m afraid I do. I have season passes, actually.”
In one fell swoop, he’d let Mike Frazier know that not only was Kate being pampered, but that Clive also could afford to do it. Mike gave a curt nod, seeming satisfied with his answer.
Kate’s father wasn’t through, though. “Kate’s a wonderful violinist. Her music is very important to her.”
Clive agreed with a smile. “Third chair. But I think she’ll be at least second chair when they have tryouts this spring.”
“Music!” Molly grabbed hold of the topic to ease the atmosphere. “Kate, I need to give you the sheet music for the song I’d like you to play.”
Clive watched her father settle back, obviously done with his interrogation for now.
Underneath his hand, Clive felt the woman beside him ease. He sent her a quick wink, watched her blink, and decided tonight had all been worth it just to see her befuddled expression.
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Chapter Six
Kate tried not to laugh as Clive opened their hotel room door. “You have an extraordinary store of patience.”
He gave her a pained look as he dropped the suitcases. “I can’t ever remember being questioned so thoroughly or so…so…”
“Blatantly?”
He nodded as he took a step closer. “I swear, it was like being ambushed, and I only had carro
ts to hide behind. I didn’t know whether to beg your mother for help or let your father rake me over the coals.”
“You do both.” She watched as his lips twitched and had to chuckle. “Where did you come up with that career bit? A professor at the college? And a writer to boot? It was perfect.”
He shifted his weight and looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Your parents didn’t seem to mind.”
“Why would they?” She felt light, buoyant, like she could float to the ends of the earth and off into space. “You’ve been wonderful.”
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She stretched, happy as a cat, and stopped midmove when she saw the look in Clive’s eyes. Something inside of her glowed even brighter and gently lit the dark corners of doubt.
It was still hard to believe that someone like him could find someone like her attractive. He was so…and she was…well, if she were crude, she’d remember the old joke about things that were fun to ride until your friends caught you. But that thought wasn’t productive, nor was it fair to her…nor did it describe the very real look of desire on his face.
“Why don’t you go shower?” He reached out and ran cool fingers along her bare waist.
“I think we both deserve a little…reward for getting through the afternoon.”
Anticipation tied her in knots and squeezed the air from her lungs. “Reward?”
“Um.” He nuzzled her jaw, nipped at her ear. “Remember your promise, Kate. Be a good girl and do what I say.”
She was already wet with desire, but she knew the rules. He’d been very clear with them. And she knew it would be worth it. He would make sure it was. She swallowed against a dry throat and hurried to do as he’d said.