Christmas Candy

by Angela Blake

  “Huh?” both Chace and Julie chimed out in confusion.

  Victor shot back a look of disgust and repeated what he’d been trying to tell them for the past minute. As he did he reached forward with his fist. There were strips of paper and he intended for Chace and Julie to draw one.

  He then explained. “We’re drawing straws instead of assigning roles. If you two are together-together then just pull one straw and work on it as a team.”

  “Want me to do it?” Julie asked.

  Chace answered by drawing a straw. At the very bottom was a scribbled note.

  “Well, what does it say?” Julie followed up as she strained her neck trying to peek at what was written on the paper.

  “A dance,” Chace answered and he handed her the paper. He then looked up at Victor and Sofia and then to the others around the table. Julie could see he was formulating the words to say but when he couldn’t figure it out he just grabbed a slice of pizza and stuffed it into his mouth.

  “What kind of dance?” Julie asked the others. She checked the slip of paper but there was no indication. Nothing. Zip. Nada.

  Sofia rolled her eyes and answered. “Any freaking dance, Jules. Just make it entertaining. I don’t want to gouge my eyeballs out from boredom. Urgh, if only we could trade. I drew the ever-exciting task of picking a venue.”

  Julie bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from snapping back. Only her friends had the right to call her Jules and she knew Sofia was bullshitting her – Sofia loved picking venues. It made her feel like she was the one in charge.

  Chace leaned in and whispered into Julie’s ear. “Don’t worry. We got this. We can show them how a Christmas 1-2 special is done.”

  She rolled her eyes but even then a smile crept on her face. Julie squirmed and scooted over to get closer to Chace. He smelled so damn good she was tempted to bury her face in his chest and just stay there. “Well,” she replied. “If you’re as good on your feet as you are in the bedroom then I think I’m in good hands… maybe.”

  Chace wrapped an arm around her. “Trust me on this one. I didn’t join the high school basketball team so I could tango.”

  “Chace, you weren’t in any team that I know of, including the dance squad,” Julie pointed out. She didn’t bother paying attention to the actual meeting anymore. They had their role and it wasn’t exactly one she was looking forward to.

  He cocked his head and tried – but failed – to hear what the others were talking about. When he couldn’t piece it all together in his head he just smiled at Julie with a snarky look on his face. “Come on, I’ve got the moves. Just bring on the groove. We’re the Groovinators.”

  “Never, ever do a pun like that again or I’m calling Michael J. Fox on you,” Julie shot back with a big grin. “Come on, pay attention to what’s going on and hand me a slice of pizza.”

  “I thought you’re trying to lose weight?”

  Julie shrugged and grabbed the peppershaker. “Yeah, but I got Prince Charming back while weighing a few extra pounds. What’s a few extra more when there’s pepperoni pizza in front of me?”

  Chance laughed and gave her a slice. They then turned their attention back to the meeting which, fortunately for them both, only lasted another twenty minutes. When they were done only a few went up to them and asked about their relationship but both Chace and Julie made it a point to shrug them off and ignore the inquiries. There was already too much drama in their lives and the meddling of batch mates they didn’t really care for didn’t fit into their ideal day.

  Things didn’t really settle down until they were back in the car and Julie buckled up as Chace started the car.

  “I don’t want to go home yet,” Julie told him outright. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach right about now and she stared at him with big, puppy eyes.

  He looked back at her and she saw his chest collapse as his heart melted in the shape of her love. “I don’t want to take you home either. Want to hang at my place?”

  “Same apartment?”

  “No, I moved to a new joint closer to town,” he answered and wagged his finger in a circle, as if pointing to a direction but not really. “It’s a lot better than the old one.”

  Julie scoffed. The car started to move and soon enough they were on the highway. “It can’t possibly be that good. I haven’t been there yet.”

  “Let’s change that then. It’s time we bless the ol’ apartment with our love. Maybe we can also get started planning our dance for the party. Want to go with something modern or let’s just stick to something traditional?”

  “Will the chicken dance do fine?” Julie wasn’t so hot on dancing. Melissa was but it wasn’t like she could just exchange places with Mel on this one.

  Chace laughed but he shook his head. “Let’s show them what we can do. I know you got some moves.”

  “Yeah, in the bedroom but I don’t think a reverse cowgirl will be appealing for our Christmas reunion party,” Julie answered. She looked out the window and asked. “Can we stick away from modern dances? I don’t want to do the skanky leg in front of our batch mates. How about we do something simple?”

  “Tango? Cha-cha?”

  Julie tried to weigh the options but they all seemed the same. She scrunched up her face and stared back at Chace with a melancholic resignation. “Is there any difference? Just pick one and let’s get started with it. I can’t even believe we’re doing this.”

  “While I do want to hide in a closet somewhere off the edge of the planet so I can keep you to myself, I know we have to do this thing called ‘interacting’ with the lesser species,” Chace said dryly. “We have to blend in with the herd sometimes, Jules.”

  Julie laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Well, what do we do now?”

  “I thought we’re heading to the house?” Chace asked. “Unless, of course, if you’ve got any other idea where we can screw around like rabbits and dance like idiots.”

  “That is oddly the most romantic thing I’ve ever hear you say, Chace Matthews,” Julie remarked with an astonished look on her face. She raised a finger in question and followed-up on her statement. “And the answer is no, I don’t know any other place we can screw around like horny rabbits and dance like those failed celebrities on Dancing with the Stars. I have a feeling Tyrese Gibson is heading that way.”

  Chace’s face twisted with confusion. “I don’t get it.”

  “Never mind,” Julie shrugged it off. “Anyhoo, Cha-cha or Tango?”

  “Didn’t I ask that same question earlier?”

  Julie shoved a finger at his face. “Nuh-uh, I’m the only one with the legal authority here to ask the questions and impose impossible or improbable demands. Maybe.”

  Chace chuckled but he kept his eyes on the road, no matter how tempted he was to give Julie another look with his ever-hungry stare of lust and desire. “Tango has a lot more flair but it’s also very difficult. Cha-cha can seem easier but it requires a lot of energy for even the simplest of steps.”

  “Let’s go with Cha-cha,” Julie decided. “I need to move my ass if I want to shed some weight.”

  “But I like how you are, Jules,” Chace commented.

  “Oh sweetie, I know you do but the lingerie I saw at the mall likes me too,” Julie answered with a sly smile. “I’m quite compatible with you but I’d love to be compatible with it too. The dark red and black colors just work with me.”

  Chace laughed and then took the car down another turn. “Is it safe to assume the lingerie you want to fit into is red and black too?”

  Julie let out a naughty little growl and turned to him. “Maybe.”

  He let go of the steering wheel with one hand and reached down for her leg. Before Julie even realized what was happening she found herself drowning in the waterfall of ecstasy that engulfed her from head to toe. It was like his touch was magic and it sent electric jolts throughout every inch of her body.

  The electric connection between them was getting unb
earable. Julie could feel the tension in her legs and before she knew it she was trembling with anticipation. With each tap of his fingers on her skin she felt like her heart would stop beating. Her lips parted and she felt the breath escape her grip. Her chest heaved heavily as her eyes drew downward, eagerly awaiting for Chace to push through with his move.

  “Chace,” she muttered under a soft moan. “Fuck, drive faster – drive faster!”

  He wasn’t one to waste time. He kept his hand on her, only occasionally teasing her by tapping a finger or two between her legs. Within another fifteen minutes they arrived at the new apartment he was staying at, which to her surprise was a lot bigger than she expected.

  Chace parked as hastily as he could and grabbed her hand. When he squeezed and helped her get out of the car she giggled with excitement.

  “I feel like a teenage high school girl,” Julie exclaimed as they rushed out towards the front door.

  “You taste like a young teenage high school girl,” Chace said with a naughty wink right as he produced the keys out of his pocket.

  Julie laughed and for the first time in a long time she felt the urge to just rip off her clothes right then and there. As Chace struggled to find the right key for the door she swayed left and right, hoping to flash a little bit of skin or at least distract him with an utter sense of cuteness. It did work because even when the door was unlocked he kept the door shut and spent another five minutes burying his face in hers, pressing her down with yet another torrid kiss.

  By the time they got inside, her dress was a mess and Chace already had his shirt off. It was the time for some action and Julie didn’t want to lose the momentum of the opportunity given to them. So she gave him her all, never asking him to stop and instead welcoming every bit of attention that she got.

  Their kisses turned to nibbles and it wasn’t long until she felt the thick grip of his member once again tunneling between her legs. Her womanhood, moist in anticipation, welcomed his thrusts and she even felt her body tighten to keep him in.

  Chace kept on pressing in, his thrusts becoming faster and deeper. With each passing moment his rhythm picked up the pace and soon her whole body was rocking with the passion of the moment. Their bodies swayed and rocked, causing the bed to creak and groan along with their grunts and moans.

  The night roared with the passion of their love-making and Julie’s soft moans.

  Chapter Seven

  Early the next morning, Julie’s phone was flooded with text messages. She found herself by the kitchen table reading them as she had her pancakes and coffee. It was black coffee, as usual, despite Chace’s insistence to add creamer and chocolate.

  “Mel’s being a little ball of fire,” Julie told Chace as the latter sat down to join her for breakfast. Her face scrunched up in disgust when she saw he added a layer of butter, maple syrup, strawberry jam and some blueberry jam. He even added some whipped cream and then dripped hot chocolate syrup on top.

  “What is that?” Julie asked with her eyes glued to the monstrosity.

  Chace shrugged, took a fork of pancakes, and popped it into his mouth. “Pancakes.”

  Julie rolled her eyes and then stared down at her plate. She had two pancakes, layered with hot butter. It looked really boring in comparison but it also looked a lot more edible.

  “These are pancakes,” Julie retorted as she pointed at her meal. “That’s the kind of meal you get when Melissa McCarthy devours a human being and then sprinkles candy after vomiting out the innards.”

  Chace poked a fork into his meal. “It doesn’t look disgusting at all.” He then popped another fork-full into his mouth so nonchalantly it shook Julie to the bone. She shuddered with disgust.

  “Ugh,” was all she could muster. “Well, anyway, disgusting pancakes or not, we need to start practicing. There’s only a week before that stupid Christmas reunion thing.”

  “I don’t know,” Chace answered with food still in his mouth – which utterly disturbed Julie but she knew he was only doing it to gross her out even further. “I think we were dancing pretty a-okay last night, Jules.”

  She glared at him and pointed her fork at him, “I’ll poke those eyes out. Last night was… it was…” Julie still couldn’t finish her sentence knowing just how good last night was.

  “Uh-huh, yep, that’s exactly what I thought,” Chace teased her. “Well, I know we do need to practice – like actual, practice, not screwing-around-because-you’re-so-yummy practice.”

  Julie nodded and munched down further. “Okay but when? I still have work to finish today but I’ll be free for like a week and a half after I send this project over to my client. I still have something after that but I can take like ten days off before I start. Cramming is my specialty, you know.”

  As she spoke Chace stared straight into her eyes. He could see her lips moving and he knew she was saying something but none of the words were sinking into his head. The whole world was silent as he was caught mesmerized.

  “Hey,” Julie snapped her fingers inches from his face. “Did you hear a single word I said?”

  Chace stared blankly at her and made up whatever he could on the spot. “Uh, cramming is your specialty?”

  Julie let out a soft sigh and then patted his head. “It’s okay little pup, one day you too will grow and spread wings. Until then, you’re an undead zombie just mindlessly crawling up to the neighbor’s yard where you’ll eventually get killed by rabid plants and a lawnmower.”

  “Really? Nobody plays Plants vs Zombies anymore.”

  “I do,” Julie squinted at him. “Seriously though, I was saying we need to focus.”

  “Oh. Yeah, yeah, I get it Jules. Uh, hold on a minute though, okay? Let me just check my email and see what my clients are saying. I might need to take a minute real quick.”

  Julie nodded and finished the rest of her pancakes as Chace flipped out his phone and down the rabbit hole he went. He started it off pretty simple – checking his email and replying to a few business clients. Yet a few minutes after he was checking his social media accounts and then his work files. A few minutes after he was busy sorting out files on his cloud storage drive.

  “Chace?”

  Chace didn’t hear her. He didn’t even seem to notice her. He didn’t even touch his pancakes any further ever since he got his hands on his phone.

  “Chace!” Julie slammed her hand on the table. He finally looked up at her but to her chagrin he had a really annoyed expression on his face.

  “Huh? What?”

  Julie looked at him with disbelief. “I thought you were only going to take a minute to check your email? Your food’s cold.”

  Chace twisted his eyebrows and his annoyed expression only grew worse. “Babe, I’ve only been on for like a few minutes. I’ve got a client asking to organize some documents and spreadsheet files before noon so they can get started with the design.”

  Chace was a web designer and a really good one at that. Some people paid him thousands of dollars for a single website. He didn’t just design them but he could code them too. One client, a fashion designer, paid him over $95 per hour. He wasn’t particularly wealthy but he was still above the median line for middle class folk. He definitely earned a bit more than I did and I was an event organizer, along with Melissa.

  “I know it must all be so important,” Julie started while fluttering her eyelashes at him. “But could it seriously be any more important than spending more time with me?”

  Chace stared at her with a dry expression. “Is that even a serious question?”

  Julie shrugged and gave up. She knew better than to push him out. They went through that to-and-fro before and it only broke them apart. She knew better than to interfere yet again, she whipped out her phone and started to chat with Melissa.

  “It’s happening again,” she told Melissa on their private chat messages.

  Fortunately for her, Melissa was online and quickly responded. “Honey, do not pick up that dog no matter how cute it is
.”

  It took a moment for Julie to even figure out what the heck Melissa was talking about. “Shit. I don’t mean about me finding a stray puppy again, you dolt. I mean Chace is being a little… cold, again, and buried in work.”

  This time Melissa managed to reply in a split-second. “Maybe you’re just being paranoid. You guys just got back together, right? Let it settle in, girl.”

  “Maybe,” Julie replied. She then looked up real quick at Chace and saw he was already locking his phone and slipping it back into his pocket. “Hey, Mel, I got to go. We’re doing this stupid dance for our reunion party. Wish me luck.”

  “Break a leg,” Melissa replied.

  Julie then put her phone away and just in time too – Chace was pacing around the kitchen, prancing about as if mimicking some dance moves. It looked ridiculous and Julie made it very clear.

  “Chace, babe, j-just stop,” she managed to tell him through the laughter bursting from her insides. “Come on, it looks stupid.”

  He didn’t stop and instead came closer, held her hand, and pulled her up to dance along with him. “Okay, follow my lead. I’ll teach you the basics of Cha-cha first, okay? It’s a simple one-two, one-two-three, okay? You can do this, it’s easy as pie.”

  “Yeah, if the pie was a target the size of the moon,” Julie answered in a sarcastic tone. She tried her best to follow his instructions but even with her best efforts she was still stepping on his foot. She could see the spark of frustration in his eyes but he was still being patient enough with her that she didn’t make an issue of it.

  They swayed to and fro but they didn’t explore some of the more intricate moves that Julie expected from such a dance. She wasn’t too disturbed with their slow progress – she knew she was a slow learner when it came to things like this. It was just mellowing and comforting to see Chace not give in to the darkness that once pervaded his heart. Where once he would have screamed and walked out on her, he now bit down on the frustration and worked with her to iron it out.

  After an hour and a half of practice they were too exhausted to do anything else but rest in the living room. Julie noticed that Chace still had the big painting she bought for his birthday a few years ago. It was hanging above the hearth.