The Trouble with Christmas

by Kaira Rouda

  “Even?” he said with a laugh.

  “No. Not even close. Hand me your shirt,” she said. When he tossed it to her, she pulled it on, savoring the smell of him on her body. She tucked his shirt into her jeans, blousing it to hide her still-erect nipples.

  “That looks good,” he said and brushed her breast with his fingers.

  “Hey, no fair,” she said, arms folded across her chest.

  “Let’s get a drink and start decorating the tree, shall we?” He asked.

  He laced his fingers through hers and led her into his warmly lit kitchen. The candy cane centerpiece candle glowed and the lights were dimmed.

  “Champagne?”

  “Please,” she said. “You know, it’s funny. I know the importance of taking it slow. I do. I was a virgin when I met Bob, can you believe that?”

  Cole turned toward her and handed her a flute. “Yes, I can,” he said and pulled her close, his strong arm around her waist. “You’re special, Lily. You deserve everything you’ve dreamed of in life. Including a man who will treasure you, and help you make your dreams come true. Cheers!”

  “Cheers,” she clinked her glass on his, still standing pressed against him in his beautiful kitchen. Lily felt like she should pinch herself. Could he be real? She worried. Maybe he just didn’t want me that way.

  “And you’re sure you weren’t, um, turned off by me?”

  “Honestly, Lily? You’re exasperating,” he said and kissed her softly on the lips. “You felt my response. Come on. We have some ornament hanging to do.”

  *

  COLE

  Cole was proud he controlled himself. It was the right thing to do, of course, but man was it hard—pun intended.

  He stood on the stepladder and hung red and white ornaments on his Christmas tree at his house, which overlooked the ocean on a remote Sea Island, laughing and singing with the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. He was the happiest he’d been in his life and was determined not to ruin it. He wanted to get to know her, talk to her about the little things, and the big things, the important stuff, and the small stuff. He wanted to hold her close, make her feel special.

  Of course, he wanted to have sex. He couldn’t believe her body, her perfect breasts, her sweet curves. He could hardly keep his eyes off her, much less his hands. Cole dropped an ornament, and it shattered on the hardwood floor.

  “Sorry,” he said, because that was the second time he’d done that. Somehow the hooks seemed to slip right out of his fingers.

  “No problem. Goodness knows the Putnams have more ornaments than they know what to do with,” Lily said, from somewhere under the tree. “I’m just about finished down here. How’s the top of the tree?”

  “Just about finished,” he said, wondering if he could trust himself to keep his hands off of her for the rest of the evening. He wanted to ask her to spend the night. He wanted that, more than anything.

  “Great. We need to get the shopping list together. I’d love to go with you to Savannah. I can’t believe I’ve never been there,” she said.

  “That would be great. I love it over there and you will, too,” he said and wondered how this, them, even happened. It was a miracle, he decided, though he stopped believing in those many years ago. Cole felt like he should call his mom and tell her he had finally fallen in love.

  “Hey, what’s your favorite Christmas movie?” he asked, climbing down the ladder.

  “Love Actually,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. Her fingers played with his abs and Cole groaned. She hadn’t let him put on another shirt. He could handle it if she could, but it was getting harder. Focus.

  “That’s my favorite, too,” he said. “It’s amazing how random love can be.” Cole stacked the empty boxes together and folded the ladder. Lily joined him and they admire his tree.

  “It is random, and wonderful, when it happens. The tree looks beautiful,” Lily said. “We did a great job.”

  “We did,” he agreed. “Let’s get the shopping list finished so we can have a little more fun.”

  “Hmmm,” Lily said, and she followed him into the dining room.

  Cole had been busy. One whiteboard was covered with the delivery schedule: Name of customer, time of promised delivery and address, grouped in clusters to make it easier. He had created four different clusters, and hoped he’d be able to round up a couple extra drivers.

  The next board was filled with ingredients, and he hoped he’d captured everything they would need, but knew Lily could double-check it. He’d made it through the entire call list, and only six out of twenty four orders had cancelled and asked for refunds.

  Lily took her time, processing everything he’d written on each board. “Have you been over everything with Sally Ann?” she asked, still staring at the ingredients board, her back to him, hands on her hips, gorgeous shiny hair cascading down her back. Cole couldn’t help it; he had to touch her. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him.

  “I thought this was work time,” she said over her shoulder, and he kissed the top of her head.

  “It is, I’m just helping you concentrate,” he said and turned her around to face him. He wanted her.

  Now.

  She touched his cheek with her hand and he felt electricity throughout his body. “You know, I was upset at first, when we stopped. But now, I think it was an amazing decision.” She rose up on tiptoes and kissed his lips, a slow, seductive movement.

  He bent his head, pressed his lips into hers and heard her sigh.

  “Okay, we waited. Done with that,” he said, swooping her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed, her head tipped back. Cole nuzzled her neck.

  “Put me down,” she said, her joy rang in his ears as he ran upstairs.

  “Lily, I can’t wait,” Cole said, his voice husky and needy. “Can you?”

  He thought he could be a gentleman, thought he could control himself. He couldn’t. He hadn’t prepared upstairs for company. His bed wasn’t made; the lighting wasn’t set on dimmers. He didn’t care. Lily was quiet in his arms, curled into him. Her unique scent filled him, her hair tickled his nose, and her dark eyes seemed to burn through him to his soul.

  He reached his bedroom but didn’t turn on the lights. He glanced out the windows and the ocean was dark black. The night was a blank canvas, one he intended to fill with memories. He placed Lily on the bed and climbed in beside her. In the darkness, her eyes shimmered.

  “Cole, what are we doing?” she said quietly.

  “Would it be okay if I made love to you?” he asked, brushing the hair from her face.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” she said, hooking her hand behind his neck and pulling him to her for a kiss. He moaned as he quickly pulled his shirt off of her. Finally, they were skin to skin. But it wasn’t enough. He reached down to unbutton her pants and she helped him, squirming out of them as he pulled them down. He ran his finger down her thigh. Quickly, he peeled off his jeans and underwear. He straddled her, leaned forward, found her lips, and kissed her deeply. Her arms wrapped around his neck.

  “Lily, you’re beautiful,” he said, moving his lips to her soft neck, to her breast, sucking until her nipple was hard, and then he nipped the taut peak.

  “Ahh,” Lily said, her hips rising up, which shot lightning straight to Cole’s groin, his erection firm.

  Cole wanted to taste all of her, and moved down her body, his mouth and tongue lapped her stomach as she moaned and moved beneath him. His hands eased her thighs apart as he lapped at her sex, licking and sucking until his tongue found the tight bud and her hips shot up. His hands caught her hips and pressed her more tightly to him, his tongue stroked her clit over and over before delving into her body. She gasped when he plunged a finger inside her and caressed her silken walls.

  “Cole,” she cried and sat up, grabbing his hair, as she came in his mouth, shuddering as she dropped back down on the bed.

  He rolled her on top of hi
m, holding her until she calmed, kissing her forehead and tucking her hair behind her ear.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s never happened to me. Ever,” she said, another convulsion racking her small body.

  “And you liked it?” he asked, smiling as he held her head between his hands, causing her to look at him.

  “It was amazing,” she said, and her hips begin to move around his erection.

  He kept her on top of him, placed his hands on her side and gently moved her up and down, his erection pinned between their stomachs. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he rolled to his side, braced himself on his elbows, Lily beneath him. He took a deep breath.

  “Will this be special enough for you? Do you know how much I care? I know it has only been two days,” he said, staring into her eyes, wanting her to know how much he meant his words, how much she had climbed inside his heart.

  “Yes,” she said in a whisper, her dark brown eyes unblinking, trusting him, trusting them.

  “Good,” he answered, kissed her forehead, her nose, and finally, found her lips. He loved every inch of her and longed to know her completely. “I want you, Lily.”

  She took a deep breath and ran her fingers across his chest and he looked into her eyes.

  “Okay?”

  She nodded. He leaned over her, his member poised at her entrance then he slowly eased inside, part of the way.

  “Ahh,” she said, breathing hard, and he stopped, worried. “Go,” she said, her hips moved up as he pushed all the way inside her. He held her there, bending to kiss her tenderly, wanting to pump in and out of her, but holding on to the moment, their first time.

  “Now!” she demanded, her muscles squeezing around him, urging him on as he began to thrust in and out, deeper and deeper, as she moved beneath him and their bodies became one. She tightened and released around him and then he finally found relief collapsing, shuddering, beside her. Once he caught his breath he hugged her to his side.

  “That was amazing,” he said, breathing hard.

  “He loves me,” she murmured as she cuddled into his side and fell asleep.

  Yes, he does. Cole smiled and held her tight.

  Chapter Eight

  LILY

  ‡

  She had never cooked so much in her life, even in culinary school. She was fairly certain she had ruined every fingernail. Somehow, she had managed to get a sunburn on her face—although it could have been windburn or frostbite—and she was fairly certain she had gained a few pounds thanks to Sally Ann’s insistence on trying everything they prepared.

  And she was positive she’d never been so happy in her life.

  It was December twenty-second, three days until Christmas, and so much had changed. Ever since she had woken up a week ago with the morning sunlight streaming in the window and a heavy arm draped over her shoulder, she had been smiling. It wasn’t just the great sex. It wasn’t just the fact they’d decorated a Christmas tree together. Nope. It also wasn’t only the shared responsibility of saving his restaurant and his reputation, of planning a meal, and strategizing the future of Marshside Mama’s. It was much more. It was the way his blue eyes sparkled that first morning when he had brought her coffee in bed. It was the way they’d talked and held each other before either of them made a move to take a shower or start their day.

  It was the way he listened to her as if she mattered, as if she were the center of his world. She had never experienced pure attention. And, Cole admitted, he had not been capable of giving it until now. Until he had learned his own business decisions had caused a man to take his own life, until he’d seen the man’s widow’s eyes. He was a changed man and that was why he’d moved to Indigo Island to heal and to make an impact. Lily knew she had to forgive Bob his social climbing and for breaking their engagement in order to move forward. Cole’s ability to forgive himself was a model for her. Instead of being stuck in anger and feeling like a victim, she’d move on to a new life helping others even as she helped herself grow into a true, balanced relationship with a partner who deserved her love and full attention to as well.

  At mid-morning, she was working in Cole’s kitchen, rolling the dough out for her fifteenth pot pie. She looked out the window at the golf course and the sparkling sound beyond and thought once again that this was the most gorgeous place she’d ever been. Right here, right now was the happiest she’d been. In this kitchen, rolling out dough, all by herself. She realized the trouble with Christmas came when she relied on other people to bring her happiness. Because they couldn’t. She had to feel good about herself before she could allow Cole into her heart, allow her heart to trust and feel again. Like everything in life, to truly live, it must start within.

  She pushed up the sleeves of Cole’s cozy sweatshirt and wiped her hands on her apron. She and Sally Ann had prepared the pie fillings in the restaurant kitchen, along with the rest of the sides. There just wasn’t enough room for Lily to finish the pie crusts and the cookies at Marshside Mama’s, so she had taken over Cole’s cottage kitchen. Avery and Blake’s girlfriend, Samantha, were coming over at noon to start making the cookies. She had plenty of sprinkles and silver beads for Avery.

  The kitchen smelled like cinnamon from the candles, but also of mint as Lily tried her hand at making the famous island mint tea, served at all the finest Lowcountry plantations during the Christmas holiday. She’d found the recipe when she had been researching the Christmas menu. It was a pleasing mix of green tea and mint, and she was enjoying a steaming cup.

  She and James had finally run into each other, two days after the porch incident. She’d been home at the Putnams to change, and he had walked out of his bedroom at the same moment she passed by in the hall.

  It had been awkward.

  “Hi, James,” she had said casually, feeling her face flush. She was a mess anyway, from spending the night at Cole’s, wearing one of his sweaters to keep warm for the golf cart ride home. Cole always made sure she had a cozy sweater of his to wear.

  “Hey, Lily. I just want to apologize again for my behavior. I’m embarrassed. I had no idea you had a boyfriend. Well, even if you didn’t, I was wrong,” James had said, his eyes kind and sad.

  “I know. Seriously, please don’t think about it again. Okay? Apology accepted,” she had said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “You’re a great guy. Nothing’s changed.”

  James took a deep breath, relief flooding his handsome face. “Thanks, and you’re great, too. See you later.” And then he had walked away from her down the hall, while she had hurried the other way to her bedroom. Relieved.

  She spent nearly every moment at Cole’s, but the two of them were always invited to Putnam cocktail parties and dinners. They’d declined for now as they’ve needed to work. Cole’s goal was to get everything prepped and ready by December twenty-third. Lily thought they could do it, even as Sally Ann shook her head no. They’d made a lot of progress.

  Cole surprised her, bounding into the kitchen, a huge smile on his face. “Hey, babe, what smells so minty?” he asked, coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, lightly kissing her behind the ear which sent desire searing through her body.

  “Not now, I’m making pie crust,” Lily said, leaning against his strong chest, wishing she could turn and melt into him.

  “I just stopped by to help and tell you some great news,” he said, nuzzling her neck.

  “Ah, huh,” she closed her eyes and relaxed against him. “What’s the great news?” she asked, feeling a little dizzy as his fingers brushed against her breasts.

  “You’re killing me,” he whispered. “You aren’t wearing a bra.”

  “But I am working.”

  He laughed a little ruefully. “Whatever happened to mixing business with pleasure? I did want you to know our lunch and dinners are fully reserved at the restaurant, now until after New Year’s.”

  “Great,” she said, clos
ing her eyes, losing herself in his touch, as his hand ran underneath the apron, at the top of her pants along her panty line. Her stomach clenched. She was breathless. “Cole we can’t.”

  He pulled her away from the counter and turned her around to face him, kissing her deeply, his hand behind her neck. Her flour-covered hands were still at her side until she couldn’t take it. Needing to touch him, she wrapped her arms around his waist so flour now covered his black cashmere sweater.

  “Well, hello there,” Avery said, sauntering into the kitchen, a huge smile on her face. “I would have knocked, but I just thought we were making Christmas cookies. I didn’t know a naughty elf had dropped by.”

  Lily blushed and wiped her hands on her apron as Cole gave Avery a lecherous grin. “Just keeping the help in line,” he said as another beautiful blonde walked into the kitchen behind Avery. “Wow, Marshside Mama’s staff just keeps growing.”

  Lily smiled and walked forward.

  “You must be Samantha. I’ve heard so much about you,” Lily said.

  “Hi, yes, great to meet you Lily, Cole,” Samantha said with a smile.

  Lily liked Samantha’s warm, easy presence immediately. She was happy for Blake. She never thought Blake would take the time for a relationship, much like his brother James. Much like Cole, she realized, smiling at him.

  “I hope you’re a better baker than Avery?” Lily teased her best friend, “Or this is going to be a disaster.”

  “Nope, have no idea what I’m doing in the kitchen, but this sounds like fun,” Samantha said. “Although I doubt we’ll get much done with that one around.”

  She pointed to Cole who laughed and kissed Lily on the cheek. “True,” he said, as Avery walked over and tried to brush the flour off of his shoulders. It was in his hair and on his cheeks.

  “You better go upstairs and change before you head back to the restaurant,” Avery said laughing.

  “Right you are,” Cole said. “See you later, ladies. Time to stop procrastinating and start baking.”

  Once he left, Avery squeezed Lily’s shoulders. “You guys are the cutest,” she said. “Now, where are my shiny silver ball thingies?”