by Leanne Banks
An image of Abe slid through her mind and her heart picked up. He was acting different lately, more focused on her, more inquisitive. He knew her body and as much of her mind as she had allowed, but now he seemed determined to learn the rest of her.
She covered her eyes with her hand and tried to stop thinking about him. Even a twelve-step program wouldn't help her get Abe out of her system at this point because she was forced to see the man nearly every day. Thank goodness she was Abe-free today and she could shore up her defenses.
After a short nap, she ate chicken noodle soup and soda crackers then started a load of laundry. The town house was nice, a little too quiet, but that was what she needed. She didn't need the tradition and sense of family at Crofthaven. She needed to get her head screwed on straight without Abe's influence.
Folding a towel, she heard a ringing sound and it took a full moment for her to realize it was her doorbell. "Who is this? No one knows I'm here yet," she muttered as she made her way down the steps. She looked through the peephole and her stomach dipped. Glancing down at her sweat suit, she swore under her breath.
The doorbell rang again.
She reluctantly opened the door to Abe holding a Christmas tree and two large bags. "Merry Christmas, Nic. I didn't want you to miss having a tree because of your move."
Nicola's heart tightened in her chest. Christmas had often been an iffy holiday when she was a child. After a few years of being shuffled around, she'd conditioned herself not to expect much. Even now, she gave donations, but downplayed her private celebration. The tree was a surprise and a reminder that she would be celebrating the holidays with her baby next year.
"Thank you," she said to Abe, unable to keep a smile from her face. "This is a terrific surprise and I probably wouldn't have thought of getting one until none were left."
"I picked up some ornaments and lights, too. Just in case yours are packed away somewhere inconvenient."
"Looks like you thought of everything," she said, taking the bags and peeking inside.
"Hope so. I'll help you put it up this afternoon," he said as he carried the tree inside the town house.
Nicola opened her mouth to refuse then paused as dismay shot through her. What an ungrateful witch she'd be if she said, "Thanks for the tree, you can leave now." She sighed. "You don't have to do that. I know you're busy."
"Not that busy," he said. "What about you? Do you have plans this evening?"
She considered saying yes, but knew her sweat suit would negate her words. "Not really. I just planned to relax. I've been a bum most of the day."
He studied her for a long moment and lifted his hand to her cheek. "Are you not feeling well, again? You look pale."
Oh, don't go there, she thought and shook off his concern. "I didn't bother with blush today. It's not very chivalrous of you to comment on my lack of makeup," she chided him, trying to keep it light.
"Then I'll try to make up for it by getting Chinese dinner delivered tonight while we put up the tree."
Panic stabbed at her. This afternoon was turning into tonight. And Chinese food? Her stomach protested at the very thought. "Not necessary," she said. "I just had some soup a little while ago."
"Okay, then let's get started on the tree," he said.
She smothered a laugh, but he must have caught her.
"What's funny?"
"Your military background comes out sometimes. For instance, just now I felt as if I was supposed to snap my heels together, salute and say, 'Yessir!'" She lifted her hand in a mock salute.
His eyes glinted with dark humor and he moved closer to her. "That's not all bad, you mouthy private. Now if I could just get that reaction from you on everything."
Her heart bumped. "You wouldn't like me if I was a yes-man."
"Maybe not, but I'm game for a trial. You say yes to everything I ask."
"In your dreams, Senator," she scoffed.
His face turned serious and he lifted his hand to her cheek. "You've been there more than you know, Nic. You've been in my dreams."
Her breath hitched in her throat. "That's me," she tried to joke, but her voice came out a little husky. "Nightmare Nicola."
He chuckled and kissed her quickly before she could back away. "No nightmares, Nic. I promise." He let his hand fall to his side. "But I also promised to help put up your tree and that's what I'm going to do."
He had the tree up in the stand in no time and the smell of fresh pine helped drag Nicola into more of a holiday mood. She put on some apple cider and found a radio station playing Christmas music.
She helped Abe with the lights then they started with the ornaments. He pulled open one of the bags. "I didn't know what kind of ornaments you would like. The clerk said the fashion trend for trees this season is sophisticated white and red." He pulled out boxes of red-and-white ornaments. "Then she said there are always people who love the Victorian angels. Some do their entire tree in them. I didn't think you were the Victorian type, but I thought you wouldn't mind a few angels." He pulled out three angels. "And the rest are some I liked."
Touched and curious, she was drawn to the ornaments Abe had said he liked. "Sourdough!" she said, touching three ornaments of winter-clothes clad children with tiny candy canes all made out of sourdough. "I love them. And look at the rest. A Christmas clown, Christmas shells, a Christmas sailor." She looked at him in surprise. "Abe, these are fabulous. How long did you spend looking?"
He shrugged. "Not that long. My rule was if I liked it or thought you might like it then I bought it."
Her heart felt mushy and she felt her eyes burn. Oh, no, not tears. She batted her eyelids quickly to keep from crying.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I think I've got something in my eye. This was so wonderful of you. I don't know what to say. No one has ever brought me a Christmas tree with all the trimmings." She swallowed hard over the lump of emotion in her throat.
"You're crying," Abe said in amazement. "I've never seen you cry. Come here." He reached for her.
"No, no, no," she said, but he ignored her protests and sat down in a chair and pulled her onto his lap. If he touched her, that would only make it harder for her to pull herself together. She closed her eyes and felt a tear slide down her cheek.
Abe held her against him as if she was a child. "What made you cry?"
She took a shallow breath. "It was just so nice. I'm not used to it."
"Not used to someone being nice to you?" His voice had a rough growl. "You've been hanging around the wrong people."
Nicola sighed and smiled. "Well thanks for the tree and everything and forgive me for my weepy moment."
Abe slid his hand to her chin and turned her head to meet his gaze. "My pleasure to be here for both."
He was going to kill her, she thought as her heart constricted again. She tried to rise, but he held her close.
"Not so fast," he said.
"We still need to decorate the tree," she said, knowing it wasn't a good idea for her to sit on Abe's lap for more than three seconds. There was still too much chemistry between them.
"That can wait. I want you to do something for me. Close your eyes. I'm not taking your sweatshirt off," he assured her. "I want to, but I'm not. Just close your eyes."
With her heart still hammering in her chest, she closed her eyes.
"Pretend you're ten. What did you want for Christmas?"
She saw herself at that age, so forlorn yet hopeful. "I asked Santa to make my mother well."
"Oh, sweetie." Abe swore and smoothed her hair.
"That was something my mother always did," she murmured, remembering the gentle way her mother had handled her hair. "She played with my hair. It was the most soothing thing in the world. Hmm," she said with a soft laugh and opened her eyes. "I hadn't thought about that in forever."
Abe put his hand over her eyes. "We're not finished."
She made a sound of frustration. "Okay, but if I do it, then you have to, too."
&nb
sp; Abe paused. "Okay," he grumbled. "You're fifteen years old. What do you want for Christmas?"
"To live in the same house for the rest of my life," she said without thinking. "An album by Jon Bon Jovi and a pair of jeans that aren't hand-me-downs, all the books Louisa May Alcott wrote and a sister or brother." Remembering her childhood made her feel vulnerable as hell. She lifted Abe's hand from her eyes. "Okay, enough about me. Your turn. Close your eyes.
"I haven't thought about this in a long time," he protested.
"Too bad. Neither had I. Close your eyes," she said and covered his eyes when he didn't immediately close them. "Okay, you're eight years old. What do you want for Christmas?"
"I want to read a one-hundred-page book. I want to get grades that won't make my father disappointed in me. I want a G.I. Joe and a tank."
Nicola smiled at the bittersweet combination of his wishes. "You must have been a Navy SEAL in the womb."
He chuckled. "My boot camp instructor would disagree."
"Okay, you're sixteen, what do you want for Christmas?"
"That's easy. A car or the use of a vehicle so I can take my girlfriend out and we can make out in the back seat and if I get lucky, maybe…"
"Did you?" Nicola asked, curious.
"Not that year," he said with a rakish grin.
"Probably a good thing. Potent Pete," she muttered and moved to stand.
He pulled back. "Hey. Where'd that come from?"
"Nothing," she said. "I was just thinking that you seem to impregnate without problems. If you'd started too young, you might have even more children."
He shrugged. "Maybe so. Thank goodness I'm done with that now. I hear one of the advantages of getting older is that a man's swimmers aren't as good as they used to be."
I wouldn't count on that. She bit her tongue to keep from saying it aloud.
* * *
Five
« ^ »
Dressed in green satin with her red hair floating over her creamy shoulders, Nicola looked like a combination of exquisite jewels, emerald for her dress and eyes, ruby for her lips and pearl for her skin.
Abe took her hand. "You take my breath away."
She smiled. "I find that difficult to believe, Senator. You're as rock steady as they come."
He called her bluff and lifted her hand to his chest. "Then how do you explain that?" he asked, knowing his heart was pounding.
She glanced down and her eyelids shielded her expression from him. "Sugar rush? Caffeine high?"
He groaned. "Or maybe it's you. You look beautiful, Nicola."
She met his gaze impishly. "So do you."
He blinked. "I can honestly say I've never been called beautiful."
Nicola grabbed a long black velvet cloak and waved her hand. "Maybe, but you can bet plenty of women have thought it. You look great in a tux. Now stop fishing for compliments and help me with my cloak. It's a little chilly out there tonight, isn't it?"
"It's chilly outside, but the limo is warm," he said as he helped her into her cloak. It was a damn shame to cover her the way she looked tonight. It made a lot more sense to uncover her inch by luscious inch. Her green dress draped over her shoulders offering an enticing view of her ample cleavage. Nicola's body had always driven him nuts. Despite her complaints that she could lose fifteen pounds, Abe knew she had curves in all the right places.
He led her to the limo and she sat in the center of one seat. Struggling with an itch to be closer to her, he sat perpendicular. "Would you like a drink? I have your favorite wine."
He glimpsed a quick shot of longing in her eyes then she set her chin and shook her head. "Just water tonight." She pulled her PalmPilot from her small evening bag. "Let's review who will be attending the ball tonight."
She coached and quizzed him during the entire drive to the governor's mansion. "I think you're ready," she said as the driver stopped in front of the entrance.
Abe escorted her inside and he was struck by an odd feeling. Nicola had attended many events with him, but tonight felt different. She might see it as a business function and he'd had to wrap it that way to persuade her to join him, but for Abe, he just wanted her company. He wanted to be close enough to hear her laughter.
"There's our reelected congressman. You should say hello."
And so it went for the next hour. With Nicola watching the crowd to make sure Abe didn't miss speaking to anyone, Abe felt almost as if he was back on the campaign trail again. The only difference was that he didn't say, "I hope you'll vote for me." Instead he said, "Thank you for supporting me."
Dinner was announced, offering him a quick breather.
"Thank goodness for dinner," Nicola said as she and Abe stepped to the side. "What a crush that was. I should have expected it, though."
"Why should you have expected it? I didn't," he said, adjusting his tie.
Nicola smiled at him. "Because you're so popular that everyone wants a chance to talk to you."
Abe rolled his eyes. "Careful. You're starting to believe the PR you wrote for me."
"Which was the truth," she retorted. "I guess we should go in for dinner."
He offered her his arm. "You better be seated beside me."
She whirled her head to look at him. "You know that's not going to happen. We've never been seated together before."
"That was different," he said, feeling irritated that he couldn't have Nicola to himself. "That was during the campaign."
"Well, even though this looks social, it's still a political function. You'll be at one table and I'll be at another. Remember you're an important and fascinating senator, and I'm unimportant, boring staff."
His irritation climbed another notch. "That's bull. You couldn't be less boring." He stopped and looked at her so she wouldn't miss his point. "And you're a helluva lot more than staff."
Her eyes widened and color rose to her cheeks. "We need to move on. People are starting to look at us."
Although he knew he would always have to account for his actions because he was in public office, he was growing impatient with being concerned about what others might think of his relationship with Nicola.
"Nic, we need to talk," Abe began.
He would have sworn he glimpsed a trace of panic on her face, but she glanced away. "Oh, look there's the governor, and he's headed straight for you, Senator."
An hour and a half later, Abe glanced in Nicola's direction for the tenth time. She'd been right. He had been seated at the governor's table and Nicola had been seated several tables away. The prime rib had tasted better than most banquet fare and the woman seated on his right had managed to drop into the conversation no less than five times that she was widowed. Nicola, he noticed, was seated between two men treating her as if she were roast tenderloin and they hadn't had a meal in a month.
The band started playing and Abe saw Nicola laugh and shake her head as one of the men pointed toward the dance floor. Abe felt a sliver of relief when she shook her head again.
"You look like a man who would be excellent on his feet." Vivian, the woman beside him interrupted his watch over Nicola. "Would you like to dance?"
Not really, he thought and swallowed his refusal. The woman had been an active generous supporter of his campaign. Abe knew his attitude sucked. He was going to have to fix it. "My pleasure," he said, standing and extending his hand.
He escorted Vivian to the floor and nodded as she discussed her garden club. "We would love to visit Crofthaven in the spring. Is there any chance?"
"My housekeeper and assistant make those decisions. As you know Crofthaven has a few years on her, so it seems like we're always renovating something."
The song ended and the band struck up a faster tune. Vivian smiled and shook her head. "Speaking of having a few years, this song is too young for my blood. What about you?"
Abe nodded and offered his arm to escort Vivian back to the table. Just as he turned, he saw Nicola dancing with both of the men from her table. He blinked. She laughed as
she shimmied and danced.
"We can leave that kind of dancing for the young crowd," Vivian said, taking her seat. "Would you like some more wine?"
No, Abe thought. I'd like a Scotch. Make it a double.
"Didn't I read that one of your children is getting married soon?" Vivian asked.
"Yes. Adam and Selene." He noticed the music slowed down a couple of notches and one of the young men dancing with Nicola pulled her into his arms. Abe's gut and throat tightened. He tugged at his collar.
"That must have presented an awkward situation for you. Your son getting romantically involved with your opponent's daughter."
Abe couldn't contain his irritation any longer. "Not at all. Selene's a lovely girl and she and Adam make each other very happy. That's what really matters, isn't it?" he said, then rose to his feet. "Excuse me."
He didn't know if he was more irritated with Vivian's references to his age or Nicola dancing so closely with the young turk from her dinner table. He couldn't do a damn thing about his age, but he could do something about Nicola. Approaching the dancing couple, he tapped the man on his shoulder. "May I?"
Nicola looked at him in surprise, her partner looked at him in confusion. "May you what?" her partner asked.
"May I cut in?" Abe ordered more than asked.
"Oh, sure. Sure." The young man smiled. "Go ahead. I'll catch you later, Nicola."
Abe swallowed a growl and pulled Nicola into his arms. "Those two moved in fast," he said, sighing at the sensation of her body against his. It had been too long.
"What?"
"Your dinner companions," he said, unable to keep the irritation from his tone.
"Harmless flirts. I figured I was lucky I didn't get stuck next to someone boring."
"Like I did," Abe muttered.
Nicola looked up at him. "Is that why you cut in to dance with me? To rescue yourself from boredom?"
"You can think that if you want," he said, stroking the inside of her wrist with his thumb.
She bit her lip. "What a noncommittal response, Senator."
"You want committed? I can give you committed," Abe said, guiding her to a less crowded area. "I'm tired of pretending there's nothing between us. I'm tired of playing games with the press and the public. I'm tired of you playing games with me."
