One Winter's Night

by Lori Borrill

  “How close are you?”

  Her doorbell rang. “Close.”

  “That’s you, isn’t it?”

  “Yep.”

  Still holding the phone in her hand, she stepped to the entry and opened the door to find Troy standing there with a bushy evergreen in one hand and a shopping bag in the other. He wore a dark navy peacoat with a matching knit cap pulled low over his head, and with a light flush of cold coloring his cheeks, he looked as sexy as a magazine model. It brought her attention back to her own dire appearance.

  “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting company,” she said. “I’m not exactly dressed appropriately.”

  Those blue eyes scanned her from head to toe. “You look beautiful, Jeannie.”

  He’d said it with such open sincerity that she genuinely believed him. Instead of the typical suave attempt at flattery, Troy’s matter-of-fact observation seemed to come straight from the heart. And it hit hers square in the center.

  “Well, come in.” She backed up and pulled the leash off Arnie. Their walk was officially canceled, though Arnie didn’t seem to mind. Something more exciting had shown up.

  The tree still propped in one hand, Troy bent down to pet the dog. “Hey, buddy boy.” Arnie became an instant fan. “You’re an old guy, aren’t you?”

  “I found him at the shelter five years ago,” Jeannie explained. “I’d gone to look at some puppies, but when I got there Arnie gave me the look.”

  Troy nodded. “I know that look.”

  “Do you have a dog?”

  “An Irish setter, but he’s still with my folks.” He stood up and eyed the room. “So where should we put this?”

  “How about the corner by the window? I can move the chair to the spare bedroom.”

  After fetching the stand from his truck, he went to work setting up the tree while Jeannie started a pot of coffee.

  “Can you stay and help me decorate it? I’ve put on coffee and I’ve got stuff for sandwiches in the fridge.”

  “I’d love to.”

  He pulled off his cap and shrugged out of his coat, revealing that sexy upper body she’d admired back at the summer picnic. Seeing him again in worn jeans and a T-shirt, she confirmed that the attraction she’d felt through the night most definitely wasn’t misguided appreciation. The man had a seriously nice body. She only wondered why she’d so easily let a smooth compliment distract her from it. Obviously, when it came to men, Jeannie had a few lessons to learn.

  They spent the next few hours working on the tree while listening to holiday music and sharing their Christmas traditions. And the more she continued to learn about Troy, the more smitten she became.

  She eyed him as he cut strips of color paper for the garland they were making. The image took on a new dose of sweetness when she considered that just two years ago he was in a combat area overseas. Now he was sitting on her living-room floor doing the childlike task of making paper garland, all the while acting like he was genuinely having a good time.

  She studied him then looked up at the tree. “That tree wasn’t on sale, was it?”

  “Nope,” he casually replied without so much as looking up from his cuttings.

  “You bought it as an excuse to come over.”

  He shrugged. “You said yesterday that it wasn’t going to seem like Christmas.” He looked up at the tree, the white lights twinkling behind a mix of ornaments that were half store-bought and half concocted from things she had around her house. “Now it seems like Christmas.”

  And for Troy, it was just that simple. She’d complained and he’d come to fix it. She got the impression if she asked for the world he’d find a way to hand that over, too.

  “Troy Hutchins, you’re the loveliest man I know.”

  He slid her a glance and winked. “I am a catch. I’m glad it hasn’t taken you long to see that.”

  She giggled. “Yes, I pick up on things pretty quickly.”

  And that included the fact that if she didn’t take this man’s affections seriously, she was the biggest idiot in the world.

  Her midnight fantasies came back to her full swing as she took in that subtle mouth and wondered what he could do with it. She ached to settle the debate over what kind of kisser he was, though by this point, she barely cared. If he didn’t kiss well, she’d teach him how and enjoy every minute in training. It was the soul one couldn’t change, and Jeannie wasn’t sure she’d ever met a better one. For sure, she doubted she’d ever meet someone like him again.

  “I also think you didn’t come over just to drink coffee and make paper Christmas decorations,” she said, putting down her paper chain and scooting a little closer.

  She caught his freshly showered scent and it smelled good. She wanted to kiss him and knew without a doubt that if it was going to happen, it would have to be her move. And that alone was rather exciting. Jeannie had never been the seductress before. She’d always let the man take the lead. But given that it had taken Troy this long to simply make his interest known, she wasn’t going to wait on him to make a pass to get her into bed. That could be months.

  She watched a hard swallow roll down his throat as his eyes dropped down to her chest. She wished she wasn’t wearing her frumpy sweatshirt. The view would have been so much more enticing if she’d slipped on something a little revealing, but the hungry look on his face said it didn’t really matter. His mind was going where hers was already waiting.

  “I came to spend time doing anything you want to do,” he said, his gaze sliding down farther.

  She took the scissors and set them on the table, then guided his big hand up under her sweatshirt and placed it on her breast. “I’d like to do something like this,” she whispered, moving her lips close to his where all he had to do was turn his head to kiss her.

  A dark fire smoothed over his gaze as he palmed her breast and let out a slow sigh. “We could do this,” he uttered hoarsely. Then without waiting for another advance, he tugged her onto his lap, cupped her cheek with his hand and smothered her mouth with his.

  5

  TROY TOOK JEANNIE IN his arms and tried to remember a time when he’d wanted something so badly. For months, he’d ached and pined and daydreamed, first waiting for her to be available then strategizing the best way to get her right here in this spot. And now that he had what he wanted and his fantasy was real in his arms, he had no idea where to start.

  He drew her mouth to his and got his first taste, sweet just like he’d expected. It took all his restraint to kiss her gently, to take his time, to hold back, when his body begged him to devour and possess. With hands nearly trembling with need, he smoothed them over her breasts and down her waist. She felt exactly as he’d imagined, soft and tender, the way he’d always liked a woman. And it was just another arrow in his heart.

  He’d been in love with Jeannie since the first day they met. She’d stolen his heart and now she was here offering him the most intimate part of her soul. He only prayed that for her this wasn’t simply a fling. He didn’t think it was. He didn’t picture Jeannie as the type to casually take a lover then move on the next day, and the fact that she was here, spreading her body for him, had to mean he’d done his job in stealing her affections.

  He hoped so, because he knew once this night was over there would be no going back. He loved her deeply, wanted her badly, and once he got inside retreat wouldn’t be an option.

  She groaned and splayed her hands over his shoulders as she pressed her bottom against his erection. “I think we should move this to the bedroom,” she suggested, sending a pulse of fire through his veins.

  The words were music to his ears, exactly what he’d dreamed of hearing for months, but despite himself, he couldn’t go forward with this unless she truly understood.

  Cupping her face in his hands, he looked into those beautiful blue eyes and confessed, “I want that more than anything, but you have to understand, Jeannie. For me, this isn’t casual.”

  Some of the heat drained from her gaze
and she blinked. “I didn’t think it was.”

  “So if you don’t feel you’re ready for all this, I think we need to slow down.”

  His body cursed him and his heart stopped beating while he watched her expression and waited for her reply. It was agony knowing he could take her right now without thought for tomorrow, but he knew this had to be said. Because no matter how wonderful a weekend in Jeannie’s bed would be, it wouldn’t match the heartache of having her only to discover that this would be a one-time thing.

  Slowly a smile formed on her face. “I couldn’t make love to a man I wasn’t serious about.”

  “I’m sorry,” he quickly said. “I didn’t mean to insinuate—”

  She pressed a finger to his lips and shushed him. “I’d be a fool to let a wonderful man like you slip through my fingers.” Her smile widened. “I’d like to be your girlfriend. I want to be your lover. And spend the time finding out if we could be something more.”

  “Oh, Jeannie,” he said, pulling her mouth to his and drinking in those beautiful words. He ached to tell her how much he loved her, but he knew it was too much too soon. So instead, he scooped her up and took her to bed, deciding to show her with his hands and body just how deeply his feelings went.

  The path to her bedroom felt like miles, and when they finally got there, he let her down and helped her out of her clothes, the pressure building in his loin with every inch of supple skin she exposed. And when she finally shed it all, he stood for a long moment and simply took it in.

  “So beautiful,” he whispered, placing his hot hands against her waist and taking a bare breast between his lips. She lolled her head to the side and moaned, arching into him, drawing him closer before a shiver ran over her and she sighed.

  “You need to come to bed,” she said, grabbing his shirt and drawing him toward the big double bed in the center of her room. “I want you naked and inside me.”

  She wasn’t going to have to ask him twice.

  BARE, HOT AND READY, Jeannie slipped under the covers as she watched Troy pull off his clothing and expose that glorious body. His wonderful confession in her living room still sounded in her ears, but more touching than the words he’d spoken had been the look in his eyes as he expressed his intentions.

  She’d never had a man look at her with such affection, nor had she ever felt in her heart such a deep sense that she’d found something special. As Troy ducked under the covers and covered her body with his, there wasn’t a remnant of doubt in her mind that she’d found a man worth pursuing, and that knowledge filled her heart.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said again, smoothing his hands over her skin and leaving a trail of heat in their wake. And then he went to work filling her body with pleasure.

  She drew a shuddering breath as his lips touched her breasts, she gasped when his long fingers slipped up between her legs, and she moaned as he used his hands and lips to coax her toward climax. Every inch of his hard body seduced her, from the firm planes of his chest down to his strong thighs tickling against her toes. And with every touch, she edged closer to bliss.

  They took their time stroking and exploring while Christmas music from the living room filled the air, and it wasn’t long before they’d found an easy rhythm. He pushed two fingers deep then eased them out, ebbing and arcing, circling and thrusting until she began to squirm in his embrace.

  “Yes,” he urged, his mouth pressed close to her temple. “Come for me, baby.”

  And she did, digging her fingers into those strong biceps and circling her calf around his as she pulled him close and drowned her cries in the crook of his neck.

  “Oh, yeah,” he groaned, the silky lull of his voice spilling like velvet over her skin. “I like you like this.” He pressed his lips over her skin, across her shoulder. “Relaxed, pleasured and happy.” He moved over her and sank his gaze into hers. “There’s nothing more stunning than the look on your face right now.”

  Then with one smooth move, he sheathed himself and pushed inside.

  “Ohhh,” Jeannie groaned as his thick length filled her. He moved in one long stroke, filling her deeply until she arched her back to take in more. And as he began working up another climax, she realized that even her fantasies hadn’t done justice to the man taking possession of her now.

  She’d imagined his gentle touches as well as the commanding force of his thrust. But what she’d missed was that cherished look in his eyes that couldn’t be fabricated in her dreams. And as he brought them to the edge and over, that look touched a place that had never felt contact before.

  For a long time after, he remained inside, their bodies connected. And when their breathing slowed and she rolled into his arms, she rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

  “I just realized, you’re the answer to my Christmas wish,” she said.

  He tenderly kissed her forehead, as she curled into his embrace. “How’s that?”

  “Remember that guy at the party last week dressed as Santa Claus?” she asked.

  “Sure.”

  “I eventually caught up to him at the end and had the strangest conversation. I’d been feeling unappreciated, annoyed with the people at work and depressed that my parents had changed their plans for Christmas Eve. And when I said something to that effect, he’d told me that I couldn’t control the people around me, but if I was lucky, I could find someone special who would make me feel special.”

  He stroked his long fingers slowly up her back. “I think that’s how love works.”

  Tipping her chin up, she looked up at him and grinned. “I think he brought me you.”

  “I’m pretty sure he did,” Troy agreed.

  Coiling her arm around his waist, she pressed her mouth to his chest and drank him in, from the true heart behind those ribs to the sexy body wrapped in hers. She couldn’t deny that what she was experiencing right now was a gift, and she intended to cherish it for as long as Troy would let her.

  “So did you find out where the odd guy came from?” he asked.

  “No, I didn’t. I never asked. But I’ve chosen to think he was magic. Maybe even the real Santa Claus.”

  “I like that.”

  Then she pulled herself up and kissed Troy, long and deep until they were kissed out and had to come up for air.

  “Merry Christmas, baby,” Troy said, brushing his nose against hers.

  “Yes, it most definitely is.”

  Epilogue

  JEANNIE CARMICHAEL WALKED brusquely toward Wacker Drive with Nick Castle, both having run into each other before work at the same coffee shop, as they sometimes did. It was two weeks after New Year’s and the bitter cold of January still hung in the early morning air as they headed for Willis Tower to start their workday.

  “So did you enjoy the holidays this year?” Jeannie asked.

  “It was great. How about you?”

  Jeannie smiled wide. “It was my best Christmas ever.”

  Nick winked. “I take it our buddy Troy had something to do with that.”

  Jeannie slid him a glance. She could have made the same comment about he and Allie Madison, considering it was all over the office that the two of them had become an item. But she kept that to herself. Despite the rumors, she got the impression Nick and Allie were trying to keep their new relationship out of the spotlight, at least until they could prove to management that the romance wouldn’t get in the way of their jobs. Silly, since no one assumed it would, but given John Jr. had recently announced his resignation and everyone was speculating that Nick might replace him, she could understand their desire to keep their personal lives personal for the time being.

  “There’s nothing better than spending the holidays with the ones you love,” was all she said.

  “You’ve got that right.”

  As they rounded the corner, they approached Monica Newell heading for the lobby doors.

  Nick checked his watch. “It’s 7:55, Monica. You keep showing up for work this late, people are going to ac
cuse you of slacking.”

  Jeannie’s eyes widened. Only Nick could get away with making a statement like that to Monica, and even so, Jeannie wondered what kind of snapping remark he’d get back. But to her surprise, Monica actually smiled and laughed.

  “All work and no play makes Monica a dull gal, Nick. You know that.”

  Jeannie blinked. She had to be hearing things, because it sounded like Monica just made a joke.

  Then to add to her shock, Monica added, “Good morning, Jeannie.” She gestured to Jeannie’s scarf. “That’s a beautiful scarf. Was that a Christmas present?”

  “Uh, yes, yes, it was.”

  Monica’s smile was genuine. “Someone has lovely taste.”

  “My sister, thanks.”

  As Nick held open the door, the two women stepped in, Jeannie still in a state wondering what had happened to turn Monica from a chilly ice queen into someone…nice.

  “There’s our short-timer,” Nick said from over her shoulder, and Jeannie looked up to see John Jr. standing at the elevator.

  John nodded. “I start the police academy in three weeks.”

  Nick shook his head. “I still say you’re crazy as a loon.”

  “I don’t,” Jeannie said. “I think it’s great you’re pursuing your dream.”

  John scowled at Nick before turning and grinning at Jeannie. “Thank you, Jeannie. I’m pleased to say that I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

  As the two men entered the elevator, Jeannie mused that she could say the same about herself. And Nick for that matter. In fact, now that she recalled, this wasn’t the first time since Christmas that she’d noticed the smile on Monica’s face, too. It seemed ever since the holidays, the whole tone at Stryker & Associates had changed. People were more relaxed, were acting kinder to each other, not so pressured and aloof.

  Or maybe it was just her imagination. Who knew?

  As the elevator doors began to close, a man slipped through and Jeannie immediately recognized him as the peculiar man who had been at their holiday party. Except now he wasn’t dressed up like Santa Claus. Today he was wearing a charcoal-gray overcoat and a dark navy suit. His hair was trimmed and his beard was shorter, but Jeannie was positive it was the same man who had entertained at their party all night.