A Texas Christmas Homecoming

by Nancy Robards Thompson

  Now, he wanted to reacquaint himself with her mouth…reintroduce himself to her body…bury himself deep inside her, exactly the way he’d done all those years ago.

  He needed to tell her this.

  But before the words could find their way past his lips, she leaned in and kissed him.

  It was a soft, tentative kiss on the lips. But it had him setting down his wineglass and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap and returning a lingering kiss, trailing kisses down her throat.

  They took their time getting close, until finally, she took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

  His hands locked on her waist, taking possession of her body.

  She tucked herself into his chest. He buried his face in her hair, breathed in the scent of her—that delicious smell of vanilla, lavender, and the red wine they’d been drinking. Her scent that was so familiar, yet new. It hit him in a certain place that rendered him weak in the knees.

  He breathed her in and melted with the heat of her body.

  “Make love to me, Eli.”

  Smoothing a lock of hair off her forehead, he kissed the skin he uncovered, then searched her eyes. She answered him with a kiss, a silent, Yes, I want this. I need this.

  Relishing the warmth of her, and the way she clung to him, he cradled her face in his palms and kissed her softly, gently, until her fingers found his. She laced their fingers together. Their hands lingered a moment, gripping, flexing, hesitating, as he silently gave her one last chance to object, to escape, to run away from what was about to happen.

  “You know I want this, but I don’t want you to think this was all a plan to get you into bed.”

  “Why not?” she asked, her lips inches away from his.

  *

  She wanted it to happen. She’d been waiting for it to happen since the minute she laid eyes on him again at the ball last weekend. She’d finally shoved away the dark curtain of the past that threatened to close between them. The voice that reminded her that there was so much water under the bridge. That she’d laid a lot on him tonight telling him about Lyle.

  Stop thinking about Lyle.

  All she wanted was Eli.

  Right here. Right now.

  Not the past.

  Not the future.

  The present.

  Right now.

  A rush of need spiraled through her. He must have sensed it because he let go of her hands and his arms encircled her. Her lips parted on a sigh and gave him full permission to take possession of every inch of her.

  He claimed her mouth, her body, and her last shred of reason. Her fingers slipped into his hair and pulled him close, closer until they were kissing with a need so frantic it threatened to consume her.

  She clung to him, relishing the closeness, the way that their bodies fit together perfectly, feeling his desire pressing against her, as his hands swept down the outer edge of her body and claimed her bottom, pulling her to him.

  Then they were tugging away their clothes: her sweater, her skirt, his shirt, his pants; until they’d gotten rid of every barrier between them so that they stood together naked and wanting.

  Together again.

  At last.

  He held her so close that she could hear his heart beating. She felt safe and at home for the first time in years.

  His lips found hers again, and she shut out everything else but the need that was driving them to join their bodies.

  He kissed her neck, and her fingers swept over his broad shoulders and muscled arms, before reacquainting her touch with the curve of his butt. She pulled him even closer so that the hardness of him pressed into her, urging her legs apart, searching, finding its way home.

  He eased her down onto the bed. It was insane how much she needed him. Utter madness.

  Above her, he claimed her mouth again, capturing her tongue, teasing her, pulling away to smile down at her. His lips were swollen and red, and she desperately wanted to taste them again.

  A warm, calloused palm splayed over one of her breasts. His fingers moved from one nipple to the other then trailed down her belly where they lingered and played, tracing small circles that made her stomach muscles tighten and spasm in agonizing pleasure. Then his hand dipped further still, teasing its way down her body and edging toward a hidden place that begged for him.

  His fingers slid inside her, stroking, coaxing one moan after another until one shock after another vibrated through her and she couldn’t be without him any longer.

  She ached for him, needed more.

  So much more.

  But they needed to be careful.

  “Wait here,” she said, pulling away. “I brought something. Just in case we needed it.”

  She got the box of condoms she’d bought before the trip, taking out one, but bringing the rest into the bedroom.

  After he’d covered himself, he covered her body with his, and she marveled again at how perfectly they still fit together.

  His first thrust stole her breath, made her delirious. As his own moan escaped his lips, his gaze locked on hers, and he slid his hands beneath her bottom, helping her match his moves in and out of her body.

  It had been so long. The only other person she’d been with was Lyle and it had never been good. Not like this.

  With each strong, shameless thrust, he took greedily, but gave back so much more, driving her to the brink again and again until they both exploded together in an ecstasy the likes of which she’d never known.

  As they lay there, sweaty and spent, Eli held her protectively, as if he’d never let her go. Rachel could finally breathe. Her tension had melted away like sweet creamery butter on a hot griddle. She had so much to be thankful for. Mostly, because for the first time since she could remember, she knew what it felt like to be loved.

  Chapter Eight

  The next morning, waking up with Eli and discovering it was not a dream was heaven. They made love two more times before showering together and going up to the main house for breakfast.

  She was heavy with mixed emotions. It was as if telling Eli her secret had set her free from the shackles that had burdened her all these years. It had been a long time since things had been this good, this right. She and Eli still connected on a level like she had with no other person. If she didn’t know better, she might believe was letting herself fall in love with him again.

  Really, she’d never stopped loving him. But over the years when everything seemed so hopeless, she’d contained it.

  However, now that the possibility was out on the table, she felt vulnerable. It stood to reason, the more you revealed yourself to someone, the more ammunition they had to hurt you. She had handed Eli the mother lode.

  So, maybe it was simple self-preservation that kept cautioning her to be careful and warning, Are you setting yourself up to be hurt again?

  As if he could read her, Eli kept the conversation light on the way to the Christmas tree lot. They talked about the wineries they’d visited, how they compared to his favorites in California and what they could do, in addition to making the best wine possible, to make the Barrels Winery stand out from the pack.

  “We should fly out to Napa sometime so you can get a feel for it,” he said.

  “That would be fun.” She knew she should’ve amended that answer to include, but it’s difficult for me to leave Katie overnight for extended periods. But they’d pulled into the tree lot’s parking lot and immediately the conversation shifted to looking for a space.

  It was busy on this Saturday morning, two weeks and two days before Christmas.

  “There are a lot of people out shopping for a tree,” Eli said as he steered his truck into a spot in the field bordering the lot. Rachel didn’t wait for him to open her door. She hopped out into a blast of icy wind. She stopped to zip up her jacket.

  “Are you cold?” Eli put his arm around her, drawing her in to his warmth. He bent his head down and kissed her.

  She was suddenly aware that this was a very pub
lic display of affection. They were on the outskirts of Whiskey River, but this was the place that all of Whiskey River came to buy Christmas trees. On one of the busiest Saturdays of the season.

  “Oh, look at this.” She pulled out of his protective embrace and walked ahead to a cluster of nine-foot blue spruce trees. “You’ll need a tall tree to offset the high ceilings in the bungalow.”

  “Or maybe a tabletop model would work better,” he teased.

  “No, you need the real thing.” She motioned for him to follow her to a section that had Fraser firs.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. You pick. I saw a sign that said they have ornaments in the gift shop where we pay. Let’s pick out some things to dress up this baby.”

  They were waiting in line to pay for the tree when a family from Katie’s preschool got in line behind them. Katie had just been to the little girl Beatrice’s birthday party three weeks ago.

  “Rachel, is that you?” said Robin, Beatrice’s mom.

  “Hi, Robin,” Rachel said. “It’s nice to see you.”

  Robin looked at Eli and then back at Rachel in a way that said she was waiting for Rachel to introduce them. Rachel’s stomach tightened. Coming here along with the rest of the population of Whiskey River had been a bad idea. She hadn’t thought it through when she’d urged Eli to get a tree. She should’ve minded her own business. After quickly weighing the pros and cons, Rachel decided it would be better to be proactive in the matter.

  “Robin, this is my friend, Eli Lane. He’s new to town. Well, not really new. He went to high school here and he’s just moved back. He’s opening a vineyard up by the Pedernales River.”

  Robin’s jaw dropped. “Is it that one Logan Calloway is involved with?”

  “One and the same,” Eli said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Frank,” Robin turned to her husband. “You need to meet Eli. He’s opening that vineyard with Logan Calloway.”

  Frank, who had previously been preoccupied with his phone, was suddenly all charm and interest. It was amazing how being someone or even being associated with someone who was an important someone opened doors that were previously bolted shut. It seemed that everyone wanted to be Eli’s friend once they learned about the Logan connection.

  Rachel decided she’d better get used to it. It was just the way the world worked.

  As Frank engaged Eli in animated conversation, Robin asked, “Where’s Katie today?”

  “She’s with our neighbor.”

  The less said the better.

  She didn’t know this woman well, not beyond the casual conversation of kid birthday parties and school programs. Even so, Robin eyed Eli like he was prime chop and she was a hungry tiger. Eyes bright, she leaned in. “So, are you two dating?”

  Dating?

  Oh, God. Oh, no. It was suddenly difficult to breathe.

  Had Robin somehow picked up that Katie had been with a sitter overnight so that she and Eli could go away?

  On business. It was for vineyard business.

  Even though they had slept together.

  But dating? She had no idea where they stood.

  Even though they’d been together last night, in their perfect world cocoon, out in the harsh glare of the real world, Rachel didn’t know what to say.

  Or what to do.

  “Eli and I are discussing the possibilities of being business partners.”

  She knew he heard her because he shot her a quick, quizzical look—like he couldn’t believe she’d just said that.

  She needed to stop talking before she dug herself in deeper.

  It had been more than a decade since she’d spent much time with Eli. Sure, he’d been a perfect prince, absolutely charming, making her think and feel things she hadn’t thought and felt in years. But did she really know him anymore?

  She’d gotten herself into trouble with Lyle because she’d rushed things. She’d let his initial charm go to her heart rather than thinking with her head.

  She needed to slow things down with Eli. Because this time her actions impacted on her daughter as well as herself.

  All she knew was it was getting late. She had to go home.

  *

  On nights like the Floats, Boats, and Whiskey Barrels Festival, Rachel wished she wasn’t tied to her shop and it made the Mama Bear offer even more tempting.

  The annual Christmas river parade was a Whiskey River tradition and Rachel hadn’t been able to attend it since she’d moved back and opened her shop because she’d always had to work. This year, there had been a crazy moment when she’d contemplated going in on a float with the folks at Banner Bread, but she’d had to withdraw at the last minute when she’d gotten the catering job for Felicity’s Ball.

  So, here she was again, preparing her shop for the crowds of celebrating merrymakers who would flood the square after the river parade was over. Really, she wasn’t complaining. The shop was so warm and cozy with the scent of freshly baked cookies in the air and colorful holiday displays livening up the place. She loved the way the shop looked at night with the lights on, contrasting against the inky night outside the large picture windows. The lights gave the place a bright, festive look that was inviting.

  Floats, Boats, and Whiskey Barrels marked the official kick-off to the holiday season and Christmas on the Square, which ran for five consecutive days and nights.

  During this magical week, all the shops remained open until ten, offering special Christmas bargains and serving refreshments to the shoppers who had come out to support the local merchants. Cookies and S’more(s) was giving away free hot chocolate. The restaurants and bars stayed open later, too, lending themselves to the event’s festive air.

  Rachel checked the cookie case one more time to make sure she couldn’t squeeze in a few more. Next, she straightened the decorative gift tins she’d placed on a shelf near the door. She was eager to show the shoppers the cookie baskets and custom assortments she could put together. They’d make great gifts for hard-to-buy-for people.

  But the thing she was most excited about was her week-long gingerbread house extravaganza. Every day of the five of Christmas on the Square, she would reveal a unique gingerbread house that she had designed, baked and constructed. Shoppers would stop in to add their own decorative touches and she would display the finished products at the end of the day in her shop window. Right now, she had five empty pedestals in her window, but the first house awaiting the community decorating effort was on a table in the middle of the shop, along with red, white, and green icing and sprinkles, gumdrops, starlight mints, chocolate chips, red hots, mini candy canes, marshmallows, red and black licorice, and pretzel sticks, and an array of other edible objects d’art.

  Katie, who was sitting on Betty’s lap at the table, was getting a jump on the festivities at a two to one ratio. Her little girl was eating two pieces of candy for every one she stuck on the house. She was wearing more of the icing than she’d put on the house. Rachel would let her have fun until the customers began arriving and then Betty would take her upstairs for a bath.

  She thought of Eli and whether he was out there among those enjoying the Floats, Boats, and Whiskey Barrels river parade. Maybe he’d stop in for more of her chocolate peppermint cookies and a cup of hot chocolate. But she pushed aside the thought. She hadn’t seen him since Saturday afternoon, when she’d left in a hurry to pick up Katie, leaving him to decorate the tree alone. It had freaked her out more than just a little bit being out in public.

  Actually, it had knocked her for a real loop. She shouldn’t have slept with him because she didn’t have room in her life right now for a relationship. Especially if she did end up selling Cookies and S’more(s) to Mama Bear and she took on the task of opening the restaurant or bistro…or whatever they decided they would be working together. What if she bet it all—her livelihood, her reputation, her heart—on that venture and she lost? What if she and Eli rekindled things and they broke up? Where would that leave her?

  She h
adn’t completely ruled the restaurant out, but she’d have to establish the terms. But before she could do that, she needed to get through tonight.

  The boat parade was over. People were beginning to stream into her shop. Betty whisked away an over-sugared Katie. Polly was serving the hot chocolate and Rachel was rushing around trying to accommodate customer requests and answer questions.

  How had she gotten by without Polly in the past?

  Had she really worked the shop alone all these years?

  Of course, Katie had been younger and in some ways easier to handle because she hadn’t realized how much time the shop took.

  What am I thinking trying to work in opening a restaurant for the winery? Of course, it would work if I accepted the Mama Bear offer… And gave up everything I’ve worked so hard for? But the restaurant is a dream and it could turn out to be even better… And I could fall flat on my ass and lose everything…

  STOP!

  She didn’t have time for this now.

  “How much is that lovely large basket in the window?” asked a woman who was decked out in a red sweatshirt emblazoned with pictures of snowmen surrounding Santa Claus. She was wearing a long necklace made of blinking Christmas lights and a headband with reindeer antlers.

  Rachel offered her warmest smile. “I’d be happy to check for you.”

  “Thank you, dear,” said the woman. “And could you figure out how much it would be to fill it with assorted cookies? I don’t know if you remember, but when my little granddaughter was sick, I had you make up a care package of cookies to send to her. She swears that those cookies were the reason she got well. She said they’re better than medicine.”

  “Of course, I remember,” Rachel said. “Her name is Heidi and she lives in Indiana, right?”

  The woman beamed. “I can tell you that you have a customer for life in me and Heidi. My name is Evelyn.”

  She held out her hand and Rachel shook it. “Thank you, Evelyn. That means the world to me. Be sure and get on our mailing list because we send out special subscriber-only offers pretty regularly.”