A Thanksgiving To Remember

by Margaret Watson

Finally, she smiled. “Why do I think we have different definitions of stupid?”

  He stroked the side of her face. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a smart mouth?”

  “I don’t believe so.” Her eyes sparkled with humor. It was a more welcome sight than the fear that had been there earlier.

  “Consider yourself told.”

  She grinned and headed toward the stairs. As he watched her walk toward her bedroom, he felt his heart fly from his chest to follow her.

  In the next two weeks, Tina found herself hurrying home from work every day. She no longer lingered at the hospital to talk to the other nurses or volunteered to take extra shifts. She still loved her work, but now her focus was on getting home.

  Because Tom was there.

  He always made sure he was at the house when she got there. She knew he spent a lot of time driving and walking around Grand Springs, trying desperately to remember why he was there. But no matter where he went, he got back to her house before she did.

  And every time she pulled into her driveway and saw the lights blazing from the windows, her heart jolted in her chest and her pulse sped up. The lights meant Tom was inside.

  The last two weeks had been wonderful, but they’d also been more frustrating than any two weeks she could ever remember. Tom was trying hard to be a gentleman. He tried to avoid touching her. But the house was small, and they couldn’t avoid brushing against each other in the hallway, or bumping into each other when they worked in the kitchen. Every touch, however brief, set off tiny explosions inside her. And whenever she looked at him, she saw heat smoldering in his eyes.

  If she’d been more brave, or more experienced, she would have kissed him herself. But she wasn’t quite sure what to do, or how to go about seducing him. So she waited, aching with need, tossing and turning every night, her sleep disturbed by erotic dreams.

  Thanksgiving was approaching, a tiny dark cloud in the brightness of her life with Tom. One evening, after she’d come home from work, he surprised her by asking what was wrong.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Something is bothering you,” he said gently. “Does it have something to do with Thanksgiving?”

  Her first impulse was to deny it, but she found herself saying, “Yes, I guess it does.”

  “Can you tell me?” he asked, taking her hand across the table.”

  She was surprised to find that she wanted to tell him about it. “This is going to be my first holiday without my mother. I thought I was getting better, but I guess it’s bothering me more than I thought it would.” She turned her hand and gripped his.

  He brought their joined hands up to his mouth. He only touched her, she thought wryly, when there was at least a table separating them. “You won’t be alone, you know. I’ll be here with you.”

  “I’d hoped you would be, but I didn’t want to assume.”

  He lifted his head to look at her. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather spend Thanksgiving,” he said.

  “Thank you.”

  He kissed her hand one more time, then took his hand away and leaned back in his chair. He had been doing that for the past two weeks. Every time he got too close to her, he quickly backed away. “Are we going to make the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with all the trimmings?”

  “Absolutely. And we’ll watch the football games, too.”

  “Football?” His eyes laughed at her. “Are you sure?”

  “My mother and I watched the football games every year,” she said. “It’s part of the tradition.”

  “Then football it will be.”

  She didn’t let him forget about his promise the next morning. “Get out of bed, sleepyhead,” she said, sticking her head inside his door. She kept her gaze firmly fixed on his head. She refused to look at his bare chest or where the blanket dipped dangerously low on his hips. “We have to get to the store. It’s the day before Thanksgiving. Do you know how crowded it will get?”

  Groaning, he turned to look at her. “I didn’t know you were going to be a slave driver about this.”

  “I’ll meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes,” she called, and hurried down to start the coffee. She’d been dreading the holiday for months. Now, suddenly, she was looking forward to the ritual of preparing a Thanksgiving meal.

  The next afternoon she sank down onto the couch and reached for Tom’s hand. “Come sit down. Now all we have to do is wait for the turkey to finish cooking.” Already, mouth-watering smells were filling the house.

  Instead of sitting down, Tom held her hand for a moment and looked down at her. “You look happy, Tina.”

  “I am happy.” Her heart expanded in her chest. “You’ve taken a day I’ve been dreading and made it into something special.” He had searched through her recipes and picked out several to try. Then he had teased her and made her laugh while they were getting the meal ready, until she’d been light-headed with delight.

  “You deserve to be happy. Holidays have always been special for you, weren’t they?”

  “How could you tell?”

  He smiled. “I can tell a lot of things. Your face is very expressive.”

  “No one’s ever said that before.”

  “Maybe no one’s ever looked closely enough before.”

  Suddenly, she wanted him to know everything about her. She wanted him always to be able to see into her heart, and know what was there. But her mind, still too cautious, skittered away from the thought.

  “Come on and sit down. I think the football game is about to start.”

  But as they watched the traditional Thanksgiving football game, she felt his gaze on her face more often than it was on the action in front of them. Her heart pounded, banging against her ribs until she was sure he could hear it. Finally she jumped up from the couch.

  “I’ll go check on the turkey.”

  But instead of staying in the living room, he followed her into the kitchen. “How does it look?”

  He was right behind her, so close that she could smell the faint tang of his scent over the smell of roasting turkey and dressing.

  “I think it’s about ready,” she said breathlessly.

  “Mmm, I think so.”

  She felt his breath on her neck and her skin tingled. When she reached for pot holders to take the turkey out of the oven, he slid them out of her hands. “Let me,” he murmured.

  She stepped aside, realizing that she was shaking. He quickly removed the turkey, along with the dishes that held the dressing and a casserole they’d made.

  In a few moment, they were sitting at the table. Tom’s dark eyes were fixed on her as she tried to eat. The food was delicious, but she hardly noticed the taste. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Tom. Her heart was pounding and her palms sweating. Desire rose inside her, blooming into a desperate need that she’d never felt before.

  Her hands were shaking by the time they finished eating. They put the food away, then Tom started to do the dishes. Tina touched his arm, feeling his muscles like corded iron beneath his shirt. Apparently, he was as tense as Tina. He was just better at hiding it.

  “Don’t worry about the dishes,” she said, her voice low and husky and unfamiliar. “We can do them later.”

  He turned to face her, and stilled when he saw her face. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive.”

  “Then what do you want to do?”

  That was the question. Tina wanted to be courageous and kiss him, but she didn’t know how. She was afraid she would be awkward and fumbling and not know what to do. She hesitated, then saw the understanding in Tom’s eyes.

  It was enough to steady her. “This is what I want to do,” she said, and reached out for him.

  Chapter 13

  She could feel Tom resisting, feel him holding himself back. Then, with a groan, he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her like a man dying of thirst who has just found water. He kissed her as if he never wanted to let her go.

  “Tina,” he groan
ed, “I’ve been trying so hard to stay away from you. Why did you have to do that?”

  “Why were you trying to stay away from me?” she murmured against his mouth.

  “Because I was afraid of what would happen if I touched you again. And it shouldn’t happen.”

  It took every bit of courage she possessed to lean back and look at his face. “What were you afraid would happen, Tom?”

  He ran his hand along the side of her face and gently eased her hair away from her forehead. “I was afraid that if I touched you again, I wouldn’t be able to stop. I was afraid that if I kissed you, I would end up making love to you.”

  Her heart leaped in her chest. “Why would that be wrong?”

  “Because you don’t know me, Tina. You don’t know who I am, and neither do I. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

  “Do you think you’re married?”

  Slowly he shook his head. “I can’t say no. But I don’t think so.” He hesitated, then said, “I don’t think I could feel the way I feel about you if I were married.”

  Her throat swelled and her heart melted. “Then where’s the problem?”

  “Don’t you see? I can’t make any promises to you. I don’t have the right. You know nothing about me, really.”

  “I know everything about you that I need to know. You’ve been living in my house for more than two weeks, for heaven’s sake. I know what kind of person you are.”

  His eyes glittered with desire, but she could see the tenderness there, too. “Are you trying to seduce me, Tina?” he said, bending forward to kiss her.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think I hope you are.”

  She closed her eyes. “I think I am.”

  “It’s working.” He bent to kiss her again, and her body turned to water. She pressed against him, shaking, and he groaned into her mouth.

  Then he swept her into his arms. “Where do you want me to take you?” he asked, and she realized that even now, he was giving her a choice. They would make love only if it was what she wanted.

  “The bedroom,” she whispered, feeling her face flush. She had no idea she could be so bold.

  He tensed, then she could feel his body trembling, too. He buried his mouth in her hair, then raised his head. “Are you sure, Tina?”

  Slowly she nodded, and suddenly all the fear was gone. This was exactly what she wanted, what she had wanted for a long time. “I want to make love with you,” she said.

  He carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Snow had started falling, and the world outside the windows was bright and silent. The only thing she heard was her breathing, and Tom’s. They both sounded as if they’d been running.

  Tom lowered her to her bed, and pulled back the quilt. He stood watching her as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. Then he pulled off his jeans, until he was dressed only in his white briefs. Tina couldn’t tear her eyes away from the huge bulge in the front of them. She swallowed once, hard, wondering if she’d made a mistake.

  She began fumbling with the buttons of her own blouse, but Tom took her hands away and kissed them. “Let me. Please,” he said.

  He knelt in front of her and slowly unhooked each button from her blouse. When he was finished, he pushed it aside and bent to kiss her chest. Her skin jumped and shivered, and she felt her nipples tighten.

  Tom noticed, because his eyes darkened and his breathing quickened. Slowly he bent to kiss her breast through the blue silk of her bra. The sensation speared through her and she gasped.

  “Have I told you how much I like what you wear under your clothes?” he muttered. His hands swept over her. “But I think I’d like this better if it was someplace else.”

  He unhooked her bra with one flick of his fingers, then he gently removed it. She was sitting on the bed, naked from the waist up, and she had to squelch an impulse to cross her arms over her chest.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, smoothing his hands over her. He lifted her breasts in his hands, then bent to kiss each one in turn. Tina forgot about covering herself as she melted with pleasure.

  Tom wasn’t in a hurry, and by the time he lifted his head, she was whimpering with need. His eyes glittered. “I want more of you, Tina,” he said. “May I?”

  Wordlessly she nodded. She couldn’t have spoken if her life depended on it. Tom pressed her back onto the bed, unfastened her jeans and slid them down her legs. He looked at the tiny scrap of silk that she wore beneath her jeans, then looked up at her face.

  “It’s a good thing I never saw this,” he muttered, “or we would have been in this bed long before today.”

  Sitting on the bed, he bent and kissed her abdomen, close to the waistband of her panties. As his mouth trailed liquid fire over her skin, he reached up and touched her nipple again. She felt herself lifting off the bed, trying to get closer to him.

  In a haze of sensuality, she felt him slip his hand under the lace and cup her intimately.

  Before she could react, he slid one finger against her, and a flood of new sensations crashed through her.

  With an inarticulate murmur, she pulled him against her. He pressed her against the bed, and she could feel his heat and hardness against her. But before she could panic, he touched her again, and she melted against his hand.

  His mouth was on hers, tasting her, kissing her with a desperation she was just beginning to understand. Finally, he lifted his head. “Don’t move, sweetheart.”

  He leaned down and grabbed his jeans, fumbling in his pocket. Then he shucked off his briefs and tore open a small foil packet.

  “I didn’t even think of protection,” she gasped.

  “I did.”

  He slid the scrap of lace that was her last covering down her legs and tossed it on the floor. Then he looked at her. His gaze swept her from head to toe, and when he looked at her face again, she saw the tension in the tight lines of his face.

  “You’re so beautiful, Tina. Inside and out. I’ve dreamed about this since the first time I opened my eyes and saw you.”

  She pulled him down to kiss her again, and as he touched her, she felt the tension coiling inside of her. When she moved against his hand, he slid on top of her.

  He moved again, and she felt him probing against her. He slid inside her, then stopped abruptly.

  He eased away from her and touched her again. She gasped at the feelings gathering inside her. Then he moved his hand over her and the sensation exploded inside, shattering her. She heard herself calling his name, reaching for him, and suddenly he was inside her.

  There was pain, but only for a moment. Then Tom moved inside her and the sensation began building again.

  She shattered again and felt Tom tense around her. Then he shuddered and whispered her name. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

  It took a long time for her breathing to return to normal. She was aware of Tom, pressing her into the bed, his heart beating against hers. Finally he lifted his head.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was afraid you would stop, and I didn’t want you to stop.”

  “Of course I would have stopped. You were a virgin, Tina. You gave me a gift I don’t deserve.”

  “I wanted to make love with you, Tom.”

  “I’m incredibly honored.” He smoothed her hair away from her face. “And I hope I didn’t hurt you too much.”

  She shook her head, a lump forming in her throat at the tenderness in his eyes. “No.” She would never forget the care he had taken with her.

  “I should have been more careful.”

  “I’m not a delicate flower, Tom.”

  “No, but you were a virgin.”

  “Well, I’m not anymore, am I?” Tina raised herself on one elbow, feeling incredibly sexy. She would never have imagined herself being playful in bed with a man.

  Tom watched her for a moment, then he smiled. She saw desire blooming in his eyes again, and felt him stirring against her. “No, you’re not, are
you?”

  Tina opened her eyes and saw that she was pressed against Tom’s chest. Her legs were tangled with his, and Tom’s hand was curled around her breast.

  Memories of the night before flooded her, and she moved against him. But when he opened his eyes and gave her a lazy smile, she had a moment of panic.

  What was she supposed to do this morning? As wonderful as last night was, she had no idea how to act in the light of day. She scrambled for something to say, then Tom pulled her close.

  “Good morning,” he murmured into her ear. “I had a wonderful night. How about you?”

  “It was pretty fabulous,” she said, unable to meet his eyes.

  He sat up in the bed and pulled her with him, arranging the sheet so she was covered. “This has been a day of firsts for you, hasn’t it?” he said, kissing her. “And this is your first morning after.”

  “I wasn’t sure what to say,” she confessed.

  “I know. But it’s just me. Remember?”

  And suddenly it was all right. This was Tom. The man she…

  Her mind stopped. Surely she wasn’t ready to say that. Was she? She grabbed the sheet and prepared to bolt out of the bed. She would take a shower and get dressed. Then she could sort out her feelings.

  But Tom took her hand. “There is something I wanted to ask you,” he said, and she tensed. What would she say if he asked her if she loved him?

  “What?”

  He reached out and rubbed her back. “I want to know everything about you, Tina. I want to know you.” He turned her so she was facing him. “Will you tell me about your childhood? About what happened?”

  She stared at him for a moment, then relaxed. This was an easier question than the one she’d been expecting. And suddenly she realized that she wanted to tell him. She wanted him to know everything about her. She wanted to be sure that he wouldn’t turn away in disgust when he heard where she came from. And what she had done.

  “It’s a common story, and an ugly one,” she said quietly. “My father drank, and he beat my mother.”

  Tom’s hand tightened on hers. “Did he beat you, too?”