A Christmas Kiss

by Celeste O. Norfleet

  “I don’t want it.” June pushed the words through her clenched teeth. “I don’t want anything from you.”

  “June, I know you’re angry.” Benjamin set his gift back on the coffee table and straightened painfully. “But you’re mistaken about why Aliyah’s here.”

  “Am I?” June marched to the fireplace, putting the distance of the living room between them. “Your ex-wife is in your two-bedroom townhouse with you and your two adult children for the holidays. Where is she sleeping?”

  “In my bedroom but—”

  “In your room?” Her copper cheeks flushed scarlet. She threw her hands up as she spun away from him. “How can I possibly be misunderstanding that?”

  “I’m sleeping on the sofa.”

  “Oh, sure you are.”

  Benjamin narrowed his gaze on her slender back. “You don’t believe me.”

  June turned to face him. “You expect me to believe you’re sleeping on that block of cement you call a sofa for the entire weekend?”

  “Yes, and I have the back pain to prove it.”

  June angled her chin. Her eyes were cold as ice as they held each other’s gazes in silence. She marched across the living room, stopping a hairsbreadth in front of him. Before he could blink, she’d pulled back her fist and punched him in the arm with all her might. Benjamin rocked back on his heels. Pain shot from his shoulder, then radiated across his back. Once again, he lost his breath as his muscles seized up and down his spine. Stars spun in front of him. He squeezed his eyes shut as he struggled to control the pain.

  “Oh, my God, Ben. I’m so sorry.” June’s voice was a thin gasp of horror. She took his arm.

  “No, don’t touch me,” he begged.

  “Let me help you to sit down.”

  “I can’t move yet.”

  “Okay. Then just wait right here.” June sprinted past him and up the stairs.

  That was the problem. He couldn’t move. Although he was getting his breath back. Benjamin attempted to relax his muscles, one by one. First his neck, then his shoulders.

  June came charging back down the stairs. Benjamin envied her mobility.

  “I’m going to help you take off your coat and sweater.” She stopped beside him.

  “Why?” How much pain was she going to inflict on him before she forgave him—if she ever did?

  “So I can rub this onto your back.” June showed him an open jar of some nasty-smelling muscle ointment.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” It had been hard enough getting his clothes on this morning.

  “I do.” June set the ointment on the coffee table beside his much beleaguered gift. “This stuff worked miracles for Noah after his football games.”

  Benjamin snorted. “I bet Noah snaps to attention when you use that tone on him.”

  “Yes, he does.” June gave him a teasing grin. “And one day, so will you.”

  Her bright eyes and playful smile were melting the ice around his heart.

  June’s movements were slow and gentle as she helped him remove his dark gray down parka and his dark red knit sweater. Once he’d striped down from the waist up, she helped him to lie down on her sofa. The cushions were as soft as pillows. The good kind. He sighed. June applied the ointment to his aching muscles with a firm, circular motion. She pressed her fingertips into his back to massage as well as administer. They were silent as she worked to improve his abused back. Her touch was having an effect on other parts of his body as well.

  “You’re really good at this.” The salve was warming his muscles and easing their knots. “Did you know there are several brands that have odorless versions?”

  “You’re welcome.” Her response held humor as well as sarcasm. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” she added softly.

  “For a little person, you pack quite a punch.” His lips curved in an involuntary smile. “Your apology is accepted for as long as you massage my back. This is heaven.”

  “Then I’m going to have to learn to live without your forgiveness because my fingers are growing numb.” June’s soft laughter poured heat into Benjamin’s lower abdomen.

  “Could you help me up?”

  June was careful with him as Benjamin adjusted into a seated position on her sofa. She sat beside him. Her fascination with his bare chest melted more of the ice from his heart. Benjamin captured her left hand. He raised it to press his lips against her knuckles. Her hands were moist with the ointment that masked her usual powder and wildflowers scent.

  He lowered her hand but kept it trapped in his. “I’m sorry for my poor judgment. Aliyah and I both wanted to spend Christmas with Terry and Zora. Since they’d had Thanksgiving together in Chicago, I thought it was only fair that I got Christmas with them in Trinity Falls.”

  “I understand. And I do trust you.” June’s gaze was on their joined hands. She laced her fingers together with his. “I just had an uncomfortable flashback when I saw your ex-wife looking so cozy in your home.”

  “She won’t be for much longer.” Benjamin followed his impulse and kissed June’s temple. There he found the fragrance he’d been searching for, wildflowers and soft powder.

  June lifted her gaze to his. “What do you mean?”

  “My brothers opened my eyes to just how stupid I’d been to invite Aliyah to stay in my townhouse.” Why hadn’t he realized his mistake himself ? How could I have been so stupid? “Vaughn’s going to let her stay with him and Benita. She’ll spend Christmas Day with us but sleep at their house.”

  “That was nice of Vaughn and Benita.” June freed her hand from Benjamin’s. She rose from the sofa and crossed the room. “How do you feel about those arrangements?”

  Benjamin stood with much less pain. “I want our children to see that Aliyah and I are making an effort to get along. I don’t want them to feel as though they have to take sides.”

  “You’re right.”

  “And you were right when you said I should forgive her.” Benjamin took a step closer to June. “She’s the mother of my children.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Another step and they were an arm’s length apart. “But I want to spend my Christmases with my kids, Noah, and you.”

  June spun to face him. Her bright eyes were wide. Her full lips were parted. “You do?”

  “I’m falling in love with you, June. And I’m loving every minute of it.” Benjamin’s heart was pounding against his chest. His breaths were coming way too fast. “I hadn’t realized how numb I’d become until you came into my life. You make me happier than I’ve been in a very long time.”

  June’s smile was soft and shaky. She stepped into him, placing her hand on his chest above his thundering heart. “I’m falling in love with you, too.”

  Benjamin closed his eyes as a wave of joy crashed over him, shattering every speck of ice. He pulled June into his arms and pressed his mouth to hers. With his lips and tongue, he expressed all the love for her that was flooding his heart. And he drank all the love that she shared with him. With her in his arms, he could again believe in Christmas, the joy, the love, and the grace.

  June broke their kiss. She rested her head against his chest and sighed. “I want to give you your present now.”

  “I have everything I need.”

  She kissed his chest, then stepped back. “But there’s something I want to give you.”

  Benjamin arched a brow. “Really?”

  “I don’t think your back could handle me right now.”

  “You’re probably right.” Benjamin sighed. “Could you help me with my sweater?”

  Her gaze caressed his chest. “If I must.”

  Benjamin kissed away her pout. Together they managed to get his sweater on with a minimum of discomfort. His back was much better. It was an interesting feeling having her putting his clothes on him rather than taking them off.

  “Merry Christmas.” June handed him his gift.

  “Thank you.” He kissed her again.

  He tore
the wrapping paper from the large, flat object although he’d much rather be holding June in his arms. But when he turned the package over, surprise and pleasure washed over him. He was staring at an eight-and-a-half-by-eleven framed photograph of Terrence and Zora, posing on the campus of The Ohio State University.

  “How did you get this?” He stared at her in disbelief.

  “I drove down to OSU and they let me take their picture.” She gestured toward the gift. “It was time you had a more recent photograph of them.”

  “This is perfect. Thank you.” Benjamin pulled her into his embrace. He couldn’t think of a better Christmas gift. He released June to lay the framed photograph gently on the coffee table. He found his parka and pulled a package from its inside pocket. “Merry Christmas.”

  “Thank you.” June carefully unwrapped the paper.

  “You’re not going to reuse the paper.” His anxiety already was at a breaking point and she was taking too long.

  “Be patient, Ben.” June gave him a scolding look. She pulled the wrapping paper aside—and gasped. She stared at the compact disc as though expecting it to disappear. “How did you know?”

  Benjamin grinned his satisfaction. “Noah told me about it.”

  He tapped the cover of the disc. The words Diaspora’s Christmas Sounds appeared on the red, green and black background.

  Her tears moved him. June dashed them away. “I can’t believe you found it. I’ve been looking for a copy for years.”

  “That’s what Noah told me.” Benjamin slipped an arm around her waist. “I was lucky to find it.”

  “These songs have so many wonderful memories for me.”

  “Now, you’ll have them to play for Christmas.”

  “Thank you so much.” June wrapped her arms around him. She kissed his lips, then smiled into his eyes. “With you, every day is Christmas.”

  His Christmas Gifts

  DEBORAH FLETCHER MELLO

  Chapter 1

  “Unbelievable!” Bianca Torres exclaimed, rushing into the office of her best friend and confidante, Priscilla “Cilla” Jameson. She practically slammed the office door closed behind her.

  Cilla sat staring as Bianca moved to the glass wall that bordered the reception and secretarial areas and closed the blinds. Her actions felt clandestine, as if the young woman didn’t want anyone to see or hear what she had to share.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My mother broke her knee!”

  “Oh, no!” Cilla exclaimed, concern washing over her expression. “Is she okay? What happened?”

  Bianca tossed up her hands in frustration, her tone reflecting her exasperation. “She fell out of a tree. Now she has to have surgery.”

  Cilla pursed her lips together. Amusement danced in her eyes and she struggled not to laugh. “Why was your mother in a tree?” she asked.

  Bianca tossed her friend a look, not finding anything funny. “We’re talking about my mother,” she answered, her eyes expressing that no further explanation was needed.

  Cilla’s eyes blinked rapidly as she got a visual of seventy-five-year-old Sharon Torres climbing a tree and then falling from it. As she imagined the woman’s requisite African-print robes billowing around her petite frame, her snow-white dreadlocks trailing down her back, she suddenly laughed out loud. Seconds later, Bianca was laughing with her.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Cilla gasped, trying to catch her breath. Tears misted her eyes. “I know that’s not funny, but I can only imagine what your mother had to be doing in that tree.”

  “Right?” Bianca shook her head, swiping the tears from her own eyes. “Daddy says she crushed her knee completely and fractured her tibia. She’s having surgery tomorrow and then she’s in a wheelchair for the next four to six months.”

  “Oh, your poor mother!”

  “No, poor me! I have to go to Boone now. You know how much I hate going to the boonies. It’s like being stuck in small-town hell on steroids!”

  Cilla laughed. “Now you know it is not that bad. Boone is a beautiful city.”

  “For long weekends and very short visits. I’m going to be stuck there for the entire month of December. That’s all my vacation time and sick days I’ve accumulated for this year and next! And I have to cancel my Christmas cruise!”

  “Who goes on a cruise for Christmas anyway, Bianca?”

  “Smart people who don’t want the family drama.”

  Cilla shook her head. “How much drama can your family have? Your parents are the coolest, you’re an only child, and you haven’t been in a relationship with a man during the holidays since forever. There’s never any drama with the Torres family.”

  “Exactly, and that’s because I don’t spend my holidays with my crazy parents.” Bianca shifted in her seat. “So what are you doing for Christmas?”

  “Nothing special. I’ll probably spend the day in Charlotte with my folks, then I’ll spend the rest of the holiday home with a good book.”

  “Well, Christmas Day I wanted to be floating in an infinity pool, with a drink in my hand and a half-naked stranger sucking on my toes. But no, instead I have to go be the dutiful daughter and make Grandma Jean’s Christmas pudding because my almost eighty-year-old mother thought climbing a spruce tree in the rain to check a bird’s nest was a smart thing to do.”

  “You’re such a good daughter!”

  “I’m only a good daughter because my daddy said he’d reimburse my cruise money and send me on another after the New Year.”

  “But you’d get a refund anyway, right?”

  Bianca narrowed her gaze. “A credit for another cruise. But for sticking me in the boonies, no one needs to know that. Next year I’ll get to go on two cruises.”

  “You’re killing me,” Cilla said, shaking her head.

  Bianca laughed. “Well, I just came to tell you that I won’t be able to make the company Christmas party next week because I have to leave for Boone, North Carolina, tomorrow morning.”

  “You’re not driving, are you? I don’t think you should drive, Bianca! You and snow are not friends.”

  “Well, thank you for that vote of confidence. And you call yourself my friend.” Bianca rolled her eyes skyward. “No, I’m not driving. I’m taking the train.”

  “That’s good. Make sure you call me and let me know how your mother is doing.”

  “Just send a fruit basket.”

  “We’ll do drinks and exchange gifts when you get back,” Cilla said. “Or I might even come up to Boone to check on you.”

  “Yes!” Bianca exclaimed, her eyes pleading. “You should do that. Come to Boone and save me from the misery.”

  “I said I might.”

  Cilla rose from her seat and rounded her desk. The two women exchanged a quick hug. The duo were lifelong friends, having met in grade school. They’d been best buddies since Miss Rayner’s third-grade class at Pinewood Elementary School. In high school, they’d been cheerleaders together. After graduation, Bianca had left the state of North Carolina, drawn to the big city lights of New York. Cilla had moved to Chapel Hill, the college town just enough of a city for her.

  When Bianca’s parents had moved from their Charlotte home to Boone, North Carolina, she had come back to the state, settling herself in Raleigh, and the two women had picked up their friendship as if they’d never been apart. For a time, they’d shared an apartment; then Bianca had bought a fixer-upper in the historic Oakwood neighborhood near downtown Raleigh. Cilla had preferred the newness of her Brier Creek townhome. Their working together at the pharmaceutical company that employed them had been a fluke and a blessing that neither had ever taken for granted.

  Cilla tossed her friend a look. “Try to have some fun, please! It is Christmas.”

  “I’ve got your Christmas!” Bianca said with a wry laugh.

  “Ho, ho, ho to you too!”

  “Excuse you!” Bianca snapped, grabbing her right foot and the suede boot she wore. She had just boarded the Amtrak train headed from
Raleigh to Boone, North Carolina’s city center.

  The young man who’d stepped on her toes turned around, contrition painting his expression. “I am so sorry,” he said. He eased his hand out to help her brush the dust from her foot. “I am really sorry,” he repeated, his apology genuine. “I wasn’t paying attention. I’ll pay for your shoes if I ruined them.”

  Annoyance painted Bianca’s face. “Whatever. Just forget it,” she said, her tone just shy of being dismissive. She dropped into the pleather seat, adjusting her carry-on bag in the seat beside her. Digging in her handbag, she pulled out her iPad.

  The young man dropped into the seat across from her. “Hi, I’m Jarrod.”

  Bianca lifted her gaze to stare. He was nice looking, mid-twenties with a boyish air. His complexion reminded her of her mother’s chocolate pudding, warm and sweet, and he had kind eyes. There was something about his demeanor that let her know he was one of the good guys.

  “Jarrod Christmas,” he said, still trying to engage her in conversation.

  She nodded. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, her gaze still inquisitive. “Is Christmas your real name?”

  He nodded. “Please, spare me the bad jokes. I’ve heard them all.”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t have any jokes. I was just curious.”

  “I really am sorry about stepping on your foot,” he said, pointing toward the floor and her suede boot. “I was talking on the phone with my boyfriend and not paying attention. I’m not usually so inconsiderate.”

  “You have a boyfriend?” Her brow lifted, her curiosity piqued even more.

  Jarrod smiled. “Yes, I do. Is that a problem for you?”

  Bianca shrugged. “No, not at all.”

  “It’s an issue for some people,” he said with a deep sigh.

  “As long as you’re happy, do you really care what other people think?” Bianca asked, folding her hands together in her lap.

  A slight smile pulled at his mouth. “No, I don’t.”

  “So what do you do for a living, Jarrod Christmas?”

  “I’m a doctor. I’m doing my residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. My boyfriend’s a pediatric surgeon there.”