Christmas Eve

by Flame Arden

  Okay. So he wasn't the world's greatest athlete. Still, she didn't have to act so surprised.

  "No, I don't ski." He sounded perturbed, deservedly so. "I don't have time. I need warm clothes when I chop wood."

  Her eyes widened. "Why not buy your firewood already cut?"

  "And miss the fun? It's great exercise." Although his words might sound foolish, it was satisfying to split logs. Watch the woodpile grow. Feel tired muscles ache from hard work.

  When she didn't laugh at his unexpected confession, he kissed the tip of her finely-sculpted nose.

  * * * * *

  A sudden need for privacy had come over Eve the minute Nick thrust his thermal underwear out to her. She left him undressing and went into the bathroom to don his long johns.

  Nick kept her nude. Wanted her naked, and she had obliged. So why this unexpected urge to change behind a closed door? More of her prudish upbringing?

  When she came out, he looked approvingly at her. Why?

  She glanced down at her clothes. Beneath his thermal shirt her rigid nipples seemed to be saying, "Hey, Nick. We're over here, look at us."

  Eve blushed.

  Nick chuckled and his look became more heated. She shook her head at him. "Uh-uh. You promised me a romp in the snow."

  "You read my mind." His suggestive grin made her heart leap.

  "I think I'm in trouble," she said, keeping the bed between them and Nick at bay.

  He laughed. "Definitely, but I'm willing to wait. Besides, the more layers you have on now, the more fun I'll have later taking off each one." He tossed a bundle of faded denim her way. "Here. Try these jeans. And how's this for a belt?"

  "A new silk tie?"

  "A loud print tie. A poorly conceived gift from an employee. It's my guess he was hoping to see me looking like an ass so he could laugh behind my back."

  Eve smiled, trying to picture Nick in the tie. In any tie. She had less trouble picturing him tromping through the forest, a hunting rifle at his side.

  What gave me that impression?

  She eased a leg into the jeans.

  Nick was certainly not your average guy.

  Self-made might be a more appropriate label. Nothing about him fitted the typical male.

  Maybe non-conformist would be a more apt description.

  She hopped on one foot while she threaded her bare toes through the other pant leg.

  As if he'd removed his suave sophistication along with the short robe he'd had on when they met, today Nick seemed like a different man. One she couldn't quite peg.

  Last night when he opened the door, he had given her a shrewdly-calculating perusal. In that instant, she knew how Little Red Riding must have felt.

  When his steady lupine gaze had heated, she'd wondered if it wouldn't be wise of her to run. Not so much in fear for her safety as in fear of losing her heart.

  Then earlier today, the aching loneliness visible in his beautiful eyes made her long to cuddle him in her arms.

  Never before had a man in her presence elicited such a fierce response. But then, she'd never known a man as intimately as she was coming to know Nick.

  She buttoned the jeans and shrugged into her turtleneck, then eased her long hair out. It cascaded down her back. She caught Nick watching her, the heat of desire once again flaring in his eyes.

  She grinned impudently. "You promised."

  Nick's casual shrug implied, Your loss.

  Her heart tripped. Amused by the whooshy sound Nick's ski pants made each time he moved, she picked up the second sweater and pulled it on.

  "Want some socks?"

  "Sure."

  She pulled on his tube socks, which went up to her knees. All she had to do now was yank on her boots and roll up the too-long jeans. She completed those tasks and stood.

  The borrowed sweater ended well below her hips. Two rubber bands from Nick's dresser worked well to shorten the sleeves. She could barely move in his down jacket. Its sleeves also were too long.

  The sheepskin jacket Nick donned added to his rugged, manly appeal, but when he pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket, hand knit in a snowflake-design and the victim of hard use, Eve was too amused to hide her smile.

  Another casual shrug. "My secretary. Again. Figured I might as well wear them out."

  Those gloves meant a lot to Nick. Something else to ponder. Right now, he was motioning her toward the hall.

  "Ready?" he asked.

  "I will be in a minute. I need to get my gloves and sunglasses. Want me to bring yours?"

  "Sure. They're by the front door, too. And if you want a hat, there's a red knit cap hanging on the rack by the door."

  Swaying from side to side because of all the extra clothes, Nick strode down the hall at his usual pace. Eve caught up with him in the kitchen as he removed a key from a peg and turned to her to explain, "The toboggan belongs to the guy next door."

  She nodded, pleased to learn the two men were on good terms. The one time she had met the owner, when Bob Owens came to her office to list his mountain retreat, he seemed like a nice guy. As Nick's closest neighbor, it didn't surprise her the two of them were friends.

  "Let's go out the back," Nick suggested. "There aren't as many steps."

  Eve followed him through a screened porch and while he held the door open, she stepped out into the frigid air. Except for the top step, concrete and bare, thanks to the overhanging roof, snow covered everything in sight. She couldn't begin to tell how many more steps there were, or the depth of the snow, so she moved with caution.

  Nick went first, feeling his way, then turned back to help her down. "Here. Give me your hand."

  She put her gloved hand in his, her sudden awareness of his strength weakening her knees. She slipped on a patch of ice and skidded into Nick, bowling him over. He landed flat on his back, Eve draped across his chest.

  He sat up laughing, one ear encrusted with snow.

  "I couldn't have done that any better if I'd tried. I'm sorry," she said between giggles, not sounding the least bit contrite. She rocked back on her knees in the snow and brushed icy crystals from Nick's coat.

  "Your time's coming. Just wait." He came to his feet in a rush of falling snow that pelted down on her. Then, he bent down and drew Eve to her feet. "Think you can keep those legs of yours under you long enough to walk next door?"

  "I'll try," she said between giggles.

  He stomped across the yard, packing the snow down as he moved. She followed, taking two steps to his one. When she was lucky she stepped into the hole left by Nick's long, wide boot. Most of the time she sank almost to her knees in the powdery stuff.

  * * * * *

  Nick reached the shed at the back of his neighbor's property and turned to watch Eve take a dainty step with her right foot. Her lower leg disappeared in the snow. She lifted her left foot, tried to shake the packed stuff from her boot, and looked about for a likely spot to put that foot down. She found one and, to his great amusement, fell flat on her face.

  In three long strides he was at her side. Chuckling, he scooped the laughing bundle up in his arms, then retraced his steps before again standing her on her feet.

  Eve muttered some unintelligible remark. A veil of snow hid her eyes from view until she shook her head, sending snow flying.

  "Whoa. There's enough snow here without you spreading more around." Then he noticed the wicked gleam in her eyes. He took a step back and rammed his gloved hand in a pocket. "Now to find the right key..."

  The frozen lock clicked open on the second try. "Bob said he kept the toboggan right here in the front." Nick reached inside the dark shed and felt around. "Ah-ha. This feels like it."

  He backed out the door, dragging the toboggan into the light.

  * * * * *

  Eve moved back to examine the green-and-red trimmed apparatus more closely. The flat, shiny-metal bottom was a good four feet long before it curved up at the front where he supposed you put your feet. "This looks new."

 
; "You're right, it is. First time it's snowed since Bob bought this for his son." Nick carefully lowered the toboggan onto the snow, his eager anticipation impossible to hide. "What do we do now?"

  "Find a hill." Eve grinned.

  "We're on a hill," he retorted. He preferred to be boss and was not used to relinquishing control. In he part of Texas where we lived only got a dusting of snow.

  He was a fast learner, especially with a teacher as pretty as Eve. What the Hell. He'd be back in control in no time and no longer need Eve to tell him what to do.

  "Preferably a hill without trees."

  "We're on a mountain. Not sure that's possible." He hadn't meant to sound so terse.

  "Then let's try the street."

  "Good enough. Sit on this contraption and I'll give you a ride." He glanced down, seeking her approval. "Okay?"

  "Sure." Eve sat, her feet pointing toward the curved front and grabbed the bottom on each side.

  So that's how it's done. Nick grabbed the rope attached to the front on either side of the toboggan and yanked.

  The toboggan leaped forward.

  Oops. Eve's feet flew up over her head and she somersaulted off the back of the toboggan, landing head first in the snow at his feet.

  "Sorry. Are you all right? I guess I wasn't supposed to pull that hard." He stood her up again.

  "So it would seem. Try going slow until we both get the hang of this," she suggested, brushing snow from her butt. Then she filled her hands with the snowy powder collected in the rolled up cuffs of her jeans.

  "Sit," he ordered, then softened his tone. "Sorry. Have a seat and we'll try again."

  She complied, once again grabbing hold of the sides. "I'm ready, but go easy this time."

  At least she was still smiling at him. Determined not to dump her again, Nick gave a light tug. The toboggan began to slide, leaving a cushion of flattened snow in its wake.

  The bottom of this thing must be really slick.

  The row of shrubbery between the two houses left only a narrow path of snow next to Bob's house. Somehow, Nick managed to traverse it without dumping Eve again, then stepped over into the neighboring drive.

  A lumpy mound set at a crooked angle and covered with snow blocked Bob's drive. Eve's car?

  She really is in the ditch? How the Hell had she managed that?

  He couldn't tell what make of car, but he could see that one wheel was off the ground. Her request for help hadn't been an act after all. Definitely a job for a tow truck. Not one for him. He was not the hero type.

  Uh-uh. Time was when he wouldn't have thought twice about giving a lady a hand. Not any more. He'd been used and abused so often by the fair sex he'd learned to step aside, allow some other sucker the opportunity to make points with the ladies. Not him.

  From the moment he'd come into money, there had been a steady parade of women wanting something, their manicured hands held out to him. Once, he had even been victimized by a paternity suit. There, his patience had paid off. After the birth of the baby, a boy, a blood test had proved he had not fathered the child, something he had known all along.

  He’d had good reason to be cynical. Nick St. Clair never indulged in unprotected sex.

  Still, it wouldn't be smart of him to let Eve turn all her charm on a tow truck driver when it might as well be him.

  * * * * *

  "Nick. Nick?" Eve called, raising her voice even louder, convinced he still hadn't heard.

  He slowly turned and gave her a puzzled look.

  "You can stop pulling now. We've reached the street."

  "Oh." He let go of the tow rope. "What now?"

  He probably had no idea how eager he sounded. What was with Nick and toboggans? She gave him an encouraging smile. "Give me the rope and climb on behind me."

  "O-kay." He retrieved the rope, tossed it in her lap but, still a foot away, he stopped. He hesitantly took off his knit cap and ran his fingers through his hair. Then he carefully pulled the cap down over his ears, all the while studying the never-used toy.

  He's unnerved, but ashamed to admit.

  She wouldn't have believed it possible if she hadn't witnessed Nick's flicker of fear with her own eyes.

  "Before I do," he murmured with a small frown, "maybe you better tell me what to expect."

  "I'm not sure. Every toboggan is different." She ran her hand along the gentle curve in front beside her feet. "This one seems really well made. What bothers me, is that it looks as if it was made for speed."

  Nick's frown deepened. "Is that bad?"

  "It could be. The only way to find out, is to give it a try."

  Nick scowled. "I thought you said you knew all about riding one of these."

  "I do." She thought for a second, not wanting to influence his decision to climb on. "The trouble is, the heavier the load, the faster a toboggan goes. So — since I'm lighter — why don't I ride it alone, first, just to try it out?"

  While he mulled that over, Eve prepared for the ride. She wedged her feet against the curved front end and took a tight hold of the rope with her gloved hands.

  After a long moment Nick asked, "You're certain that's the best way? You're not just trying to do me out of the first ride?"

  "I'm certain. Now, give me a shove."

  "All right, then. Hold on." Nick gave her shoulder a gentle push. The sled didn't move.

  "Harder. It's been sitting here so long the bottom has probably frozen to the snow."

  Without telling her what he planned, Nick rocked the toboggan back and forth, almost dumping her off again. "There. That should loosen it." He sounded pleased with himself and gave her a mighty shove.

  The metal bottom made a shushing sound as the toboggan skidded smoothly over the snow, picking up speed.

  Suddenly Eve went careening down the wide, empty street. She hauled back on the rope, which did nothing to slow her down. The wind continued to whistle in her ears and she flew past the slender trunks of trees growing along side the road.

  Nick yelled something. She looked back, saw him wildly waving his arms and dancing about, but couldn't make out what he said.

  She was nearing the bottom of the hill and turned her attention back to the street, which began to curve. Shift your weight. Turn.

  Not soon enough.

  She'd run out of road. The shiny-new conveyance plowed into a snow covered embankment and what felt like a ton of wet snow landed in her lap.

  "Eve. My God, Eve. Are you all right?" Nick caught up with her, panting by the time he reached the bottom of the hill. "I've never been so scared in my life. This damned contraption is going right back in Bob's shed." He pulled her to her feet and brushed snow from her hair. "Are you hurt?"

  "I don't think so." She tried taking a step with each foot. Nothing hurt. "No, I'm fine." She longed to kiss away Nick's worried frown. She settled her mouth on his grim-set lips instead.

  "Better than fine," she said, pressing her lips to his. "In fact," — she quickly pulled away —"I've never had so much fun in my life."

  She grabbed his hand. "Come on. Hurry. I want you to go with me this time."

  * * * * *

  "Are you sure?" Hope took charge of Nick's numb brain. He didn't dare let Eve find out how eager he was to duplicate her headlong ride down the hill. Or how much the possibility frightened him.

  "I'm certain. You have to try it. Was I going as fast as it seemed? It felt like I came flying down the street."

  Nick wasted no time dumping the snow that had collected in the metal bed. "This thing took off like a rocket launched from Vandenberg. Then, when it finally stopped, I thought sure you were hurt."

  Eve turned to head up the hill. Instead, Nick pulled her back into his arms. "Don't scare me like that again."

  His lips almost touched hers. Then he gave in to the need and devoured her smiling mouth with his.

  What is happening to me? Eve's taste on his tongue was like all the ice cream he'd ever eaten, soft and sweet, her breath warm as it caressed his
face. Nick gathered her into his arms, unhurt and safe, right here with him. Where she belonged.

  Where she belonged? Where had that notion come from?

  For a moment during Eve's wild descent he'd felt the way a father must feel when his willful toddler runs out into the street. Panic gripped him, forcing the air from his lungs and grinding his world to a halt, leaving him damned helpless, knowing he couldn't do anything to prevent Eve from being hurt.

  He hoped never to let her out of his sight again.

  Hey, didn't you also swear never to let the "L" word in your life again?

  The depth of his feelings for Eve terrified him. He cut short the kiss and stepped back.

  Eve staggered. He had to steady her, but was quick to let her go.

  He had come damn close to losing his head over the tempting woman still dangerously within his reach. A call girl. Nothing more.

  Just keep remembering that.

  He set Eve aside, making idle conversation to cover his unease. "You really want to do it again?"

  "What? Have you kiss me senseless, or go flying down the hill again?"

  "Kiss you senseless." Nick grinned, more delighted with Eve's company as the hours ticked by. "I guess I did, at that. Can I help it if the vision of you lying in the hospital in traction, every bone in your body in a cast, won't go away?"

  Had she heard the honesty and caring in his voice?

  He hoped not. Especially when she took his hand.

  Squeezing it, she tentatively placed it over her heart. "See. I'm fine. It's still beating."

  Yes. Beneath his palm, the yielding softness of her breast spoke distinctly to Nick.

  Alive.

  Willing.

  And his.

  Okay. He'd ponder that later. For now, he needed to move with caution. Having sex with Eve was habit forming, a habit incompatible with his reclusive lifestyle.

  "Come on. It's time you showed me what this hill is really like." Tugging her along with one hand, the toboggan trailing by the rope gripped in his other hand, Nick started up the hill.

  "Don't walk in my tracks."

  "Why not? This makes a fine path."

  "I know," she said, already breathless from their rapid climb, "but think about this. That first run packed down the snow. Each additional run will melt the snow a little and pack it even more. When the track begins to get icy is when you really go fast."