12 Gifts for Christmas

by Various

  “I disagree,” he responded. “You just intentionally threw up a wall to shut me out.” To her astonishment he reached for her arm with his free hand, capturing it with surprising strength. “Why would you do that when I only want to get closer to you?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  ALLY tried to ease away from the grip he had on her arm, but he refused to let her go yet.

  “Des … please listen. We may have just met, but you and I shared a life-and-death experience, which puts our relationship on a different level. I believe in being honest and assume you do, too. Wouldn’t you have preferred to learn the truth about your fiancée at the beginning, instead of the eleventh hour?”

  He grimaced. “Ah, I see. So you’ve decided to kill whatever relationship might develop between us right now. But why? What truth are you so afraid of?”

  “I have my reasons. I’m sorry.” She removed her arm and got up, putting the chair back against the wall, ready to leave.

  His brows furrowed. “No, you’re not.”

  “Please don’t be angry with me.”

  “That’s the last emotion I’m feeling.”

  “Then I’m glad.”

  “You’re not making sense. Help me understand.”

  She breathed deeply. Get out of here, Ally. “I’d rather not talk about this, especially after your harrowing ordeal.”

  “Come over here. Por favor.”

  Even though her mind was screaming at her to run, she wasn’t immune to his throbbing entreaty. She hesitantly walked over to the side rail. “Is there something else I can do for you? Open your suitcase and get things out, maybe?”

  “No. The nurse will do it.” Once more he reached for the hand closest to him. Turning it over, he kissed the palm then looked up at her. “I forgot to thank you for saving my life.”

  The touch of Des’s lips against the skin of her hand sent a sizzle through Ally’s body, setting her on fire. Earlier his thumb had made lazy circles over the pulse at her wrist, shooting an erotic warmth through her body, causing sensations she was afraid to acknowledge.

  “No woman of my acquaintance could or would have done what you did for me. If there’s anything I can do for you, all you have to do is ask.”

  She could ask that if he ever saw her mastectomy scars, he wouldn’t reject her and turn away, but that was a pipe dream.

  Ally took a fortifying breath. “It’s because of me that you had the accident. The only favor I ask is that you get well soon. That means no winter sports for a little while.”

  He kissed her fingertips before letting her go. “If I’m going to deny myself, then I’m going to need someone to help me get through the withdrawal period.”

  Ally broke down laughing. She couldn’t help it. “I believe you’d go into withdrawal.”

  He shot her devilish glance. “There are certain indoor sports I enjoy even more than climbing.”

  That came as no surprise. Once upon a time she’d shared the same sentiment, but those days were over. He wouldn’t want her when he saw the truth for himself. “I do, too, as a matter of fact. How good are you at Scrabble? I bought the children the junior version to help them with their English.”

  “They won’t mind if we christen it first?”

  “Not if we all play,” she said on a burst of inspiration. It was the only thing she could think of to keep him at bay. “You can be on their side. You’ll need the handicap,” she said, adding the dare to spice things up. In reality his English was so good, she probably wouldn’t be able to beat him.

  “You’re on,” he said with a speculative gleam in those black eyes.

  Before either of them could say anything else, the nurse came in.

  Ally’s eyes darted to Des. “I’ll go now, but I’ll be over in the morning to get you.”

  “No good-night kiss?”

  Her body tautened. “You already got one kiss this evening. Let’s not tempt fate. Next time you might find yourself kissing the Ugly Duckling.”

  Des’s face suddenly looked like a thundercloud. That was good.

  “Buenas noches, Señor.”

  “Rest when you’re sleepy. Eat what appeals to you and you will be fine in a few days, Señor Pastrana.”

  Des thanked the doctor as they left the clinic. Per the doctor’s orders, Des let Ally carry his suitcase for him and drive him home. His adrenaline had surged when she’d entered his hospital room at eleven o’clock, dressed in jeans and a bright red pullover.

  The hair he longed to run his fingers through had been tied at the nape with a narrow red ribbon. Tiny red-and-green Christmas ornaments dangled from each end. It would be so easy to tug on one of them, allowing the silklike strands to swing loose… .

  Her comment about the Ugly Duckling had bothered him all night. He understood the metaphor from the old fairy tale well enough, but there was nothing ugly about Ally, inside or out. He knew that to the depth of his soul. She was a stunning woman who had little conception of her impact on a man. Her lack of awareness was part of what made her so desirable. Her beauty radiated outward to that creamy skin he longed to caress.

  But clearly she didn’t think the same about herself. Before the day was out he intended to uncover the secret she’d alluded to, tossing it down like a gauntlet. The list of possible secrets was starting to drive him crazy. It was a challenge, and he’d never passed up a challenge. It wasn’t in his nature.

  Yet for some reason Des had the premonition that this would be the most important one he would ever face. The feeling shook him.

  After she parked the truck outside his room at the inn, she hurried to the door and unlocked it for him.

  Now that the nausea had gone and his forehead wasn’t as sore, he felt surprisingly good and would have enjoyed a short walk in the frigid air with her. But he decided that for once he would follow doctor’s orders. Plus it would get him a lot further with Ally, who still felt some ridiculous residual guilt for having gone climbing with him.

  He was the one who felt guilty. If the truth were known, he’d taken one look at her in the dining room and something shocking had happened to him.

  For so long he’d avoided women, not wanting any entanglements, but after Miguel had unintentionally laid the groundwork, Des realized he wanted to get to know the beautiful American woman who was so beloved by Maricela and Nuncio. You couldn’t fool children. They saw through to the heart of a person.

  He paused at the door of his room. Things had changed since he’d last been in his monk’s cell. A fire blazed in the hearth, and there was a two-foot-high Christmas tree decorated with lights and ornaments placed on the dresser to greet him. The scent of pine was one of those wonderful smells, intoxicating and comforting.

  “I hope you don’t mind the additions,” Ally said in a quiet voice as she brought in his suitcase. “It’s too dark in here without any windows and today is Christmas Eve.”

  Touched by her generosity of spirit that showed in everything she did, he looked around. On the small wooden table—

  one of the original pieces he’d kept—she’d added some snacks and drinks and a few Spanish sports magazines. She’d thought of everything.

  She saw where his eyes had wandered. “Those are meant to help with the withdrawal.”

  He couldn’t hold off any longer and he reached for her, gripping her arms to bring her close. Her eyes were like warm brandy, but they were conflicted. He could see fear in them, but he also found the emotion he was looking for. Desire.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  HOLDING Ally in his arms, Des whispered into her ear, “Happy Christmas Eve day, Allison Bonner. I thought I never wanted to celebrate another one, but you’ve managed to cure me.”

  With or without her permission, he covered her heart-shaped mouth with his own and kissed her the way he’d dreamed of doing all night long.

  After a brief hesitation, she returned his kiss with a passionate response that thrilled him to his core. He began to draw her over to the bed, needing to hold
her closer in his arms. But when she sensed his direction, she tore her lips from his and eased out of his embrace. In the firelight her cheeks were flushed.

  “What’s wrong? Why did you pull away from me?”

  “The children have been watching for us. They’ll be down any second with their present.”

  The Scrabble game. He’d forgotten about it—and everything else.

  She’d brought him alive, and he loved this new feeling like he’d never loved anything in his life. But for some reason he sensed that she was still keeping him at a distance.

  “Where shall we play?”

  “On your king-size bed. That’s where you should be. The priest who lived here should have been so lucky.” The words were barely out of her delectable mouth before there was a knock on the door.

  “Allee? Desidiero? Is it all right to come in?”

  Des took the initiative and opened the door. “Make yourselves at home, niños. We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Nuncio carried the game under his arm. He scrutinized Des. “I thought you were sick, but you don’t look it.”

  “That’s because Ally helped me make a magical recovery.”

  “Papa said she saved your life.”

  “Your papa is right,” he said, staring at Ally.

  “Mama’s going to bring you some soup and bread.”

  Des smiled and tousled the boy’s head. “I can’t wait.”

  “Ooh,” Maricela crooned, walking over to the tree. “I love it.”

  Ally busied herself offering the children some candy. “If the three of you have any hope to beat me at this game, you’ll need some sugar for your brains.”

  Nuncio frowned. “Brains? I do not understand. What is that?”

  “Cerebro,” Des translated. “And after my fall, I don’t think mine is working so well. You two will have to help me.”

  The children laughed with excitement as Ally told everyone to get on the bed and explained the point of the game. “There’s a prize for the winner.”

  Des forced her to look at him. “If we lose, is there a consolation prize?”

  She chuckled. “I’ll think of one.”

  “How about if I lose, I get to decide what my prize is?” he answered back. “I know exactly what I want.”

  Ally couldn’t hold Des’s gaze when she knew exactly what was on his mind. He wasn’t going to let her get away with not explaining her remarks for much longer. She was putting it off because she was enjoying this time with him so much, and she wanted it to last.

  And right now she owed it to the children to get into this game.

  Des was a tough competitor and tutored the children with surprising patience. In the end, she won three matches and they won two. The kids would have continued trying to beat her for the rest of the day if it weren’t for Inez, who brought food on a tray and told the children she needed them upstairs.

  Ally rewarded each of them with a big peppermint candy cane. Since they’d never seen anything quite like them, they were delighted.

  After they left, she and Des ate the delicious food Inez had prepared. He sat against the headboard with his long legs extended. He looked relaxed, but she could feel his tension growing—right along with her own sense of impending doom.

  She knew their time together was short—in a few days he’d be off on his planned campout and she’d be back in Wyoming. But in the meantime, as she delayed telling him the truth, their relationship was progressing, making a liar out of her.

  Before he could pounce and claim his consolation prize, she put down her coffee cup and took the initiative, not able to stand it any longer.

  “You want to know my secret? The reason I’ve been keeping my distance? For the last year I’ve told no one, not even Miguel and Inez. But that was before I met you.”

  He sat forward. “Go on.”

  “I wanted to say something that morning we went climbing. But you were—are—such an attractive man, and I feared alienating you by seeming … forward. You know. A strange woman suddenly baring her soul to you. I’m sure there’ve been plenty of women who’ve come up with some pretty inventive ways to get close to you. I … I didn’t want you to think I was one of them. If I’d blurted out what was on my mind, I was afraid you would think it seemed desperate. I hated the idea that you would consider me pathetic.”

  His features hardened. “I know I acted resentful of you, and I’ve apologized for that, but did I seem that much of a monster to you when we were introduced?”

  “No!” she cried. “No, Des.” She jumped off the bed, too agitated to sit still. “After you told me about your fiancée, I understood your disdain.”

  She paced the floor for a minute. “What I’m trying to say is that this whole situation is about me and my hang-ups. I’m sorry you ever got involved. When I came to the Pyrenees, I didn’t expect …” She faltered for a second. “I didn’t expect to find what I did. To find you,” she mumbled.

  He launched himself off the bed and came to stand in front of her with his hands on his hips. “You think I did?”

  With that question she realized she wasn’t the only one feeling anxious about how quickly things had changed. “No.” She shook her head. “Of course not.”

  He softened his stance. “Just tell me, Ally.”

  She struggled for breath then lifted her head to look at him. “After Rex died, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a full mastectomy.” She smiled at him through the tears. “A woman gets used to her own body parts. But until I met you, I didn’t know how much it affected me that they were gone.”

  Though he stood stock-still, as soon as the words left her lips, she saw his eyes widen in shock and his compelling mouth press into a thin line.

  “I’m in remission for now and I’ve been working out to get in the best shape possible, both physically and mentally. But every time I go in for testing, I could find out it’s come back. Then again it might never come back.”

  Ally heard his sharp intake of breath. “You think that makes you the Ugly Duckling?”

  Des looked and sounded furious.

  “In the physical sense, yes. When you kissed me a little while ago, it made me realize h-how much I wanted to be like I was before.” She looked down. “Desirable. Sexy.”

  Ally was so embarrassed for having exposed herself to this degree, she started for the door with the tray. “You heard Inez. We’ve been invited to spend Christmas Eve with them. If you’re feeling well enough, come up to their apartment whenever you’re ready. If you decide you want to be alone, no one will bother you. I promise.” She left.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  DES stared at the closed door after Ally had gone, devastated for her sake by what she’d told him. Two mortal blows in a row—first she’d had to deal with her fiancé’s sudden death and then the diagnosis of breast cancer.

  Up on the frozen waterfall he’d discovered she was the most courageous person he’d ever known. She’d disregarded her own safety to get him to the clinic before hypothermia set in. Without injuring herself, no less! He knew Miguel would have sent out a search party for them if they’d been delayed, but by then Des could have been in real trouble. She had a warrior’s spirit and he stood in awe of her.

  So how could someone who’d been so brave on that ice be so insecure about her own body? No matter what he had to do, he was going to get around her fears.

  No one knew how long they had to live. And since every minute of life was precious, he had no intention of staying down in his room and away from her. Wheeling around, he picked out what he wanted to wear, then headed for the shower.

  After he’d shaved and dressed, he left the room for the front entry to the posada. Pleased to have caught sight of Maricela in the hallway without needing to bother Miguel, he called to her. “Will you show me to Ally’s room? I need to talk to her.”

  “Sure. She’s right down here.” He followed her along two different hallways until they came to Ally’s door. “Are you going t
o come to our apartment later?” the girl asked.

  He patted her cute face. “We wouldn’t miss it. Come and knock on the door when you’re ready for us.”

  “I will.” Her brown eyes danced before she ran off.

  Des turned and rapped on Ally’s door.

  Ally didn’t recognize the knock, but thought it could be one of the staff. She’d just come out of the bathroom after blow-drying her hair. She pulled on her pink toweling robe and padded across the room to open the door.

  “Des!”

  She almost fainted at the sight of him.

  It was the same man whose room she’d left just a short time ago, but all she could do was stare at the changes in him. Without her shoes on, he seemed even taller. He was wearing a fabulous midnight-blue dress suit and tie, and he’d dispensed with the hair thong. His hair was swept away from the crown and sides of his head to lie against the back of his neck.

  His dark Spanish looks, the contrast of his olive skin against his dazzling white shirt, were so incredible she could only stand there, speechless. Her breath came faster as she detected the enticing scent of the soap he’d used in the shower.

  “I … I didn’t expect you to come to my room,” she stammered. “We’re not expected at the Torrillas’ apartment yet.”

  He lounged against the doorjamb with his arms folded. “After what you told me earlier, I don’t feel like wasting any time. May I come in while you finish getting ready?”

  “Of course,” she answered jerkily. He entered the room. As she shut the door, he removed his suit jacket. “Do you care if I sit on your bed while I wait?”

  “No … go right ahead. I’ll finish dressing in the bathroom.” She grabbed the clothes she’d intended to wear and dashed into the other room. But her hands were shaking so hard, she had difficulty pulling and adjusting and fastening everything.

  When she eventually came out wearing her long two-piece velvet dress with the three-quarter sleeves, he got up from the bed, eyeing her with what she could only describe as desire.