Take Me Home for Christmas

by Aiden Frost

  “Good,” said Shandra, indicating the seared beets on her plate. She leaned over to Amanda, whispering. “Do beets grow around here?”

  Amanda nodded. “They like the cool weather.”

  Shandra stabbed her fork at her plate, talking in her normal voice. “You should grow these. They’re really, really good.”

  Max looked over at her, a curious look on his face, but she was luckily saved by Sandy approaching their table. “There you are Mr Avery. I have your festive drink for you.” She handed Max his drink, before sending Amanda a wink and walking away.

  “It’s red,” commented Max in surprise. Amanda leaned forward, wondering if it was colored with cherry juice or was something else. Max sniffed it. “Whoa!”

  Shandra laughed and leaned over Max’s glass, inhaling. “It’s like those spicy candies,” she said. She looked at Amanda. “Do you know what this is?”

  Max stood, leaning across the table with his glass. She caught a whiff of his cologne, spicy and inviting, before she tipped her nose toward the glass. “Fireball whiskey,” Amanda concluded.

  “You’re trying to kill me,” Max complained good-naturedly.

  “No!” said Amanda, shaking her head. “It’s good!”

  “It’ll burn a hole in my throat.”

  Celeste laughed. “What happened to the good old days when your choice was crappy beer or crappy whiskey?”

  Carter laughed, and the two smiled at each other, apparently sharing a secret memory.

  “Just take a sip,” said Amanda, trying to goad him into drinking the liquor. She knew he’d had what probably surmounted to an awful week and could use a couple hours of relaxation.

  “You take a sip first,” he said, holding the glass out to her.

  Amanda rolled her eyes, teasing him. “Okay, big bad boss, if you need a girl to handle your liquor for you...”

  “Ooh ooh,” said Shandra. “Now that’s a dare.”

  Max closed his eyes, moving the glass to his lips. Even the scent burned the back of his throat as he opened his mouth. He took a quick drink and the liquid lit like fire down his throat and into his stomach. He opened his mouth, gasping and the entire table fell into laughter as his expense. Max laughed with them. It felt good to stop thinking about his dad and stop thinking about saving a business if even for a few moments. He took another sip, expecting this one to burn less, but he stupidly breathed in as it hit his tongue, and the fire erupted out his nose. He coughed, sending the table into another set of raucous laughter. “I’m going to regret this,” he grumbled.

  “You can always use your own limo service, Boss Man,” said Carter. “Thanks to this lady,” he said, winking at Amanda, “all our indulgences have been safely covered.”

  “Yes,” said Max, turning to Amanda. “I haven’t been able to thank you for putting all of this together. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Amanda could feel herself blush. She reached across the table, grabbing the remainder of Max’s drink and slinging it back. “To good cheer!” she said, holding the glass high.

  “Cheers!” repeated the table. Max silently watched Amanda as the joy and laughter rippled around the table. She caught his eye. She stopped, a smile faltering on her lips. She looked into his eyes. He knew what she was thinking, about how he had thanked her in his office.

  He was unraveling her, piece by delicious piece.

  AMANDA STOOD WITH SHANDRA outside by the fountain. She needed some fresh air, but she didn’t want to be alone. She saw the way Max looked at her across the table. She knew he was silently reminding her what he did to her in the office. The champagne and liquor continued to swirl in her head despite the glasses of water she’d drank, and the meal she had eaten. She wanted to go home, to call it a night, but more than that, she wanted him. So, she was plastered to Shandra’s side, in hopes she wouldn’t do anything stupid. She just needed to make it through the holidays she told herself. After this emotional time of year she’d go back to her normal self and not give men a second thought besides what they were good for.

  “I gotta pee,” announced Shandra.

  “I’ll go with you,” Amanda said.

  Sandra turned, eyeing her. “You literally just went to the bathroom before we came outside.”

  Amanda shrugged.

  “Have you lost all sense of control? You don’t trust yourself for even a minute?” Amanda followed her back inside, through the crowds and toward the bathrooms. “I’ll be right in there,” said Shandra, pointing to the bathroom door. “You stand right here. If you find yourself getting naked, holler, and I’ll come to your rescue.”

  Amanda pouted as Shandra patted her on the head and walked away. She grumbled under her breath, “Stupid Christmas and stupid champagne and stupid Max Avery.”

  Amanda could smell his scent before she saw him. His black shoes came into her vision and she silently cursed herself. She reluctantly looked up at his face.

  He gave her a stupid smile. “Cursing my good name in front of all these nice people?” he chastised her. His hand moved to her elbow, sliding along the length of her bare arm. Her skin tingled at his teasing touch.

  “Why are you doing this to me?” she whispered to him. Someone slipped past them through the doorway and Amanda clamped her lips shut.

  “Kiss her!” someone yelled. Then another voice called out, “Kiss her!” Amanda pulled her eyes from Max, looking out across the room. Some of the younger kids from the mailroom were staring at them. Amanda didn’t understand what they meant. Max rolled his eyes up, indicating the spot above their heads. Amanda wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but when she looked up, she saw a bough of mistletoe hanging above them. She looked down to Max and rolled her eyes.

  “Seriously, people still use mistletoe? What a cliché—” Amanda stopped abruptly as Max pulled her against his chest. He was warm through his thin shirt, her hands pressed firm against his hard chest.

  “Kiss me,” he demanded of her. She looked into his eyes, frozen. He was asking her to kiss him in front of everyone they worked with. He moved his lips toward hers.

  “Max.” His name fell off her lips, her desire and her uncertainty contained in that one word. He pressed her tighter to him, his tender lips finding hers. He tasted of whiskey and cream, the taste mingling together in her mouth. Amanda’s body wanted to escape from the confines of her clothes. She wanted the people to fall away. She wanted the world to fall away, leaving no one else but her and Max. She contained the moan that tried to escape her as his tongue danced lightly across her exposed lip. She pulled back from him as whooping and hollering exploded from the table next to her. She turned to them, taking a mock bow. She backed away from Max, and right into Shandra. Amanda turned, holding on to her arm for support. “You told me I would be okay by myself.”

  Shandra shook her head at her. “I’m not the one that told you to stand beneath mistletoe. It’s the oldest holiday trick in the book, girly.” Shandra thumped her knuckle on Amanda’s head, then moved off into the crowd. “Oh, boss man,” she called. “Can I stand under the mistletoe next?”

  People cheered and jeered as Shandra strode over to Max, dramatically bending down to his height to place a dramatic kiss on his cheek. Amanda silently blessed her for so easily taking the focus off of herself. Amanda leaned back against the wall, realizing her hands were cold and shaking from nerves. She thought about just slipping over to the coat room and leaving without any goodbyes, but she knew that would raise more questions than if she just announced she was tired and ready to call it a night.

  She moved back to her table, keeping half an eye on Max as he moved jovially through the room. She made small talk with Carter and Celeste, and as their children slowly started to return from the game room, she took it as a sign that it wouldn’t look odd if she announced she was heading home. She said her goodbyes, and as she made her way through the crowd, she glanced over at Max. He seemed at ease, chatting to those around him. She expected him to look different so
mehow, to be acting different now that he’d kissed her in front of everyone. But he looked the same. He was not changed inside. His hands were not shaking, and his heart was not thumping out an irregular beat like hers.

  Chapter Eighteen

  AMANDA SLID INTO THE bathtub. The hot water wrapping around her skin. She slid her feet up on the edge. Her toenails were painted a dark, seductive red which shone almost black in the dreary cloak of night. The full moon spread its light across the bath water, sending lighted ripples across its surface as she moved.

  She brought her wine glass to her lips, sipped, before replacing it on the surrounding tile. Tonight it held no satisfaction for her. It’s warmth across her lips reminded her how he tasted.

  She uncapped the jar next to her, dipping her fingers in the soft oil. She lazily spread it across her legs. They were hot beneath the touch of her fingers, her skin firing red against the heat of the water. She’d wanted to take him right there in the middle of everybody. She wanted to drag him back to her room and play with him all night. She knew it was more than that. She knew it was more than the way he touched her, the way he looked at her. She’d had plenty of men who wanted her. But there was something different about Max Avery. She wondered what he would do when he finally conquered her. Was the conquest just making her his? Would he stab his sword into the air, announce his victory, and then walk away?

  The champagne was still making her mind hazy—coupled with the heat of the tub, she felt herself becoming numb. She let her thoughts drift away. She rubbed the oil over her arms, the parts that lay free from the water were speckled in goosebumps. She rubbed her hands over her chest, then over her breasts, her nipples. When she reached her stomach she could feel him re-enter her mind. He made her feel things she couldn’t ignore. She heated between her legs, feeling the dull throb of desire. She ran her hand lower, between her legs. She needed him. She needed him to pleasure her. That’s all she needed from him, she told herself. She could feel herself swell, ready to welcome him inside. She moved her fingers, eliciting a moan from her lips. Her skin tinged. The water heating her almost to the point of uncomfortability. Her head tipped back as her hips rose out of the water. Her nipples broke free from the surface, instantly hardening against the cool air. She moaned, moving her fingers faster as she thought of him stroking in and out of her. She could feel his bite upon her nipples, the pull of his fingers upon her ass. She screamed out into the silence of the room. She sunk back down into the water. Fiery sensations ran the length of her arms. Her feet tingled with the sudden release. She lay her head back against the tub and wrapped her arms around herself.

  Chapter Nineteen

  AMANDA WOKE FROM A restless sleep. Her body felt achy and her mind felt numb. She rolled over to the edge of the bed, where she was greeted by Bunny. He stood as tall as he could on his back legs, trying to get her attention. She scratched his head and when he seemed satisfied that she was in fact going to move, he hopped over to his dish and waited.

  “If you weren’t such a piggy at night, you wouldn’t be so hungry come morning,” she chastised him as she poured his pellets into his dish. He’d expect a carrot too, but that would need to wait until Amanda found herself some coffee and could clear the fog out of her head.

  She stumbled through her coffee preparations, once making a cup without her cup, and then after she’d cleaned the hot water from the counter, she managed to get her cup under the hot water stream, but when it came out clear, she realized she’d forgotten the coffee. She decided she just wasn’t destined for coffee this morning, so she added a tea bag to her cup of hot water and called it a mission accomplished.

  She stood in her living room, wondering why today seemed so different than any other Saturday morning. She realized she felt off, unfocused. Almost confused like she’d been sedated and hadn’t been aware of it. She tried to tell herself it was just her lack of sleep. A damp nose pressed against her ankle, and she smiled down at Bunny who was valiantly trying to gain her attention. “Come on, buddy,” she said. “Let’s go brave the outdoors. We could both use some fresh air and we’ll get you a carrot.”

  He hopped to the front door before she moved, and she wondered if he knew what carrot meant, or if she was really that predictable. She sighed. She was horribly predictable. They’d go outside and tend to the garden if there was no frost. Bunny would nibble his carrot while she drank her coffee, and then they’d curl up on the couch for a bit.

  Bunny was already waiting next to the garden waiting for her to pick him a treat. She pulled a carrot free from the earth, and he began nibbling at the green end first, just like he always did. “Maybe we’re both predictable,” said Amanda.

  Amanda sat down and curled her legs up to her in her outdoor chair. The morning was brisk, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to sit outside very long. She sipped at her drink, expecting coffee and sputtering a bit when the tea hit her senses. “Ha, see,” she said to Bunny, “today is different. I’m drinking tea instead of coffee.”

  Bunny seemed completely indifferent as he started working his way into the crunchy part of the carrot. Amanda thought about her meal last night, with the miniature carrots and seared beets and braised greens. She imagined if XXX served that during the winter at an event as fancy as theirs, there was other companies in the area that either served a similar meal, or would like to serve a similar meal. Amanda had never grown beets, but knew they were similar to carrots, and if Bunny’s enjoyment was any indication, she had her carrot growing skills mastered.

  “Bunny?” she called out. “How about we stop being so predictable? Come on,” she said. “Let’s go do some research and...” she looked at the time on her phone, “when the rest of the world wakes up, we’ll make some phone calls.”

  Since Bunny didn’t appear to be as enthused about this venture as she was, she moved across the yard, scooping him in her arms and lugging him inside. She placed him on the floor, but before she could shut the door, he was back outside. She turned, shaking her fist at him. “It’s too cold to spend all morning outside,” she chastised him. “Come here,” she called. Amanda traipsed back outside, dancing around like a mad-person until she was able to capture the elusive white rabbit. “It’s not nice to make me look like a crazy person this early in the morning,” she told him. “Mrs Carmichael already thinks I’m a bit nuts.” Amanda looked over to the main house on the property, expecting to see the curtain pulled aside as the elderly woman watched her from within. The curtain was closed but ruffled as if there was a wind. She chuckled to herself as she caught Bunny for the second time, this time not releasing him until the door was firmly closed.

  He wandered off to take a nap in the pool of sun on the floor as Amanda fired up her laptop. She was sick and tired of just being. Her days and her weeks were the same. Even if Shandra had hurt her feelings by insinuating she had nothing she was passionate about, she was exactly right. While Amanda had a hobby or two, and a job, nothing sparked any sort of... anything inside her.

  Amanda spent the better part of the morning doing research. Research about rooftop gardening, and then she made some phone calls to local event coordinators and resorts. Most people were just too busy to do any gardening themselves but did show interest in obtaining locally grown fresh foods, especially in the colder months.

  Amanda put her computer away and started pacing her living room. Bunny flipped over once, eyeing her disdainfully before resuming his nap, but otherwise she had no one to discuss her ideas with. Shandra seemed like the best bet. And then to Amanda’s disdain, she realized that Shandra was really her only bet. But would she be interested in discussing gardening techniques on a Saturday afternoon? Amanda sighed. She needed to get herself out of this self-imposed rut. She scrolled through her phone. Most of the names she didn’t even have a face to go along with. Sometimes, there weren’t even any names. At least not ones that made any sense. There was no memory to go with “Friday night @ Jasper’s.” The only Jaspers she knew was the gay bar do
wn in Hillsboro Commons. She did not remember being there. Amanda started deleting, purging contacts that she would never use again. She realized Shandra wasn’t even in her contact list. But, she had been the last person she’d talked to besides her mother.

  There it was, a local number during work hours. She practiced the line in her head. Hello, Shandra, I know I’ve never bothered to call you before, but I was wondering if you were free on a Saturday afternoon to talk to me about me? What? You’re too busy for me? Amanda blew out a hot breath. It could go differently than that she thought. Shandra could be happy for her. She could be interested in what she learned. She looked at the number on her screen. She jammed her eyes shut and hit dial. The phone rang. She held her breath. It was too late now. Gone were the days when you could hang up your rotary phone and no one would be any the wiser as to your call.

  “Hello?” came a deep, obviously male voice.

  “Umm...” Amanda wasn’t starting out good. This caught her off guard. Maybe Shandra had somebody over? But somebody she knew well enough to answer her phone? Amanda looked at the number, skeptical. “Is Shandra there?” she asked.

  There was silence on the other side of the phone. She could hear a heavy door slide open and then shut. “Amanda?” came the voice.