Red Hot Christmas (12 page)

When she stopped, just before pulling it all the way off, his heart skipped a beat. Then she smiled and allowed him to pull it the rest of the way off. He'd been right, she was bare underneath.

“Beautiful,” he murmured as he leaned up to taste her perfect skin. Her head fell back and her hands went to hold him next to her. He lost himself in pleasing them both. As he slowly trailed his mouth over every inch of her, his hands traveled, feeling every inch of her perfect little body. He had to have more, but knew he wanted to go slow, to enjoy every moment.

“Luke, please.” She took his face in her hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

“Amber, I just...” He couldn't explain it. He knew he wanted this to be special. Needed it to be. He leaned his forehead on hers and took a deep breath. “Maybe this isn't such a good idea?”

She moved back like she'd been splashed with cold water. He pulled her closer. “No, don't. Listen. I'm just...” He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch. How could he explain to her that he was screwed up right now? He didn't want this to be about him, which it would be if they continued. It had been a while, seven months, since he'd been with anyone. It wasn't as if he felt like he could control himself around her. Not now, when his emotions were so raw.

When he opened his eyes up, he saw understanding in her blue eyes. He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. “Thank you for understanding.”

She insisted on driving him the short distance back to his place. The rain had let up a little, but not much, so he was happy to be in out of the cold. When he walked into the place, he realized how empty it truly was. Well, he could do something about that, just not tonight.

He went up to his room and slept all the way through the night. The next morning he woke up and made French toast, something his gran had taught him, but he hadn't made in a long while. The house smelled better and even felt a little warmer. He took his time cleaning the kitchen, putting the dishes away and making sure everything shined like it was supposed to. Then he put on his snow boots, since he had that feeling in his bones, and grabbed his keys.

An hour later, he walked back in with a new lifelong friend who spent the next hour smelling and dribbling pee puddles, which he quickly mopped up.

It wasn't as if it was the first puppy to live in this house. Actually, that's one of the main reasons the whole downstairs had hardwood floors. When he was eleven he'd talked his grandfather into getting a basset hound. Butch had quickly learned the rules of the house and had lived to the ripe old age of eleven before finally falling to sleep one day behind the shed.

Looking down at the small female beagle, he started running through names while he made himself a sandwich for lunch. He knew he needed a quick run to the store to grab the necessities. A dog bed, leash, flea collar, and other items he mentally thought of.

He'd gone through about a hundred names when it came to him. Jackie. Actually, it had been all thanks to a John Mellencamp song that had been playing on the radio as he'd driven her home. Well, since she was a girl, he couldn't call her Jack, and he didn't like the name Diane. He liked Jackie, and even thought he could get away with calling her Jack some of the time.

“Well, Jackie. What do you think?” The puppy sat down on her little bottom, her tail wagging as her tongue lolled about. He'd grabbed a small bag of the food the vet had recommended, like he wanted to run to Patty’s and pick up a large bag of the food that they had always given Butch.

An hour later, with Jackie safely tucked in the laundry room with a warm towel to snuggle up to, he trudged through the falling snow towards Patty's.

When he arrived, he noticed that people instantly put on their “sad” faces. He tried to ignore it as he filled his cart with every item he wanted in the pet aisle.

“Oh, did you get a puppy?” Patty asked as he pulled his cart to the checkout stand.

“Yes, a beagle, this morning.”

“Oh, how precious. One from Becky and Tom's litter?”

He nodded. “A girl. I've named her Jackie.”

“How sweet.” Patty smiled as she scanned all the items. “Going to spoil her rotten.” She chuckled when she scanned a large bag of treats.

Just then the door chime rang. When he looked up he saw Amber, who looked a little flushed as she noticed him at the checkout. Her steps faltered a little as she walked over to grab a cart.

Of course Patty noticed it, and he could have sworn that her smile got a lot bigger. He actually heard her humming as she continued to scan his items. When everything was in bags, Patty continued to talk to him about the puppy, until finally Amber stood behind him with a half-full cart.

“Did you hear that Luke just got a puppy?” Patty smiled and looked pleased with herself.

“You got a puppy? Oh. What kind?”

He chuckled, and told her the story. By the end of the conversation, he had somehow been maneuvered by Patty into helping Amber drop off her groceries and then taking her back up to his place to show her Jackie.

When Amber opened her door, she turned back around. “How is it that woman can talk anyone into doing what she suggests?”

He chuckled. “I know what you mean. When she sets her mind on something, it usually happens.” He carried her bags into the kitchen. “Listen, if you don't want to come over to see Jackie, you don't have to.”

“Nonsense.” Amber stopped in the process of putting a bag of powder sugar away. “I'm actually dying to see your new little girl.” She smiled and turned back around.

He started pulling items out of the bag. “Okay, I just didn't want you to feel weird.”

She stopped and turned back to him. “Weird?”

“Yeah, well...You know. Back when you entered the store, it looked like you were about to turn around and run out the door when you saw me.”

She paled a little. “Oh, that was nothing.” She turned back around and started putting her groceries away. He set a can of tomato soup down and walked over to her. Cornering her against the counter top.

When she turned back around, he placed his hands on her hips to hold her still. “It's not nothing. Why do I get the idea you're trying to brush me off?”

He could see her make up her mind. “I'm not ready for a relationship just now. I keep telling myself that, but then when I'm around you, you're so easy to get along with. More so then anyone else I've ever seen on a personal level. It's so hard for me to step back.”

“Then don't. Listen, Amber, I'm not asking for your hand in marriage. I'm not at that place in my life just yet. I don't think we know each other well enough at this point. But I do think we have something between us, and I want to explore it, and I think you do as well.”

She nodded her head. “Good, so what do you say to finishing this up, then heading back to my place to play with a puppy? Then, if you're good, I might just make you dinner.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

A
mber laughed again as the puppy tried to crawl up the front of her shirt and kiss her on the lips.

“She knows how sweet tasting your mouth is.” Luke chuckled from his position leaning against the countertop.

“She's the most precious thing I've ever seen. I've never had a puppy before. I always wanted one, or a pony.” She laughed again when the puppy managed to get a good lick on her chin.

“Yeah, well, puppies are a lot easier to clean up after. Which reminds me, it's about time to go out.” He opened the kitchen door that lead to the back yard. The puppy climbed off her lap, falling on her face, but quickly picked herself up and trotted out the door.

“Oh, aren't you suppose to go out with her? Watch her or something?” Concern had her up and to the door as he laughed at her.

“No, I think she can handle it on her own.”

“Oh, but what about birds, or foxes?”

“There aren't any foxes in my back yard. As for birds, I think they are more afraid of Jack then she is of them.”

“Not those kinds of birds. Hawks or eagles. Don't they eat small animals like her?”

“Well...” She didn't hear anything else he had to say, she was out the back door and looking around for the small helpless dog.

Luke stood in the back doorway and smiled as she hunted the large back yard for the small dog. Finally, she spotted her behind the shed. When she walked over there, the puppy looked up at her as she was doing her business. She could have sworn she looked embarrassed to be caught, causing Amber to chuckle. Amber quickly turned her back and apologized.

“Did you just apologize to my dog for catching her going to the bathroom?”

“Yes, we ladies need our privacy.” Jackie walked up behind her and started sniffing her shoes. “There.” Amber bent to pick her up. “All is forgiven.” She walked across the yard, holding the dog.

“She can walk you know.” He laughed.

“Oh, I know. But we don't want to get all muddy, do we, Jackie?” She snuggled and kissed the puppy on the forehead.

“And Patty thought I was going to spoil her.”

“What?” Amber looked up at him with innocent eyes.

He laughed. “Nothing.”

The rain had finally let up, but his back yard was still muddy and when she walked by him, she slipped a little on the grass. His arm reached out to hold her steady, and she felt a jolt of pure lust rush through her system.

How did he do that to her? One minute she was kissing puppies, and the next she was imagining them naked.

She'd been doing the same thing when she'd entered the store earlier. Actually, that had been the cause of her face turning red when she'd seen him.

She couldn't help it, he looked so damn sexy in his faded jeans and leather jacket. He'd been wearing a ball cap today, and she’d found it very appealing. To be honest, she was glad for the opportunity to visit again. She'd enjoyed their time last night and wanted to see if she felt the same way about him in daylight. She did. Now she knew she had two paths to go: either keep denying it and slowly pull away, denying her needs, or go for it and see where the road took her. If it ended up in hurt and pain, so be it. It wasn't as if she hadn't taken that road before.

“Okay, are you done figuring it out?” He smiled down at her. Jackie was squirming between them. He pulled back and took the small puppy from her arms, setting it gently down in the grass. Then she was back in his arms.

“Yes, I think so.” She smiled at him. “Have you?”

His smile faded a little, and he shook his head no. “I'm not sure.” Then he smiled. “But I do like it when you try to persuade me.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer. Then he leaned in and took her mouth.

The cold breeze blew between them, causing her to inch closer to his warmth. He had a way of using his mouth on her that made her legs melt.

His hands were in her hair again, and she realized hers were in his. He moved his slowly down her neck and shoulders until he was making small circles on her back and hips. She couldn't get over how nice his muscles felt under her fingertips. When she started shaking with want, he pulled back.

“How about I make you some food?”

She smiled and nodded. “That sounds wonderful. Well,” she frowned a little, “that is, if you can cook. I guess I should have asked you that before agreeing to eat here.”

He laughed. “Yes, my gran taught me well. And after all, my best friend is a chef. What do you say to some steaks and shrimp cocktails?”

“Yum!”

Amber was impressed at the way Luke move around the kitchen like a pro.  room e was even more impressed when she tasted the delicious smelling food.

“Wow. Just wow. Does Iian know you cook like this?” She took another mouthwatering bite.

“Yes. Actually, he taught me how to fix the shrimp just right.” He laughed. “He keeps trying to get me to fill in down at the restaurant, but it's not for me.”

“No, I suppose not.” She looked at her plate, remembering his room full of games.

“Yeah, I know that tone. The last two girls I dated had that same tone. You really will have to see what I do to believe it. Just trust me, I don't play video games all night.” He smiled.

She nodded her head. She hadn't meant to bring up his employment. Honestly, she tried to keep it out of their conversations.

“I'm sure you don't.” She tried to change the subject by bringing up Jackie again, only to have him laugh at her attempt.

“Fine, we won't talk about my job. One day you will find out exactly what it is I do, though. For now, I'll leave it alone. So, tell me, who is the worse waitress down at the restaurant? I bet it's Arleen. The old girl has been around since Iian's grandfather ran the place.”

She laughed.

When Amber made it back to her place, for the first time in years she felt lonely. She was jealous of Luke's ability to have a puppy. Living in apartments for a big chunk of her life, she'd never been able to have pets. She couldn't do cats, since she had a mild allergy.

Maybe she'd look around and see about buying or renting a house so she could get a puppy. She thought about the small bundle and started planning.

The weeks flew by before Thanksgiving. They decorated the restaurant, changing some of the basic items to more holiday oriented items. She had been working up her nerve to bring up a few suggestions she had to Iian. When she finally did work up the nerve to step into his office, he was sitting behind the desk and Luke sat beside him with his feet up on Iian's desk. They were both laughing.

She wanted to turn back around and run. She'd seen Luke again on several occasions, each one ending with a heavy make-out and petting session, but ending with that. She was getting frustrated and wanted badly to just jump his bones. But she understood he was going through an emotionally hard time, so she stepped back each time.

She wasn't usually one to take that first step, but with him she couldn't seem to stop herself.

“Amber, come on in,” Luke said, smiling as if he had a secret.

“Well, if this is a bad time?” She looked towards Iian, making sure to say it so he could read her lips.

“No, I have a few minutes. I'm about to head out. Actually, you know what. Why don't you come with us?” Iian stood and smiled at his friend. “It's game day and we're playing the Hornets, the boys and girls basketball team, today. We could use the extra cheering.”

“What?” She stepped back, her back came up against the door. “No, I can't...”

Iian waved at her. “Please, I have it in good authority that your boss won't mind. Besides, it's a slow day, and Thomas can take over for a few hours.”

“I...” She searched Iian and Luke's faces for an excuse. Coming up with none, she sighed.

“Good!” Iian smiled. “Luke, you can drive her over to the gym. I'll see you both there.” Iian walked out, whistling, something he did often. Amber had been very impressed when she not only recognized the song, but found that he was in perfect tone.

Looking over to Luke she smiled. “Why does it seem the whole town has it out for us?”

.He laughed. ”Probably because they do. You should have seen it when everyone was trying to get Iian and Allison together.” He laughed. “Come on, let's get going. The Hornets are a rough bunch and don't like us being late.”

When they walked into the gym, Amber was happy to see Allison, Megan, a very pregnant Lacey, and another women, with jet black curly hair, pale milky white skin and deep red lips, sitting on the bleachers. Waving, she looked at Luke.

“Go ahead, sit with them. But make sure you cheer for me.” He leaned over and kissed her quickly right in front of everyone. Smiling, he turned and walked into the changing rooms with his bag slung over his shoulder.

When she walked over to the bleachers, everyone said hello.

“Amber, this is Sara Lauren. She's just moved back into town from Seattle. We went to school together.” Allison motioned to the dark-haired woman sitting next to her.

“Hello.” Amber sat next to Megan. “Nice to meet you. Are you back to stay?”

“Yes, sometimes you just wake up and know it's time to get out of the city.” Sara smiled.

“I know what you mean.” Then Amber turned to Megan and asked, “No kids today?”

“No, we decided to let Betty watch them at Lacey's so we can focus on cheering.” Megan smiled.

Then Amber turned towards Lacey. “I can't believe they let you out of the house. Aren't you due any minute?”

“Yesterday.” Lacey said. “I was due yesterday. I told Aaron that if I don't have this kid by tonight, he's going to have to induce. There is no way I'm waiting too much longer.”

Amber smiled. “Well, you look wonderful.”

“Bull, but thank you for saying so.” Lacey smiled.

“
Oh! Look, here they come.” Megan stood and started cheering. The other ladies followed along.

Amber watched as eight grown men came running out of the locker rooms, all wearing green Jerseys with the name “Sasquatch” on the front. She laughed.

“Yeah, their idea.” Megan laughed along, clapping as the men ran in circles, tossing a basketball back and forth.

“Who's that?” Sara pointed to Allen.

“Oh, that's right. You haven't met the new hunk,” Allison said over her shoulder. “He's the head of the coast guard that just moved in down the road. They've just opened a unit in the old saw mill. They plan on having a helicopter and base out of Pride. Allen's spent the last year overseeing the operation. He's going to be training all the new recruits. I guess he's some fancy pilot, too.”