A Tiara Under the Tree

“Because Kenzie sent a message to us to pick up some dresses,” said Dominic.

Flipping the phone over in her hand, Waverly checked for the mail icon and found it. Kenzie’s name appeared by the envelope. “Well, I guess she did.”

“I figured you were ready.” He pointed at the tiara on top of her head. “What are you going to do for a tree?”

“I have a picture of a tree I’m going to hang up on the wall. As a matter of fact, it should be folded up in the box.”

Dominic shook his head and hung it low. Waverly wondered what he did to keep his curls looking so soft. She refrained from touching the top of his head. She hated it when she was in pageant mode and someone wanted to touch her bouffant.

“My Christmas spirit weeps for you.” Dominic glanced up. The light caught his brown eyes, turning them copper.

“Speaking of Christmas, I really like the way you’re treating the town with your cars so everyone can enjoy the parade. I didn’t realize you owned so many.” Waverly sat back into the cushions, crossing one leg over the other, well aware of Dominic’s eyes on her. She cleared her throat and he glanced up, making eye contact. Waverly’s heart fluttered, not sure which she’d rather have more: him staring at her legs or looking into her eyes.

“Let’s just say I came into a fleet.” Dominic’s jaw twitched. “I don’t think I won over Mayor Ascot.”

“Anson,” Waverly corrected him with a smirk. “I know you know his name.”

“He didn’t seem too pleased about me honoring the mistletoe tradition.” Dominic teased her with an enticing side smile.

“Honoring tradition. ” She scoffed, hoping her snark would stop the blush threatening. “Is that what you call it?”

Dominic’s shoulders rose and fell. “So, do I need to be worried?”

“Worried about what?” Waverly asked.

“According to what Kenzie told me, you’ve just about collected all decades of clothing for your idea.”

“Begging for donations at five county fairs, fifty football homecomings, twenty hospitals and the thirty or so senior citizen homes worked.” Waverly relaxed against the cushions of the couch after stating her recollection. “What do you have to be worried about?”

“You won’t need me.”

Need or want? Waverly asked inwardly. “I’ll admit I’ve been busy.”

Being busy had helped keep her mind off Dominic’s absence. But he didn’t need to know that.

“So I need to make sure the amount of time we spend together counts,” Dominic explained. “Let’s see... Tomorrow is the first, so we’ve got twenty-five days together, spending time to create the perfect parade.”

Waverly’s mouth twisted into a crooked smile. Twenty-five days of Dominic? Her heart raced with excitement. “Providing you don’t have to leave again.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s right,” Waverly said, “you’ve got this Kris Kringle thing going.”

Dominic nodded and answered quickly, “Yep.” He stood up and stretched. Waverly found herself licking her lips, enthralled with the shape of his body in his clothes. She could only imagine what he looked like with them off. “So, are you ready to get going?”

“What do you mean?”

Dominic pointed toward her phone. “We’ve got to go pick up some dresses. Kenzie’s orders, remember?”

“Where are we going?”

“Someplace across the county line,” Dominic said with a shrug. “We can catch lunch there and then, when we get back, if you don’t mind, I’d like to help you get your Advent calendars together.”

Waverly tilted her head to the side. She’d like that...she’d like it very much.

* * *

“This is some spread,” Dominic said and whistled when they pulled up to the curb of address Kenzie provided them. He stepped around the black 1940 Packard and opened the door for Waverly. Like any other red-blooded American man’s would, his eyes went toward her legs. Waverly had changed into a knee-length tan skirt and an orange sweater with a collar that teased him with a hint of her shoulders. The skirt rose just to her thighs when she turned in her seat to set her tan heels on the ground. Wind cooled his bottom lip, which he absentmindedly licked at the sight of her stems.