He looked her up and down, not smiling. Not reacting at all until he noticed the vase she still gripped like a weapon. Then he started to laugh.
“Don’t hurt me, please. I come bearing gifts.” He held out his miniscule tree and the wrapped box, slaying her with a grin that made her hold turn slippery on the vase. “Can I come in?” he prompted when she only stared.
“What are you doing here?”
“It’s stupid for us both to be alone on Christmas, don’t you think?”
“But—”
“Let me in, Wendy.”
She stepped aside and he walked inside, bringing a wave of cold air with him. She shivered as he shut the door, but she didn’t let go of the vase. Right then she needed something to hold on to.
“A little chilly for that kind of outfit, isn’t it?”
When she didn’t speak, he sighed and set down his pathetic little tree—the last from the lot at the end of the street, by the looks of things—and his gift, along with a plastic bag that he’d procured from under his coat. It smelled like Chinese food.
Her belly rumbled and he smiled, arching a brow. “So you don’t want me or my tree, but you’ll take my eats, huh?”
Smiling weakly, she shoved the silk flowers back in the vase and set it on the table. Her gaze darted from the shabby multicolored rug to the equally threadbare sofa to the crappy dollar store pictures she’d framed and hung in an attempt to give the place some life.
And Des stood in her hall in his spendy leather coat and pricey sneakers and designer jeans. She wanted to throw up.
“What’s wrong?”
“You shouldn’t be here.” She flung a glance at her boxy old-fashioned TV where little Zuzu was talking about an angel earning her wings. Lines scrolled across the bottom, for God’s sake. “I can’t do this.”
“Why shouldn’t I be here? I want to be.” He stepped closer and took her suddenly cold hands in his larger warm ones. “I thought you could use a tree, but you don’t have to put it up if you don’t like it. That’s not why I came.”
She angled her head. “So why did you?”
His beautiful eyes burned into hers. “Because I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather spend tonight with than you.”
Her wobbly heart plummeted straight to her toes by way of her lady bits. Every spot on the way tingled. “Sure you’re not just doing your holiday good deed?”
“Actually, I am. I hope to be repaid in blowjobs and eggnog. Sound good to you?”
She couldn’t help laughing as she waved at the living room. “Go on, go sit. I’ll just change.“
“No. You’re fine.” He rubbed the indent in her chin. “I’m not company. I want you just as you are.”
“Do you hear that dripping noise?” she whispered when she could finally speak.
He frowned. “No.”
“That’s me, melting.” His slow grin turned that melting thing she had going on into a total winter thaw. Especially between her legs. “I didn’t know you could be romantic, Des.”
“It’s probably because I’m getting ready to romance a veggie egg roll in extra duck sauce. It’s my one Christmas non-vegan indulgence and I’m feeling all lovey dovey.”
She laughed and went back into the hall. “I’ll serve the food and you can put up the tree.” She knelt, noticing the paper bag on top of the gift. She dug through it and shook her head, hoping the motion would discourage her tears. He really had thought of everything. “Mini lights? And ornaments?”
“I forgot the star.”
“Gonna dock your pay for that one.”
“The drugstore didn’t have much left, but I figured those would—”
Before he could finish, she shot to her feet and whirled into his arms, clamping her mouth down on his so hard that he let out a grunt. Then he was returning her kiss, his lips as icy as the frost that clung to his coat. He streaked his hands up her spine to tug on her hair, using it to pull her head back so he could plunge even deeper into her mouth. He was practically fucking her, just with his tongue instead of his cock.