She interrupted, adding, “It was going to be my turn this year.”
When he looked over at her in confusion, she clarified what she meant. “We took turns every year to decide who got to pick the Christmas movie the family would watch. It was my turn this year.”
Setting the notebook down, he gazed at her in complete rapture. “Really? What would you have picked to watch?”
“I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“If you had to pick right now, what would have been your choice?”
January thought about it. There weren’t many Christmas themed movies that she loved or cared to watch more than once. Last time she chose White Christmas because she knew it was her mother’s favorite.
“Um, I always had a soft spot for Tim Allen in The Santa Clause. It’s probably the only Christmas movie I’ve seen a few times and I don’t hate.”
“I bet it’s great.”
Deckard paused, appearing to wait for January to come to some sort of conclusion, but she wasn’t sure what that was supposed to be. His steady gaze on her had January squirming in her seat with nerves. What was it about this man that had her feeling like a teenager sitting with her first crush?
“Continue,” she motioned for him to keep reading the list.
“A Christmas parade. Where was the parade?”
“Here in town, it’s probably similar to the celebration. But the town really loved it. All of the clubs and businesses made floats and went up the streets for the twelve blocks of downtown. It was great. And there were little booths with hot chocolate and cookies. Everyone was always smiling and we all sat together on the sidewalk edges in the center of town.”
“That sounds nice. We don’t have a parade, but I imagine it wouldn’t be hard to convince the town to do one.”
“How would you decorate the floats? Isn’t solstice mostly symbolized with stars and snowflakes?”
“Yeah. I guess there wouldn’t be much variety. But you never know.” He shrugged his shoulders with a smile on his lips then looked down to continue reading through the list. “Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange.
“Imagine Thanksgiving in December and a birthday to the extreme.”
She bit back a laugh as Deckard’s eyes widen at her description. The two events were the closest thing she could think of to describe Christmas.
“No way.”
“Yes. People would go all out for Christmas presents. Kids would write lists of gifts they wanted from Santa at the North Pole, and if they were on the nice list they’d get some of them, or all if you were lucky enough.”
“What if you were bad?”
“Oh, if you were on the naughty list, you got coal. At least that’s always been the tale. I was always on the nice list.”
“I find that ha
rd to imagine.”
“Really,” she says coyly, taking a sip from her water.
“Oh yeah. You have sinner written all over you.”
January’s eyes cast down at his assumption. She wasn’t a sinner, but with him, she’d gladly get down on her knees and start confessing.
Deckard paused and let his words sink and settle in her mind.
“I. . .uh. . .don’t know what you mean.”
“By the way we kissed last night. I’m certain that you do.”
“Oh,” she sat mollified at his answer. She absolutely wanted a repeat from last night with him. And at the way her core tightened just imagining the kiss again, her body was on par for a repeat performance. Maybe she was a sinner after all.