Page 81 of The Blessings of Christmas
Amanda clicked the TV off. “I might stay up a while.”
“See you tomorrow then. I’m going to make dinner tomorrow night. Don’t you worry about a thing, it being your last day of school and all,” her mother threw over her shoulder.
Amanda made the rounds, locking the doors and leaving the outside lights on for Conner. She stopped in front of the tree. Many of the ornaments were from her childhood or Connor’s.The rocking horse ornament Mrs. Pendergast, their teacher, had given her in play school. The bread dough letter “C” Connor had made in kindergarten. She smiled and clicked off the lights. Tomorrow night, she’d have time to sit down and enjoy the tree.
Tiny white lights dotted the hillside of books behind the crèche set. Amanda hesitated for just a second, waiting for that tiny twinge around her heart when she looked at the empty cradle.
Not tonight.
Tonight her life was more than enough. Turning off the tiny white lights, she felt around under the white sheet until her fingers found the baby Jesus figurine she’d hidden there. Christmas Eve she’d place the figure in the cradle. Comforted, she dragged herself upstairs to bed.
Shortly after Amanda snuggled down in the sheets, she heard the opening and closing of the bathroom door and then all was quiet. Turning onto her side, she ran one hand down the other side of their queen size bed, from the pillow to the pocket where Connor usually lay on his stomach like a little boy.
She must have been dozing when she heard Connor’s pickup. The side door opened downstairs and Connor’s footsteps were quick on the stairs. Always amazing how a guy his size could be so light on his feet. Probably from his basketball days. He edged into the room, and she watched him kick off his boots and pull his T-shirt over his head. Moonlight illuminated his square-jawed profile and sculpted chest. His comfy sleep shorts soon replaced the jeans. When he began to carefully pull the cover aside, she threw it wider and opened her arms.
“Babe.” With no hesitation he slid into her warmth, his lips devouring her, like she was breakfast and he was ravenous.
“Oh, Connor,” she murmured softly.
He silenced her with his lips before working his way down her long neck. “I’m here, and I’m fine.”
“What about my parents?” she whispered as he slipped off her flannel PJs. Their second floor was so small. But, oh goodness. His skin burned against hers like he’d been stoking this fire all the way from the station.
“We’ll be quiet.”
She heard the smile in his voice. Hooking one leg over his thigh, she pulled him closer. They were good at making quiet love. After all, they’d visited her parents’ condo in Florida. She’d swallow every moan if it killed her.
They took each other with an urgent speed that almost squeezed her heart right out of her body and left her gasping. How she loved this man. Tonight, she’d gotten a taste of life without him. His lovemaking felt like he knew it too. Connor’s lips blazed over her body as if it were a map he wanted to memorize. She opened every route, urged him on with her hands and body.
They were a gift to each other that night. Their love-making felt new, like they’d never opened this package before.
Afterward, they both fell into a deep sleep, bodies entwined, sleeping so soundly they almost didn’t hear the phone when it rang.
Connor groanedand reached for the bedside landline. Another out of control fire?
“Oh, I hope you don’t have to go in.” Amanda pulled herself from sleep, looking cozy and cute.
The room was turning gray. What time was it?
McKenna barked in his ear. “Get up, big brother! Big doings tonight.”
“McKenna…everything all right?”
“McKenna?”Amanda echoed softly, sitting straight up and hugging the pillow to her.
Connor tried to concentrate on what his sister was telling him. “Okay, yes. I understand.” The words spun and cracked in his mind like dice. He couldn’t believe what she was telling him. Just kept nodding. Letting it soak in.
“Connor?” Amanda’s nails bit into his forearm. He ran a hand up her naked arm.
“As soon as we can. Angie’s all right with that?”
“Angie?”Wrenching away,Amanda snapped on the bedside light.
But he could only handle one conversation at a time. “Sure. Right. Okay, see you soon.”
CHAPTER 6
Setting the phone down, Connor had immediate brain freeze. “I, uh…that was…” Oh, for Pete’s sake. He couldn’t get the words out.
