A Merry Little Christmas (15 page)

“Do you think we need more beer? We have a case, I think, but
is
that enough?” Again she turned her face up to Donnie, so sweetly and naturally that for a moment it felt like they were a couple. He cleared his throat and gruffly replied to her question.

“I think that’s plenty. If the guys want some more they can go get it. Maybe some pop for the kids, but that’s about it.”

“Oh, we have fruit juice for the kids—too much soda is bad for their teeth. That’s the leading cause of tooth decay; I’ll bet you didn’t know that, did you? Oh, look,” she said as she darted off down the aisle.

Donnie looked at her as she was exclaiming over something in the gourmet section. The mention of teeth made
him think
about
th
e time he’d taken her to the endodontist, something he hadn’t thought about in a long time. She’d been in so much pain that day and so frightened that it hurt him to look at her. The memory of that afternoon was permanently etched in his brain. He’d had to hold her like a child to convince her to let him take her in, and once they were there, the thought of him leaving her side was out of the question. He had to stifle a chuckle as he recalled the fact that no one on the office staff dared tell him to sit in the waiting area.

He’d pulled a stool up next to the chair where she was being treated and held her hand the entire time. Anytime she made so much as a whimper, he’d glared at his friend John Taylor, the endodontist who’d been kind enough to take her in as an emergency. Afterward, he’d apologized to John, who waved it away like it was nothing. “Don’t worry about it, Donnie. I’m the same way with my wife. You should’ve seen me in the delivery room when we had our last kid. I’m pretty sure I’m permanently banned from the hospital,” he’d told him.

Angelique rejoined Donnie before his reverie got any weirder. She showed off her prize, a big jar of marinated artichoke hearts, something she and Paris both adored. He led the way to the checkout where he took out a platinum card to pay for everything. They left the store in a few minutes and drove to his house to get the dogs.

“You know, we really don’t have to get them,” he said.

“Yes, we do! I haven’t seen them in such a long time, and I’m sure they don’t like being home alone. Besides,” she glanced at the dashboard’s digital clock, “I can’t go home yet.”

That caught Donnie’s interest. “What are you up to, Evie? Why are you running me all over town and trying not to go back to your own home, hmm?”

Angelique gave him a smile that was both sheepish and defiant at the same time. “I’m, umm, well,
we’re
matchmaking, if you must know. Paris and I are both doing this, so I guess we have to share the blame. Lisette is crazy about Warren and we’re trying to give them some time alone,” she said. “I think he likes her, too, at least it looks like that to me. What do you think?”

By now they’d reached Donnie’s bungalow and he brought the Jaguar to a stop in the driveway by the rear entrance. He turned off the ignition and turned to look at her. “I
think
it’s about time somebody busted a move. Warren is crazy about her, too. How much longer do we have to be gone?”

“About a half hour or so.
Do you mind?” she asked with a shy smile.

“Not at all, this is just what Warren needs.”

He swung his long legs out of the car and went around to the passenger side to let Angelique out. Even though the drive had been neatly shoveled and there were no icy patches, he held her arm until they got to the back door. He opened the door and apologized for going in first
.

“Excuse
my
manners—I just don’t like the idea of you getting set on by my beasts,” he said

Angelique smiled to herself at his thoughtfulness. In a few minutes they were greeted by the happy, dancing
dogs
who were thrilled with her unexpected visit
.
Donnie calmed them down after she petted and praised them.

“Go lay down. Go,” he said sternly and they went to their big pillows in his laundry room, albeit with great reluctance. Then Donnie turned to Angelique and asked if she’d like to see his house.

“Yes, I would
,
” she said thoughtfully. “I’ve never seen your house, Adonis.”

He looked surprised for a moment and then thought about it
.
“I guess you haven’t
.
I’ve never invited you over here before, I wonder why?” he mumbled more to himself than to Angelique. “Okay, Angel, you’re now going to get the grand tour. Come with me.”

He took her hand and led her through the kitchen, the dining room, the living room and the three bedrooms. One of the bedrooms was completely unfurnished
,
one was set up like an office and one was apparently Donnie’s bedroom, judging from the mammoth unmade bed
.
Like her very tall brothers, Cochran men had a need for a huge bed
.
There was a bathroom with a big
claw-foot tub, and a powder room he deemed unworthy of a visit
.
They talked about the house as they toured it.
It was a typical Arts and Crafts-styled bungalow typical of Detroit in the 1930s.
There were hardwood floors throughout and big fireplaces in the master bedroom and the living room. It was nicely furnished in a masculine manner, but it lacked a real personality, although Angelique prudently kept this thought to herself.
 
They ended up in the basement game room, with Angelique wa
lk
ing around and admiring the arcade games. Donnie, meanwhile, was admiring her. She walked over to the bar and sat on one of the tall stools. Playfully, she patted her hand on the counter and called, “Bartender!”

Donnie walked slowly across the room and stood behind her stool, leaning in so that he pressed against her back. Their eyes met in the big mirror behind the bar. “Are you thirsty? I can fix you something to drink, if you like,” he said in a husky voice. Still staring into his reflected eyes, she shook her head no. Donnie pressed even closer and wrapped one arm around her. “Are you sure you don’t want anything?” he asked, his warm breath bathing her cheek.

She whispered, “No, I don’t want anything,” and Donnie nodded absently, removing her red hat and stroking her silky hair while he kept his other arm locked around her. “Well, I want something, Angel. Something only you can give me,” he whispered.

Instead of tensing up, Angelique felt her body melt against Donnie’s and she leaned back into him. “What do you want?” she whispered.

He let her go long enough to turn her around on the bar stool and pull her into his embrace. “I want this,” he murmured as he brought his mouth down on hers. He kissed her softly at first. Once, twice, three times their lips touched each other, and then his tongue traced the same path hers had followed earlier. He painted her lips with the moisture from his mouth, softly and thoroughly learning the curves of her soft lips. Then they began kissing in earnest, harder and wilder as they reveled in die taste of each other, the feel of each other. Kissing her mouth wasn’t enough; Donnie pulled her from the stool and held her as close to him as their coats would allow. He kissed her temple, her cheek, her neck, and moaned as her warm scent drove him crazy. Kissing his way back up to her lips, he parted them slightly with his hot tongue and initiated the intimate contact again, the sweet, tender explosion satisfying him like nothing
else
ever had.
 
They might have gone on kissing for hours, if it hadn’t been for the insistent noise of a cell phone. Angelique finally recognized the persistent buzzing as her own phone, which she snatched out of her pocket with a look of extreme irritation. “What is it?” she snapped into the little phone.

Paris answered with her usual good humor. “Just letting you know the coast is clear
and it
looks like the mission was accomplished. I t
hink
we have some lovebirds over here,” she said cheerfully. After a monosyllabic grunt from Angelique, Paris’s nimble mind put two and two together.
“Ah-ha!
You
two been gettin’ busy, haven’t you? And it was good, too! Ooh, wait till I get you home!”

All Angelique could do was
stare
wordlessly into Donnie’s sexy eyes.
Now what have I gotten myself into? And do I even want to get out?
Before she could answer her own question, Donnie pulled her back into his arms and his lips put an end to any more thoughts.

Chapter Nine

Days after the Super Bowl
party
, the attendees were still talking about what a good time it was.
The food
,
the company
,
and the general atmosphere of fun made it a day to remember. The guest list was varied and included some of Paris’s coworkers at Cochran Communications, a few neighbors and those members of the Cochran family who could make it. Renee and Andrew were in Renee’s hometown of Cleveland that weekend for her parents’ anniversary and couldn’t attend; Alan and Andre Cochran had already made plans with their fraternity brothers for Super Bowl Sunday and were also absent. But Adam was there with Alicia, as was the patriarch of
the family, Big Benny
Cochran, along with his bride, Martha. And of course, A.J. attended with one of his female friends.

The evening was a complete success in all ways, especially the matchmaking part. Warren and Lisette appeared well on their way to bl
iss,
somethin
g Paris continued to talk about
to Angelique’s chagrin. “Chagrin” because Paris would start talking about the couple who belonged together, Warren and Lisette, and end up interrogating Angelique about Donnie. No matter how many times Angelique changed the subject, issued outright denials or threat
ened Paris’s life, the end resul
t was the same. She was being treated to it again this very morning while Paris was having a late cup of coffee in Angelique’s studio on the first floor of the Cochran building. Paris had come back to the building from a business meeting and dropped in to see her cousin before heading upstairs. And, once again, the normal conversation led right into what Angelique thought of as Paris’s Fantasy Land.

“Angel, I don’t know how you do it, but this is the greatest coffee in the world. You make the best coffee I’ve ever tasted,” Paris said appreciatively. She watched Angelique at work and they talked about this and that, until—like the homing pigeon she was be
ginning
to emulate—Paris went right back to the topic Angelique wanted to avoid more than anything.

“So, Angel, when are you going to admit that something happened between you and Donnie? I could see the way you two were looking at each other all afternoon; something happened and you and I both know it. Y’all came back here looking like two sixteen-year-olds on your first date and you were all moony-eyed the rest of the day. Lisette didn’t notice because she and Warren were doing the same thing, but
I
certainly saw it. Even Willis asked me if you two were an item,” she added slyly.

That gave Angelique pause and she narrowed her eyes at Paris. Willis Gaffney was a friend
and occasional date of Paris’s,
an advertising account executive who did business with Cochran Communications. “I certainly hope you told him there was nothing between us,” she snapped.

“Actually, you’d better be glad he thinks there’s something going on. He was just about to make a move on you that night and Donnie put an immediate stop to that.” Paris chuckled. “All
he did was look at him, but I think it made poor Willis’s heart stop. That’s when he asked me if you two were a couple.”

Angelique dropped her head into her hands and gave a muffled shriek. “What did you tell him? You didn’t tell him we’re dating, did you?”

Paris enjoyed her cousin’s discomfort for a few seconds, and then showed her mercy. “No, I didn’t. All I said was, ‘What do
you
think?’ and let him draw his own conclusions. He’s not going to say anything to anybody about it because Donnie scared him half to death with one look. I was pretty impressed, actually. Nobody’s ever looked at anybody like that on my behalf,” she reflected. Arching a neatly shaped brow, she gave Angelique a wicked grin and said, “Which brings me back to my original question: what’s going on with you and
Donnie? You know how nosy I am;
put me out of my misery.”

Lifting her head up, Angelique shot a mean look at Paris, which didn’t scare her one bit. “I’d like to put you out of your misery, all right.
Permanently.
For the last time, there is nothing, I repeat,
nothing,
going on between me and Adonis Bennett Cochran,” she said with a grimace.

Just then the buzzer sounded. Angelique had a reception area as well as a big office and workroom. Because she did not employ a receptionist, she had the buzzer installed for security. Paris glanced at her watch and said she would get the door on her way out. “I need to be getting back to work anyway.” She left Angelique in the big main room and went to the reception area to find out who was calling.