Christmas Romance (Best Christmas Romances of 2013) (6 page)

“Good idea,” he said surprising her. “I got my couch there. If I stop by tomorrow, it’s twenty-five percent off. I wonder if they have dog-proof ones. It looks as though Duke’s a chewer.” He grinned.

Tennyson thought of her house with James. Everything must match, he’d insisted. And there were no family photos. She assumed they weren’t close like her family. James never took her to meet his family because, he said, they were always somewhere abroad on vacation

Par whistled and the three dogs ran out of the back room. “Outside you three before you destroy something else.” He slid open the patio door. “I’m going to make sure the gate’s latched. I’ll be back in a sec.”

Tennyson heard him clap his hands and then at least two of the dogs barked. There was a knock on the door. She paused, wondering if it was out of her boundaries to answer it. She peeked through the hole and recognized Par’s mother from the photo on the mantel, so she opened the door.

The woman looked a little startled. “Oh… I’m sorry. Where’s Parkesh?”

“He just went out in the back with the dogs. Do you want me to get him?”

“Oh, no, do not bother. I just forgot the
Naan
that went with the dinner I brought over.” She held out the foil packet. “I’m sorry to bother you two. I hope you like it.”

“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Tennyson said. “It smells wonderful.”

Just then Par came back through the door. His eyes widened with surprise. “Mom. What are you doing here?”

“She forgot the bread,” Tennyson said. “The bread to go with the great dinner she made.”

Even with his dark skin, Tennyson could see a blush on Par’s cheeks.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” his mother asked.

Par carried out the introductions and then led his mother to the door. Tennyson heard the woman whisper loudly, “She’s very pretty.”

When he shut the door, he leaned his back against the wood and closed his eyes.

“You had your mom cook dinner for us? How wonderful,” she said.

He opened one eye. “I guess I’m busted. She’s a very good cook and believe me, you wouldn’t want to eat anything I cooked. I was thinking of your stomach and mine. I called her earlier when I knew you were coming over.”

“Why not just get take-out if you were busy?”

“I could have, but I…” his words dropped off as he cleared his throat and took the bread from her hand. He opened the oven door he slid the foil packet inside. “I wanted to impress you.”

“Impress me?”

“I don’t live in a fancy house or drive a fancy car. So food was a good start.”

“You think I’d care about houses or cars?”

“Your last boyfriend was a lawyer, so I guessed that might be your standard of living. I have a pretty good job, but I don’t spend money on things like expensive cars or houses.” He threw his hands up. “I don’t really know anything about you other than that you’re smart, own a dog and as my mom said ‘very pretty.”

How cute is this. I like his flustered side.
She tipped her head and looked up through lowered lashes.
“
I love your house.”

“Really?”

“Really. But how about you break out that dinner your mom made, I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and I’m starving.”

The sun set as they finished dinner on his deck. Par felt happy he had such a large, fenced back yard with plenty of room for the dogs to run and play. He’d put up the deck umbrella and turned on the deck heater just in case Tennyson was cold. The weather was still mild for winter, but there was a nip in the air.

“That chicken tasted amazing,” Tennyson said as she laid down her fork. “I ate way more than I should have. Now, I’m stuffed.”

“Would you like to call my mom and tell her? It would make her day.”

“You can relay the message.” She turned to watch the dogs as they ran and played. “I was worried about Duke, but he looks like he’s lived here all his life.”

“He can stay here as long as he needs to or until we figure out what to do with him.”

“I can’t imagine why anyone would leave their dog behind.”

He shrugged. “We can’t imagine it because we’d never do it. Look what people do to their kid, it doesn’t surprise me when they abuse their animals too. That’s why I want to grow the foundation at my dad’s company. All living things need a break sometime in their lives. Our foundation works with local farmers to use their extra crops to feed people in need. After we get the flyers made on the computer and put up around town, we can drive down there if you would like to see it.”

“Sure, that sounds like fun. I don’t have to be to work tomorrow until the lunch crowd.”

Par was pleased she said yes. He wasn’t sure how she would answer his offer. Most of the girls he’s dated were high maintenance and he knew it. They would be more concerned about breaking a nail then breaking into cardboard boxes. Tennyson seemed different and someone he thought he could spend more than just an evening with. Also, when she talked about being the manager of her restaurant, she sounded as though she wanted to run the place as a team player and not a diva. What a refreshing change.

Par watched the sun reflect off her lightly tinted sunglasses and wished he could see the color of her eyes. He’d already forgotten. Were they brown? He’d studied them earlier. They were hazel with fascinating green flecks around the edges. When she smiled, it lit her face and made her nose crinkle. There was a row of faint freckles almost in a line across the bridge.

He’d never invited a girl out here in the backyard to just ‘hang out.’ He needed to do this more often, but only if they were as much fun as Tennyson.

Par booted up the computer in his office and created a flyer with Duke’s picture in the center. Tennyson watched him work with the graphics program. His long finger flew over the keys as he quickly typed in the information. She shot a picture with his camera and he loaded it in.

When they’d printed off ten flyers, he called the dogs and locked the doors. She followed him out into the garage. The first day they’d met, she hadn’t noticed what he drove. Again, Tennyson was surprised by his choice of cars. There was no low riding, red sports car parked there. Par drove a ten year old 4x4 truck with an extended cab to fit the dogs in back and a dent in the rear fender. He opened her door and then held her hand as she climbed up into the front seat.

When he got in, he laughed and swiveled in his seat. “Hey you guys, you’re fogging up the windows; stop your heavy breathing.” He wiped a sleeve over the window, as he opened the garage door and headed out on the road.

They stopped on a few corners to put up the flyers near the park. Tennyson wedged her foot on the bumper, and pulled herself up to place the flyer in a more visible place.

“Careful,” Par said. He entwined hands around her waist so she wouldn’t fall. When she was done, his hands easily lifted her and placed her on the ground. They were warm where his fingers touched bare skin.

She turned to face him. “Thanks.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Anytime.” He brushed a thumb over her cheek. “You still want to see the warehouse?’

“Is this the best pickup line you have?”

He grinned. “No, I’m not very good at pickup lines and don’t hang out in bars. I’d much rather look for girls at the dog park.” When her eyes widened, he kissed the tip of her nose. He winked one of his deep chocolate brown eyes and got back in the truck.

She stood there for a second longer than she probably should have trying to clear her brain. He thought the dogs had fogged the windows? Par was fogging her brain.
Every cell in her body hummed to remind her of all the things she’d been missing this past six month. Was it really time to take a chance and move on?

After he parked in the unoccupied lot, he led her into the warehouse and flipped on the lights. He brought the dogs in and shut the door. Tennyson made a full circle, surprised by the size of the place. “This place is much bigger than I imagined.”

“I come and work here whenever I can. I’m hoping in a few months, my dad will let me take this over full-time, but I’ve already been waiting two years. He wants me to work at corporate not in a warehouse.”

“Have you tried talking to him?”

“I’ve tried. He looks at this as a step down, where I look at it as finally getting the chance to do what I want with my life.” His face darkened. Par surveyed a stack of boxes by the door. “These must have just come in.” He picked up the clipboard. “It looks like they haven’t logged the produce in yet.”

“Can I help?”

“I didn’t plan to put you to work here.”

“You fed me dinner, it’s the least I can do.” Tennyson took the clipboard from his hands. “This looks just like the restaurant. The sheets are almost identical. I’ll count up the boxes, mark them off and then you can put them wherever they go.”

He still looked apprehensive.

“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to do it. Come on and get to work.” Opening the first bushel boxes, Tennyson counted the heads of cabbage. As she pulled the boxes to the side, Par lifted them and then placed them on the steel shelving in the back.

She pulled a hair tie from her pocket, wound her hair up in a ponytail and moved to the next box. She lifted a pen and checked off the contents.

As Par came back for the next box, he frowned, as he wiped his forehead, “Your shirt’s all dirty.”

Tennyson looked down. There was a big black smudge across her mid-section. “Oh no,” she said and then shrugged. “That’s what I get for wearing white. Dark colors are more my color so they don’t show dirt. Thank goodness they let us stop wearing white shirts at work, I was always spilling things on myself.”

He picked up the box from the floor and swung it onto his shoulders. He whistled and the dogs ran out from behind a set of shelves to follow him down the row. She watched him saunter away. The suit was nice, but that backside in a nice pair of jeans? Again,
oh…my.

Not watching where she was going. Tennyson stumbled back and knocked into the next set of boxes. The stack tilted. She grabbed for it and caught most of them, but a wooden lettuce box tilted and then hit her in the back of the ankle. “Ow!” she cried.

Par ran towards her and straightened the stack. She hopped on one foot looking for a place to sit. He led her to an empty crate.

“Are you okay?” Concern etched his face.

“I’m just a klutz. Ow!” She rubbed the back of her ankle.

He knelt before her. “Let me see your foot.” He lifted her leg out straight and turned her ankle. “You took some skin off. Let me run and get an ice pack from the freezer and a washcloth.”

He came back in a few minutes with the ice. He helped her take off her shoe and placed the pack on the back of her leg. “If you can get back to the truck, I better get you home before I do any more damage.”

Tennyson was angry with herself that she ruined the fun evening. This was why she shouldn’t date. Par put Boci and Duke in the house and then Mobley in her backseat, then came around and helped her out of the truck.

“Keep ice on that the rest of the night. I hope it doesn’t swell.” He leaned into the cab of his truck and pulled out a pad of paper. “This is my work number. If you need to go to the doctor or need me for anything, please don’t hesitate to call.”

Was she ready for the next step? “I’m a little old for kissing boo-boo’s but I’ll take a kiss on the lips instead.”

“I broke you.” He watched her with intense dark eyes. “I bet you think this was the worst date ever.”

“You didn’t break me; I
bruised
myself by being klutzy.” She wiggled her foot. “See.”

He looked down at her foot and then back up before he stepped closer. “So I only broke you a little bit?”

“Just a little…” her words trailed as she swallowed deeply. He smelled like pine trees and fresh air.

“I’m happy this wasn’t your worst date ever, because I had a great time.” He lifted her chin with the tips of his finger. Slowly he lowered his head until she thought she would die of anticipation. He clamped his hands to her waist and gazed into her eyes. “You’re so beautiful…” There was depth and sincerity in the tone of his voice. She felt special. Desired. He dropped his head and kissed her.

Gentle at first and then deep. She couldn’t breathe. He’d sucked all the air from her lungs, but there was no way she wanted him to stop. As she brushed his firm lips to hers, she relished the feel of her blood simmering in her veins. Par slid his fingers through her long hair to cradle and position her head to kiss her even more thoroughly.

His lips pulled away from hers
and he stepped back. She reached for the roof of the car to steady herself.
Oh. My. God… could this man kiss.

“Not bad for a first date,” he whispered and then kissed her gently again.

Okay… so it
was
a date. After that kiss it turned into an ‘official date’ and she had no regrets at all.

Chapter Five

Par called Tennyson daily over the last few weeks. Tennyson checked on Duke on a regular basis. Duke’s owners didn’t step up and Par didn’t get any calls on the flyers. Since they abandoned Duke, Par doubted that they would. But that was okay, the extra dog grew on him. It gave Boci companionship during the day when he was away.

Last night, Tennyson stayed for a glass of wine, but not nearly long enough for Par’s liking. Christmas was just around the corner, and all he wanted for Christmas was to spend more time with her. At work, Par filled his afternoons trying to think of topics of conversation he could engage her in to make her stay longer. It was more difficult each time she walked out the door because he wanted more. He wanted her. Tennyson was becoming as much a part of his life as Duke.

Every time he’d tried to ask her out on a
real
date, not a ‘dog date’, as she called them, she hesitated and made an excuse. He didn’t think it was because she didn’t like him—or he hoped that was the case. She’d been burned and was wary of striking up another relationship. She’d told him more about her break up.
Brutal
. James hooked up with her high-school friend and then packed her stuff in reusable grocery bags and kicked her to the curb? Literally. The man was cold, uptight, and uncaring.

Par’d gotten those vibes from James whenever they were in the same room and it made Par wonder what she’d even seen in the man. In office meetings with James, the jerk bragged about this car and that vacation. No one in the office cared, but James talked on and on about his new purchases and what he called his
trophy fiancé
. Did he love this poor girl or was he only marrying her because she was blonde and beautiful? Tennyson was one of the most beautiful women Par’d ever met, inside and out. James must be crazy to have let her go.

Par had a few hours that night, so if she wouldn’t come to him, he’d try to see her at
The Neighborhood Grill
. He didn’t want to come across as desperate or worse yet a stalker. He just wanted to see her but not push boundaries.

Music boiled out of the bar decorated in a British pub feel. Stained glass panels hung over the bar and brass beer pulls shone in the light. A few couples played pool on the rustic wood tables. While he waited to be seated, he took note of the section Tennyson worked.

When he spotted her, he said to the server, “I think I’ll eat in the bar tonight.” She waved him through and gave him the once over. Funny, a month ago he would have winked back and maybe asked the woman for her number. Now… well, everyone paled in comparison to Tennyson. He slid into a booth and waited until she turned and spotted him.

“Hey, I didn’t expect to see you tonight.” Her smile was genuine.

“I’m justifying my actions of stopping by for two reasons. One, I love the food here. Two, I figured if I stopped to eat dinner, then I could swing by the house, pick up the dogs and still have a few hours to work at the food bank and not have to cook.”

“Sounds like a plan. The Copper River salmon is the special tonight. You told me that it’s your favorite. I can have the cooks hold you a piece if you’re interested.”

“You remembered. Sounds like the perfect meal, but I’ll take a glass of red first. Are you off work soon? Will you have dinner with me?”

“I’m off in about ten minutes.” She hesitated and bit her lip. “Things are good between us, Par, but I just don’t want to rush things. I did that the last time and it didn’t work out well.”

He didn’t want to push, but as he looked into her beautiful brown eyes he knew that he couldn’t let it stand without asking. “Do I have a chance? Because I’m really beginning to like you. Is it the right time? The right place? Are you waiting for a different man? What are you looking for?”