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That confession made Jason laugh. “You’re a real social butterfly.”
“I’ll do what I have to do for you, but as far as accommodating my parents, one trip there in a day is enough.”
Each conversation Jason and Lily had about the holiday gave him more insight into Lily the daughter. It appeared that Herbert and Suzette’s expectations of her were consuming. He almost offered to skip Christmas Day outings all together; they could visit both parents on Christmas Eve. But he decided to leave it alone; Mrs. Fairchild had probably already shopped for Christmas dinner, and it would be cruel to cancel on her at the last minute.
“Okay, so not to belabor the point, we’ll go to my folks’ house on Christmas Eve, and yours on Christmas Day, but just for dinner.”
“Correct. I guess dinner is the least I can do.”
So on Christmas Eve, they got ready to leave for the Karases’. Lily tried her best to be more than just compliant, but secretly, she was dreading it, and Jason could sense it.
“Aw, you’re not happy, are you?” he asked, pulling her into a hug.
“Is it that obvious? I’m sorry. I’ll get over it.”
“In a perfect world, what would you do tonight?”
She looked up at him to see if he was challenging her or if he really wanted to know.
“I’d have our own private party here. Maybe we’d run across the street and dance for a while and play a roll of quarters. Then we’d walk to church for midnight mass. After that, we’d come back here and I’d drag you into the shower and investigate parts unknown.”
Jason burst out laughing, charmed and embarrassed.
“Then on Christmas Day, I’d make those disgusting orange pastries that come in a vacuum can that you have to bang on the edge of the counter to open, and I’d eat six of them with coffee.
“Then I’d get on the couch and fall asleep in a carb coma and pretend I watched old movies all day. Or read. You’d probably want to do the exact opposite.”
“No, not necessarily,” he replied. “I’ve never had the option to do what I wanted to do at Christmas. My mom expected me to be there, so I was. I like being with the family, but if I had my own family, I’d like to be with them, too.”
He folded his arms around her and held her close. Even with her fuzzy red Christmas sweater and his black cashmere sweater, she could feel his rock-hard abs. Thoughts of being in bed with him naked, decidedly un-Christmassy thoughts, titillated her. They rocked together a little bit, and she could feel other hard parts of him. Lips meeting, they kissed like they had no agenda, passionate, united, in love.
“If you want to stay home tonight, you might get your way,” he whispered, pulling her close.
“We’d better get going,” she murmured. “Your mom is expecting us.”
When he finally released her, she put her hand over her mouth and pointed. His sweater was covered in red angora.
Giggling, she shook her head. “Oh no, your sweater will never be the same.”
He looked down and laughed. “I hate this sweater, so anything added to it is an improvement.”
“You’d better change.”
“I don’t think I will. People will be able to tell I’ve been holding you.”
Getting their coats on, they reluctantly left the apartment. “What’s it going to be like when school starts again?”
“I’m dreading it,” he said, his arm around her as they walked to the stairs.
“Oh well, one more week of bliss and then back to reality.”
The ride to the Karas residence was quiet as Lily observed that more houses were decorated than the last trip they had made. The view used to bring her so much happiness with a child’s anticipation. The bright colors and the effort taken to decorate for a short time used to increase her desire to participate in the holidays. Now, almost overnight, that expectation was gone. She hoped her angst would go away once she was with Jason’s family. Stars twinkled, and Lily, looking east, strained to find the star that the wise men followed. Where was the hope they brought to the world tonight? Shaking her head to clear those annoying thoughts, Lily glanced over at Jason. Momentarily, the gloom lifted.
“You are really something,” she said.
Taking her hand to kiss as he always did when they were in the car, he replied, “And so are you.”
She put her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. This life she was living was like a dream come true. The hottest guy around, someone she could only dream of, and he said he loved her. What was her deal?
