Disclaimer: The following contains mature content and situations. If you are not of age, do not proceed.
In the following story line, MC as Chris’s love interest does not currently exist. All other plot points are adapted from The Freshman and original characters were created by me.
Snow crunches underneath his boots as he lifts his chin to avoid the sting of pine needles scraping his skin. This may very well be the last tree he has to haul this Christmas season. His work gloves are sticky with tree sap and his flannel coat smells of evergreens.
It’s Christmas Eve and business at the Willey Tree Farm in Cherryfield, Maine has been slow. Most families snatch up the perfect tree for their home in the rush right after Thanksgiving. But a few, mostly those returning home from out of town to spend time with older relatives, wait until the night before the holiday to grab a pine, spruce or cedar.
Chris lowers the tree to hold it upright and then grabs the twine he had shoved into his back pocket. He reaches into his jacket pocket and retrieves a pocket knife. He flips the knife open and holds it carefully between his teeth. He skillfully binds the tree grabs the knife and cuts the twine before tying a knot.
“Right on top?” He asks the gentleman who just purchased the tree he is holding.
“Yes, up top,” the man replies. Inside the SUV, a woman sits in the passenger seat and two young girls sit in the back seat. They watch Chris as he tosses the bound tree on to the roof of the car. He grabs more twine and with the assistance of the buyer, slides the twine over the top of the tree and through the car windows to secure it.
He yanks the rope to make sure it is tight.
“I think you’re good to go,” Chris says with a smile.
“Thank you for all your help, here you go,” the gentleman says reaching for his wallet. He retrieves a ten-dollar bill and hands it to Chris for tip. “Merry Christmas.”
Christmas shakes his free hand before taking the cash. “Thank you, sir, and Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!” He says waving to ladies inside the car. They wave back and he turns and heads towards the portable utility space that serves as the farm’s office for purchases. The top of each of its four sides are glass to allow a fuel view of the farm. Chris closes the door and shivers just a bit. The cold typically does not bother him but it’s growing dark and on a snowy night, the temperatures in Maine plunge even more quickly than usual.
He puts the stool directly next to the heater and watches as the family he just helped drives away.
“Twenty minutes till closing time,” Beverly Willey says from the small desk inside the space.
Chris pulls off his gloves and reaches towards the heater to warm his hands.
“Going to have a house full again this year?” Chris asks her with a smile. Beverly Willey, or Bev as everyone in Cherryfield calls her, is as bawdy as she is loud. Half of her family are fisherman and the other half spend their time vested in the family business the tree farm. A mother of three in her 50’s and the only girl out of her siblings, she can out cuss and out drink most of her brothers. Her energy is so infectious she lifts the mood of everyone around her by just being in the room. Chris has worked at the tree farm for the past three holiday seasons and adores her like a second mother.
“Oh honey, you don’t know the half of it,” she exhales. He grins. “My three brothers and their five kids, three little monsters that are my grandkids, my kids and their spouses (can’t stand any of them) and somewhere to the tune of 15 cousins and my evil Aunt Mary Lee who is just too mean and stubborn to die,” Bev says as she enters some final numbers into the computer.
Chris laughs and shakes his head.
“You’re welcome to stop by if you’d like,” Bev extends the invitation. She turns and peers at him from over the top of her glasses.
“Thank you, but my mom is cooking up a feast and I told her I’d help,” he says.
“You’re a good kid, Chris,” She winks at him and returns to typing. “Too good to be in the presence of Mary Lee. That demon sucks the life from everything she is near.”
Chris lets out a loud laugh and is about to comment when approaching headlights catch his attention.
Bev looks out and shakes her head. “Looks like we have one more before we’re done. Why people wait this late, I’ll never know.”
“Me either,” Chris says standing up off the stool. He slides his gloves back on and adjusts his toboggan before opening the door and heading back out into the snow. He glances around and there are only a few cut trees still standing. It’s been a good year for sales. People in Maine still like their real Christmas trees. Bev had said the creation of artificial trees had hurt the business several years back but they had seen a surprising uptick in sales the last few years.
The car cuts its lights as it stops and he hears the motor cut.
The door opens and out steps a young woman wearing a toboggan with a fuzzy ball on top and a puffy black jacket.
“Good evening ma’am, can I help you find a tree?” Chris says in customary fashion.
She closes the car door and adjusts her gloves as he approaches. She pauses in movement and then her head jerks back in recognition.
“Chris Powell?” She smiles brightly and lets out a tiny laugh.
“Yes?” he says squinting some. When he is closer to her, he lets out a laugh as well.
“Oh my gosh, Chloe?” He says.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s good to see you!” she smiles. The wind kicks up and blows strands of hair across her nose and mouth. She lifts a gloved hand to pull them away but her smile stays intact.
“You’re at, what is it, Brown now, right?” He asks and stops just in front of her.
She nods. “Yeah, my sophomore year. Hey check you out!” She says and playfully slugs him in the arm. “I watched you play for Hartfeld this season. Caught a couple of your games on TV. That’s so awesome that you got to start your freshman season!”
“Well, someone had to get hurt for that to happen but, yeah, it worked out for me I suppose,” Chris chuckles lightly. “Him, eh, not so much.”
“Well you were tearing it up out there! I was telling my roommate that I went to school with you,” she smiles. “That was just like a few weeks ago and now here you are!”
“Yeah, home for break earning a couple of dollars. Every bit helps when you are a broke college student,” He smiles. “So, you watched my games?”
“Yeah,” she nods. “I talked to Mark Lansford on Facebook and he told me you were playing. Tried to watch when I could.”
Chris feels his heart flutter.
Chloe Wagner had always marched to the beat of her own drum. She seemed more fit for life in California or Las Vegas than in little Cherryfield, Maine. She was intelligent, stylish and beautiful and she did not know it, but for years Chris Powell had admired her from afar. She had been valedictorian of the class that graduated a year prior to Chris’s. It was no surprise that she ended up at an ivy league school.
She stood out at Cherryfield High School even when she wasn’t trying. She chose to dress in bohemian styles when the weather was warm, her closet full of maxi dresses, crotched vests and handmade bangles and earrings. Her skin was the color of almonds and her head was covered in thick, wavy hair that varied in color from dark brown to sandy natural highlights. The thick waves are tamed underneath her toboggan tonight. Sometimes she slicked them back into a ponytail but Chris had always loved to see her with them untamed and free. Her eyes were a warm brown and her full lips curved into a dimpled smile. Chris had thought he had never seen dimples so deep. Whenever he stole a glance at her at school, her dimples seemed to show whether she was smiling or not. Even when she spoke, you could see them.
Her parents owned a local natural foods store that specialized in locally grown produce and healing teas and spices. Chris’s mother had always referred to it as “that hippy place” but Chris loved to visit there. He had ventured in on a few evenings with nothing to do, hoping to catch Chloe working at the register.
She had graduated from Cherryfield and left town to start her life’s new adventure. Chris wasn’t sure if she had even come home to visit, never having seen her since the ceremony.
But now, as radiant as ever, here she was.
It wasn’t that Chloe didn’t pay attention to Chris in school or didn’t acknowledge him. She was always sweet and friendly, saying hello if they crossed paths. It was just that she was a senior and he was a junior. She had her own extra-curricular activities of theatre, speech and ecology club. Chris was busy with athletics and work. They ran in different circles and at Cherryfield High, those circles did not overlap.
“You looking for a tree?” he asks and then mentally scolds himself. Of course, she’s looking for a tree you idiot, it’s a tree farm, he thinks to himself. He tries to smile but clears his throat and coughs to distract from the obviousness of his statement.
“Yeah, kind of a wild hare, decided I wanted to put a tree up,” she says. She puts her hands inside her coat pockets and glances around. “I wasn’t sure if this place was still open.”
“Just about to close, so you came at the right time,” he smiles at her. A smirk lifts the corner of her lips. “You and your family got a big Christmas planned?” he asks.
At this she pauses and shakes her head some. “Um, not exactly,” she says. She sways back and forth on her legs and glances down at the snow beneath her feet. “My family is out of town. They wanted to take my kid sister to see all of these different Christmas celebrations in towns along the coast,” she shrugs. “I’m kind of exhausted from fall semester, and I travelled so much this summer, I just wanted to be home, you know?” She frowns some as she looks up at Chris.
“Wait, so, you are here in town…by yourself?” he frowns, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
She tucks her lips and nods before exhaling. “It’s fine though, really. Got the place to myself. Pajamas and hot tea all day, marathon of Christmas cartoons and movies tonight, I’m set,” she gives a small smile. “I just, something felt like it was missing and I loved decorating the tree when I was a kid, so, I thought I’d come get one. Glad I caught you guys before you closed.”
“I’m glad you came,” Chris says without thinking. She tilts her head to the side and smiles at him.
“So…show me your sprawling inventory. I’m sure you have nothing but the best left here on Christmas Eve night, just before closing,” she jokes.
“Yeah, gonna be slim pickens,” he winces. “But we’ve got a few left over here.”
Chris turns and she follows to what was once a circular lot filled with trees. Now only about five are left standing.
“We have this. That’s all, I’m sorry. I can get the flashlight and we could go pick out another and cut it down if-“
“No it’s okay. Don’t cut another down just for me,” she nods. “Besides, didn’t you see A Charlie Brown Christmas? Some of these trees might not be perfect, they just need a little love,” she smiles and walks up to one with a few ill shaped branches. Chris follows her with his eyes, smiling as she inspects the tree.
“I’ll take this one,” she says.
“The lady has made her choice,” he says. He claps his gloves together. “All of our trees are 50 percent off tonight so, you are in luck.”
Suddenly, the door from the office opens and Bev leans out. She cusses when the cold hits her and Chris stifles a laugh. “Chris!” she calls to him.
“Yes ma’am?”
“You tell her this one is on the house,” Bev says.
“Oh, Mrs. Willey, that’s so nice of you, thank you!” Chloe says.
“No problem! Merry Christmas…or bah humbug…can’t ever keep them straight,” she guffaws and steps back into the office, the door slamming behind her. Chris laughs again and shakes his head.
“Must really be your lucky night,” he smiles at Chloe. He reaches for the twine in his back pocket.
“I’ll say….” Chloe replies, her voice low and soft. He locks eyes with her and smiles again.
“I can tie this up for you and…do you want me to strap this to the roof or…put it in your trunk…of that…way too small car,” Chris says turning and looking at her car.
“Oh surely that will fit in the trunk,” She says looking from the tree to her car. “Or…maybe not…” she sighs. “Maybe I should pick out a smaller one.”
“I could tie it to the roof of the car but…it would hang down in the front…” Chris says as he thinks. He chews his lip.
“Tell you what,” he says turning to face her. He grips the trunk of the tree with his gloved hand. “I can put this in my truck bed and deliver it for you,” he offers.
Chloe is about to be polite and tell him that is not necessary, but stops herself. She wants him to come over.
“You’d do that?” She smiles some.
“For you? Absolutely,” he smirks.
“Thank you Chris, that’s…really sweet of you…”
“No problem at all,” he says. He lifts the tree and Chloe is amazed at how easily he carries it. Chris was always had a nice build in school, his 6’3 frame accentuated by his toned muscles. She can’t tell much from the coat he is wearing, but with how easily he carries the pine over to his truck and puts it in the bed, she can only imagine he has developed more muscle in the two years since they’ve seen each other and from playing college ball.
He closes the door on the bed of the truck, the rusty hinges screeching as he slams it shut. He takes off the work gloves and looks to the office. “Be right back,” he tells Chloe.
He heads inside to say goodbye to Bev. She wraps him up in a big hug and he is still laughing as he exits the office, closing the door with a “Merry Christmas,” to her again.
He walks back out, he gives Chloe a casual smirk. “You lead the way,” he says.
She nods and turns and gets into her car. She circles the vehicle around and waits. Chris pulls his truck up behind her and they both pull out onto the highway and head towards the Wagner home.
***
She located the tree stand in the garage and set it up in the living room as Chris grabbed the tree from his truck and carried it up the front porch and inside the home. He helps her to adjust the stand to secure the tree properly and they stand back and look at their work.
“I suppose it isn’t such a bad little tree after all,” Chris says, quoting A Charlie Brown’s Christmas.
Chloe squeals in delight and slaps his arm with a laugh. “Oh my gosh, that is the best!”
Her laughter makes him laugh and they stand back to admire the tree. Chloe takes off her toboggan, coat and gloves and hangs them on the rack by the front door. She fluffs out her hair and Chris watches as he does.
“I guess I should put some water in the base,” she says thinking. She snaps her fingers and heads to the kitchen. As she disappears into the other room, Chris hears pots and pans moving around.
He looks around the living room of the Wagner home. Everything is in deep earth tones or embellished with deep purples and royal reds. The sofa is velvet and covered with throw pillows. The coffee table looks to be hand carved and the pottery around the house also looks to be hand created. The paintings are all original. He remembers hearing that Chloe’s mom was a painter. The abstract pieces around the house display her talent.
He hears the sound of water running from the faucet, it ceases a minute later and Chloe comes out with a pitcher. She balances it gingerly, trying not to let the water slosh out of it.
“Drink up tree, drink up,” she says crouching down and pouring the water into the stand. Chris smiles as he watches her and then glances back towards the door.
“There are pine needles everywhere, do you have a broom? I can help sweep them up,” Chris offers.
Chloe looks up and rises slowly to stand. “Now Chris Powell, you brought the tree here, carried it inside…and you want to sweep up the needles? I feel like I have done absolutely nothing to contribute to this effort tonight.” She holds the pitcher and laughs a little shaking her head.
“Just trying to help,” he smiles bashfully. Truth be told, he would do anything to find a reason to stick around.
“I can get the needles, but thank you…hold on,” she says and goes back into the kitchen. When she returns she has put the pitcher away and is holding the broom.
Chris looks over to the tree. “How are you going to decorate it?” he asks.
“We’ve got some decorations in the attic, some we made in school, or ornaments we collected over the years. I’m going to go up later and grab them,” she says.
She begins to sweep up the trail of pine needles from the front door to the spot where the tree now stands.
“I’ve got some time before I need to get home, I don’t mind sticking around to help you decorate the tree,” Chris says. At this, she stops sweeping and looks over at him. She holds the broom stick and then puts her hands on the top of it, resting her chin onthem. A smile curves her lips.
Chris tries not to fidget under her gaze but he is aware as she stares back at him that she can probably see right through him.
“You know, I think I will take you up on that offer,” she says standing up straight.
Chris smiles and nods. “Good. Uh, question….Would it be okay if I changed?” He looks down at his clothes. He is still wearing his coat from work and the jeans and boots he wore at the farm today. There is sap on them and a few pine needles embedded in his coat.
“Oh absolutely,” she nods.
“Awesome. It’s just, after a day at work, I usually can’t wait to get the tree off of me,” he laughs. “I have a bag with my workout gear in the truck, I’ll be right back,” he says with a slight grin.
“Okay,” she nods. She resumes sweeping and he heads out the door. A minute later he returns carrying his gym bag and locks and latches the front door behind him.
“There’s a guest bathroom just down the hall,” Chloe says. She props the broom up against a wall and leads him down a hall. She opens a door and flips on a light. “Here you go,” she says. Chloe steps out of the way and allows him to enter.
“Thanks Chloe,” he says locking eyes with her.
“No problem. Let me get you a towel and wash cloth in case you want to wash up or something.”
“That would be phenomenal,” he chuckles.
She moves down the hall and opens a closet door, retrieving the items and returns to the bathroom. Chris has removed his tobbagon and his hair, damp with sweat, is tousled on top of his head. As she leans in to put the towels on the sink, he eases out of his coat. As he does, his shirt lifts and his stomach is exposed. Chloe’s breath hitches at the brief sight. His stomach is a ripple of muscles.
“Thank you,” Chris repeats. He looks at her in the mirror, their reflections showing the brief study each is drinking in of the other.
“You bet,” she says and exits the bathroom closing the door.
As she walks up the hall, she puts a hand to her heart and lets out a silent whistle.
Chloe finishes sweeping up the pine needles into a dust pan and discards them, putting the broom away. She studies the tree in the house, taking in a deep breath as the fresh scent wafts under her nose.
She hears the door to the bathroom open and turns and looks over her shoulder. Chris walks up the hallway, in a grey, short-sleeved, fitted workout tee and black running pants. His work boots have been replaced with sneakers. He is carrying his gym bag, now holding his dirty work clothes, and sits it down in the living room.
Chloe scans him up and down. The fitted shirt accents his biceps and pecs. She looks at his broad forearms and large hands. His hair is wet, he must have dampened it with water to slick it back some. She glances away trying not to make her attraction so obvious.
“Better?” she questions with a smile.
“Much better,” he laughs a little. He walks up and stands at her side as they look at the tree.
“I’m going to go upstairs and into the attic, get the decorations. I’ll be right back,” she says. Chris nods and his eyes follow her hips and her behind as they sway up the stairs. He hears the sound of a creaking door open and a thud. A small light beams down the staircase and he hears her footsteps as she crawls up into the attic.
“Need some help?” He calls up to her.
“Nope it, I got. Be down in a second,” Her voice is muffled from inside the attic.
Minutes later she heads back down stairs carrying to large bags in both hands. Chris hurries and grabs them from her.
“Okay, here is 19 years of Wagner family Christmas ornaments and crappy elementary artwork made by yours truly. My sister too, but hers are annoyingly good,” Chloe jokes.
Chris laughs and sits the bags down beside the tree. They locate the lights and the ribbons first and pull them out, making sure they are untangled. Chloe stands on one side of the tree and plugs the lights in. Chris waits and she hands the lights to him as they work in tandem back and forth, winding white lights around the tree and passing them between each other. Chris’s fingertips brush over hers each time he hands them to her. It’s not necessary, but intentional.
They then bound the tree in long, silver ribbons, swirling the shiny fabric in layers around the piney branches.
“Looking good so far,” Chris comments.
Chloe looks over at him, his muscles defined underneath his shirt. “Sure is,” she says. Chris pauses and looks directly into her eyes. She gives a light laugh and a wink and he smiles even brighter. She’s always been bold and outspoken, no reason for that to change now.
“So at Brown…you mentioned a roommate…any other close friends?” he asks fishing. He smirks as he questions hers.
“Powell…are you asking me if I have a boyfriend?” Chloe teases.
“Maybe,” he grins as he reaches down into the second bag and grabs an ornament. He places it on the end of a tree branch and looks over at her. “So…do you?”
She shakes her head no. “No, no boyfriend. You seeing anyone?” She peaks over at him as she begins placing ornaments on the tree as well.
“No, not unless you count football,” he jokes. “I spent all my time with school work and football this fall semester.”
“Really? I would have thought you would be beating them off with a stick at Hartfeld,” she teases.
“Nope,” he replies. He thinks for a minute. “You said earlier you travelled a lot over the summer?”
“Oh, yeah,” she nods. “I was part of this group that backpacked across Europe.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, it was pretty cool. Kind of cliché, you know the whole going backpacking to find myself. I’m pretty sure I never lost myself, but it was a great trip. We stayed at a few hostels…that was a little dodgy…and we had weather to deal with but we always found a way to make it through. Plus, we got to see some of the most beautiful and historic architecture.”
Chris’s mouth hangs open. “That’s so cool. I admire that…I don’t know if I’d have the courage to do that,” he says.
“Sure you do,” She smiles over at him. “You just got to want it in your heart.”
“So anything crazy happen why you were there?” He raises an eyebrow.
“No, no, not for me. It wasn’t some huge experimental trip for me. Like yeah, there were people in our group that experimented with sex and more than a few substances, but that’s not my thing. I know, people think I’m the hippie child of hippie parents and it’s all free love and stuff but, they raised me to be far more grounded in who I am and my body and respecting other people’s bodies as well. Besides, I’ve never been one to date much.”
“I thought Brown was an Ivy League school?” Chris frowns.
“It is….”
“So why is every guy there stupid to let you walk around single?” He smirks.
She fights off a grin but laughs despite herself.
He picks up and ornament and pauses. The ornament is a small picture frame and inside is a picture of Chloe as a girl. Her front teeth are missing and her hair is split into two pigtails. “Oh look at this cutie right here?” He says. He holds it up and she frowns as she looks over to see what he is talking about, she squints as it comes into focus and then embarrassment washes over her face.
“Oh no, no, no. Nope. Newp! Give me that,” she says and grabs it from him.
He laughs. “What? You were adorable!”
Chloe holds the ornament in her hand and looks at the picture. Despite her embarrassment she is smiling as she looks down at her younger self. “Look at that hair, my god,” she groans with a chuckle. “The tooth game struggle was real.”
Chris laughs. “Well, I think you were a cutie,” he says and pauses. He licks his lips and decides to continue. “Still are…much more than cute though now,” he says looking over at her.
Chloe looks up from the ornament. The lights from the Christmas tree are glowing in front of them and as she looks up at Chris, she realizes their light is reflected in his blue eyes. The corners of his lips tilt in a slight smirk as he peers back at her.
Her reply is in her smile. She tears her eyes away from him for just a moment and hangs the ornament on the tree.
They silently hang a few more ornaments around the tree. Each thinking of the other and how much they are enjoying this time together.
Chloe moves around the tree, strategically placing a few more ornaments. She watches Chris as he continues to work. He takes delicate care with each ornament, as if they are his own family’s precious memories. She finds the type of care and diligence in what he is doing even more attractive.
“Chris?” She says softly. He lifts his eyes to her.
“Thank you…for helping with this…. It actually feels really nice to have you here….” She looks at him and then the feeling of too much emotion hits and she glances down.
“I volunteered because…’cause I wanted to spend some time with you Chloe,” he admits. “I know we haven’t seen each other since you were in school here but…it feels really good to reconnect with you.”
She smiles and nods in agreement. She places the last ornament in her hand on the tree.
“Well, that’s all of them…” she says.
“Not done yet,” Chris replies. He reaches down into a bag and grasps the star for the top of the tree.
“How could I forget!” She slaps her head. “I’ll go get the ladder!” she says quickly about to turn away but Chris’s voice stops her.
“No need,” he shakes his head and smiles. He hands her the star. She looks at him puzzled, drawing a mischievous grin from him.
Chris bends at the knees and lowers himself down in front of her. He wraps his strong arms around her legs just above her knees. Before she can say a word, he lifts and stands up, holding her high so she can put the star on top of the tree.
She laughs heartily and looks down at him. He looks up at her, his eyes laughing, a smile still on his lips. She places a hand gently on his shoulder as he moves a step closer to the tree. She leans over and slides the star onto the top.
“There!” She says proudly. She connects the cord to the string of Christmas lights and the star shines with life.
She lets out a happy laugh and looks down at Chris. His arms still around her legs, he slowly loosens his grip but is careful with her. He does not bend to lower her down. She looks down at him, her hands now resting on both his shoulders. He slowly, still careful with her, lets her slide down the front of his body, inch by inch. His arms move up behind her thighs and then gently squeeze her bottom as she slides down against him. When they are face to face, he holds her there.
She is not breathing. He’s not sure if he is either. He looks into her eyes and then lets his gaze drift down to her lips. Chloe reaches up and cups his face in her hands as he holds her against him. She slides her nose against his and hears his breath hitch as she does. Chris leans in more and kisses her gently on the lips. He pulls back for just a moment, looking into her eyes. She smiles and a blush moves to her cheeks.
Slowly, he bends and lowers her to the floor, his arms around her waist as he sets her feet back down on the floor. She rests her hands on his arms.
“Do you do this for every girl you deliver a Christmas tree to?” She asks playfully.
“Only the ones I’ve had a crush on since 10th grade,” he replies. Her mouth parts in shock and he chuckles.
“Really?” She says stunned.
“Really….”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” She frowns.
“You were way out of my league, still are,” he chuckles. “I’m definitely out kicking the coverage here with you tonight.”
She shakes her head. “Maybe I should have figured that out when you came into the store and never bought anything every single time you were there.”
Chris laughs. “I bought…something, once? Didn’t, I?” his voice rises with the question. “Wait, no. I didn’t. Wow, way to go Powell,” he says and Chloe laughs.
“It’s pretty flattering actually….” She smirks. She slides her hands up his arms and then locks her fingers behind his neck as she peers back at him.
“I’d make a fool out of myself a dozen more times if it meant being here with you like this right now,” he says his voice just barely more than a whisper.
Chloe feels her world spin as the tingle of butterflies seems to invade every cell of her body. Chris looks down at her and leans in. She closes her eyes and feels his lips on hers again. This time, the kiss is deeper. It’s hungry and full of yearning. He sweeps his lips against hers a few times before gently sucking at her bottom lip drawing a soft sigh from her. His tongue slips between her lips and splashes against hers. She runs her fingers up in his hair, gripping the soft strands and pulling him into her more as they kiss.
When he stops, breathless and panting, he rests his forehead against hers. Her eyes remain closed and then slowly she opens them.
“Stay with me a little longer?” She asks him breathlessly.
“I wouldn’t dare leave you,” he says and kisses her cheek.
***
The illumination in the house has been added to by the firing crackling in the Wagner fireplace. The Christmas tree and the glow of the television add the other gentle lighting.
Chris had suggested the fire for this Chrismas Eve night and after opening the chute, gone out into the garage with Chloe to get some firewood and starter logs.
The flames lick at the wood and cast shadows on the two figures in the living room.
Chris agreed to stay with Chloe through most of the night. He called home and told his mother he would be there in time to tuck his kid brother and sister, Jo and Kyle in, and set out the Christmas cookies and milk for Santa. He told his mom he was spending time with an old friend from high school and she encouraged him to enjoy his night and not worry about them.
Chris would not let his brother and sister down, nor would he let Chloe down either.
After finally pulling away from each other after their kiss near the Christmas tree, he had committed to watching her favorite Christmas movies with her and drinking tea.
Chloe is curled up at his side as they sit on her parent’s velvet sofa. Chris has his arm draped around her and rests his head against hers. A bowl of sweet caramel popcorn sits in his lap.
On the TV screen, Rudolph glides through the air, giddy with joy.
“I’m cute, I’m cute! She said I’m cuuuuuute!” Rudolph exclaims.
“That’s how I felt when you kissed me a little while ago,” Chris says with joy. Chloe lets out a loud laugh.
“You kissed me by the way,” she corrects. She reaches into the bowl.
“I did, didn’t I?” he says proudly.
She elbows him as she munches the popcorn.
“She thinks I’m cuuuuute,” he teases and Chloe laughs hard again.
He kisses her hair and she curls back up against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
“I still don’t understand why Rudolph having a red nose was such a problem,” Chris analyzes. Chloe giggles. “He’s a nice guy. He’s also an athlete! Did you see those jumps? Rudolph is a baller! He could play receiver for the Knights! Red nose? Pfft, Big deal! Get him a scholarship!”
“Because Chris, sadly, deerism is still a very real problem,” Chloe says.
“Well, if I was Rudolph, I’d take my jumping skills to the NBA, sign a deal with Nike and come back and let all the other reindeer see what I had become and strut right pass Santa!” Chris says. Chloe laughs hard and he laughs at his own joke.
She sits up and looks at him. “Have you always been like this?”
“Like what?” he asks confused.
“Such a jokester. Every time I saw you, you were always so serious,” she says narrowing her eyebrows to give a stern expression as she makes a grumpy voice.
“Maybe I was just trying not to make a fool out of myself in front of a beautiful girl…by coming into her store and never buying anything,” he shakes his head and laughs.
Chloe laughs and smiles at him. “I was always glad to see you….”
He rubs her arm and she lays her head back on her shoulder.
Soon Rudolph ends.
“What’s next on the list?” Chris asks. He eyes his watch and its almost 8 p.m.
“It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s tradition,” she says.
“Then to Bedford Falls we go,” he says stretching his free arm outward.
She stands up and opens the entertainment console. She grabs the DVD and swaps it out with Rudolph. Chris watches her every movement, still not believing he is here with her. She tucks her thick hair behind her ear as she bends down to press the buttons on the player and keeps it from falling into her face. As she bends over, he looks at her body. She has a thin, athletic build, and she fills out her jeans nicely in his opinion. The fitted black Henley shirt she is wearing hugs her arms and around her breasts tightly. He wishes maybe a few more buttons on the top were undone.
When she turns around to return to the sofa he shifts and moves the popcorn bowl off his lap and onto the coffee table. He takes a sip of hot tea, trying to move his eyes off of her body. The tea warms his body after being out in the cold most of the day, but Chloe is heating him up in a much different way.
She takes her seat next to him again, curling her legs up onto the sofa.
“I love this movie,” she says as it begins. “It’s one of my all-time favorites.”
Chris looks over at her. “It’s a classic. Why do you like it so much?” he asks genuinely curious.
“The story,” she begins slowly. “Sometimes people don’t truly know what they mean to others until they are faced with a dire situation. George Bailey gets to see how empty the world would be without him. He gets to see how much he is loved, despite his human flaws. I think if everyone could see the scope of their impact in the world, we would all live happier lives. The bottom line is, if you care about people let them know. You never ever know what you mean to someone.”
She pauses and then peaks over at Chris from under her eye lashes. “That probably sounded silly,” she exhales.
“No, no….” he reaches out and tucks her hair behind her ear. She looks at him as he moves his hand to her chin and turns her face more to look at him. “I think it’s beautiful you feel that way about it…It…it reminds me of tonight. You had no idea how I felt about you…but here we are…and I’m glad that you know now. I was young and scared to tell you before but…maybe that’s because it wasn’t supposed to happen then. Maybe everything was meant to happen tonight,” he says and brushes the back of his fingers against her check.
She stares at him and just as he’s about to pull his hand away, she places her hand over his. She turns it so that his palm is flat against her cheek and nuzzles her face into it gently. She turns her lips and presses a kiss to the inside of his hand.
Chris sucks in a breath. When she lifts her eyes back to his, he gulps and then swiftly leans forward, pressing his lips hard against hers. He lifts his other hand to hold her face as he kisses her. Her hands move to his chest, running up and over his strong shoulders, to the nape of his neck. His tongue meets hers she groans at the hot intensity of his kiss.
He moves his lips from her mouth to her neck and her head tosses back.
“Chris….” She groans. He kisses down her jawline and to her throat, gently licking at the spot. His lips swipe over the tender flesh, then to her shoulder and down to her collarbone where he places feather kisses along the line.
She rises up to her knees on the sofa, never taking her lips away from his. He reaches behind her, taking her bottom in his strong hands and squeezing hard, drawing a moan from her into his mouth.
He kisses the skin of her chest, exposed through her unbuttoned shirt. Chris reaches up and keeping his lips against her chest, he nimbly moves his fingers from button to button, undoing each one and kissing down her cleavage.
“Oh….” She gasps as she feels his lips on the top of her breasts. He cradles his head in her arms against her chests, her breathing becoming faster.
Chris pauses for just a moment. She runs her fingers through his hair as he looks up at her.
She sinks back down onto the couch, her feet hitting the floor as she sits in front of him. Eye to eye he places kisses all over her face before looking into her eyes, his face just inches from hers.
“What do you want me to do?” he asks her. “You tell me…and I’ll do it….” He breathes out.
She closes her eyes ever so slightly, the heat of the moment threatening to consume her. She lifts her eyes and looks into his directly.
“I want you…to do whatever you have always wanted to do…with me…” she says in a slow voice. The sound of the fire place crackling seems to emphasize her words.
Chris groans. It’s almost too much. He feels like he could explode just from those words. He lunges forward and kisses her hungrily again, his hands moving to her back as he gently lays her back on the sofa. He lowers his body gently on top of hers, easing some of his weight to the side to rest on the sofa.
His hips to hers, she feels his hardness pressing against her thigh. He kisses her lips, her neck and slowly slides a hand underneath her shirt and over her belly. His fingertips dance over the hot flesh and she moans again.
She pulls him on top of her fully and lines up so that his hardness is pressed against the center of her sex. He groans at the contact and feels her slowly grinding beneath him. He mimics her movements and hisses as the sensations pulse through him.
“Chloe,” he murmurs into her ear.
She pushes back at his shoulders and he lifts himself up his strong arms flexed. She reaches down and pulls at the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head and tossing it to the floor. Her thick hair tumbles back down onto her shoulders and he stares down at the lacy black bralette she is wearing.
“Mmm….” He moans and lowers his head. He kisses the tops of her breasts again but deftly pushes the bralette up, her breasts bouncing free. He licks circles around each of her hard nipples and she runs her fingers through his hair as he loves her tenderly. She feels him gently bite at one of them and her back arches.
As his lips keep busy with her breasts, his hand moves back down over her belly and into the top of her jeans. He slides his hand inside, moving into her panties and runs his fingers over her slick womanhood. She jerks in response and moans loudly. He toys with her, causing her to grind her hips down towards his hand, urging him for more. He feels the heat and the urgency in her response and slides a finger down into her wetness.
“Chris!” She moans his name loudly.
He continues to please her with his finger before kissing back down her stomach. She peers down at him through half shut eyes. He unbuttons her jeans and pauses to look up at her. He grips the sides and tugs both them and her panties down. She lifts her hips slightly to help him as he slides them off her legs and tosses them onto the abyss of clothes collecting on the floor. She pulls her bralette over her head and off her arms, now lying completely naked beneath him.
He kisses her stomach and moves lower, and lower. He looks up at her.
“Spread your legs for me…” he instructs. She breathes deeply and parts her legs. He puts hands on the insides of her thighs. His breath tickles her most sensitive part before she closes her eyes and lays back. She feels the first swipe of his tongue and throws her head to the side with a deep groan.
He continues to taste her, swirling his tongue and sucking gently. He slides a finger inside of her, hooking it ever so slightly and her hands open and clench in ecstasy. Her back arches against and she falls silent before she begins to moan uncontrollably. Her body trembles and he keeps his mouth clamped over her even as the orgasm tears through her body.
She cries out over and over before he relents and pulls his mouth away. Slowly he retracts his finger and she jerks again at the feeling.
“You taste so good,” he says and leans down over her. He lowers his mouth to hers, allowing her to taste herself. She pants as he pulls away.
Chris sits up on the coach and removes his socks and shoes, watching her has her body settles from the stimulation. The rising and falling of her chest slows as her breathing falls to its resting state. He looks her body up and down. He’s fantasized about her and now, he can make both of their dreams come true. He wants to make love to her exactly how he imagined he would. He started by tasting her. Now, it was time to feel her wrapped around him.
He goes over to his gym bag and retrieves his wallet from his work jeans. He pulls out some protection and sets it on the coffee table.
When he returns to the sofa, her eyes are open and she gives him a content smile. He reaches for the bottom of his shirt but she puts a hand on his arm and stops him. He looks at her and she shits up.
“Let me,” she says and kisses his lips.
She reaches down and pulls, his arms lifting as she pulls the tight fabric off his body. His shirt joins her clothes on the floor and her gaze falls on every muscle in his body. She reaches out and runs her hand over his bicep, then to his chest. She can feel his muscles tighten underneath her touch. She lets her fingertips caress his abs and he breathes out a slow shaky breath. She looks down at his running pants. His erection is prevalent.
Her fingers move from his stomach to grasp the bulge and Chris hisses at her touch. She squeezes and strokes him through his pants and he puts a gentle hand on top of hers.
He leans over to kiss her shoulder. “I want to make this last for both our sakes.”
She shivers at his words and nods with understanding. He stands up and pulls off his pants and boxer briefs, springing free.
Chloe’s eyebrows lift and she licks her lips. At 6’3, every single part of Chris Powell is impressive. She felt his size in her hand but seeing it bob free, she feels her lust grow.
He reaches onto the coffee table and grabs the condom, tearing open the foil packet. He slides it on and then, moves to balance himself over her on the sofa. He lowers himself between her legs, using one hand to guide himself to her entrance. Still slick from her arousal and the attention he gave her, the tip slides in and she moans. He waits a minute before slowly pumping and beginning to fill her completely.
She grasps his arms as his hips slowly grind and pump back and forth. They both moan, letting go of any awkwardness or inhibitions. She wraps her legs around the small of his back drawing him deeper. Her fingers pull at the muscles on his back.
He buries his face in her hair, feeling her tighten and flex beneath him.
“Chloe…. baby, yeah,” he grunts.
She runs her fingers through his hair, whispering to him.
“You’re going to make me cum again,” she pants.
“Yes,” he says lifting up to look down at her face.
He watches as her eyes clinch shut and she bites her lips, stifling a shout before she can’t anymore.
“Ah!” She cries out, her body shaking beneath him. As he peaks beneath him, he takes in the beauty of her face in that moment.
Chris feels her pulling at him from within, and he can’t hold back any longer. He thrusts hard a few more times before shouting and collapsing breathlessly on top of her.
She wraps her arms around him, her legs sliding lazily back down to the sofa.
They cling to each other for a while, both slowly returning to the waking world.
The voice of George Bailey catches their attention and they both look over at the TV screen.
Chris lets out a little laugh. “It’s a wonderful life is right….”
Chloe chuckles and he turns and gives her a sweet, slow kiss.
“Are you okay?” he whispers against her lips.
She cups his face and nods. “You’re incredible….”
“I was just about to say the same thing to you,” he mutters and takes a deep breath. He groans one more time as he pulls out of her. He lays his head against her breast. She absent-mindedly plays with his hair. They lie in each other’s embrace, quietly enjoying the pleasure of each other’s touch for a long time.
“I don’t like the idea of you being here all alone tonight. Come home with me, my mom would be okay with it. You can sleep in my room, I’ll take the couch,” he offers. He lifts his head to look at her.
“Ill be fine here tonight, don’t worry, okay?”
“I still don’t like it….” He shakes his head.
She kisses his forehead.
“At least promise to come over for Christmas dinner tomorrow?” He looks at her hopeful.
She smiles at his caring manner and nods. She moves a few pieces of hair away from his forehead. “I’ll come by, I promise.”
He smiles and lays his head back down against her breast.
“Merry Christmas, Chloe,” he says sliding his arms around her back to hold her tight.
“Merry Christmas, Chris….”