|
|
Christmas
At
Home
excerpt...
Mrs. Burgess dried
the last dish and put it away. “It’s getting late. Why don’t the two
of you head over to the club downtown? Or, I heard the USO is having
a farewell party for some of the men ready to be deployed. Several
bands are supposed to be there tonight.”
When Allison shook her head, Mrs. Burgess persisted. “You both
deserve a night out. Since Becca’s already here, she can spend the
night in one of the girls’ old rooms upstairs until you get home.”
Taken aback, Allison looked around the huge home. It was elegant.
Certainly out of her league. She didn’t belong here. Didn’t belong
with Ryan. Why had he insisted she come here today? She was a
nobody, while his family was…wealthy.
“That’s a great idea,” she heard him say before she could speak. “We
won’t stay out late. Just long enough to listen to some music and
relax a bit.”
“No, I couldn’t possibly do that. I need to get Becca home now.
We’ve inconvenienced you all too much as it is.”
“You’ve been no inconvenience, dear. We’ve loved having the two of
you visit. I hope you’ll come back often.”
Returning with her coat and Ryan’s overcoat, Mr. Burgess handed them
both to Ryan. “Make sure you bundle up now. It’s mighty cold out
there. Mother, I don’t see a neck scarf for the young lady. Do you
have one she can borrow?”
While Ryan helped with her coat, his mother quickly returned with a
long cashmere neck scarf. Ryan took it and wrapped it gently around
Allison’s neck. “There, that’s better.”
Allison just stood there, her mouth open. She’d never felt anything
so luxurious. “But I can’t—”
“Certainly you can, dear. I’m not going out this evening. I’m happy
to let you borrow it.” She glanced over at her husband and received
the briefest of nods. “In fact, I rarely ever wear that one. It
looks lovely on you, so why don’t you keep it?”
“I can’t—”
As Ryan ushered her out the door into the blast of cold air, he
laughed. “There sure are a lot of things you seem to think you can’t
do. Time to start thinking of what you can.”
Out at the curb, he stopped beside the family’s two year old
Packard. “I wish I could drive us there.” He patted his leg with his
gloved hand. “But with this leg I can’t work the clutch. It’s too
cold to walk. How about we take the trolley?”
At her agreement, they headed to the nearest trolley tracks. Placing
his cane over his arm, he helped Allison up and then pulled himself
onto the first step. As they sat and rode toward the center of town,
he eased his arm along the back of the seat. “Why don’t you move
closer? It’s cold in here and I don’t want you to catch a chill.”
Allison glared at him. “Is your family always so bossy?”
Ryan laughed, a deep guttural sound. He hadn’t done that in ages.
Not since his plane had crashed into the barrier and the world as
he’d known it had changed. It felt good.
“Well, yes, as a matter of fact they are. Most of the time. It’s one
of the things I love about them. They know what they want and go
after it.”
He pulled her closer. “When I was overseas, I watched men open
parcels from home. Some got bars of soap, powder, maybe a sweater or
a muffler. Simple things, but it meant the world to them. Meant
home. I, on the other hand, came home to a fancy house while many of
those men died. But I didn’t appreciate it. I thought my life was
over. Merely because my leg hurts and I limp. I thought no one would
ever want me. Thought I’d never want anything—anyone—ever again.”
When the trolley stopped near the club, he exited, then helped
Allison down the steps. Strains of Duke Ellington filtered out into
the cold night air.
“Until I met you.”
He turned her toward him. “But instead of making me feel good, I
felt worse. Oh sure, there was plenty in this world to live for—but
I’d never have it.”
“That’s silly, Ryan. You have everything to live for. What could you
have possibly wanted that you thought you couldn’t—”
He placed a finger over her lips. “You.”
At her gasp, he continued. “I wanted you, Alli. Wanted to hold you
in my arms. Wanted to feel your sweet lips against mine. Wanted to
make love to you all night. But I knew it would never happen. You’d
never want me. I’m no longer whole. I’m damaged goods.”
“But Ryan—”
“Then I changed my mind. Remembered I’m a Burgess. We go after what
we want. Claim it. Take it.” He eased his hand around the back of
her neck. “I’m going after you, Alli Morgan. Prepare yourself for
that. I’m claiming you as my own. And some day I’m going to take
you. For now I’ll woo you. Win your heart. And I’m going to start by
kissing you.”
He moved his mouth within an inch of hers, a smile tilting up his
lips. “What’s this? No argument? You’re not going to tell me you
can’t?”
Her eyes met his. Never wavered. “No.”
His lips met hers. Gently. Sweetly. His tongue brushed her closed
lips, urging them to open. When they did, he thrust his tongue
inside, claiming what he’d wanted for the past month. What he
planned to have for the rest of his life.
Allison moaned. His hand brushed over her hair, eased a tendril
behind her ear. He hugged her close. Moved his hand up and down the
column of her back. Lust shot straight to his groin. He’d worried
his injury might have messed up more than his leg. Allison’s body
pressed to his proved that wasn’t so. He could make love to her—and
some day he would. Of that he no longer had any doubt. He moved his
hand inside her coat and brushed it over her plain, cotton blouse.
The tip of her breast hardened instantly under his fingertips. Just
as he’d hardened holding her.
He groaned. If he didn’t stop now, he might not be able to. He
wouldn’t behave like a rutting stag. Gathering what little control
he had left, he pulled back. Looked at Allison’s very kissable mouth
and had to close his eyes and count to ten. Mercy, but he wanted
her.
Helping straighten her coat, Ryan held his arm out for her and
headed for the club. They waited their turn to enter. Bing Crosby’s
Moonlight Becomes You lilted through the door each time it opened.
The song was right. She was beautiful, and the moonlight glinting
off her silky, auburn hair had him wanting to run his hands through
it. Wanting to run his hands over every inch of her body.
©2006 Leanne L. Burroughs
|
|
Featured in ...
in Christmas
Wishes
A Romance Anthology
Available
online at:
Also available...
E-book format at
Coffee Time Romance
|
|
