A Merry Little Christmas(21)

"It's called Lumiere," she replied.

He nodded absently. "I've never smelled that on anyone else. And now I  don't want to smell it on anyone but you. It's perfect for you, soft and  feminine just like you," he said, still looking into her eyes. He could  have stared at her for the rest of the day and been perfectly content,  but he knew he was making her uncomfortable. "I'm trying to memorize  your face. I want to learn everything about the way you look, so that  when I'm not with you can I remember you accurately and get excited  about the next time I'll see you."

Lisette's hands started shaking again and she set her cup down rather  abruptly. "That was very beautiful. It was ... poetic," she said shyly.                       
       
           



       

Warren smiled and took her small delicate hand in his. "Don't be shy  with me, Lisette. I hope you know I would never hurt you or disrespect  you in any way," he said solemnly.

Lisette looked at him with equal seriousness. "I know that, Warren. I trust you," she said simply.

They continued to sit that way, with her tiny hand resting in Warren's  big, capable one. Lisette was smiling and she looked perfectly happy.  Warren began rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, slowly tracing  a circle on her soft skin. "I need to ask you something, honey. I know  we don't know each other well, but I want to remedy that. I want to get  to know you and I want you to know me. What I want," he said in a soft  voice so unlike his normal booming tone that Lisette had to strain to  hear him, "is to spend some time with you." He looked at her hand and  brought it to his mouth, caressing it with his lips until she sighed.  "That's not completely accurate, Lisette. I don't want to ‘spend some  time' with you; I want to date you, if you think we suit each other. I  want..."

Lisette finally squeezed his hand to silence him. "Yes, Warren, I think  that's a brilliant idea. I think we will suit each other nicely." She  smiled and reached across the table to stroke his cheek with her free  hand. "And I think you should kiss me."

Warren's handsome face broke into a wide smile. His eyes lit up with  passion and pure happiness. "Your wish is my command Lisette."

He stood up and held out his other hand to her. She rose and came around  to his side of the table. He pulled her into his arms and they held one  another for a long, delirious moment before their lips found each  other. They opened their mouths to taste the sweetness that awaited  them, their coffee-flavored tongues mating and dancing over each other  in an awakening of passion so satisfying it was almost like pain. When  they finally pulled away from each other, Warren was alarmed to see  tears in Lisette's long lashes.

"What's wrong, honey? Didn't you like it?" he whispered.

Lisette smiled at the concern in his voice. She rubbed her face against  his big broad chest like a sleepy kitten and looked up at him with  yearning and surrender. "I loved it," she confessed. "And I want some  more, please."

"Well, then, more is what we'll have," he replied before bending to her lips again.

***

After Angelique got over her initial shock at Donnie's remark, she  realized he was just playing with words, teasing her. She regained her  equanimity and told him they needed extra ice for the party. "And maybe  some wine or beer or something," she added. Donnie drove around until he  found a Merchant of Vino, a big market that specialized in spirits and  gourmet foods. He parked the car and they went inside in a companionable  silence. Donnie asked her what kind of wine she wanted and she  confessed that she wasn't much of a drinker. "It all tastes the same to  me, especially champagne. What do you think would be good?" She looked  up at him with a smile.

Donnie almost stumbled as he looked down into her face. She looked  adorable, as always. The bright red hat she wore made her toffee skin  glow, and her clear lip gloss made her mouth look edible. Her fragrance  had the usual effect on him and her happy mood made him want to do  something really crazy. Instead he found a cart and tried to act as  though her presence at his side wasn't affecting him in the way it was.  He selected a few bottles of Mondavi Chardonnay and a few bottles of a  great merlot from Australia called Black Opal. Placing them in the cart,  he looked down at Angelique, whose hand was resting next to his on the  cart. "Now what? Can you think of anything else we need?"

Angelique bit her lower lip very gently as she thought. The simple  gesture brought that old lovin' feeling back, to a body part Donnie  would prefer remained inert. She suddenly stopped biting her lip and ran  her tongue across it, ending in the corner where the cute little beauty  mark resided. She did it so quickly and naturally, Donnie knew it was  unintentional, but it was like something had reached inside him and gave  him a good squeeze. Luckily for him, Angelique spoke and it seemed to  break the spell.

"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 the 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.