Christmas Nights(34)

Stella burst out laughing and stood up from the stool by the counter. “Here. Let me show you how to use your crutches.”

She picked up the crutches they’d carted home from the hospital last night and left by the door. Janie poured coffee for her and Travis and slipped onto a stool by the counter to watch. Travis gamely went along with Stella’s guidance and crutched his way in a circle around the living room. “Are these the same crutches you were using?” he asked once he made his way back to the kitchen.

Stella shook her head. “Nope. They said mine would be too small.”

Travis reached the counter and eased onto a stool across from Janie. A glimmer of pain flashed in his eyes.

“Why don’t we get you settled on the couch?” Janie asked as she stood, hurrying to help.

He waved her away. “Nope. My ribs are sore, that’s all.” He stretched his leg out to the side and reached out to squeeze her hand quickly. “Seriously. I’m fine.”

She returned to sit across from him and slid his mug of coffee over. The morning passed in a warm blur. Stella insisted on making pancakes without any help and gleefully served them breakfast. After they ate, Stella bossed Travis into resting on the couch. They spent the rest of the morning watching television and relaxing.

Janie went upstairs to get dressed late that morning and stared at herself in the mirror. She could hear Stella bantering with Travis about something, and her heart did a little flip. She’d never allowed herself to imagine a lazy morning like this. Not one that included a man who made her feel like no one else had ever made her feel. Her reflection stared back at her—her features relaxed and those familiar lines of tension gone. Starting her day with a bone-melting climax seemed to set a good tone.





Chapter 22





On Christmas Eve, Travis crutched his way up the steps to Janie’s house. The kitchen door swung open, and Stella stood in the doorway, grinning like mad. Pansy dashed past her and bounded into the snow. By the time he made it through the doorway, Pansy was racing back inside.

“Hey Travis! Mom called to say she’s running late.”

He crutched his way past Stella into the kitchen. “Thanks for letting me in anyway,” he said with a grin.

Stella closed the door behind him while Pansy shook herself and sent the snow dusting her fur in an arc around her. “As if I’d make you wait outside,” Stella said with a roll of her eyes. She spun to the counter and immediately picked up her phone and started texting.

Travis crutched his way to the couch and eased down, his eyes landing on the Christmas tree in the corner. Pansy had done a little damage to one corner with the branches ragged and torn. Presents were piled high underneath, and the lights strung along the ceiling brightened the room. He couldn’t wait until he got his cast off, but in the meantime, he was making do. It was the least of his reasons for being ecstatic about finally breaking through the walls around Janie’s heart, but he found it quite convenient that she wanted to fuss over him all the time. As such, she’d refused to let him stay at his apartment, insisting he shouldn’t be alone right now. He watched while Stella walked upstairs, her eyes intent on her phone.

She’d survived the anticipation of the Christmas Dance and returned home jubilant from actually enjoying herself. After meeting Parker more than in passing, Travis was confident Parker liked Stella as much more than a friend. He’d shared as much with Janie, and she’d burst out laughing. “Oh yeah. I’m staying out of it and letting them figure it out.”

Janie came swirling through the door, a whoosh of icy air blowing in with her. “Hey!” she called in his direction as she plunked several bags of groceries on the counter. He started to get up, thinking he needed to help. She turned to him with a hand on her hip. “You’re not seriously trying to get up and help me right now, are you?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Don’t be dumb. There’s nothing left to carry. Stay right there,” she ordered with a wag of her finger.

He fought the annoyance rising inside, not with her, but with his limited mobility. Moments later, after she’d whirled around the kitchen, she walked over and handed him a beer. She set a glass of wine down on the coffee table and adjusted the ottoman where his casted leg was resting. “Need anything else?”

He took a long swallow of beer. “Not a thing.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Nope. Stopped by the station earlier and there was food everywhere. I figure I’m better off if I don’t eat much more since I’ll eat plenty tomorrow.”

Janie nodded and leaned back into the cushions. Stella must’ve started a fire not too long ago because flames were still flickering in the fireplace. Travis looked at Janie and rested his hand on the back of the couch, sifting through her glossy hair. She rolled her head to the side, her eyes catching his.

“You ready for Christmas with my family tomorrow?” she asked softly.

“Absolutely. Anything that means I get a whole day with you is awesome.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she leaned forward to snag her wine and take a gulp. He was finding it ridiculously easy to adjust to the new state of being obsessed with all things Janie. She made it easy because she was, well, she was Janie. He was finding, however, that while Janie seemed to have come to terms with her feelings for him, she flushed whenever he was this direct with her. Still stroking his fingers through her hair, he watched her. “What is it?” he asked.

“What’s what?” she countered.

“Whenever I say things like that, you get…like this,” he gestured to her as she took another gulp of wine.

She stared at him and sighed. “I dunno. I’m not used to anyone talking to me like that. It’s…new. That’s all.”

She leaned forward and traced the edge of his jaw. “I might not be used to it, but I like it,” she said, her voice husky as she brought her lips to his.

Not much later, Janie flicked off the lights in the living room. The room fell into darkness. She turned to face him, and he realized the sky was lit up behind her in the windows. He grabbed his crutches and stood quickly. “Look!” He gestured toward the windows with the bottom of one of his crutches.

She spun around, and he heard her breath catch. “Oh, I love the northern lights! I haven’t seen any yet this winter.”

She stepped closer to the windows. He made his way to her and leaned against the wall by the windows, reaching for her and pulling her against his side. They stood in the darkened room and watched the colors dance across the sky. Shades of purple, blue and green in varying intensity rippled through the darkness. Only when the colors started to fade did Janie shift. He experienced a tiny pang of loss when her soft warmth moved away. “Let’s go upstairs,” she whispered.

Once he clomped upstairs and managed to get in bed, Janie slipped under the covers beside him. He had a clear view of the sky over the bay. With Janie’s lush body curled up against his, he felt relaxed to his core. He watched the northern lights slowly fade into the darkness as her breathing evened into sleep. He’d never have thought falling asleep beside someone could feel this way, but right here, right now, he felt better than he ever had. Given he had a bum leg in a cast and his ribs were still sore as hell, that was saying something.



“Mom!”

Janie was just standing up from the oven as she carefully removed the turkey. She set it down on the stove and turned as Stella slid across the kitchen in her socked feet. “There’s just no way to get you to remember you’re supposed to take it easy for another few weeks with that ankle, is there?” Janie asked with a shake of her head.

Stella grinned. “I’m fine. I’m not running or jumping up and down. Anyway, you should be worried about Travis now, not me.”

Janie chuckled. “Right. Anyway, what’s up?”

“Can Parker come over later?”

“Let me talk to his mom first.”

“Why? You don’t usually say you have to talk to her first.”

“Usually not, but it’s Christmas Day. I know you want to see him, but I need to make sure it’s okay with his parents if he’s not there for a little bit today.”

Stella’s shoulders fell in an exaggerated droop, but she sighed and nodded. “Will you call her now?”

“Give me five minutes.”

Janie watched Stella meander out of the kitchen, grabbing a piece of cheese off of a tray on the counter as she passed by. Their house was filled with her family…and Travis. At the moment, he was seated in the corner of the couch with his leg propped up on an ottoman. Her mother and her two aunts, Pam and Sharon, were helping her in the kitchen, while her uncle Cody and Stella’s four cousins were scattered around the house between the living room and the sunroom. A football game was on television and Travis was bantering with her uncle about something to do with sports. She should’ve guessed he already knew almost everyone in her family. Apparently, he’d crewed with her uncle on the Winters’ brothers commercial crew a few summers ago.

Travis glanced her way, his eyes catching hers. One look and it was as if a flame lit the air between them. Heat suffused her and her low belly clenched. She had to remind herself they were surrounded by family and tear her eyes away to focus on something other than him. “Hon, I’m starting the gravy,” her mother said from over her shoulder.