Beach Blanket Santa

I’m sure it wasn’t. Who’s to say which way is better? One person’s childhood or another? I had a big brother to beat up on me.”
    “Robert?”
    “Yeah, but he did so in a loving way.” He shot her a wry smile. “And I still have the scars to prove it.”
    “Oh!” Sarah replied, not knowing whether he was kidding.
    “So, come on,” he said. “Let’s decide what’s next. Between the two of us, we’ve clearly brought enough provisions to get by. But did either of us plan for anything fun?”
    “Fun?”
    “Yeah, you know. Something to get us in the holiday spirit?”
    “Well,” Sarah began tentatively, “I had planned to make Christmas cookies while I was here. Take them home for the holiday.”
    “Perfect!” Matt said with a grin. “I’m in.”

    A little while later, Sarah found herself standing at the kitchen counter with Matt. He’d located Robert’s CD collection and put on some music. With it turned up loud, they could scarcely hear the howling winds below the sultry collection labeled Rainy Day Blues. Nothing could have been more appropriate. Waves crashed outdoors and windy gusts slammed the house, though inside they were safe and warm.
    “Well, go on,” he said. “Lay it on me.”
    She looked up at him, and her knees went weak. All this light chatter with Matt had gone right to her head just like a million champagne bubbles. He was so easy to be with. Fun and lighthearted too. Was it any wonder she’d crushed on him so badly three years ago? But now she was getting to know him better—which made things worse. If only she could believe that certain things wouldn’t matter to him.
    “The supplies?” he said, reading her dumbstruck look. “What did you bring?”
    “Oh, that,” she said, feeling she sounded a bit dopey. This was crazy, and she knew it. All they were doing here was making Christmas cookies. It wasn’t like they were slathering each other all over with icing. Her face flamed hot as she feared he’d read her thoughts. Of course she wouldn’t be coating Matt with icing. That was to be reserved for the cookies. But wasn’t he a dish? Yummy.
    “Sarah?”
    She swallowed hard, collecting herself. Before they’d started to cook, Matt had offered to serve some wine. After all, they still had that open bottle from their late-night snacking… At the time, she’d been feeling so good and confident in her abilities to resist him that this had sounded fine. Now Sarah wondered if that had been such a great idea.
    “Ah, yeah,” she said, opening the refrigerator to retrieve the limp tube of sugar-cookie dough. She absolutely, positively, had to get herself under control.
    Matt looked down at the dough, then right in her eyes. “Slice and bake?”
    “I brought icing,” she said lamely, hoping he couldn’t read between the lines.
    Matt took the cookie dough from her and set it on the counter, shutting the refrigerator door. “Do you mean to tell me you’ve never made sugar cookies from scratch?”
    “Well, no,” she said feeling her face warm with embarrassment. “No, actually I haven’t. Is that a problem?”
    He slowly stroked his chin and studied her. “No, darling, it’s not a problem at all. I was just wondering…” His lips creased in a subtle smile. “If you’d like to learn?”
    “What do you mean?” she asked, taken aback.
    “I have confession to make,” he said. His voice was low and raspy. “I’m one helluva baker.”
    She sputtered a laugh. “Go on!”
    “I’m also a dynamite teacher.”
    Was it sheer coincidence that in the background a song about giving love lessons started to play? Matt could teach her all right, probably a lot of things. A man like him was sure to have had his share of the ladies.

    “Are you now?” she said, backing up a step.
    He’d be damned if she didn’t look enticing, just standing there with that little pout on her lips. Matt took another sip of wine, tuned in to the music . I got a brand-new way of teaching, I’ll give you homework every night. Yeah, I got a brand-new way of teaching, I’ll give you homework every night. Gonna make you hug and kiss me…ha-ha…until you got it right… “You’re not afraid?”
    “Of learning something new?” She pulled herself up a little straighter and squared her shoulders. “Of course not.”
    Now, when I’ve taught you all I know, you’re going to have a love degree. When I’ve taught you all I know, you’re going to have a love degree. You’re