Beach Blanket Santa

lassie?”
    She laughed out loud, apparently taken with his pirate talk.
    He spun her toward him in his arms, the rain coming down in icy prickles all around them.
    She looked up at him through the wind and the rain, her eyes a soulful invitation. He’d be damned if he didn’t want to kiss her. And he was nearly damned sure that she wanted him too. Nearly, but not one hundred percent. The last thing he wanted to do was have her run away from him again or to tell him to get packing. Matt didn’t know why, but he wasn’t sure his heart could take that. Just in these few days together, Sarah had gotten to him in a way he didn’t believe possible. And, if she could do this much damage after just a few days, he wasn’t sure what kind of shape he’d be in at the end of the week. The first time they’d been together, Matt had blown it badly by not following through. If he’d heeded his instincts three years ago, when Sarah had told him to go, he would have asked why and tried to talk it out. Instead, he’d turned like a chastised puppy dog with his tail between his legs and had rushed off, never fully understanding what had gone wrong. Matt wasn’t prepared to risk that again. Not with someone like Sarah. Not when just looking in her eyes made his head swim and his pulse race faster.

    Sarah stared up at Matt as the elements raged around them. In spite of the storm, she felt sheltered in his arms, as if she’d found her safe harbor. Something about being with Matt felt so right. How she wished this feeling could go on forever. But there were things about her Matt didn’t know. A deep secret that would likely alter his opinion of her and cause him to question becoming involved on more than a casual basis.
    “Sarah,” he said, his lips hovering above hers. “I’m glad that it worked out this way. That the fates, karma, whatever…somehow put us here together.”
    “I’m glad too.”
    “Promise me something.” He looked deep in her eyes. Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. “Promise you won’t run away again without giving me a chance, really taking the time to know me.”
    But she couldn’t promise him that. Couldn’t promise absolutely. Just look at what had happened in the past. Of course, neither of her former boyfriends had been halfway as terrific as Matt, which made things all the harder. More than anything, she wanted to open her heart up to this new opportunity. But, when push came to shove, would she be able to? “I can promise I’ll try,” she said, barely breathing the words.
    He steadied her chin in his hand. “There’s a rainbow after every storm. You just need to believe it.”
    She nodded still holding his gaze. The next thing she knew, Matt was pulling her close, bringing his mouth to hers in the rain. “Sarah,” he said. He kissed her sweetly, first once, then again and again. “My sweet Sarah, all we need is time.” How she wished that were true. The trouble was, she didn’t know how much time they really had. But instead of saying so, she let him kiss her over and over, until his soft kisses became deeper ones, and her knees melted like butter.

Chapter Six

    Later that evening, Matt and Sarah warmed themselves by the fire. They’d come in soaked but happy from their adventures on the beach, and ravenously hungry besides. The prefab frozen lasagna dinner Sarah had prepared actually wasn’t bad. Pairing it with the nice Chianti she’d brought proved a plus, and both had totally enjoyed Matt’s homemade garlic bread. Now they sat with two goblets of wine, listening to blues music and the haunting melody of the rain.
    It was the most romantic Christmas Eve Matt could remember. If only he had a way to do something special for Sarah and make her really feel the spirit of the holiday. “It’s too bad we don’t have stockings to hang from the mantel.”
    “We could always hang up our socks,” she said with a grin.
    “I don’t think you want mine anywhere near a heat source. Especially the ones I went fishing in.”
    She laughed, seeming to guess that was true. “There is a washer in this house, you know.”
    “Yes. I plan to take advantage of it.” He clinked his glass to hers. “Tomorrow.”
    “It’s so hard to believe tomorrow’s Christmas,” she said with a sigh.
    Matt shot her a wink. “We’ll have to tuck in early so Santa can come.”
    “Sure,” she said, smiling. “Santa and all his reindeer too.”
    Matt had pondered the problem all evening.