McDonald_MM_GEN_Dec2013 (4 page)

Eve laughed. She couldn’t even imagine a man proficient enough to give her an orgasm during every lovemaking session. “Yes I know that’s what I need, and now everyone in the coffee shop knows too. Your voice carries as well as mine does.”

“You think I give a shit? I stopped caring about what people thought of me in my thirties. And don’t play innocent with me. I know you don’t care either,” Hilde declared.

“No. You’re right. I don’t care,” Eve agreed. “But I don’t know how I feel about Sam.”

“Well why don’t you just try him out? You’re both adults. Take that attraction to each other for a spin and see what comes of it,” Hilde ordered.

“Don’t you mean ‘who’ comes of it?” Eve demanded.

Hilde laughed. “Making dirty jokes is not an effective way to change the subject. I’m too sharp for that. Ask my students.”

“I’m sure you are, Professor Peppercorn,” Eve said.

“Keep it up. I’d love to start a good scandal in your favorite coffee shop. I’ll sit on your lily ass and sing Aretha at the top of my lungs until the cops come.”

“Oh, so now the cops are coming too. Are you suggesting I engage in an orgy with Sam and some of our local boys? Should I do one at a time or all together?” Eve asked.

She belly laughed when Hilde gave her the finger, then laughed harder when three tables full of people hastily made their way to the door to leave.

Eve shook her head. “Ah, the dignity of youth. How easily most are offended by older women having fun.”

“Not from what I hear every day in my classes. My students make me grateful that I have the kind of yelling voice that shuts everyone up,” Hilde said.

A sharply dressed, mahogany hued man came through the door and made his way to their table. “Hello baby,” he said, smiling at Eve first.

In return, Eve openly sighed with envy when Stuart leaned down to Hilde for a serious hello kiss.

“I heard that great big sigh, Evelyn,” Hilde said, when Stuart let her go.

“Don’t call me that here. And don’t give me a lecture. An ice woman would melt with someone like Stuart coming around and whispering ‘Hey baby’ in that deep, sexy voice of his. He’s worse than listening to Issac Hayes. Makes me want to jump the next man that walks through the damn door.”

Eve grinned when Stuart’s ears turned red. The man who looked all serious business was cuckoo-cuckoo nuts for her outspoken, irreverent friend. “Sorry Stuart. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

He laughed and shook his head. “Why should I be embarrassed? That was a compliment—right?”

“Yes. Definitely,” Eve said.

“Oh. My. God. I don’t believe this. Get ready to jump Evelyn. Guess who just walked through the damn door,” Hilde demanded.

Eve’s head swiveled fast on her shoulders as she turned to look. An elderly man who had to be ninety if a day was heading to the counter to order. She turned back to give her friend a dirty look.

“Interesting reaction there, Eve. Just who were you expecting might come for coffee?” Smiling, Hilde stood and gathered her purse. “Don’t make me state the obvious. Your head practically spun on your shoulders looking for the man. Go home, invite him to dinner tomorrow, and jump him while the kids are out of town.”

Eve sighed again and stood. “Merry Christmas, Hilde. I love you. Thanks for the advice even if I can’t bring myself to take it.”

Huffing out a breath when she was enveloped in a choking hug that would have broken a smaller woman, Eve giggled at Hilde’s hastily given well wishes in return. Stuart looked on smiling at the two of them.

“At least kiss the man again. Get some more mistletoe if you need an excuse,” Hilde ordered.

“Got it hanging in every doorway already,” Eve protested. “If Sam comes around, I’ll at least kiss him again to make sure it wasn’t an aberration. How’s that?”

Hilde held up a finger and wagged it in warning. Eve laughed and nodded. She didn’t want her friend worrying about her over the holidays.

***

Eve walked into the radio station at three to finish her preparations for the early evening show. She was starting at five instead of six and ending at ten. After she signed off, the station’s engineer would be switching to holiday tapes for the last couple of hours.

Just like last year, Christmas Eve was a sparkling night with no snow on the horizon even though the cold cut through her wool skirt with no problem. She would go home and have a fire, she decided. Eve was both sad and glad for the lack of flurries, since she would be driving home alone tonight.

She was heading into the production area when she noticed the sound booth was decorated with silver and blue tinsel, just like she had on her tree.

“Evening Stanley. Who decorated?” Eve asked, shucking her coat.

“Some guy came in earlier and asked if he could do it for you. There’s flowers and a card. Nice man. Is he your boyfriend?”

Eve laughed. “What’s a boyfriend? Do women my age still have those? Okay, I’m kidding. I have no idea. Maybe it was a crazed fan. Did you make sure he didn’t bother anything in the booth?”

Stanley held out his hands. “Engineer, sweetheart. I was in there and watched everything he did. Check out the card, Eve. Let me know if you want me to rip down the festive setting your admirer created for you.”

Walking into the sound booth that she shared with two other specialty broadcasters, Eve spun in a circle under blue lights strung across the ceiling like stars. It was truly magical to have those tiny twinkling lights overhead. The cheerfully lit booth felt like a different world.

On the chair was a white rose with a long red ribbon. Next to it was a card with her name scrawled on the front. She lifted both before gingerly setting them in her lap while she sat and made her final adjustments to the programming.

An hour later, she lifted her head from her work and leaned back in her chair, doubly grateful she had prepped most of the show over the last two weeks. Looking down, Eve lifted the rose, sniffed the beautiful aroma, and then opened the card.

I started to write ‘Merry Christmas to my best friend’, but I can’t think of you in just that way anymore. Santa is just going to have to add me to the naughty list for my wicked thoughts about kissing you again. Well that and maybe palming your breasts to see if they feel as good as they always look. You’d be worth getting a lump of coal in my stocking. I’ll be listening tonight, Eve. Send me a message over the air and I’ll meet you under the mistletoe again. ~ Sam

Holding the card in her hand, Eve fanned herself with the envelope.

“Want me to turn down the heat?”

Eve yelped, then laughed when she saw Stanley’s head sticking through the booth’s cracked door.

“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Your face was flushed and you were fanning yourself. Oh, you read the note. Must have been really good. My bad for mentioning it.”

“No,” Eve denied. “It’s not like that. The note—he’s just a friend. I’ve known him for a long time.”

Stanley snorted at the rose clutched in one of Eve’s hands and the card in the other. “Everyone needs a friend that can make them that hot on a cold day like this one.”

“Stanley—stop. You’re married,” Eve protested, the rose and card hitting her lap again.

“Which means I know what I’m talking about,” he said, grinning at the woman he’d never seen blush before. “So this ‘just a friend’ have a name?”

Eve nodded. “Yes, but I’d rather not say who he is. I’m not—we’re not—oh, hell. I’m holding on to the magic I guess. This has happened kind of fast.”

“Hold on as long as you can, Eve. Magic lasts longer that way. Have a good show,” Stanley said, winking as he shut the door.

Eve looked at the rose and the card. “Damn it Sam. What am I supposed to do with you?”

The question conjured the memory of his tongue sliding along hers. It was obvious what Sam wanted to do with her. She sniffed the rose again as she slipped the card into her purse.

Since thinking about him made her head hurt, Eve put her head in her hand trying to close out the thoughts. She turned just in time to see the clock on the wall moments before the light in the booth went green. Reaching out, she swung the boom microphone down to her mouth and pressed the button when Stanley pointed through the glass.

“Hello Lexington. It’s Christmas Eve and you’ve tuned in tonight to a special edition of
Delight After Dark
. I’m your host, Evelyn Jade, and it is my pleasure to delight you and your loved ones this frosty December night. So pull that special person close to you right now and give them a kiss while we listen to Harry singing his heart out while he waits under the mistletoe. Any takers out there?”

Eve laughed softly before flicking over to the song, humming along until Harry Connick Jr. sang loud enough for her to fade out. Then she cued up the next three songs as she waited for her turn to talk again. For several hours, she talked to callers about holiday plans, wished them a Merry Christmas, and cued up music to go along with everyone’s festive moods.

Then finally time grew short and she had to decide about the note. She thought once again about the kiss in the pantry as she pulled the microphone down to her mouth.

“Hi we’re back. I’m Evelyn Jade and you’re listening to a special Christmas Eve edition of
Delight After Dark
.”

Eve’s fingers were busy as she talked, queuing up the last song.

“Santa’s out making deliveries and the big day is tomorrow. It’s been a rare pleasure for me to get to spend this wonderful evening with you and your loved ones. My children are off enjoying their skiing holiday, but I have this friend—a really good friend—who wants to make my Christmas Eve as merry as possible. And I’m thinking I may just let him. Now it’s time for the last song before I head out. Whatever kind of love your heart desires this Christmas, I sincerely hope you find it in someone’s arms. I’m dreaming of a glass of wine by the fire and the company of a good friend. Tell him for me, Mariah. You do it so much better than I ever could. Thank you Lexington for letting me be part of your life. Sam, in case you didn’t get all that innuendo, this is my invitation. Meet me under the mistletoe again. This is Evelyn Jade saying good-night and Merry Christmas to everyone.”

As the song filled the booth, Eve gathered her purse and coat. She waved to Stanley whose wife had come to spend the last hours of the station’s broadcast time with him.

In the parking lot, she climbed into her car and headed home, wondering if Sam had listened long enough to catch her closing comments.

Sam warned himself to not get too excited when Eve’s car pulled into her driveway, but after what she’d said over the air, it was not a command his body could heed. Wearing his Santa hat, he grabbed a heavy coat from the closet and headed out into the cold to go to her. Her garage door was still up and Eve was climbing from her car when he reached her side. In her hand was the rose he’d left for her at the station. Seeing her clutching it made him smile.

“Great show tonight,” he said. “I want to kiss you again. Do I have to wait until we’re under the mistletoe?”

Eve laughed nervously. “I don’t know. I’m still not sure how I feel about kissing . . . ”

Her words trailed off as Sam stepped close and bent his head. She tried not to freeze up, but some panic state took over. Her hand came to his chest automatically and it took all her effort not to push him away. When his lips finally brushed hers in the most gentle of kisses, the tingle returned stronger than ever. She heard herself make some sound of distress that had Sam backing away and laughing.

“That throaty moan of yours was worth every second of the cold walk down here,” Sam said.

“Throaty moan? No. That was nerves taking over when I realized we were giving the neighbors a show. Hopefully none of them were listening out their doors,” Eve said.

Sam grinned and shrugged. “I’m sure they’ve all been wondering why I come to your house every morning anyway. Do their opinions worry you?”

Eve laughed and shook her head. “No. Not really. Would you be interested in having a glass of wine with me by the fire?”

Sam held out a hand. “I’m interested in anything you’re offering tonight. Hearing you say my name over the air was a rush, Evelyn Jade.”

“You’re easily pleased then,” she said.

“Not always,” he said, grinning as he tugged on her hand. “But I’m in the mood to be patient. I promise to give you some warning when I can’t wait anymore.”

Sam’s flirting was making her nervous, but she couldn’t decide if he was doing it intentionally or not. Not wanting to seem churlish after inviting him to visit, Eve put her hand in his. Just before they went into the kitchen, Sam pressed the garage door button and sealed them inside.

Glad to be home, Eve rushed ahead of him only to stop abruptly in the kitchen, stomping her feet in a tiny puddle on the floor. She looked up at the ceiling. Seeing nothing leaking, she walked gingerly around the center island and saw water coming out from under her sink.

“Oh hell,” she said, tossing her belongings onto a couple bar stools. “Be careful, Sam. The floor is wet everywhere.”

Glad she was wearing her boots, Eve tiptoed through the water. She opened the doors under the sink and bent to see a spewing cracked pipe. It was the one was connected to the dishwasher and she crossed her fingers the break didn’t mean she’d lost an appliance too.

“As much as I love seeing you bent over in that skirt, why don’t you move and let me take a look under there while my brain is still functioning. Hopefully there’s a shut-off valve. If not, I have a church key at the house if we need to turn off the water main outside,” Sam said.

Stunned by Sam’s veiled comment about admiring her ass, Eve moved out of his way without argument. Remembering where the pipe was connected, she turned and opened the dishwasher door just to see if the appliance held any clues to the problem. Water gushed out, drowning her boots and Sam’s shoes in a soapy waterfall. Eve looked from the floor to Sam’s shocked face. “I swear I didn’t do that on purpose.”

“Eve, you sure know how to show your dates a good time,” he said, lifting each foot and shaking off as much water as he could.