That surely would have made my Christmas had I read it yesterday. I guess I can make it make my kwanzaa?

Hey Kav, we just had snow here for Christmas, don't make it melt so fast!!!!!

Our turned to (minus the deer). And I updated my browser because I kept getting those annoying bubble things telling me dire thing would happen if I didn't and then of course the dire things happened because I did and I couldn't get on the internet alllll afternoon!!!! I wonder if my luck will change in 2007? I think I need to consult with a Chinese horoscope or something.


She felt the steady beating of his heart against her cheek, it’s pace still elevated as was hers, though they had downgraded their activities to cuddling on the couch and watching a Christmas movie. At least, Jack was watching. She was too distracted by the warm body wrapped around hers to concentrate on anything else. She nuzzled her face against his chest, dropping random kisses when she could no longer resist. Each time she did his arms would tighten around her, drawing her closer and she would feel the answering pressure of his lips on the top of her head.

The love she felt for him couldn’t be constrained within her heart. It flowed out of her, through her lips, her hands, her tongue. Her body still hummed with unfulfilled longing. Two years she had been waiting for this moment. Two years of dreams marred by unbelief. As much as she’d wanted Jack, she hadn’t been able to see past all the obstacles that were put in their way. The obstacles were still there, but somehow, they had learned to navigate around them, anchoring in each other’s embrace for whatever storms might be ahead. They would face everything together now – the uncertainties and the joys, merging their lives to create one cohesive unit.

He talked about belonging – he to her and she to him and though the feminist part of her flared at the possessiveness of his words, her heart soared with the realization that she belonged at last. She had spent her entire life trying to eke out a place for herself – one where her uniqueness would be looked upon as an asset, not a liability. Jack had provided her with the opportunity to achieve that dream – both professionally and now personally.

Jack felt the slight movement as she stirred against him, languidly lifting one leg to cross over his knees. He felt her muscles flex as she shifted so that she lay half on top of him, taking her sweet time in easing her pliant body over his. Was she being deliberately coy or unwittingly shy? Whichever it was, she was doing a good job of arousing the flames that he had been religiously trying to bank for half of It’s A Wonderful Life. The feel of the soft imprint of curves against his chest was the last straw – and became just as combustible. He buried his hands in her hair, raking his fingers through the tangled strands until he’d captured her head, easing her forward, groaning at the sensations that were created as her body dragged over his.

“We can’t start this all over again,” he warned her huskily in between hot, stirring kisses.

“I know,” she agreed in a voice so hoarse he barely heard her before she avidly sought his lips and outrageously parted hers.

He tapped her bottom in a gentle rebuke, prepared to settle her back against his side to conclude the movie, but the second his hand touched the rounded mound of her buttock he was lost and his hand returned to stroke away the non-existent sting. It lingered there until his fingers somehow found they’re way beneath the waistband of her pants. He captured her startled gasp with his mouth, drinking in her wariness and excitement, his lips and hands growing bolder at her willing response.

She let her body relax as she melted into his, skin blending with skin until she wasn’t certain where he began and she left off. They were fused, chest to thigh, her soft curves melting into his unyielding strength. And all the while his mouth wrecked havoc against hers while his hands left a trail of heat everywhere they explored.

It was like a dam had burst. He just couldn’t seem to rein himself in. She was too tempting and he had wanted this…wanted her since the first day he’d met her. It wasn’t an accident that they met up in the cafeteria that afternoon. He was in surveillance and he was good at his job. It wasn’t hard to track her down and even easier to discover that she was a creature of habit, preferring to get her lunch at the cafeteria rather than take the time to walk to any number of trendy delis in the neighbourhood. Jack never ate at the cafeteria. It reminded him too much of high school, right down to the ladies in hairnets ladling out the food. He’d sworn he would never eat there, but he made an exception that day so that he could accidentally bump into the leggy blonde with the fire in her eyes.

He’d fought the attraction, played with it, illicitly flirting between fleeting relationships with other women. Allie was a bad memory and Jessica – a disturbing moment of weakness. But through it all Sue had remained his steadfast friend, burying her true feelings deep inside. But he knew – recognized those electrically charged moments that happened between them from time to time for what they really were. He’d just chosen to ignore them, turning his back on the best thing that ever happened to him. He still wasn’t sure why. Even the threat of being transferred from the team that had become a family couldn’t rattle his resolve this time round. Now that she was in his arms he was never going to let her go again.

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This was great Kav!

BarbaraManatee, I'm so glad someone could coherently respond to Kav's post and I echo it from the very bottom of my current puddle-like state of being.



Oh for heaven's sake why not? Please, feel free to start it again,... and again,... and again.... long blissfull sigh...

Tina

I am sitting here laughing out loud at the responses to your last post! BarbaraManatee, I couldn't have said it better myself! Boy, would I love to see this story made into a movie -- I could be the screenwriter just to make sure they didn't change these last two posts, or any of the story, for that matter!

Kay, you have literally captured what I and I imagine a goodly number of us see in all the episodes -- the feelings that were evident between Jack and Sue. For instance, whether it was intended or not in the original eppy, I always did think Jack went to the cafeteria on purpose.

Outstanding in every way!!!

Donna

!!!!!!!!!

just about sums up my response too

i always thought he went to the cafetria purposely to seek her out

cath

That post was worthy!

Ornella

SIGH! That was just lovely, Kav...absolutely lovely. I loved the fact the Jack is firm in not letting anything come between he and Sue now that they have each other.

Kim

So I'm all caught up with your story - well worth the wait!

Happy Boxing Day (or Package Day as my 7 year old very importantly and seriously referred to it).

Hi Kav - I see you on the board and hope that you are posting to this WONDERFUL story!!

sorry, for all the excitement..........but I'm loving this story. J/S moment are your special forte........more, more, more..........pleeaasse.

Oh, Kav, you really outdid yourself on that one!!! **sigh**

And, I have to agree, I have always believed he went to the cafeteria to find Sue!! According to the series, he didn't seem to ever go there again!!!

Joy

WOW Kav, I just got caught up and

(mouth wild open) this was...

Thanks for all your great replies. Every time I think I'm going to have lots of time for writing and posting I don't! But I'm hibernating today and hoping that I might actually be able to finish this today (jinx jinx jinx). This of course depends on if Jack can keep his hands off Sue long enough to progress the story along and if Howie will keep his mouth shut and oh dear, what if Tanya comes to the wedding?


Myles met the challenge in Mrs. C’s eyes with a barely perceptible nod. She answered with a smile and excused herself from the table to see to something in the kitchen. Apparently she had a hand in the inner workings of the Polar Express restaurant as well as the Christmas Store. He was still having trouble with the logistics of her plan though he found it very odd that he didn't have a qualm about working with a bunch of elves, some flying reindeer and a conductor who refused to identify himself, even after all these years.

“There’s magic in names, my boy,” he had said though he looked barely older than Myles himself. “You don’t just hand it out willy nilly to any yabber who asks for it.”

“Still, sir, Jack and Sue will need to know it on the day in question.”

The conductor waved this observation away with an air of unconcern. “All in good time,” he murmured before going off to greet newcomers to the restaurant.

“Do you think everyone here…believes?” Lucy whispered to Myles as she stared, wide-eyed around the dining car restaurant.

Myles admired her profile and took a sip of wine to prolong the moment. She was a beautiful woman and he was struck afresh by her gentle acceptance. She was a true believer. “I don’t think it’s a pre-requisite to eat here,” Myles answered her question with a smile, “but it’s fun to speculate, isn’t it?”
He gave her a conspiratorial wink and Lucy was grateful that she was already seated for fear that she would have collapsed into an undignified heap at his feet otherwise. She stared at him openly, trying to place the man of passionate spirit who could sing about faith like an angel with the rather cynical and often tyrannical man she had come to know and lo…

“Oh my goodness!” In her distress she tumbled her wineglass, sending a ribbon of red trailing across the snow-white tablecloth.

Myles stood up quickly, righting the glass and mopping the spill with his napkin. “It’s all right. These things happen,” he soothed, sending Lucy into further paroxysms of nerves at his uncharacteristically easy-going manner bearing not even a hint of sarcasm. “We can get you another glass…”

“No!” her voice screeched like fingernails on a chalkboard and she hung her head in a desperate bid to gather her scattered wits. He is not kind. He is not a romantic. He is not gallant, he is not your ideal man…he’s…Myles! Her mind screamed at her and she tried to keep this upper most in her thoughts but then she looked up into the boyish eyes that no longer look jaded.

“Myles – you’ve changed,” she acknowledged in quiet awe.

“Ah, I’m so glad you noticed,” Mrs. C said plopping back down at their table. She beamed at Lucy who couldn’t quite meet the older lady’s eye.

Myles watched the exchange with interest. Lucy hadn’t been herself tonight. A little bit clumsy, a little too chatty, her nervous state painfully obvious. It was as if some of Tara had rubbed off on her. He found it both disconcerting and endearing and it stirred a protective yearning that he hadn’t felt in years. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Mrs. C scooted closer to Lucy on the banquette seating. Lucy had no recourse but to shuffle closer to Myles. Their shoulder’s touched and she shivered but he paid no attention, not giving an inch so that Lucy was squished between the two of them. Every time he moved his arm to sip his wine it brushed against hers and every time she jumped and fidgeted until Myles was forced to anchor her to his side by placing an unyielding arm around her shoulder.

“No after dinner coffee for you,” he teased lightly.

Lucy couldn’t muster a comeback. She was too busy concentrating on breathing in and out and…She glared at Mrs. C’s knowing smirk. Come to the Polar Express with Myles tonight and your eyes will be opened to a new understanding she had promised in a hastily scrawled note delivered by Howie’s own hand. Howie had read the personal piece of correspondence on the elevator on the way up to the bullpen and had been taking great delight in throwing not so subtle innuendoes across the table all evening. Myles wasn’t a fool and she was sure he had caught on, leaving her woefully mortified despite Mrs. C’s oozing confidence.

“I think we should wrap things up here,” Lucy said firmly after clearing her throat three times to erase the husky timber that hadn’t been there earlier in the day. Perhaps she was coming down with something? She hoped not. She couldn’t afford to be sick before Christmas – especially with the workload ahead of them. “You’re sure we can pull this off?” she asked. The lights in the dining room flickered amidst startled cries from their fellow diners.

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.” Myles chided, lowering his mouth to her ear, his whisper tickled her sensitive skin as he whispered. “Believe.”

caught up on two fantastic post loved jack and sue hope the weddings soon just hope lucy and yles can work things out together more soon
please pretty please Lin

Well, how cute a post is that! I've never been a big Myles fan, but you made him seem almost lovable. Now, back to Jack and Sue (greedy aren't I)?

Donna

Jack was a believer. How could he not be? Sue was here in his arms; her fingers expertly kneading his scalp as her lips peppered kisses across his forehead. The head massage had been her idea. Completely innocent, she had assured him. A way to maintain body contact without…well, maintaining too much body contact.

She had started out innocently enough by sitting at the end of the couch, tossing a pillow into her lap and urging Jack to lie down with his head on the pillow. He had eagerly complied and closed his eyes in sublime satisfaction at the first touch of her fingers expertly stroking their way through his thick hair, seeking to soothe with slow, methodical strokes. It worked at first. He allowed his body to relax, basking in the loving ministrations of the woman who had promised to become his wife.

And then her touch had changed; the motion of her hands somehow more sensual, leaving his scalp to stroke along his neck and face, across his shoulders. She stretched over him to unbutton his shirt. (Was that the third or fourth time this evening?) Her hands stroked a warm trail across his chest and he groaned when he felt the soft brush of her curves against his face as she strained forward.

“Sue,” he warned uselessly since his arms had already reached up for her. Their position was awkward and they lost their balance, landing on the floor where Jack neatly rolled, tucking Sue beneath him. He stilled her venturesome hands by pinning them against the floor over her head.

“I can’t massage you this way, Jack,” Sue pointed out a little breathlessly.

“Nope. That’s because it’s my turn.” He lowered his head slowly, stirred by the barely banked passion in her eyes. She wanted him and she was getting more comfortable in the wanting, maybe too comfortable. But he wouldn’t think about that now. He would relish it.

* * *

“Thanks for driving me home,” Lucy said, her hand on the door handle, pulling at it uselessly since the doors had been automatically locked and it was up to him to release them.

“I’ll walk you up,” Myles offered.

“There’s no need.” But Lucy’s protest was lost on his retreating form. She’d never seen him move so quickly, arriving at her side before she managed to unsnap the stubborn seatbelt. He helped ease it from her shoulder and then held his hand out expectantly.

Lucy hesitated fractionally. This was all too eerily familiar. The repeat of many nights they had shared years ago when they were dating. She’d forgotten what a gentleman he could be. Blocked it out more likely. She remembered now the way he always made her feel special and cared for by little things. Like opening car doors, escorting her with her hand tucked in his elbow, the courtly gestures that were usually lost on their generation.

“Luce?”

She realized she’d left him hunkered down at the side of the car for too long. She’d blanked out on memories that she’d long since buried.

“You feeling all right?”

Why did there have to be such gentle concern in his voice?

“I’m fine,” she said briskly on the wave of a pent up breath. She accepted his assistance as she climbed out of the car, wobbled unsteadily for a moment, blaming the uneven pavement and too high heels and flashed him a bright smile.

“I was just thinking that we might want to give Jack and Sue the heads up that we’re here.” She had always been a good liar, but thanked providence for Jack’s car parked right in front of them. She pointed to it and shrugged biting back a snappy comment hovering on her lips when she noticed his all male smirk.

Myles whipped out his cell phone and dialed.

* * *

The last button slipped free of his clumsy fingers and he gently parted the sides of her blouse, swallowing hard at his first full glimpse of the shadowy contours that lay beneath. He could feel Sue’s tension growing as her arms fell stiffly to her sides. She shivered when his hand stroked upwards from her bare waist, his fingers sliding over more goosebumps then satiny flesh. He met her eyes and smiled. Beautiful, he signed using her face as the outline. She smiled at him tremulously and his heart burned within his chest as he bent to resume his exploration.

The vibration of his cell phone in his pants pocket stilled his trembling hand just before it reached the pearly white satin laid open to him. He groaned. Divine intervention or lousy timing? He wrenched the offending object out of his pocket, tempted to hurl it across the room. Spying Myles’ number he answered it instead.

“Hudson.”

* * *

Lucy tried to gage the conversation from Myles widening grin and nearly monosyllable responses. He disconnected and pocketed his cell phone and looked into her expectant face.

“Well?”

“He wants us to take our time…”

Lucy panicked at the purposeful look suddenly glinting from his eyes.

“Starbucks. We could get a coffee…surely that would take enough time…”

“We could,” Myles agreed but snagged Lucy’s upper arm holding her in place when she would have fled. “Or we could stay here and discuss Mrs. C’s matchmaking ideas…”

Lucy found herself pinned against the wall, Myles’ body crowding hers as he leaned sideways next to her. The back of his hand brushed across her cheek. She couldn’t tell if it was by accident or design.

“She seems to have a very good track record. I’d be interested in what she has planned for you.”

heh heh heh heh

the wonderful interruption....

Yeah, Luce... starbucks wouldn't hurt... although perhaps it better that you frequent one of the smaller neigborhood cafes.... It's always good to support small businesses in the neighborhood.



oops... did I just project my self imposed Starbucks ban on this comment? (I'm particularlly miffed at the owner and ceo because he sold our basketball team to an out of state owner... leaving us all in limbo as to if we'll still have basketball professionally in Seattle.)

The gauge on the magic is turned up again, and I'm loving it!!!

Joy

I can't believe I had to be away from my computer for so many WONDERLICIOUS posts, Kav! But we all night and while my hubby carries in the luggage, I'm "catching up" on important things!

You seem to have the entire team in a dither - a good dither, mind you! I can't wait to see how Mrs. C dedithers everyone......or maybe she's going to redither? Whatever is going to happen, I can't wait! So...in order for the time to pass more quickly, I'm going to take a nap! Then I'll be back to check for more.

wow breathless here

is it hot in here to you guys or is it just Myles?

What a way to wake up...

Darn that cell phone!!!

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll be alright now for awhile. I'm really glad Jack answered his phone and glad he told Myles to take his time.

I forgot to put this in my message above -- "that Sue is a little devil, isn't she"? She knows exactly what she's doing.

Is about all I am capable of right now

Em

I think we can safely say that Jack is NOT incinerating alone ... we are all turning into ashes about now

Myles and Lucy ... oh boy ... here comes another fire ... unless you give us fireworks, Kav!

This time it's Bobby who won't behave.



Exhausted, Tara finished plumping the last bow and surveyed the setting with a certain amount of pride. Mrs. C and Lucy had whipped up the bouquets but Tara had spent over an hour pinning them along the aisle. Christmas roses and baby’s breath wrapped up in snowy white netting. She’d poofed her last poof and thought she hadn’t done a bad job of it if she did say so herself.

“One job down only another hundred or so to go,” she muttered to herself, grateful that D had fallen into the spirit of the occasion and freed the team up for the day. A commotion outside had her pressing her nose against the window to watch with unrestrained glee as Mrs. C bullied Dimitrius and Bobby into decorating the large evergreen out front. It was becoming clear that Mr. C may have earned the notoriety, but Mrs. C was the real brains behind the operation.

“They’ll need a cherry picker to get the star on the top of that tree,” she said out loud, her breath creating a frosty swirl on the windowpane. Hastily she polished off the mark, glancing guiltily behind her, relieved to see that Howie and his Windex bottle had moved on out of site. He’d just done all the windows and he wouldn’t take kindly to any smudges just hours before the wedding. Hours before the wedding!

Tara sprang to her seat, brushing the plush crushed velveteen cushion so that she left no sign of her inactivity. Mrs. C had an eagle eye and her attention to detail was impeccable.

Tara dear, now that you’ve finished decorating perhaps you could move on the #23 on the list.

“Yes ma’am, right away, sir,” she answered snappily though Mrs. C was still wrestling with the tulle ribbon D had become hopelessly entangled in. The woman had the ability to see far beyond her failing eyesight and could think orders that were subsequently heard in the recipient’s mind.

“I’m going crazy!” she complained to a plump trailing bow. “Stark raving mad. Hearing voices in my head, consulting menu choices with elves, conversing with gnomes. Honestly! What’s a girl to do?”

She was unconsciously bouncing on the balls of her feet, her legs dipping into deeper and deeper knee bends as she surveyed that long stretch of red carpet running straight, it’s long length gaily decorated for the seasonal nuptials. It was perfect and all it needed was a little pre-test. “Just to make sure the carpet’s secure,” she told herself. "After all we don’t want Sue to trip over a wrinkle and break her leg on her wedding day. That would definitely mess with Jack’s plan for the wedding night!” She grinned and hopped experimentally. Flexing her knees she squatted and leaped as high as she could. “Ow –" she cried when she banged her head on the rounded ceiling.

Rubbing the offended spot she scowled up at it. “Forgot about that low ceiling.” Disgruntled she looked back down the aisle and then a smile wreathed her face. The ceiling may be too low, but the floor is just right, she decided, backing up as far as she could before taking a running leap.

She could have made more ground if she’d had a springboard, but the somersault she did in the air was more than passable. Not bad for an old girl, she thought as she stretched out her hands which immediately bore the brunt of her body weight as she began a series of cartwheels down the aisles. Hand foot, hand foot, it was as if all the months disappeared and she was the same carefree child of twenty years ago. She gloried in the speed and the adrenaline rush that carried her right down to the end of the aisle. One more, she thought, slightly dizzy from being tipped end over end at such a whirling speed. Upside down and then right back up, she was still in the air when he caught her.

“Bobby!” she squealed just before he swallowed the rest of her protest in a blazing kiss that left her clinging to him.

“Wrap your legs around my waist.” He lifted his head only long enough to order gruffly. His mouth returned to hers, no doubt in his mind that she would comply. She did and he groaned when he felt the sweet pressure of her thighs clinging to him. He cradled the back of her head with one hand and deepened the kiss, his lips roughly plundering hers in his desperate sudden need. She tasted of candy canes and hot chocolate and though he never considered either to be an aphrodisiac, he would link the two to this hot, tight feeling building inside him forever more.

Tara clung to him with trembling hands, her senses reeling. The exquisite feel of his mouth against hers flooded her with an intense hunger. Her entire body went hot and her pulse raced as his lips expertly coaxed an answering fire to life. Somebody moaned, she wasn’t sure which one of them, she only knew it served as a potent reminder of how quickly they had lost all control.

“Bobby,” she tried to gasp his name, but his tongue lapped her feeble attempt away and she was drowning in a kaleidescope of pure feeling. “Bobby,” she tried again, but this time it came out more as a whimper, which he swallowed. As his mouth devoured even more, his right hand stroked down her body, cupping her bottom and pressing her more intimately against him.

He moved with a bold surety unable to control the wildfire burning inside of him. Her slight body fit perfectly against him, her soft form teasing his sensitized flesh. Through layers of winter clothes and jeans, his body still burned steadily, impatient for fulfillment. He wasn’t used to waiting. He’d had a good number of relationships in his time. Not many had been platonic. He liked women, and he was affectionate by nature. He wasn’t a thoughtless lover and he had always been monogamous. When a woman caught his eye she stayed there until the relationship played itself out.

And now there was Tara. She offered him so much more than he’d ever hoped to have. Their solid friendship had blossomed into something much more and he was raging out of control while he waited for her to catch up. She’d wanted to go slow. He had complied.

They went on a few dates before holding hands in the park graduated to an arm around her shoulder during the movies and then a chaste good night kiss…all right, the not so chaste good night kiss. There had never been anything chaste in their loving. Not that they had completed the act his body craved, but he just had to smell her intoxicating scent to feel ready to conquer all her inhibitions. He struggled daily for control and for the most part he managed it. Until something unexpected caught him by surprise. Like finding Tara’s lithe body hurdling its way end over end towards him. Something inside him had just snapped and he was consumed with the elemental need to place his stamp on her. Kiss after drugging kiss would never be enough for him, but it would have to do for now. He could hear footsteps crunching in the snow, the easy banter between Myles and the reindeer trainer, Hank – Howie’s father. They were talking about wind velocity and precipitation patterns and by the sound of things they were drawing closer.

With a regretful moan he let Tara slip down the length of his body, his head bending, body bowing so that he could continue to kiss her even after her feet touched the floor.

“All aboard!” Myles voice was too loud, too jovial. He was going to have to kill him. Bobby decided. Stuff the body in the engine room before stretching Tara out onto one of the plush seats and then…

“Aha! Mrs. C thought as much. She could tell by the amount of snow melting off the roof.”

Bobby pressed a soft parting kiss lightly against her swollen lips and took a step away. She reeled unsteadily and he caught her to him again, the men in the room exchanging smug knowing smiles over her head.

“#23 for you Tara and Bobby has to help us with #48. Let’s move it people, we have a wedding in three hours!”

Bobby is ridiculous!

Well i am just with happiness here... only three hours to go....

I LOVE Mrs. C!! She's so magical!! The whole thing is magical - Tara doing cartwheels - Bobby catching her - Mrs. C knowing what's going on because of the snow melting off the roof - Myles talking with the reindeer trainer as if he did it everyday!! I love every minute of it!!!

Now we have a wedding in 3 hours!!!

Joy

been gone for 3 days....3 days i'm with Em

Caught up once again on 3 wonderful post they were
Kav more soon please Lin

Behaving is highly overrated!

(*looks around to see who said that*) Surely it wasn't me...

I thought it Perhaps you were hearing my thoughts

Em

WOW...I'm all caught up...and I must say....that was GREAT!!!!!!


~laura michelle~

i'm loving it!

At the rate they are all going, there won't be any snow left in three hours ...

PErhaps mine too. Who says you need to behave?

Whew. You are really posting up a storm. Be still my heart.

Alas, this won't be finished tonight...thankfully there's always tomorrow!



“You’re beautiful.” Beautiful.

Sue smiled, slightly irritated that his compliments could still bring a blush to her cheeks. Perhaps it wasn’t his words alone – but the way his eyes skimmed over every detail with such appreciation. Sometimes she felt like he wasn’t looking so much at the clothes themselves as what lay underneath. He was looking at her that way right now, a wolfish smile playing about the corners of his mouth.

They were going to the Polar Express for their office party but Jack had asked her to dress up. She had been surprised to see him come to the door in a tux. He looked dashing and rakish, with his tie undone, a hint of scarlet hanging loosely from beneath his collar. She was having her own struggle keeping her eyes off his body, trying to dutifully watch his lips so she could follow along with the conversation.

“I like this part best.” He stroked his fingers across the length of her exposed collarbone.

She smiled inwardly. Predictable, but then she had dressed knowing his preferences. She was hopeless, even Lucy said so. She’d chosen an off the shoulder fitted red dress that hugged her upper curves, down to her thighs before flaring dramatically around her knees. Her patterned sling back heels showed off her muscled calves to their best advantage. Jack didn’t miss a single detail before wrapping her up in her soft cream wool coat. His fingers lingered beneath the collar along the base of her neck even though she didn’t have a single strand of hair hanging past her shoulder. She had swept it up in a tousled knot at the back of her head. In the absence of hair to arrange, Jack rained kisses along the back of Sue’s neck until she was shivering in his arms. He hugged her tightly to him and then pulled back reaching for Levi’s leash.

“We don’t want to be late for your surprise,” he told her mysteriously, barely able to contain his boyish excitement.

“Why do I get the feeling even my mother is in on this surprise?” Sue grumbled good-naturedly as she locked her apartment door behind them.

The last time you’ll be doing that, sweetheart. There’ll never be a locked door between us again. Jack smiled blandly and shrugged his shoulders, devilment dancing in his eyes.

“My mother isn’t very good at keeping secrets, Jack. I don’t know how you managed to keep her from spilling all she knows.”

The threat of eloping without any of them if she so much as breathed the hint of a word. Jack threaded his fingers through Sue’s left hand and automatically began to play with the band on her ring finger.

“And Lucy’s been behaving oddly too,” Sue continued. “She keeps starting sentences that she never finishes and squeals all the time when she’s on the phone with Tara.”

Jack couldn’t prevent the laughter that bubbled up from deep within his chest. It had been tricky organizing everything right under Sue’s nose, but he wanted to surprise her. Sweep her off her feet, astound her with the most romantic wedding of a lifetime. She’d agreed to marry him as soon as possible within certain perimeters. Their immediate family and friends had to be present and while she was willing to forgo a church she wasn’t willing to forgo the preacher. Thanks to Howie and Mrs. C he’d been able to meet her criteria.

“And you – you’ve been incorrigible the past two weeks, driving me crazy with your mysterious meetings downtown and since when did you find Myles such an interesting lunch companion?”

“Ah – but you introduced me to the other side of Myles,” Jack rebuked lightly as he held the downstairs door open for her.

“Jack?” Sue stopped midway across the sidewalk, gaping at the vehicle parked in front of the apartment building. It was an exquisitely wrought miniature of Santa’s sleigh – but instead of being drawn by eight tiny reindeer, eight white Samoyeds waited patiently as a man in a fur parka fussed over them. The man finished attaching the last red bell and stood to greet her.

“Howie?” Sue gasped and turned to Jack. “This is your surprise?”

Jack grinned at her look of confusion. “Nah – this is Howie’s surprise that’s going to bring us to my surprise. He…uh…you might say I owe him a favour and this is what he wanted for a pay back.”

“Susie – don’t you look beauteeeeful.” Howie whistled appreciatively as he eyed her up and down with such enthusiasm that Jack muscled him into a snow bank.

“Hey – is that anyway to treat a friend on your wed…”

“Howie!” Jack interjected sharply.

“Sheesh – just as grouchy as ever. I hear abstinance can do that to a fella.” Howie found himself eating snow. He spit out a few grains of gravel and glared at Jack. “Touchy – nervous as a bridegroom or something.” Howie began snorting with laughter leaving Sue staring between the two men with a frown.

“You can’t mean we’re going to the restaurant in…that?” she exclaimed, scandalized.

“Why not?” Howie huffed indignantly. “I put a couple of extra blankets in the back there and you two lovebirds can cuddle all the way. Hey there’s a song in here somewhere. Listen.

Dashing through the snow,
In an eight dog open sleigh
Through the streets we go
Cuddling all the way:

What do you say, eh? Eh?”

“I say you shouldn’t quit your day job, Howie,” Jack commented, scooping Sue up into his arms.

“Jack!” He didn’t give her time to protest, just nodded his head towards her fashionable but useless footwear and carried her over the snowdrifts to the sleigh.

They’d had an uncharacteristic amount of snow overnight. The sidewalk in front of Sue’s building had been cleared, creating an impassable pile along the curb and the roads were still ankle deep. Sue was grateful for the thick, soft pile of the blanket Jack tucked around her. She was even more grateful when he joined her beneath it, adding his warmth to her shivering body. He wrapped her in his arms and gave Howie the okay.

Howie hopped onto the back of the sled and with a wild whoop he called the dogs by name

On Crasher and Sparky and Tara and Susie
On Leland on Tara on Dimitrius and Lucy

With baying and howling the dogs took off, easily clearing the surface of the snow. From her vantage point against Jack’s chest Sue could see them all clearly. She lifted her head with a startled scream. “Jack! Their feet!” She sat up properly.

Jack had noticed the phenomenon on the ride over – the way the dogs’ large, white paws never quite touched the snow, their legs moving so quickly that their images were blurred in the mist of flying powder they stirred up.

Sue flopped back against Jack’s chest, reaching out a comforting hand to poor Levi who was trying to burrow under the blanket at their feet. She could feel Jack's laughter and looked up into his face.

“You’re laughing now, Jack, but just how are you going to top Howie’s flying dogs? I don’t think anything could surprise me now,” she teased.

“Oh don’t be so sure, Miss Thomas, I’m positive I can think of something.” His hand began to wander beneath the blanket. “The surprises are just beginning.”

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! (Rubbing hands together with glee) I just love this story! Kav, this is a magical, wonderful story!

Kim

How exciting!



I was really worried Howie might ruin the surprise for a minute there!

Can't wait for more of your wonderful story!