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  Erin nodded in approval but didn’t have time to wonder what she’d agreed to. Her eyes widened and her heart tripped when he lowered his mouth and took possession of her lips. In a slow, easy move his hands settled on her hips. She tipped her head back and the lower half of her body encountered total male power and strength. His kiss was soft, persuasive, and gentle at first. She wanted more and couldn’t help but slide her hands up his chest and wrap them around his neck, deepening the pressure against her mouth. His arms and hands moved up her back, pressing her against his solid chest. She felt lightheaded when his long fingers slithered through the length of her hair at her neck.

  Daniel Thompson knew how to kiss and his chili wasn’t the only thing that was hot. She didn’t want it to end, but this shouldn’t be happening. They were in a vacant room in a department store. Someone could come in at any moment.

  She reluctantly lowered her arms and pushed back slightly, but his arms didn’t quite fall away. His taste lingered on her mouth and she found herself biting her lower lip. “Your idea was way different than mine.”

  “You did give me permission,” he replied with a cocky grin. “You can always take it back.”

  “Smart ass. That won’t be necessary, and if you were expecting a slap in the face forget it. I enjoyed it as much as you did. What happened to the ‘I don’t kiss on the first date’ rule?”

  “We’re not on a date, so anything goes.” Caleb couldn’t resist and stole another quick kiss. “And you’re right. I did enjoy kissing you, very much. You are quite a package, Erin MacKenna.”

  She drew in a breath and exhaled slowly. “How about setting the ground rules first.”

  “I prefer surprising you because it doesn’t give the go-by-the-rules Erin a chance to object.”

  “Enough about me and kissing. Tell me your idea, the real one.”

  He walked over to the designated reading corner. “Since the stories will be about the holidays, let’s put an artificial tree close to the chair, and a fake fireplace.”

  “I love that idea.”

  Erin picked up her yellow pad and pen from the floor. “Come on Super Santa, we’ve got a lot more work to do and I have to pick up Danielle by five.”

  Caleb followed her over to the table and sat down. “Would it be appropriate to ask you two out to dinner?”

  “Sorry, tonight it’s pizza. I’m going up to the crawl space in my house and take down our boxes of Christmas decorations.”

  “Tonight?”

  “It was on my scheduled to-do-list for this afternoon, but I’m working with you.”

  “Since you gave up your afternoon to help me, how about I give you a hand tonight. I don’t have any plans and I’ll even pay for the pizza.”

  “We accept, but after dinner I’ll show you the outline Meredith and I put together. If you approve, we can start ordering supplies. I’m sure you’ll be pleased.”

  Erin was ecstatic that they would be able to spend more time together. She really liked the PR man, a lot. He may be great in public relations, but his kiss was one of the most quietly sensual kisses she’d ever enjoyed. He’d been in complete control, but subtly persuasive. She was the one who made the moves to deepen the kiss, taste more of him. This evening, she wouldn’t have to worry about caving to temptation because Danni would be there as a buffer. The PR man was slowly working his way into her heart and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do to stop it.

  “I’m sure I’ll be pleased,” he said and popped another donut hole in his mouth because all he wanted to do was kiss her again.

  Erin didn’t trust the devilish gleam in his eye. “This isn’t a date.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  Chapter 6

  “How about another slice of pizza? There’s another meatball hero.”

  Caleb put a hand to his stomach. “Thanks, Erin, but three slices of pizza and one hero is my limit. Considering we’re not in New York, the pizza wasn’t bad.”

  “You must travel a lot,” Danni said, picking off the pieces of pepperoni and eating them before the rest of her slice. “Did you ever see the giant Christmas tree?”

  “It’s in Rockefeller Center and, yes, quite a number of times. I’ve also seen the Thanksgiving Day parade. Hughes has two stores in Manhattan and sponsors a float and a balloon every year.”

  “I’d like to see that someday. Did you ever watch them fill up the balloons?”

  “I did. The balloon inflation takes place the day before at the American Museum of Natural History and visitors can enjoy them before the parade. Which one is your favorite?” Caleb smiled to himself, watching Danni tap her bottom lip with her pointer finger when she was deep in thought. Like mother, like daughter.

  “My favorite is Spider-Man, because he’s a superhero, and then SpongeBob. When I was a little kid, I liked Care Bears.”

  “How did I know you were going to say that?” Caleb gave the pretty eight-year-old a high five. “They are two of my favorites, and you’re never too old to like Care Bears.”

  When he arrived, Danni had greeted him at the door and literally dragged him into the house by the hand and explained that her mom was changing her clothes. She’d been told to make him feel welcome and ask if he wanted something to drink when he sat down at the table. Before he could reply, she’d set a glass of ice tea in front of him, with a napkin, on a yellow and white checked placemat. Like a tour guide, she pointed out the dry erase board that hung beside the refrigerator and explained that was how her mom kept everything organized. There was also a corkboard with a rainbow of perfectly aligned sticky notes. It gave him a headache looking at both boards.

  Erin walked into the kitchen a few minutes later and his eyes settled on a happy place: her figure. Her faded blue jeans showcased her slender hips and long legs. Her t-shirt, bearing the logo from the Davy Crocket Primary School, vamped her ample breasts. She’d gathered her flaming red hair into a sassy pony tail and added a silk scarf around the knot. Flat white sneakers replaced her black boots. Fonzie, from Happy Days, would fall in love.

  They’d worked until four-thirty and agreed, if everyone followed through with the plan she’d written up, including the companies who were going to do the work and delivered the supplies, Santa Traditions would be open the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

  He was quite pleased with their budding relationship. The kiss he’d initiated this afternoon was mind-blowing. He’d never tasted anything or anyone sweeter. When she pulled him closer and deepened the kiss, it felt like his heart was going to pop out of his chest. If his body reacted that way to one single kiss, making love to Erin MacKenna would be earth-shattering. She’d also sent a message indicating his feelings weren’t one-sided. It may not be soon, but he would need to find the right time and place to make love to his maverick.

  “Can I help you clean up?” he asked when Erin collected the paper plates and pizza box from the table. “I’ll take out the garbage. Just point me in the right direction.”

  “Nope, you’re our guest. No cast iron frying pan tonight or injured feet.”

  “Got it.” The pixie twinkle in her eye made him want to kiss her again.

  “Be back in a couple of minutes,” she said.

  “Mr. Thompson,” Danni whispered as soon as they were alone. “I need to talk to you while my mom isn’t here.”

  “Sure.” Caleb slid his chair closer and kept his voice low. “Why are we whispering? Is there a problem?”

  “I need to talk to you first because you’re the head super flyer. Louis, Jayden, and me were talking today and we want to keep our club a secret. Once the other kids find out we have a super flyers club, they’re going to want to join.”

  “Danni, you are one step ahead of me and you’re right. Let’s keep it to ourselves for a while. I heard back from the other parents and they said it was okay. I’ll order the planes and the simple tools you’ll need to assemble the kits. Once I receive everything, I’ll set up a time that is convenient for all of us to
start on the planes.”

  “Do you think it would be a good idea if we had shirts and hats? We would only wear them when we work on our planes.”

  That was something else he never saw coming. “I think that can be arranged.

  Why don’t you talk to Jayden and Louis and come up with an idea?”

  “That’s great!” Danielle jumped up from the chair when her mom walked into the kitchen. “Guess what! Mr. Thompson is going to order shirts and hats for our club! I can’t wait to tell Jayden and Louis in Sunday school tomorrow.”

  “That’s very generous of him. How about watching television for a half hour? I want to talk to Mr. Thompson about work. Then he’s going to help us bring down our boxes of Christmas decorations. If we have time, you can show him some of our favorite ornaments.”

  “Okay.” Danni went to leave the kitchen, but turned back to Caleb and wrapped an arm around his neck, offering a hug. “Thanks for everything. I’m glad you’re friends with me and my mom, but remember, you can’t marry her because you’re not a cowboy.”

  “I’ll remember that.” Well, shit!

  “Wow! She’s really hung up on the idea that I marry a cowboy.” Erin brought two cups of coffee to the table and set one in front of Caleb. “Are you sure you didn’t park your horse by the curb?”

  “Funny, Erin MacKenna. The closest I’ll ever come to a Mustang is at a car dealership.” He lifted the mug in a salute and took a mouthful of coffee. “Haven’t you ever dated before?”

  “Rarely, but I’ve gone on a few dates. I really don’t have time. Going out involves getting a babysitter. Meredith would be glad to watch Danni, but she has a very active social life. Jayden has an older sister, but she works and goes to school at night so it’s hard to pin her down.”

  “So no relatives close by?”

  “No, my mom died when I was eleven. Ovarian cancer. My dad passed away when I was thirty. He had a heart attack in front of his parishioners, right after he’d finished serving Holy Communion. Things happen in your life that you never expect or understand. A few months later, I got pregnant with Danielle.”

  “That was rough, losing your father and husband.”

  “Husband?” Erin suddenly realized what he was asking and lowered her voice. “It’s something I rarely talk about, but I was never married. I was artificially inseminated.” The lie was getting easier to roll off her tongue. “Danielle thinks her father is in heaven.”

  Caleb was stunned, never expecting something like that. “You’re a beautiful woman. Haven’t you ever been in love?”

  “Have I ever found someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with? No.”

  When he first saw Danni, he wondered if she could be his brother’s daughter since she was the right age, but now he could eliminate her from his list of candidates. “I agree. God works in mysterious ways, providing you with a family of your own. She’s beautiful.”

  “Yes, she is. I have to start convincing her she’s a female. Speaking of family, I know you had a brother, but are your parents still alive?”

  “They’re enjoying good health and travel all over the country in their motor coach. My father is an avid golfer and pulls a pickup truck so he can carry his own golf cart. My mother is into antiques and loves to shop.” Caleb didn’t reveal that the coach cost more than the average home and his parents owned homes in Palm Springs and on the Florida Gulf Coast.

  “Do you ever get to see them?”

  “I saw them two months ago at my brother’s funeral. They’re devastated over his death. Right now they’re in the Bahamas with friends and plan to stay there for the next couple of months.”

  “How soon did they leave you after the funeral?”

  “Within the week. Why?”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, and I know it isn’t any of my business, but why would they leave you to grieve alone? Didn’t they realize you would feel the loss of your twin brother as much as they do losing a son? Did you even ask them to stay or tell them how you feel?”

  Caleb was truly touched by her understanding and mother-like sensitivity to his feelings. “You would make a great psychologist, Erin MacKenna.”

  “That’s not the case and I tell it like I see the situation. They never should have left you!”

  She was definitely a maverick, and he cautioned himself to be prepared for anything she said and did. “Get off your soapbox; I was just teasing. We never had that close a relationship. I felt they needed to grieve in their own way so I never said anything.”

  “I think you were wrong. You should have healed together as a family.”

  Caleb was overwhelmed. Her sincere, heartfelt statement generated an overflow of emotions to swamp his body like never before. It was as if she was able to look into his heart and feel his deep sense of loss. He blinked quickly to clear the watery haze that formed over his eyes. She was truly amazing. He couldn’t stand not touching her.

  He tugged on her hand to make her stand up. “Come here,” he said and pulled her onto his lap. Before she could object, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist. “Where have you been all my life?”

  Erin removed his glasses and set them on the table before she brushed the corner of his watery eye with a soothing finger. “I think you need a hug,” she said and brought his head to rest on her shoulder before she secured her arms around him to offer a comforting embrace. “I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer the loss of a loved one all alone. I know we only met a few days ago, but I’m here if you want to talk.”

  Some of his inner pain eased and he inhaled deeply, absorbing her clean scent and enjoying the softness of her breasts that were crushed against his chest. He wanted Erin MacKenna like a man wants a beautiful, vivacious woman, but the hug she innocently offered created a sense of contentment he’d never realized in a woman’s arms. He drew her closer, needing her now more than ever.

  “I really want to kiss you again like this afternoon, but not with Danni in the other room,” he said quietly and brushed his nose along the length of her neck before depositing a butterfly kiss at the curve of her shoulder. “She might get upset with me showing you too much affection. I’m not a cowboy.”

  Erin tried to ignore the tingling sensation on her neck and between her thighs. Just the sensitive brush of his nose and light kiss set off a flood of excitement she hadn’t enjoyed since before Danielle was born. His touch was just plain lethal.

  She patted his cheek and stood up on not-so-steady legs. Before moving back to her chair, she tugged on the bottom of her T-shirt to smooth out the wrinkles.

  “You’re like popcorn with extra butter, one piece and you want to keep eating and eating,” Erin confessed and slapped her hands over her hot cheeks. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I said that! You’re going to think I’m a sex maniac! I haven’t had sex in almost nine years!”

  Caleb burst out laughing. “No, I think you’re delightful and I appreciate your honesty. And, if it’s any comfort, I think you’re as sweet as an all-day sucker that I could lick all day. Now that I know how you like to make love I’m available to break your dry spell, anytime.”

  “Jeez, stop now before we both need cold showers,” Erin said, fanning her face with her open fingers.

  Caleb casually put his hand under the table and adjusted his seat in the chair. “How about getting your laptop and show me your plan for Santa Traditions.”

  Erin kept a respectable distance between them and set her laptop of the table. “Sorry, I don’t have an office so we do all our work at the kitchen table.”

  “No problem,” he said and deliberately moved his chair closer.

  “We will accommodate twenty children at a time, age’s five to ten, with three sessions a day, three adult teachers plus aides at all times. The two-hour time period will include storytelling, baking cookies, and two crafts. Five children at each table, rotating every half hour. We’ll use fast-drying acrylic paint for the wooden ornaments. The gingerbread cookie dough will be premad
e to save time. I’d like to have small boxes for the baked items and goodie bags so each child can take home everything they make. To keep things fair, we’ll limit one visit per child so most of the kids can have a chance to participate in Santa Traditions, the same thing we talked about this afternoon.”

  “Do you want to have pre-signup sheets?”

  “We tossed the idea around, but if you sign up and don’t come, we might have to turn away another child. Times for the sessions will be posted. 10:00-12:00-2:00.

  “Okay, I agree.”

  “To keep things consistent, we’ll repeat the same crafts every week. We’ll vary the stories and a volunteer will dress up like Mrs. Claus to read holiday stories.” Erin retrieved another file. “Here’s the list of things we’d like to make. I’ve also included a preliminary budget.”

  Caleb was very satisfied with the crafts and stories to be read, but raised his eyes from her laptop and frowned. “Where are your Helping Hand kits?”

  “They can’t be made in the program. We need shoeboxes and have to collect toiletries. The boxes are given out to the people in the outreach center the week before Christmas.”

  “We can expand on your idea. What do you say Hughes has special shoeboxes made with the words ‘Helping Hands’? Better yet, how about I run this by corporate and we initiate the program in all of our stores? We can advertise the program in local newspapers and online, encouraging customers to bring the items to drop-off centers within the store. Just give me a list of the things you need; specifically what will fit in the boxes.”

  Excitement filled Erin’s voice. “We can have a donation box in each school or bring the item to Santa Traditions. We’ll stress the spirit of giving to those in need! I’ll put something together and get it to you by tomorrow. Hughes must have a graphics department and can design a sign to go with each collection box. We need to be consistent and assure people this isn’t a publicity stunt. The program can run the same time as Santa Traditions.”

  “Sounds like a plan, and I’ll pull a few strings to make that happen.”