The Christmas Promise

It was going on three weeks until Christmas, and Leah Russell was busy doing the books for her parent's clothing store. She sat in the office trying to focus on the paperwork before her, but the Christmas music coming from the store was grinding on her nerves. Two years ago, on Christmas morning, she walked away from the only man she had ever loved, divorcing him. For six months, she lived with her aunt in Alaska, heartbroken. She knew she couldn’t hide forever, so she moved back to San Diego to work for her parents. Now two years later, there was still a hole in her heart that wouldn’t heal. The very thought of being around family and friends this Christmas was proving too much for her, so she decided to go away by herself. But to break it to her mother and father was going to be so hard, but she had to do it.

Pushing the papers away, she got up and poured herself a cup of coffee. Sitting back down, her mind drifted back to when she first met her ex-husband. She was with some friends in a bar when this tall, handsome man walked up to her as she was waiting for the bartender to hand over her drink.

“Let me pay for that,” the stranger said, handing the bartender the money.

She turned her head and stared into a pair of smouldering blues eyes, he had a light stubble on his face, his dark hair was carefully styled back. He had an incredible body, his abs rippling through his shirt underneath his suit jacket. When she finally found her voice, she gave him a friendly smile. “Thank you, but you really don’t have to do that.”

“I want to, but I do want something in return before the night is over.”

Oh, here we go, she thought to herself. “Just because you buy a lady a drink doesn’t entitle you to something in exchange,” she snapped, reaching into her purse to pay for it. She felt a tingle go through her body when he placed his hand over hers, stopping her from taking the money out.

“I think there has been a misunderstanding on your part. I wasn’t suggesting anything sexual, just one dance before the end of the night.”

The way his eyes stared into hers, she felt the heat rise, her cheeks burning. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

As he paid the bartender, he smiled at her. “There’s no need for you to be sorry. I’m sure that someone who looks like you gets hit on a lot. Enjoy your evening, I’ll collect on that dance later tonight,” he said, lifting her hand up to his lips. He kissed it, then turned and walked away.

She went back to her friends who witnessed the scene between her and the stranger. “What?” she asked when she saw the smirks on their faces.

“Who was that hunk you were talking to?” Coco asked, grinning from ear to ear.

“I don’t know, he didn’t tell me his name.”

“A perfect stranger just goes up to you and buys you a drink for no reason; he must want something,” Sarah said, frowning.

“Well, he did say he wanted one dance with me before the night is over,” she replied, looking around to see if she could spot him. But he was nowhere in sight, so she figured he had left. In a way, she was relieved; he had this strange effect on her, and she was afraid she’d do something foolish.

Three hours later, and feeling no pain, she was sipping on her drink, swaying her hips to the music while her friends were up dancing, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around, and the stranger was standing right in front of her. Maybe it was the alcohol or the way his smothering blue eyes gazed upon hers that had her heart racing and her core throbbing.

“I’m here to collect on that dance,” he said, taking the drink from her hand, placing it down and leading her onto the dance floor. He pulled her into his arms, crushing her body against his. The moment he saw her standing at the bar, he knew he had to get to know her. She was wearing a black sparkly dress, her long brown hair flowed down her back, and she had a look of sweet innocence. “I’ve been waiting all night to dance with you,” he said in a low and sexy voice.

“Who are you?” she asked, feeling the firmness of his body against hers.

“My name is Preston Phillips, and you are?” he asked, looking down at her lips that had a shade of pink lipstick.

“Leah, Leah Russell,” she replied, her eyes glued to his lips. She had the urge to kiss them, and being a little tipsy, she felt brave, so she put her hands behind his head and, pulling him down, planted her mouth over his. She felt his arms tightening around her waist and his lips pressing firmly against hers in a passionate kiss.

When the kiss ended, they were both breathing heavily and out of breath. “Let me take you home,” he said, whispering softly into her ear.

Without a word, she took his hand, and they left the bar, her friends forgotten as they got into his car. She told him where she lived. When they got there, he walked with her to her apartment and went inside.

“Would you like a drink? I’m afraid all I have is wine.”

“I don’t want a drink. Where’s your bedroom?”

When she pointed, he picked her up and carried her to her room, laying her down, he climbed on top of her, his mouth came down hard on hers. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth, his hand sliding up under her dress and inside her panties. He moaned when he felt her wetness and her arms going around his neck. They groped each other as they quickly removed their clothes. Straddling her, he looked down at her as he ripped open a condom package and placed it over his shaft.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said as he entered her with one hard thrust.

They spent the night making love for hours until the sun came up, neither one having slept. She got out of bed and put a robe on, turning to look at him.

“I’ll go make some coffee and breakfast, you can take a shower if you like,” she said and left him lying there on the bed. As she prepared something, she heard the shower running.

Just as she was dishing out the food, he entered the kitchen, wearing only his pants, his shirt in his hand and his chest still damp.

“Smells good, I’m starving.” His eyes moved along her body. He could still picture what she felt like naked and smiled.

As she placed the plate in front of him when he sat down, she realized what she had done: sleeping with a total stranger. “I just want you to know I have never brought a stranger home for sex. You must think I’m a tramp.”

He gripped her hand, pulling her down onto his lap, putting his arms around her waist. “No, I don’t think you are a tramp. I want you to know I have never done anything like this before, either, but there was something about you. I want to get to know more about you, to spend time with you.”

She ran her fingers through his hair. “I want to get to know you, too.”

From that day on, they were inseparable; the fire and passion between them grew with every passing day. He was co-owner of a large publishing company that was starting, and he had dreams of making it one of the most successful companies around. Six months later they were married and bought a house, life was good for the first two years, but then things started going wrong. Preston was working longer hours, sometimes not coming home until early morning, and when he was home, he was always on his phone or working in his home office.

He had also hired a personal assistant, a tall, sexy brunette named Hannah Leeves. They took an instant dislike to one another, and Leah would complain to Preston that she never passed along her messages to him when she called. He would brush it off, saying it was her imagination and all of their fights revolved around Hannah. She began to wonder if they were having an affair, but he would swear they weren’t. The straw that broke the camel’s back was on Christmas Eve, when he was attending the office party, promising only to stay long enough to hand out the bonuses. Not feeling well she stayed home, she tried calling him several times but his phone kept going to voice mail. Being in so much pain she went to the hospital, after being tended to she called him once again, crying.

She was in shock when Hannah answered his phone. When she asked to talk to him, she was told he was in the shower and that he would call her back. Heartbroken she went home and packed her bags, she was in luck when there was one seat left on the plane going to Alaska. It was clear now that her husband was having an affair, so she went to stay with her aunt, divorcing Preston. He would keep calling her but she refused to talk to him or to tell him where she was, he finally gave up. She shook her head, wanting to forget about him. It was time for her to tell her parents she wouldn’t be home for Christmas.

Preston only intended to have one drink with the staff while handing out their Christmas bonus, but hours later, he woke up on the sofa in his office with a pounding headache. He looked at the time and saw it was past midnight and knew Leah would be furious. She was going to come with him, but feeling ill, she stayed home. He got up, his legs felt like jelly and his head was spinning, so he called for a cab to take him home. He could hear the party still going on, so he snuck out the back way. It was Christmas morning, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to explain why he was so late getting home when he promised he’d be right back.

He hurried upstairs to their bedroom but she wasn’t there, her clothes were gone but there was a note on the nightstand, he sat down to read it.

Preston, I can’t go on this way any longer; it’s over. I am filing for divorce, so don’t try to call or come see me. I am leaving and going to where you’ll never find me. I don’t want anything in the divorce, just to be left alone. Goodbye, have a good life. Your soon-to-be ex-wife, Leah.

He crumpled the note up and threw it across the room. He couldn’t believe that she would leave him without talking to him first. Feeling betrayed, he got up, went downstairs, and poured himself a shot of whiskey. He knew they were having problems, what with him working long hours and not being there for her on special occasions, but he was doing this all for her, for them. He had always been a good husband, never beaten or cheated on her, their sex life was amazing, though lately, it had slowed down some. Well, if that’s the way you want it, you can have your damn divorce, he cursed to himself, then started drinking straight from the bottle.