I'll Be Home For Christmas

Snow fetched up in little eddies on the window panes. Frost coated the glass, creating pale, glittering swirls that caught the light of the battery-operated candles. The sounds of glasses clinking against one another and the ladle swishing around the punch bowl were nearly drowned out by the voices and laughter of Sarah Gonzales family and friends.

Sarah sipped at her punch and hugged her arms across her chest a little tighter. It wasn't just her family and friends, but that of her boyfriend's, Michael O'Connell. Sadness and longing had her heart aching and her throat tightening.

Mike had been deployed nearly a year ago. The army had said that he'd return in time for this year's holiday season. But things had changed over there and the November date had been pushed back until mid-December.

"I'll be home for Christmas," Mike had joked, voice crackling over the satellite when Sarah had video-chatted with him the day after he'd been given the news.

Mike's flight had gotten cancelled before he could even leave the country, though. He'd called using a payphone in the airport. "Sarah, I'm so sorry, but I don't think I'll make it home until after Christmas. All of the flights into Newark have been cancelled." His sigh was heavy. "I really wanted to be there. I miss mom. I miss Rudy and Hank. I miss you."

Sarah had fought back her tears. "Don't worry about it, honey. We'll save your presents and a little food for you."

"Just a little?" Mike had laughed.

"Well, maybe. Rudy and Hank might just eat it all. They've grown a foot each, I swear. Listen, Mike. Don't worry about us. You just make sure you stay safe. We'll still be here when your flight gets in."

There was the faint sound of a bell chiming from Mike's end. "Okay. Tell everyone I love them, okay? And I love you, Sarah."

"I love you, too, Mike." The line had then gone silent in her hand.

Sarah cleared her throat and carefully rubbed her sweater sleeve over her cheek. Mike's mother, Anne, had not taken Sarah's 'no' for an answer when she had tried backing out of their original plans for Christmas Eve.

"Sarah, just because Michael isn't going to be here doesn't mean that you're not welcome or wanted. Good heavens, girl! I better see your smiling face here or by gosh, I'll have Hank come and get you with Rudy! No one should be alone on Christmas Eve!" The woman was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

So here she was. Alone and despite the company of all of their friends and family, lonely. She really had no excuse to be. After all, what could Mike be doing right now? She imagined him lying on some bench in an airport, with only straggling travelers and television screens as companions.

"Sarah?" Anne's voice broke through her thoughts.

Sarah straightened and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Hi, Anne. The punch is great."

Anne took one hard look at Sarah before her eyes softened and she made a quiet sound. Her arms wound around Sarah's shoulders and she pressed her chin atop her head.

"Don't look so downtrodden, girl. You're in good company."

Sarah sniffled. "But somewhere out there, Mike's all alone in an airport. He's got no one to talk with or anything."

"Oh, sweet girl." Anne hugged her tighter. "Don't you worry your little heart. I'm sure Michael's getting along just fine. Come on, come into the family room."

The tiny dark-haired woman led her into the largest room of the O'Connell house. The couches, chairs, ottomans, and even the floors were filled with extended family members and friends and neighbors.

A tall tree stood in one corner, draped with garlands of gold and silver tinsel and white lights. Ornaments Anne had collected dangled from the branches. An angel tipped slightly at the very top.

Christmas music played softly. The children were laughing and squealing, the teenagers had abandoned their sulky angst. The adults mingled with glasses of wine and eggnog, the elders smiled broadly from their seats with eyes glimmering. The air of cheer was practically tangible. Sarah even felt a tiny bit of her sadness lift.

Rudy and Hank rose from the couch and were on her a moment later. They had begun to fill out nicely and resembled their older brother. Hank gently pulled her ponytail and enveloped her in a hug.

"Glad you could make it, squirt." His own hair stuck up on one side and his grin was lopsided.

Sarah mock-frowned at him. "As if I would be anywhere else."

Rudy shyly hugged her, his frame still slightly gangling. "We were worried that you wouldn't want to come if Mike couldn't make it."

Sarah's lips eased up into a smile. "And miss seeing your goofy faces? Not on your lives."

Both boys laughed as Anne and Sarah took their places on the couch.

Gifts were passed around the room. Soon, paper was flying and scraps of it hung off the furniture and its occupants. Tacky bows and stick-on ribbons had been the most sought-after weapon in the wrapping paper wars. Hank had slapped a bow into Sarah's hair. In turn, she had looped his arms and torso in glittery golden ribbons from a present Anne had received. When she had finished, his dark hair was peppered with flakes of the glitter and his cheeks were flushed.

"I think Sarah won that time," Rudy smiled, a green bow stuck to his ear.

Anne gasped from laughter, hand flattened over her heart. "I dare say she did."

"Ma, do we have any gifts for Sarah?" Hank stood, stumbling as his foot caught on one of the strands of ribbon.

"I'd thought that Sarah could open hers' tomorrow morning with you kids."

Sarah blinked. "Oh-"

"Please dear, I wasn't going to let you go home and spend the rest of the night alone! I have the guest room made up for you." Anne patted her hand. "Michael sent a gift ahead for you in case he couldn't get here. I left it in the room for you."

"Anne, I don't know what to say-" Sarah's eyes stung from trying to hold her tears back.

"Just say 'yes', dear."

Sarah smiled. "Yes, then."

The front door opened at the other side of the house and the dim sound of voices issued from the kitchen. Anne pinched Sarah's thumb between her thumb and fingers.

"Merry Christmas, dear."

Silence fell over the entire room before deafening squeals, shrieks, and cries erupted. Sarah's head turned toward the entry way. Her heart stuttered and she gasped.

Michael!

She was off of the couch and running across the room before she knew what was happening. "Mike!"

His fatigues were wet with snow, the smell of cold air and damp man clung to him. His arms spread wide to catch her. His hat was knocked off with her impact. Her face buried in his neck as happy tears tracked down her cheeks. His hands rubbed up and down her back as he showered her face with kisses.

Then, the rest of the family was on them.

It was a massive group-hug that had Sarah's heart glowing. There wasn't one dry eye in the place as everyone settled back into their places.

Sarah tugged Mike over to the couch and sat in his lap. His face was split with a grin that wouldn't go away.

"Come on! Who went and turned all the waterworks on?" His voice was like music to Sarah's ears. It wasn't crackly with static and he was here. Here, warm and solid in her arms.

The party began to reluctantly dissipate as the night wore on. Mike joked that he had received more hugs tonight than he'd ever gotten in his whole life.

Soon, the family room was empty but for Anne, her boys, and Sarah. The floor was littered with wrapping paper and scraps of tape. Punch cups and discarded plates of food lay on the coffee table and chairs.

Sarah rose from Mike's lap to help Anne as the woman bustled about with a tray, stacking the dishes and glasses. She waved her away.

"No, no. Rudy and Hank can help me just fine. Go on, you two go upstairs."

Mike rolled his eyes and took the tray. "It's fine mom. Believe me, this is a cakewalk compared to what I've been doing for the past ten months."

Anne smiled. "You deserve some rest, though."

"There'll be plenty of that soon enough. Doing a few dishes won't kill me."

Sarah shook her head. "I'll bring your bag upstairs, okay?"

"Thanks," Mike called from the kitchen.

Sarah lifted his bag from the foot of the stairs and grunted at its weight. She hauled it up the stairs and took a breather at the top of the flight.

The O'Connell house was shaped like an 'L', the addition Anne had had put on the eastern side made for some glorious sunrise views. It also meant that the guest rooms were a little ways from the rooms of the boys and their mother.

Sarah pulled Mike's bag into the guest room on the right...The room that had been his as a boy. The light switch was cool beneath her fingertips. Something shiny and red caught her eye.

It was glossy paper gift bag. It surface was scarlet, the holographic paper seemed to dance in the light. She remembered Anne's words about Mike sending a gift ahead for her.

Biting her lip, Sarah edged closer and ripped the tape that sealed the bag's mouth. White tissue paper crinkled with the widening of the bag. She pushed it to the side and delved her hand beneath it.

Soft material met her fingers. She pulled the item from its hiding place and held it up to the light. A gasp issued from her lips.

It was a very naughty thing. The teddy had cups of red velvet lined with white faux fur. The rest of the skirts were thin cloth that matched the cups, the hem was lined with the same fur. Surely...Sarah rummaged in the bag again. Yes, there they were! The matching bottoms were no more than a glorified thong. It too, was as red at the teddy and was as soft was silk.

A thread of wickedness wound through Sarah.

She shoved Mike's bag to the wall and turned down the bed before darting into the adjoining bathroom. Her clothes hit the floor with muffled sounds as she hurriedly undressed.

The cups of the teddy just barely concealed her breasts. The flesh pushed up, cleavage spilling over the top in creamy swells. The fur tickled the tops of her thighs and the thong rode low on her hips. She pulled the tie from her hair and shook her curls out. Her face in the mirror was already wine-flushed, her lips reddened from the alcohol as well.

With a smirk, she sauntered out of the bathroom and knelt at the edge of the bed.

After a moment of waiting, Sarah heard the sound of feet climbing the stairs. The boys' doors closed after them, then Anne called out a good-night.

Sarah nibbled at her lip. Where was Mike?

Then, she heard his boots on the stairs. His steps were softened by the carpets as he walked down the hall. The door opened slowly. The light flipped on.

Mike shut the door behind himself and turned, stopping dead in his tracks.

"Holy Mary..." His voice was a hoarse whisper as his eyes ran over her figure in the red nighty.

Sarah curled her finger in the air between them. "Come here, big boy. I've got a wish list that only you can help me with."

"Oh, yeah?" Mike's feet quickly carried him across the distance.

"Mmhm." Sarah straddled his lap as he seated himself, his back leaning against the headboard. "You see, I've been feeling...Naughty."

Mike grinned at that, his hands dragged up her sides before gliding back down to rest at her hips. "You look very naughty in this." He tugged at the hem of the teddy, making the cups dip a little more.

Sarah's fingers slid the front of his fatigues open and she tossed them over her shoulder before starting on his boots. She could feel her breasts beginning to slip free of the cups of the teddy as she yanked his pants off of his legs.

Once more, she straddled his hips and settled her hands at her shoulders. She placed her lips at his ear.

"Oh, yes. I've been feeling very naughty." Her hips rolled against his. "I've been all alone for so long. All I've had is myself."

"Sarah," Mike groaned.

"And I think you've been feeling naughty, too." She caught his earlobe in her mouth and suckled gently. "All by yourself."

"You're not wrong." Mike's hands palmed her bottom.

Sarah straightened and ran her hands down her body. "And with only yourself, you can't get much satisfaction." She slid her hand between their bodies to where her hips and his ground together. "Oh, no. You can't get too far."

Mike's hips bucked at her touch. A low groan escaped from between his parted lips. "Jesus Christ, I've missed you, Sarah. You have no idea how much."

Sarah planted a finger over his lips as he tried to kiss her. "Ah-ah. I haven't given you my wish list, yet."

A grin bared his teeth. "You better hurry, then. Or I'm gonna share mine. And I won't be talking."

A shiver trekked over Sarah's skin at his promising tone. She bent close to his ear again. "I wish for pleasure. I wish I could have you kissing me, have your mouth on me, all over me. I wish I could have my mouth on you. I wish I could have your fingers on me, in me...Instead of my own. I wish I had you inside me, Michael."

"Sarah," Her name on his lips was like an aphrodisiac as she rode his lap.

He tore his undershirt off of his chest and set his mouth to hers. Their lips meshed and their tongues tangled. His chest was hot beneath her palms. His nipples were little hard buds between her fingers.

"Mike, please touch me." Her voice rang with entreaty.

The cups of the teddy were peeled down and folded beneath her breasts. The nipples were already pouty and a pretty shade of pink. She held them as his hands ripped the strings of her thong apart. His mouth was hot and wet as he drew her nipples into his mouth. He suckled until she swore that the only things that were holding her up were his mouth and the hand that he had planted on her back.

His other hand tickled her clitoris in mind-erasing circles. And that was before he delved a finger into her sex. He gave no quarter as his mouth relentlessly roved over her breasts and his fingers plunged mercilessly into her.

Sarah shot into the stars, her body trembling against his as she gasped his name. With a quick, sure move, she had his boxer briefs flying to the floor.

She kissed his belly, trailing her lips down, down. His hips bucked when her tongue licked up the side of his cock. Her hand wrapped tightly around the base as she took the head into her mouth.

"Ooh, my God."

It wasn't long before Mike was thrusting at her tongue, eyes rolled back in ecstasy. But Sarah wasn't ready for him to be finished, yet.

She released him from her mouth and climbed up his body.

Her sex rubbed over his cock, her saliva and arousal drenching him. She positioned him and slowly eased down. A moan left her lips.

"You feel so good, Michael." Sarah rolled her hips, feeling him twitch deep inside her.

She planted her palms on his chest and began to roll her hips as his bucked beneath her. Their gasping breaths and mingled moans, the slapping of flesh and whispered praise filled the room.

The material and fur of the teddy brushing over Sarah's skin only added to her pleasure. Her breasts swayed with her every movement. Her hair tickled the pouting peaks.

"Please, please, please." She chanted, head thrown back and lips parted.

With a brutal groan, Mike's cock pulsed inside of her. His come coated her inner walls as she orgasmed around him.

Mike's hands held her limp body upright as she shivered through aftershocks.

"I knew I'd chosen right when I saw this." He tugged at the hem of the teddy. "My, you were naughty."

Sarah circled her hips lazily. "I think I still have a few more things left on my wish list."

Mike grinned. "I thought only good girls got presents."

Sarah shook her head. "Naughty girls get the best presents."