The First... Noel

Not facing him, she quietly agreed, "Yes, please."

Noel went to get the ice and when he got back he saw that she had taken her robe off and crawled under the covers. As he came in she flipped the blanket off her leg so he could put the ice on it. He gently unwrapped the tape and put a hand towel under her ankle. With a light touch he slowly rubbed the ice around the inflamed area, red from trying to move around too much.

The ice eased the pain for Ginny and she slowly relaxed and fell asleep.

When Noel finished, he threw the leftover ice in the bathroom sink and with a cautious touch dried her ankle and re-wrapped the bandage. Pulling the covers back over her leg, he quietly walked to the door and paused to look back at her with his hand on the light switch. He went back to her, carefully ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead. Returning to the door, he flipped the switch off and... shrugged his shoulders, closed the door and went back and lay beside her on top of the covers.

Noel thought, "I'll just lay here for a few minutes, to see if her ankle bothers her." He smiled at his mendacity, knowing he just wanted to be with her for a while. He listened to the wind picking up, brushing the tree limbs almost tenderly against the house. Looking forward to the snow the wind portended, he slipped down through the layers of awareness into a deep sleep.

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
Only one creature was stirring, certainly not a mouse!

Slowly Ginny struggled awake, trying to turn in her sleep to ease the discomfort of her ankle. Pulling on the blanket it wouldn't budge. Coming awake enough to sit up she looked over to try to fix the covers; she was so startled seeing someone there she almost screamed. The dim reddish light from her clock radio allowed her to see it was Noel lying there, fast asleep!

Gasping a little she fought to come fully awake and understand what was happening, why was he in her bed? With her first clear thought she giggled a little, she was finally sleeping with a man! Blushing with the thought she gazed at his features – his face faintly seen, faintly reddish in profile from the light of the clock.

Studying him, curious, she put out her hand and lightly caressed the planes of his face. With little reluctance she yielded to her instinctive wishes and kissed him lightly on the cheek, eliciting a slight movement: Noel brushing an imaginary fly away. Grinning a little she leaned down again, pressing her lips lightly to his, a kiss more hinted at than felt.

Lying back down she wrestled with her thoughts. Emotions, feelings long dormant washed over her, her skin flushing hot, her body tingling with an unexpected anticipation. In sudden awareness she knew what she wanted. Shocked at her audacity, but thrilled with anticipation she leaned back over Noel.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

Noel delighted in the sensual pleasure his sub-conscious gifted him with in his dream, luxuriated in the tactile pleasure of warm skin as his finger tips gently moving on her back... he could feel the warm soft lips, he could feel her weight resting lightly... he could feel! Damn this wasn't a dream. Opening his eyes he could dimly see a face pressed against his. As he tried to sit up Ginny pressed him back down with her hand.

"Ginny! What...?"

"Sh! Don't say anything." Ginny whispered, pressing her lips back to his, her tongue slipping between his lips, sweetly probing.

Noel gave himself in to the moment. Kissing her back, slowly at first, then more forcefully. He put his arms around her, underneath her gown, rubbing the softness. Sliding down to cup her buttocks, holding the slim firmness to pull her tighter to him. He could feel her hand reaching down, grasping him.

Wanting more, he rolled her over, hitting her ankle with his leg as he turned.

"Ouch" Ginny exclaimed! "Oh, that hurts!"

"Ginny, I'm Sorry!" Noel cried as he leaned over to turn on the lamp.

In the sudden bright glow of the lamp, Ginny turned her face into the pillow, blushing now that he could see her.

"I shouldn't have laid down, Ginny. I was going to lie down for a few minutes and then get up. I must have fallen asleep.

Turning to face him, she shyly told him "That's okay, Noel, I'm glad you did! Except for hitting my ankle, that wasn't so good."

"Jeez, I'm sorry, Ginny!"

Smiling now, Ginny said, "Would you quit saying you're sorry and ice my ankle again?"

Noel went to the kitchen to get the ice, and came back for his icing routine again. There were a couple of differences this time. Ginny didn't cover up this time, but she did turn red and avert her head whenever he looked up at her, frankly admiring her body. This time, before and after the icing, he gently kissed her ankle.

When he finished the wrapping, he stood and walked up to kiss her goodnight. The kiss became somewhat lingering, but gathering himself he stood up. "Goodnight, Ginny. I'm afraid I'm falling for you and if I stay, I..."

"Noel, Iwant you to stay! Put that towel over the lamp and hold me!"

"Ginny, are you sure? Do you know what will happen?"

"Yes, Noel," she said with a trace of asperity, "my mother told me all about the birds and the bees. Well, maybe notall of it!" she finished with a giggle. In a more sober mien, she looked him in the eye, searching for something. As she saw what she was looking for, she took his hands and continued, "Noel, Noel. You are my first. There hasn't been anyone that I wanted to love before you, but... somehow you have touched my heart!

Putting the towel over the lamp he laid on the bed, holding her tight. Whispering... nothings into her ear he could feel her gently weeping. Leaning his head back, with a gentle touch of the tips of his fingers, he wiped under her eyes, and then kissed each one.

"Don't cry, Ginny? Are you sad?"

"No, I'm just emotional. If I smile, will you make love to me?" Ginny responded with a big smile!

Noel slowly removed her gown, planting kisses as more of her body showed. He marveled over her breasts, not large but with nipples already erect. He gently made love to her, then with more urgency later in the night. They slept deeply, sated, bodies intertwined.

Somehow knowing he needed to get up before everyone else, Noel awoke in the darkness, looking at Ginny in the dim light. "God she's pretty," he thought. I really do love her. Putting his arms around her, holding her tightly, he quietly said, "Ginny, I need to get back to my room."

"I love you Noel," she whispered in his ear.

"I know Ginny. I know. Are you okay?"

Giggling into his ear she said at a low whisper, "I'm fine! I'm just glad it was TD that showed up and not Fumble!"

Tickling her with his hand he kissed her on her button nose and slipped from her bed.

Ginny rose with the dawn, the room cold, and frost on the windows. Looking through the center of the window she could see a sparkling wonderland, gleaming white in the brilliant sunshine of winter. Taking as quick a shower as she could with the plastic bag wrapped around her foot and ankle, she again looked in the mirror as she dried herself off. Amazingly she looked the same! How could she feel so different but not look it! She left the bathroom with a smile on her face thinking of last night.

Dressing she hobbled in to breakfast. Only her mother was in the kitchen when she entered. Looking at her daughter, she came closer. Putting her hands on Ginny's shoulders, a couple of tears came to her eyes, but she didn't say anything. Putting her arms around her she gave her a big hug and said "Merry Christmas, baby!" and turned quickly away.

Limping towards her mom she stood behind her, giving her mother a hug. Softly, she said, "It's okay mom. I love him. I'm glad you are my mom!"

Her mom turned around and holding each other they gently cried for a moment, then looked at each other with a smile.

After breakfast everyone gathered around the Christmas tree for their traditional exchange of gifts. Noel was standing beside or behind her while everyone opened his or her presents. There were a couple of boxes for Noel, including a pen set from Ginny. She felt funny giving something so impersonal to him after last night. She kept looking for one for her from him, but didn't see anything. With just a couple gifts left she looked around and noticed that Noel was gone! She couldn't get up – she was sunken in the chair and the crutches were against the wall.

A few minutes later she looked up and saw that everyone was staring at her. Confused for a minute, she finally looked around. Noel was standing there with his Santa Claus suit on! Coming around beside her he handed her the gift and gave her a hug. Watching her he had a smile on his face as she looked at the tag on the box:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

CHRISTMAS EVE, PRESENT DAY

A smile on her face Ginny reflected back on that Christmas Day so many years and so many wonderful memories ago!

Noel became a frequent visitor at the Davis household, but they didn't share a bed again that Christmas holiday. They talked it over and felt they should slow down and give their love more time to grow.

Ginny's mom shared her concerns about birth control, mumbling something about "God protects the innocent and the dumb!"

Noel and Ginny got married eighteen months later, the day after he and Marty graduated! Ginny was now a sophomore at the same school having discovered a passion for writing.

The years went by and blessed them with two boys and a girl, and later five grandchildren.

Then two years ago her beloved Noel was taken from her, in the dark of the night, a brain aneurism. Christmas was now a bittersweet time for her: missing Noel, but gathering with her family each year.

One of her grandchildren, Little Harry, having gotten bored looking at boxes, was climbing back on her lap. Giving his granny Gin Gin a big hug he asked/demanded "I want a story!"

Smiling, she asked, "Will a fairy tale be okay?" At his nod, she started "A long time ago a little girl found out that Santa Claus was real... andhers!" and told him the story in little boy words as he drifted off to sleep and her tape played on the stereo:

On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

"Noel, she whispered, "It was a wonderful life!" as her eyes misted over again.

The End!

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