A Bazaar Sweater

"Ah, yes," Noelle said, blushing. "See, here's the thing."

Alexander sighed. There was always a thing. He knew this woman was too perfect to not have a thing.

"The sweater is home, but I don't have a car right now," Noelle said, walking to her table.

"You don't?" Alexander asked, thinking that the church was hardly walking distance from much of anywhere.

"Not really," Noelle said, unsure how to explain her situation. "That's why I was late this morning. I had to take the cat to the vet this morning because he ate the tinsel off the bottom of the tree. When I got done at the vet's the car wouldn't start, so I just left it there and walked here."

"You've had quite a day today, haven't you?" Alexander asked, trying to keep from laughing. Finally, he gave up and chuckled, a sexy rumble from the core of his being.

Noelle couldn't help joining in and laughed with him. It felt good to laugh at all her troubles, to be able to share them and see them for the farce that they were.

Finally, Alexander caught his breath and asked, "So how do you plan on getting home tonight?"

"I thought I might be able to catch a ride with someone," Noelle said, wiping the laughter from her eyes.

"Well," Alexander said, hesitating just a beat, "I have a car. Maybe I could bring you home and pick up the sweater then."

"Oh I couldn't ask you to do that," Noelle said. "I told Susan I would stay to help clean up after the sale, and I thought I might like to stay for the caroling tonight, too."

"There's caroling tonight?" Alexander asked.

"Yes," Noelle replied, "every year on Christmas Eve."

"Oh," Alexander said. "I wouldn't mind staying for that. I haven't sung carols for ages. I might even be able to help with the cleanup. I'm sure there must be some troglodyte tasks around that will need to be done."

"Troglodyte tasks?" Noelle asked, skeptically.

Alexander chuckled.

"Yes, that's what my mother always called the sort of tasks that require heavy lifting but no real brain power."

"Oh," Noelle said, laughing. "Yes, I think we might have a few troglodyte tasks later tonight, if you really don't mind waiting."

"I don't mind waiting to take a pretty woman home," Alexander said gallantly.

Noelle blushed again. Alexander loved to see her blush and thought he might enjoy provoking the reaction more frequently that day.

By the end of the day Noelle had nearly sold out of baby clothes. Alexander could see that she had a way with both the babies and their mothers. She had a knack of choosing just the right items for the babies and then making the mothers' think that they had chosen the items themselves. He thought she would make an excellent saleswoman.

Alexander helped with the 'troglodyte' chores and found that the cleanup went swiftly. He joined the ladies and a few husbands at the potluck supper before standing next to Noelle for the caroling. Standing next to her and sharing a hymnal felt natural, as though they had been doing it for ages. It felt right, which he found was true of so many of their activities that day. For the first time, he thought he might have found a companion, a friend, rather than just a potential girlfriend. He was certainly thinking of her in those terms. He did not want their time together to end when she returned the sweater.

Noelle helped Alexander carry his repurchased clothing out to his car. She thought it was strange how easily they seemed to fit together. Suddenly, she was very grateful that her car had decided not to start. She had enjoyed meeting the man beside her. He felt right to her. She was pleased that they would be spending the ride home together. She had virtually given up dating because she had grown so tired of going out with perfectly nice men who were nothing more than simply nice. This man was different. Yes, he was nice, but he was so much more. He was interesting, a good listener, a good singer, a kind and generous man. He just seemed to fit.

They loaded Alexander's clothing into the trunk before getting in to the tidy, upscale sedan. Noelle was shivering from the cold, even huddled into her coat.

"If you reach down the side of your seat," Alexander said, "you'll find a switch to turn on the seat heater."

"This thing has heated seats?" Noelle asked amazed. "That must have cost a fortune."

Alexander laughed.

"Not really," he said as the car warmed up. "I bought the car off the lot and the dealer forgot that it had heated seats when he quoted me a price."

They talked about the travails of buying cars as Noelle directed him the short distance to her home.

"This is a nice place," Alexander said, walking up to the door.

"Thanks," Noelle replied, opening the door, "but I can't really take credit for it. It belongs to my brother. He wanted someone to live in it and take care of his cat while he was away, and I needed a place to live for a while. It worked out."

"I'm surprised a soldier would have bought a place, knowing how the life tends to move a person around," Alexander commented.

"He was actually retired from the service when he bought the place," Noelle said. "He went through college on an ROTC scholarship, served his four years active duty and retired. He was called back to active duty, though, after he bought this place and had started up his own computer services company."

"Your sweater is over there on the back of the couch," Noelle said, indicating a large, rather hideous, red plaid couch. "I was going to heat up some mulled cider. Would you like to stay for some, too?"

"I'd love to," Alexander said, retrieving and donning the sweater, "if it isn't too much trouble."

"No trouble at all," Noelle replied, disappearing into the kitchen before poking her head back around the corner to say, "The fire is laid if you want to light it. There are matches on the mantle above."

Noelle had actually planned on cider by the fire when she returned home from the caroling at church, but she wanted to see how Alexander would react to the suggestion. So far he was living up to every expectation she had of him from her dreams.

Noelle carried two steaming mugs of mulled cider to the sofa. She handed one to Alexander, who sniffed at it appreciatively.

"This smells wonderful, Noelle."

"Thanks, I use my own spice blend."

A small invisible creature stood outside the living room window looking in at the scene. His long pointy nose sketched patterns in the frost on the window glass as he watched the young couple on the sofa sipping hot cider from mugs before a roaring fire. He could hear them talking, discussing some of their favorite holiday traditions, finding much common ground between them. Finally, he heard the young man say, "Well, I think it is time I was heading home. Would it be ok if I called you tomorrow?"

Noelle stood up, sorry to see her guest leave, but acknowledging the hour.

"Yes," she answered, "I haven't much planned for tomorrow."

The small creature decided that this turn of events would not do. He moved away from window and stood studying the car for a few moments. Having made up his mind, he uncurled his long fingers from the palm of his hand, bent just a bit to the right height, and blew frost into the lock of the first car door. He made his way around the car repeating his action at all four doors and the trunk, just to be sure. Finally, he stood up and smiled as he waited to watch events unfold.

Alexander reluctantly walked out of the small warm house toward his cold car. He had his keys out as he said goodbye on the doorstep. He walked to the car, pushing the button on the remote to unlock the door. He heard the lock mechanism click and reached for the door handle. It didn't budge. He tried again. Nothing happened. Finally, he tried a different door. Again, the door refused to open. Exasperated, he tried all of the doors and even the trunk. Nothing worked. Finally, he turned back to the warm little house.

Noelle had been watching from the window next to the door. She opened the door for Alexander as he came up the walkway.

"Noelle," he asked, "could I use your phone? I don't seem to have any cell reception out here."

"Of course," she replied, allowing him back in to the cozy room that served as entryway and living room.

"Thanks," Alexander said, "My locks are frozen. I hope that someone from the garage will pick up this late on a holiday."

"You are welcome to use the phone," Noelle said, hesitating before adding, "but you could stay here if you like. There is just the one bedroom upstairs, but I could offer you the sofa."

Alexander's heart thumped in his chest at her words. He had not been looking forward to going home alone to a cold house and a cold bed.

"You wouldn't mind," Alexander asked, thinking to give her a way out.

"Not at all," Noelle said, "I think I might be able to find some of my brother's sweats that might fit you, and I am sure that I can find an extra toothbrush."

"I'd really appreciate it," Alexander said. "I don't think it will be easy to find someone other than Santa to come out this late on Christmas Eve."

Noelle laughed.

"Come on," she said, "I'll get you those sweats."

Alexander stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Wait a minute," he said.

When she looked up at him curiously, he leaned in and kissed her. He had meant it to be a chaste peck on the lips, but his body had other ideas. His arms gathered her in close, wrapping around her slender form, his hands exploring her back and sides. His lips moved over hers, until his tongue insisted on tasting her lips. Her lips parted in a sigh of invitation as she seemed to melt into him. His tongue boldly entered the warm cavity as his cock stirred lustily in his pants. Finally, he groaned, unable to go further lest he lose control. He pulled back, still holding her, looking down into her beautiful face.

Noelle stood still, breathing deeply for a moment, trying to regain her internal equilibrium. She looked up into his crystalline blue eyes from the secure warmth of his strong arms and asked, "Well, what was that all about?"

Alexander smiled down at her, unwilling for the moment to let go. Finally, he pointed up at the ceiling and said, "Mistletoe."

Noelle laughed.

"I didn't actually expect that to happen this year when I put it up there this morning," she said.

Alexander quirked up one eyebrow and said, "You have to be careful with these things. You never know."

Noelle laughed again and said, "Let's go get those sweats."

The small invisible creature smiled as he watched the pair go upstairs together. His work here for tonight was done.

Noelle and Alexander settled companionably on the sofa, both having changed into more comfortable clothing for the evening. Noelle had mentioned that there was a Christmas movie marathon on, and Alexander had agreed that it might be fun to watch a movie before bed. The room had grown somewhat chilly, however, so he reached around and pulled the afghan off the back of the sofa. He spread the blanket over the two of them, making a cozy movie viewing cocoon for them. The warm cocoon, the long day, and the familiar movie had soon lulled Noelle into a deep sleep. Her head rested comfortably on Alexander's strong shoulder. He enjoyed having the beautiful woman so close. Her particular mix of scents, scents of shampoo and soap, mulled cider, and her own unique female fragrance drifted to him and unexpectedly comforted him. He watched the happy couple at the end of 'Miracle on 34th Street' and wondered if such a happy ending might be possible in real life.

Noelle woke in her own bed Christmas morning to the smells of coffee and frying bacon. She smiled contentedly as she came awake until she realized that someone was in her house cooking bacon and making coffee. She was confused until her fuzzy brain remembered that Alexander had spent the night. Satisfied as to the cooking smells, she was further confused as to how she had ended up in her bed when she had fallen asleep on the sofa. Not on the sofa, she corrected, on Alexander's shoulder. She blushed thinking about it. Not only had she asked a strange man to spend the night, but she had actually fallen asleep with him. She never did things like that. She had absolutely not been acting like herself lately, not since she had first opened that bag of Alexander's clothes the day before the Bazaar and tag sale.

A knock on her door caused her to open her eyes. She saw Alexander standing in the doorway with a tray.

"Merry Christmas, Noelle"

Astonished, Noelle struggled up to a sitting position and rubbed her eyes. She was seeing correctly. Alexander was standing in her doorway with a tray of pancakes and coffee wishing her a Merry Christmas. She was shocked, but suddenly very pleased. She smiled, in delight.

Alexander thought his heart might stop. Her smile was so beautiful. It was just the smile one would expect on a porcelain doll, only hers was surrounded by light brown, sleep rumpled hair. He thought it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen.

"I hope you don't mind," Alexander began, suddenly wondering if he had overstepped some boundary. "I woke a while ago and was hungry. I found some blueberries in the freezer and made some pancakes. I hope you like coffee. I made coffee, too. I thought maybe you might like breakfast in bed since you weren't up yet."

Noelle was struck dumb. No one had ever made her breakfast in bed before. It was such a sweet, romantic thing to do. Her smile widened as she patted the empty side of the bed next to her.

"I," she began, "I don't think anyone has ever brought me breakfast in bed before."

Alexander grinned, a brilliant smile lighting his eyes, as he brought the food into the room.

"I thought it might be a nice way to thank you for letting me stay the night," he said.

"Will you," she began suddenly shy, "will you join me for breakfast here?"

Where had that impulse come from? She usually liked to take things slow, waiting for the fourth or fifth date before even considering inviting a man to sleep with her. Alexander was somehow different, though. They had talked more intimately the night before than she ever had with any of her previous boyfriends. She felt connected to him in a strange way that was deeper and more intense than she had ever felt before. Asking him to her bed just felt natural, right, in the way that falling asleep on his shoulder had the night before.

Alexander's heart stopped for just a beat at her invitation. He longed to be in her bed, but he wondered if she meant the invitation in the way that he was taking it.

"I'd love to," he said, "but I'll have to go back downstairs for another plate of pancakes."

"Why?" Noelle asked, blushing at the implication of her words.

Alexander's heart glowed. He grinned at her wolfishly as he settled beside her on the bed.

"I guess," he said, "maybe I don't need them after all."

He took the plate of pancakes and cut a small bite for Noelle. He held it out to her lips. Her lips parted and her tongue came out slightly to accept the food. His breathing grew heavy and ragged as he watched her take the morsel of food into her mouth. He remembered how warm and soft that mouth had been under his the night before. He felt his cock growing hard in the loose sweat pants, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be with her this morning. He felt like he was the luckiest man in the world to be feeding her breakfast, a lover's task.

Noelle saw tender passion bloom in Alexander's eyes and knew that he wanted what she wanted. She gently took the fork from his hand and cut another piece of pancake for him. She dredged the bite through the pool of syrup on the plate and held the morsel to his lips. A drop of syrup hit his chin as he received the food. Noelle swept a finger across his chin to remove the errant syrup. She put the finger to her own lips and licked the syrup off. She watched as Alexander swallowed convulsively at the sight. She smiled at his reaction.

"Maybe we should set this tray on the nightstand so we don't knock anything over," she suggested, amazed again at her boldness.

Alexander inhaled sharply but readily acquiesced. He moved the tray to the nightstand and pulled back the covers to more fully join her in bed. He thought he could happily wake every morning to the sight of her beautiful face in his bed. It was a surprising thought, since he had never felt that way about any other woman before. He had always been happy for a roll in the sheets with the women he had dated, but the idea of longevity had never really entered into his mind with any of them. Noelle was different, though. She had a sense of permanence, of stability, about her. She felt soothing and right.

Noelle felt her pulse quicken in anticipation as she watched Alexander pull back the blankets and join her in bed. She had never had a man in her bed before. She had been a few men's beds, but she had never had a man in her own bed. It felt so much more intimate to her, and she welcomed the feeling.

Noelle held the covers back so Alexander could come beneath them. He opened his arms and she went into them, lifting her face for a kiss. His lips came down to meet her slightly parted ones. She moaned her pleasure into his mouth, the sound vibrating into his innermost places. He smiled slightly at her reaction and pushed for more. His lips caressed her softer ones as his tongue boldly explored the contours of her mouth. She tasted of maple syrup and blueberries with just a hint of butter. He thought he might never think of blueberry pancakes the same way again.

Noelle welcomed Alexander's tongue, greeting and exploring it with her own. She relaxed into his embrace and explored the hard planes of his chest and back even as he explored her softer ones. She moaned as his hand found her breasts. She arched into his touch. It had been so long since they had been caressed. She felt her nipples harden, even through the flannel pajama top. Alexander felt her firm nipples, too, pressing into his palm. He suddenly felt the intense need to touch her skin. He distracted Noelle with tiny kisses along her jaw and down her neck as his fingers found their way to the buttons trapping the breasts he longed to feel.

Alexander felt her sudden intake of breath as the cool air hit Noelle's bare skin. He pause a moment to let her object, but she just nestled in closer to him. He groaned as his hand slipped under the flannel and felt the smooth skin of her breast. His lips followed the path that his hand had taken and he took the first turgid nipple into his warm mouth.

Noelle arched into him as he suckled first one breast, then the other. He was forced to pause as Noelle's cool hands traveled up his heated stomach, lifting the sweatshirt over his head. Her hands returned to run across his muscled chest and abdomen, to slip around and feel his strong back. Her fingers slipped into his hair as he bent to place kisses along her soft, slender belly.

He lifted his head to look into her eyes when he reached the waistband of her pajama bottoms. When she smiled and nodded, he slipped his fingers below the band and slowly revealed pale, snowy skin draped over softly curved hips. Alexander placed kisses all over the exposed skin before slowly lowering the pajamas further. Slowly, a dark patch of hair in the form of an inverted triangle appeared. He buried his lips in the coarse, dark hair, releasing gasp from the lips of the hair's owner. He paused long enough to admire the lovely contrast between the dark hair and the soft, pale skin before moving on to explore the soft, toned thighs beyond.

He kissed the point of the triangle, where it met the tops of the closed thighs, but he did not press for more. Instead, his lips moved down the crease formed by the two legs, marveling at the smooth expanse, so like a rolling field covered in fresh snow. When he reached the ankles, he gazed back up the long expanse of leg he had just revealed. His gaze lingered appreciatively as it took in the coarse black curls hiding a sweetly scented treasure. His eyes moved over the soft hips and slender waist to the snowy mounds whose peaks were tinted the delicate pink of sunrise. Finally, he looked into her eyes.