Holly and Snowflakes Pt. 01

"Thank you. I'm starving," Holly said as she picked up half of her sandwich loaded with turkey, lettuce, tomato and two different kinds of cheese, taking a bite. She hadn't had any dinner either, just the cookies at the police station. She looked at him over the top of her sandwich as he ate his own, noticing that he was putting some distance between them. Out of habit? Still uncomfortable with trying to move forward? She wasn't going to push it for fear that he would ask her to leave. She took another bite out of her sandwich, slowly chewing, needing something else to talk about. "You have a nice collection of guitars. What kind of music do you play?"

Gabe slowly chewed and picked up his mug, taking a swallow of his cider. He sat the mug back down on the counter, watching as she unconsciously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she brushed it back over her shoulder. He wanted to reach out and do that for her, wrap her hair around his hand, tug her head back as he— He quickly brought that train of thought to a screeching halt. "I cut my teeth playing classic rock with my dad when I was a kid, Eagles, Seger, CCR, that kind of stuff. I was in band back in high school with three of my friends and we played eighties rock. We figured it was a good way to pick up girls and get laid, and it was. That was how I met my ex-wife. We were pretty good but after high school, we all went our separate ways and never played together anymore. I play from time to time but nothing too serious." He took another bite out of his sandwich. "What about you? What do you do besides bring joy to children this time of year."

Holly finished the last of her sandwich and picked up her mug, wrapping her hands around the warm ceramic, bringing it up to her mouth, taking a long sip as she looked at him over the rim. He seemed so much more relaxed, not as tense as he had been when they were on their way to the hospital. She had a feeling that he had finally allowed himself to let his guard down around another person, and after everything that he had told her tonight, he probably expected her to go running in the opposite direction not follow him home. But she had her own fears that kept her from getting too close, too involved with someone again, but here she was, sitting in his kitchen and wearing his clothes all because she didn't want to be alone tonight. "I own the beauty salon on Main Street," she said, "and when I'm not doing that, I'm usually out finding a new place to explore. It makes my dad mad that I go off on my own, but I was given a second chance at life, and I choose to make the most of it."

"It would make me mad too," Gabe said, not realizing he spoke his thoughts out loud until she made an audible huff. He quickly tried to cover his tracks, but it was too late. Did she detect a hint of concern in his voice? He hoped not, but the look she was giving him spoke otherwise. He could get lost in those green eyes of hers and he quickly looked away before he did or said anything else he would regret. "So, you also bring joy to others by making them feel good about themselves with a new haircut. Should I expect anything less out of you? Why don't we go over by the fire where it's more comfortable," he said, getting to his feet and walking over to the sectional that was facing the fireplace. Okay, maybe not the best move, Gabe, but at least it was warmer by the fire, he thought to himself. He was unsure that it was the best suggestion he could have made, but when he heard her push her chair in, a slight smile turned up the corner of his mouth as he sat down on the couch, taking the prime spot in the middle, leaving her plenty of room on either side of him or on the chaise section further away from him and the heat of the fire.

Holly sat her mug down on the table in front of the couch and reached for one of the plush throw blankets that was haphazardly flung over the back cushion, wrapping it around her shoulders and torso. She sat down cross-legged, facing him, her right knee inches from his hip as he grabbed the other blanket and covered his stomach and legs as he stretched them out, propping the heel of his slippered foot on the edge of the coffee table, crossing his legs at the ankles. She was beginning to think she should have sat in one of the other chairs further away from him, but it was more comfortable on the couch and cozier, the flames of the fire dancing in an amber glow, bringing a nice warmth to his house.

They sat there and just talked for several hours, sipping their cider, telling each other about their childhoods, their families, their likes and dislikes, what they liked to do in their spare time, laughing and just enjoying each other's company. And then time just seemed to stop. She focused her gaze on him, memorizing every line of his face, the cleft in his strong chin, the color of his eyes. Oh, God, his eyes. She felt her heart skip a beat when he stole a glance her way, felt a sudden rush of wet heat flood between her widespread thighs, felt her nipples painfully tighten and she consciously pulled the blanket tighter around herself, concealing what his potent gaze and smooth, deep voice was doing to her.

She wished she could stay here with him for longer than just one night, wishing for the impossible, their obvious age difference putting a damper on anything other than polite conversation. She drew in a deep breath as she reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, her fingers trembling just the slightest.

Gabe's voice trailed off as he watched the subtle motion of her hand expose the pale, indented line of a scar that was previously hidden under the make-up, under her hair. He never noticed the imperfection before, she carefully kept it concealed, but now that her skin was free of all that gunk it was exposed and visible to the naked eye. He reached up and gently traced the length of the scar with his fingertips to where it disappeared into her hair, feeling just how far it went along her hairline. He could see the apprehension in her eyes when she turned her gaze up to his, hear the audible catch in her breath, but he didn't pull his hand away. She'd said she had her first surgery when she was a five, he just naturally assumed it was for something minor like a broken bone or to have her tonsils removed, not something that would leave a big scar or have such an impact on her life. "How did this happen?" he asked, softly, as his fingers traced the scar a second time.

She didn't recoil from his touch, instead she looked up at him and drew in a deep breath, slowly letting it back out. She never really wanted to tell him for fear that he would just run away like the other two. There was a slim chance that he wouldn't care but an even bigger chance that he would just leave her like the other guys she carefully let into her life. But he wasn't like the other guys, he was just as damaged as her, if not more. And he was the only one outside of her family who knew why she took so much time out of her own life on this one night of the year.

She felt the gentle caress of his fingers along the side of her head, and she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. She slowly opened them up again, making sure he was still there. "I had a brain tumor when I was five. After the surgery, I had to spend a lot of time in the hospital with rounds of chemo and radiation, missing out on the holidays because I was too sick and weak. I wasn't supposed to live to see my seventh birthday. I ended up having to have two more surgeries before I was ten, but here I am, twenty-two years later, cancer free, all because my parents wouldn't give up hope and a pediatric brain surgeon in L.A. took on the impossible. I still have to go in every year for a check-up and the results always come back in my favor. Still, there is a chance-"

"Oh, Holly," he said, reaching out and gently touching the side of her head with the back of his fingers. Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. Why she gave up so much of her time to bring joy to children in the hospital, why not even a snowstorm would stop her from doing what she thought was needed the most out of her this time of year. Why she was always so happy afterwards. As a child, she had felt the loneliness of the holidays. He still felt the pain. He gently combed her hair back from her face, gazing at her in the flickering firelight.

He had a gut feeling that she spoke about her past health issues with strangers just about as much as he told them about his losses, and for her to let down her guard and share that with him made his protective instincts that much stronger. And he knew he shouldn't be feeling that way, nothing was going to happen between them, no matter how much he wanted this to last. There was just too much of an age difference between them, yet he found himself wanting to protect her from everything.

Holly gazed intently into his eyes, instinctively leaning closer. She could feel his breath on her face, feel the gentle caress of his strong, large hand against the back of her head, feel his lips as he...pressed them to her forehead. She closed her eyes, not the kiss that she was hoping for, but coming from him it was just enough. She rested her head against his chest, shifting her weight until she was more comfortable against the strong bulk of his body, feeling his muscular arm wrap protectively around her, his hand gently stroking her hair. She gazed at the fire, feeling his heart beating against her cheek, taking comfort in his arms. She wanted more from this fragile, yet strong man, but the pain that he kept locked up inside him held him back from ever moving on with his life. But he had opened up to her of all people, bared his soul to someone that he barely even knew. Maybe, just maybe there was hope.

Gabe stared at the flames, watching as they danced inside the brick fireplace. He gently combed his fingers through her hair, letting the soft curls fall against her shoulder. He hadn't allowed another person into his life for a long time, and now, here he was with this young woman whom he could see in his future but was just too scared and scarred to do anything other than just comfort and hold her. And, as his fingers brushed over a different scar he found hiding under her hair, he had a feeling that she didn't let just anyone into her life, keeping herself more guarded than he did and that it took a lot of courage for her to accept his offer. He drew in a deep breath, slowly letting it back out, feeling the pain slowly leave his mind and heart. "A part of me died inside that night, five years ago, and I'll never be the same. I've haven't felt... I don't want to be alone anymore."

Holly curled her fingers into the soft cotton of his shirt, staring at the fire. She could feel the soft caress of his strong hand against her head as he ran his fingers through her hair, and she took solace in that. She felt his words tug at her heart. "You're not," she whispered, and felt his arm tighten around her torso, pulling her closer. She closed her eyes and just took comfort in the strength of his warm body, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, knowing that just being here with him like this was the best way to spend the rest of the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gabe wrapped his arm tighter around her as he pulled her closer, a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth as she snuggled against him. He could feel the softness of her breasts pressed into his side; the warmth of her thighs tucked up against his. It had been too many years since he had felt the softness of a female pressed against him, breathed in the delicate scent of their perfume. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, the lingering scent of roses clinging to her tresses. He had let down his guard and bared his soul to her tonight. And she was still here. He never wanted to let another woman into his life, didn't want to go through that pain again, but when he had come to her rescue, seen everything that she unselfishly did for others, he knew he needed to have this remarkable young woman in his life. He just never imagined that it would happen on Christmas Eve.

He looked down at her, at her head resting on his chest, her ginger locks curling around her shoulders, a wayward curl falling across her cheek. He reached up and gently brushed the hair back from her face, feeling her stir, feeling her snuggle closer to him, her breasts plumping against his ribs. He felt his own body react to the softness of hers, felt that all too unfamiliar stirring in his groin and he unconsciously shifted his weight, inching away from her only to have her shift and press even closer, rubbing her cheek against his chest.

The corner of his mouth turned up in a half-smile but then faded just as fast. She was asleep. He carefully eased off the couch beside her, gently guiding her listless body down to the cushions, being careful not to wake her. He quietly walked into his bedroom to get a warmer blanket for her and a pillow, and when he came back out, she was sitting up on the couch, her arms over her head as she stretched languorously, her back arched, her breasts straining against the front of her shirt as her hard nipples jutted out, their size clearly outlined by the soft cotton. He cleared his throat.

Holly dropped her hands to her lap, but didn't apologize, nor did she try to hide her chest behind the blanket. She had fallen asleep against him so they were a little past that stage now. "Did I fall asleep on you," she asked, looking up at him. He was standing two feet away from her holding a folded quilt and a pillow in his hands, his gaze focused on her. She didn't realize it was so late, or that she had even dozed off, she was perfectly content lounging next to him and just naturally fell asleep in his arms. And then when she couldn't feel the warmth of his body, she woke up. "What time is it?"

Gabe gawked at her like a horny teenage boy but quickly snapped out of it when she asked him a question. "It's a little after eleven. I went to get you a pillow and heavier blanket. It's plenty warm by the fire, but I didn't want you to get cold. Or you can have the bed and I'll take the couch, the fireplace is-" his voice trailed off as she got to her feet, slowly closing the distance between them. His gaze traveled down to her chest, to her ample, unconfined breasts as they swayed slightly under the soft, thick cotton of her borrowed shirt, her nipples tightening against the material even more. His gaze dropped to her hips, wondering... When he felt her hands touch his, he jerked his head back up.

Holly reached out to take the blanket and pillow from him, her small hands not so subtly sliding over his larger, stronger ones. She looked up at him, heard the catch in his breath, watched as his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed hard. She had a feeling he was stripping her naked with his eyes, it wasn't the first time tonight, she'd seen the way he had been looking at her at the hospital. She could tell that her presence was having an effect on him, it had been all night, about as much as her body was betraying her if not more. He just wasn't making the first move. He was either hesitant or scared. She looked down at his muscled forearms, felt them flex under her touch as she caressed them, his grip tightening on the blanket. She turned her gaze back up to his. Her voice was soft when she spoke. "You've had every opportunity tonight. Why won't you kiss me?"

Gabe swallowed. Hard. He felt like all the air had been knocked out of him. He stared down at her freckled face, into her eyes that were clearly focused on him, at the fullness of her lips, biting back a groan as she bit her bottom lip. He felt his heart slam against his ribcage and his grip tightened on the quilt, as her soft hands slid over the back of his, her manicured nails lightly scratching his skin. He wanted to feel those hands all over his body, especially wrapped around his cock, and that mere thought had a sudden rush of blood heading south. He shouldn't be thinking about that, but he couldn't help it. She was right here in front of him. "It's been five years... I didn't think I'd... You're younger than me... I was afraid that if I did... Damn it, Holly, I won't be able to fuckin' stop," he choked out.

"Gabriel," she whispered, inching closer, the blanket and pillow in his hands still separating them, her warm palms sliding up his muscled, hair-dusted forearms to the cuffs of his shirt sleeves. Her heart was pounding in her chest, making it almost difficult to breathe. She had him so flustered that he couldn't think straight, and he was having the very same effect on her. She stood on tiptoe, her fingers curling around his arms, leaning closer till her lips were a mere hairbreadth away from his, her warm breath fanning his lips as she spoke. "Shut up and kiss me."

Gabe lost his grip on the blanket, letting it fall to the floor between them as he growled something incoherent, shoving his fingers into her hair and bringing his open mouth down on hers hard and fast, his tongue forcing her mouth open even more as his kiss assaulted her senses. His cock grew achingly hard, straining against the soft, loose material of his pajama pants, throbbing for the release only her body could give him. He took several steps forward, forcing her backwards till the seat of the couch was pressed into the back of her calves, and she dropped down onto it, pulling him down with her. He caught his weight with his hand on the back of the couch, his other hand fisting into her soft curls as he deepened the kiss, swallowing her moan of pure pleasure. He wedged his knee into the cushion, holding the bulk of his body above her, groaning as she arched against him, desperate to feel his weight pressing her down. He kissed her harder, his tongue delving deeper into her mouth, tasting her, stealing her breath, claiming her as his. At least for tonight.

Holly fisted the fingers of one hand into his shirt and curled the other one around the back of his corded neck, pulling him closer as she landed on the couch, arching her back and pressing her breasts against his chest. She moaned, kissing him back, her tongue sliding boldly past his to taste him, hearing his deep, resounding groan rumble up from his chest. She tightened her hold on him when she felt him shift his weight, taking her with him as he sat on the couch, and she instinctively straddled his lap, sitting on his muscular thighs.

She gasped for breath when he broke the kiss, only to lose it again when his hot, wet mouth found the side of her neck. She closed her eyes, her fingers clutching at him as his teeth lightly grazed her skin, as his hard, sucking kisses were bound to leave a mark or two. She could feel that long forgotten ache between her widespread thighs, feel the gush of wet heat saturate her core and she moaned, fisting her fingers into his hair, pressing her open mouth to his head, arching against him as his lips, teeth and tongue assaulted her neck.

Gabe lifted his mouth from her neck, his tongue bathing the tender spot, before raising his head. He drew in a ragged breath to calm his overwrought nerves, brushing the curls back from her face, her breathing just as labored as his, as he gazed deep into her eyes. His fingers slowly traced the side of her face, his thumb caressing the fullness of her bottom lip, a strangled groan escaping him when she slowly licked the pad of his thumb. "Breathtaking," he whispered, before kissing her again, swallowing her moan and wrapping his arm around her, sliding his hand under her shirt, caressing her heated skin with the palm of his hand, groaning as she arched against him.

His mouth devoured hers as his hand stroked her back, over her ribs, his thumb gliding along the side of her breast, groaning as she shifted her weight, as she rocked her hips, rubbing the wet heat of her thinly covered pussy hard against the ridge of his throbbing, aching cock. He reached down and grabbed the fullest part of her ass cheek with his hand, digging his fingers in hard as he stilled the motion of her hips, tearing his mouth from hers. He drew in a shaky breath, his mouth pressed against her cheek. "I'm so fuckin' hard. Don't do that, baby, or I'll cum right here," he managed to say between labored breaths.