Page 9 of Putting the SeX in Xmas

Great. He didn’t know how to cook, either. So why had he suggested they fix Christmas dinner together? He’d said he’d never baked a fowl, but she’d hoped he fixed his own daily fare, at least.

“Afterward, we could go to my place for dessert.” Andrew winked.

Damn. His wink was sexy. “Dessert? Hmm. I like the sound of that.”

“Good,” he said, grinning as he rose to leave. “And since it could be a tiring evening…” He waggled his eyebrows. “Why not bring along a few things and spend the night at my place?”

* * * *

Yahoo! When Andrew left, Kati executed a few of the cheers she’d done when she was on the pep squad in high school. Hip, hip, hooray!

A rap-a-tap on the door startled her. But she knew Tara’s knock. “Come in!” she sang out.

“Somebody obviously had a great lay,” Tara said, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms. Wearing red flannel jammies and green fuzzy slippers with turned-up toes sporting bells, she made quite the picture.

“How can you tell?” Kati struck a pose. Hands behind her head. Chin in the air. A huge smile on her face. Followed by laughter. “He asked me to bring stuff to spend the night, Tara! My plan, AKA my Christmas list for Santa, is working. He initiated sex—first on the agenda. Next, I took over and orchestrated the fuck. Not on my list, he reclaimed control. And wow! He stayed all night, and we got it on twice, once more last evening and again this morning. Now, he’s invited me to sleep over at his house. Next? He asks me to move in.”

Tara rolled her eyes.

Kati chuckled. She wasn’t going to let her friend’s cynicism discourage her. In a brief floral gown and tiny cover-up, she felt romantic, sexy and a teensy bit superior. Tara always disparaged her ideas, but Kati was the one with a boyfriend.

“You are calculating, you know,” Tara said.

“So what does it matter? It’s working, and he and I are both happy.”

Tara sat cross-legged in an armchair. “Has it occurred to you that while you kept your hands off Andrew, you still seduced him? Oysters. A black lace garter belt and silk stockings. Your boobs bursting out.”

Kati blinked rapidly. “It’s not the same. I appealed to his senses without touching his body parts.”

“Think what you want.”

“And it was his idea to stay over last night,” Kati reminded Tara.

“Whatever. I never did think who seduced whom was important.” Tara shrugged. “I’m starved, and something smells good. Any leftovers from breakfa

st?”

“I think so.” Kati led the way to the kitchen. “So you don’t think anything’s changed?” she asked, motioning her friend to take a chair.

“He’s asked you to stay over. So that’s progress.” Tara patted Kati’s shoulder. “I’m sorry if I’m a grouch. I pulled a twelve-hour shift last night. I need sleep. I’m hungry. Plus I’m jealous as hell of your love affair, even if I disapprove of your methods.”

Really? Kati could understand that, considering Tara’s lack of sex recently.

“Looks like you’re in luck. There’s still some French toast batter.” Kati dipped two pieces of thick bread in the egg and milk mixture and put them in a hot skillet. The syrup was still on the table. She laid out a fork and poured Tara some coffee.

“Boy, do I need that.” Tara plopped down at the table and took a swallow. “Another thing. I was asked to work Christmas night at the hospital. I don’t have a boyfriend, and my parents are going to visit my divorced sister and her brats on the West Coast. So I said I would. But it’s bumming me out.”

“Aw, sweetie.” Kati patted Tara on the head. Tara was seldom glum, and Kati didn’t know how to help. She didn’t know any guys to fix her up with.

“I have nothing to look forward to,” Tara said, plucking a cold sausage off a platter.

Kati popped the remaining sausage link in the microwave. “How would you like to join forces with me? It would be a distraction, at least. I have a British Christmas celebration to plan, and I don’t know how or where to start.”

She dished up Tara’s breakfast and sat down opposite her. “I confess, I was kind of counting on you. I couldn’t even prepare an ordinary dinner for Andrew. How am I going to make a feast? And what about the crackers?” Her voice rose as her fear mounted. She should have worked out the details first. While she was moving along with her goals, Kati had no idea how to orchestrate her aha moment.

“Well…as I remember, I’m the one who urged you to do it. So, I can hardly say ‘no’ to helping you.” Tara stuck a bite of syrup-drenched French toast in her mouth and closed her eyes. “Yum. How is it you can make such a great breakfast and nothing else?”

“Mom taught me how to fix it for Dad and myself when I was just a kid. She doesn’t like to look at food early in the morning and never eats then.” Kati leant forward. “Do you think you could teach me how to cook other meals?”

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