A Gift of Love for Christmas

Only One Thing

River's POV

I smiled as Lyra approached me. I had actually thought that she wouldn't show up. So I was impressed to see her.

‘It is freezing cold out here. Why are you wearing only a Jersey?’ Lyra asked as she took my extended hand.

‘I am supposed to be a tough guy, so I guess I should be able to withstand the cold,’ I said, then winked at her.

‘Have you ever heard that tough guys come down with pneumonia?’ She asked raising a brow.

‘I heard but I also heard that I am tougher than most tough guys,’ I said teasingly.

‘Who told you that?’ She asked glancing at the rink.

‘I had a girlfriend who had dated all the tough guys around, so when she started dating me, she discovered I was tougher than any of them,’ I said, smiling.

‘Nice,’ she said, then turned away, but not before I saw the jealousy in her eyes.

‘Do you believe that story?’ I asked frowning slightly.

‘You are well-traveled, and you must have met a lot of girls,’ Lyra said, shrugging.

‘When did you become so stuck up, that was supposed to be a joke,' I said watching her with a frown.

She turned to me and closed her eyes for a second before she opened them and said, ‘I am sorry that I took that seriously. I guess I just haven't had a playful banter in a while.’

‘I will help you make up for that little sis,’ I said smiling teasingly.

‘If you dare call me little sis one more time, I will walk away from here,’ Lyra said glaring at me.

‘What do you want me to call you then?’ I asked looking deep into her eyes.

‘Anything but don't call me little sis again. Besides, I have a name for Christ’s sake,' Lyra said.

‘Babe, sweetheart, darling, my love. Take your pick,’ I said, then placed both hands on her cheeks, forcing her to look into my eyes.

‘What?’ She asked looking confused about what I just said.

‘I asked you to take a pick. Whatever you want me to call you,’ I said.

‘My name is fine,’ Lyra said, then she slid her tongue over her lower lip in a bid to wet them. My eyes picked up on her action and tingles went down my spine.

My gaze became more intense on her. I wanted to kiss her right there but the shout of one of the team getting a goal in the net of the other team got my attention. I probably would have ignored the shout but someone chose that moment to bump into us.

‘I am sorry, I tripped and almost fell, so I …oh my God, River Brown. It is you,’ the person said looking very surprised. It took me seconds to recognize her.

‘Harper James,' I said on realizing who she was.

‘Yes. What are you doing here?’ Harper asked laughing and unable to hide how happy she was to see me.

‘This is my home town. Remember?’ I asked wondering why she was asking such a question.

‘I heard you are now a big man in Pittsburgh and you had companies all over the country. I didn't expect you would ever come to a town like Logsville ever again,’ Harper said.

‘Really? Anyway, my parents are still here so I should come home. Even if they are not, this is my hometown,’ I said.

‘It is so nice to see you again,n River,’ Harper said,d and I could see that she had totally ignored Lyra’s presence.

‘Remember Lyra?’ I asked intentionally bringing her attention to Lyra.

‘Lyra? Yes Lyra, your little sister. I am sorry I didn't recognize her. I thought she was…’ Harper said then left the sentence unfinished.

That made me understand that she had actually thought it was someone else and she was intentionally given her attitude. I thought Harper would have been over her crush on me all those years ago.

She had embarrassed herself at some point while we were still in school. She was my three years junior. She had gone around school spreading the news that we were dating. Out of anger, I confronted her in the presence of everyone. Although I regretted it, I never apologized to her.

‘Hello Harper,' Lyra greeted her.

‘Hello, Lyra. How are you doing and how is Phil?’

‘He is fine. Thank you,’ Lyra answered but not with a smile like I had expected.

‘I heard you were married with a kid now. Are your husband and child somewhere around?’ Harper asked looking around as if she could identify them.

‘No,’ Lyra’s answer was clipped as she turned back to the game going on in the rink.

‘River, since you will be in town, can we probably link up, you know, for old time's sake?’ Harper asked with her voice reduced to a whisper as if she was trying to make sure I was the only one who should hear her.

‘I can't promise you anything right now but I will try,’ I said.

Harper dug into the back pocket of her jean trousers and then produced a sheet of paper. She then got a pen out of her side pocket and wrote on the paper.

‘Call me,’ Harper said as she bent to me, making sure that her breasts were rubbing my arm as she whispered into my ears. She slipped the paper into my hands as slowly as she could so that she could run her fingers on my palm. I nodded just to get rid of her. I knew that Lyra was already angry with the way her shoulders stood.

Harper said goodbye to Lyra before she left but Lyra pretended to be carried away by the game going on in the rink and didn't answer Harper.

Five minutes after Harper had left Lyra still didn't speak to me nor turn her face from the rink.

‘You are alright?’ I asked.

‘Oh, you are still here? I expected you to have gone with her,' Lyra said pretending to be surprised to see that I was still standing there.

‘Are you jealous?’ I asked.

‘Jealous of who. Harper the flirt? Please I have more dignity than that,’ Lyra hissed.

‘I am cold and need to get my coat from the car. Care to come with me?’ I asked changing the topic.

I wasn't lying that I was cold but I also needed to get her away from there so that we could talk properly.

‘Why not?’ She said and I released the breath I hadn't known that I was holding. I had thought she would say no.

We walked briskly in the distance to the car. I had parked some reasonable distance from the rink just because I had hoped we might be able to talk.

‘Get inside,’ I said once I opened the car.

She got in the passenger side and sat down. I got in and sat in the driver's seat, took my coat from the back, and laid it on my lap before turning on the heater in the car.

‘I thought we were here to pick your coat. Why are you turning the heater on?’ Lyra asked looking at me with suspicion.

‘I want to warm up a little before going back out there. Care for hot coffee?’ I asked.

‘Hot chocolate is fine. How do you intend to get that?’ Lyra asked, then raised a brow at me. ‘If you think I am getting down from this car then walking all the way to get the coffee or chocolate, then you are mistaken,' she said, then wrapped her hands around her chest in a challenge.

I picked up my phone, typed rapidly on it, and then dropped it before I asked her, ‘Why can't you do that for a cold soul like me?’

‘You are a tough guy, aren't you? So you should be able to take the cold without needing to drink anything hot,’ she said, pouting.

I felt like kissing that lovely pout, but I held myself back; I could not have her running when I had yet to get what I wanted.

‘Are you that heartless?’ I asked playfully.

‘Yes. When it comes to people who make stupid decisions like leaving a jacket in the car when it is cold because they think they are tough,’ Lyra hissed, and I laughed.

After I sobered up, I took her hand in mine and turned it palm up, sliding my fingers on the palm and looking into her eyes, those beautiful eyes.

‘Lyra, I want to ask you a question and I will be glad if you answer me truthfully, please,’ I said making sure I was holding her gaze

‘What is the question?’ Lyra asked but her voice had thickened. I smiled with the realization that I actually affected her.

‘Why did you turn me down that Christmas?’ I asked.

‘We are older now, River. Can't we just get past that?’ Lyra asked sweetly.

‘No. The boy who got hurt that day needs closure. I need to know what I did wrong,’ I said.

‘You…’ Lyra was cut short by the tap on my side window. I wound down and Kobe handed me the hot chocolate and coffee.

‘I should have known,’ Lyra said smiling and shaking her head as she greeted Kobe.

I wound up and handed her the cup of hot chocolate. She took a sip and moaned. That went straight to my little man.

‘You were saying?’ I said going back to our discussion.

‘I know this might sound childish, but I overheard you two days before Christmas telling one of the people you worked with at the resort that you wanted a girl you could use and dump that Christmas before you left for Pittsburgh,’ Lyra said, then turned away, and I winced. It was all a misunderstanding.

‘I remember saying that but I didn't mean it. The boy had gotten on my nerves about his sister wanting to date me, so I told him all I wanted was a girl I could use and dump to get him off my back,’ I said, and we both lapsed into silence after Lyra said she was sorry without looking at me.

When I couldn't take the silence anymore, I dropped my cup of coffee on the car floor at the back, then collected hers and dropped it beside mine carefully not to spill it, then hurled her out of her seat into my lap.

‘River what are you doing?’ Lyra asked in surprise, but I covered her mouth with mine, cutting off her protest.

I had meant to punish her with the kiss but I hadn't even started when I melted into her mouth. Damn, she tasted fantastic. Only one thing mattered at that moment, her.