Chapter 6
Talk about building up a girl�s expectations and then dashing them into the ground, Jo was so confused she didn�t know what was going on. One
minute he had her in his arms and was kissing her like she hadn�t been kissed in so long and then he was gone, like mist, he practically evaporated
before her eyes. She was restless all night and couldn�t sleep as the memory of his lips haunted her.
And now it was Christmas Eve. There was no denying her feelings any longer. She was in love with him. It was crazy she knew it. She had tried to be
logical and reasonable but no matter how Jo tried to rationalize it all, she still couldn�t. He kept coming in and out of her life as if by magic. He
always managed to appear but it had now been two days and there had been no sign of him anywhere. After their kiss on Sunday night, Jo was sure
he would show up at the store on Monday, but he never came by. She would have called him, but the number was unlisted. The store would close in
an hour and then she was off to join all the clerks for a Christmas Eve dinner. She had been scanning the crowds all day hoping that Brian would
surprise her and come by, but he never did. Jo began to wonder if she had done something wrong. Maybe I wasn�t eager enough when he kissed me,
she wondered as she straightened up the tiny sleepers on the display. And why only that one kiss? Jo was afraid that it was over before it ever
began.
~*~*~*~*~
He knew he left her abruptly. He had too. She felt so good in his arms and her lips, oh her lips. They were so soft and tasted so sweet that just
thinking about them made Brian yearn for another kiss. He knew if he had stayed, he would have wanted more. And he needed to consider Jo�s
feelings. There was no doubt in his mind that she liked the kiss as he remembered her body next to his and her eagerness to deepen it. But he didn�t
know how she felt about him. After all, when they had first met she was still in a relationship, even though it was on the verge of collapse. She was
worth the restraint on his part. So Brian stayed away. As much as he wanted to go by the store or her apartment on Monday he held back.
He moped around the house a good part of the day and Jackie questioned him a number of times if he was feeling all right. Brian assured her he was
fine but she could tell that something was wrong. The only other times he ever acted this way was when there was a girl involved. Jackie grinned as
she put the pie in the oven. She had hoped that by now he would have settled down like his brother, but somehow love eluded Brian. Oh, he had his
fare share of women, but none of them lasted very long with one exception. And even then, it wasn�t strong enough to keep them together. She
prayed that maybe this time he had found someone to build a life with.
~*~*~*~*~
It was nearly 2:00 a.m. as Jo pulled up in front of her building. She was tired. Her day and been long yet extremely enjoyable. After work there had
been dinner with a group from the store and then they all went back to Liz and Jeff�s house for eggnog and caroling. Jo left in plenty of time for
midnight mass. It was another thing she had planned to do this year. She always had to go with Sam to his church for their Christmas Eve service and
then would go to an early mass on Christmas morning. Jo locked the car door. As she approached her front door a figure emerged from the shadows.
"Jo!" There Brian stood. Jo�s heart leapt in her chest as he walked towards her.
"Brian! What are you�" He put an arm around her waist and rested his fingertips on her lips.
"I couldn�t stay away. I�ve been driving for two hours and all I could think about was you. For the last two days, I haven�t thought of anything but
you and how I walked out on Sunday night and what you must have thought." He gazed into her eyes and Jo just stood there transfixed. She tried to
speak but Brian kept right on. "I didn�t want to leave, but if I stayed," he stopped and Jo waited hanging on his every word, "I�I would have," his
hand grazed her cheek, "I would have never wanted to leave." Jo closed her eyes at his touch. "I came home for Christmas with the intention of
sorting out some changes I needed to make in my life. I knew I couldn�t stay in California. I was beginning to lose touch with who I was and I knew it.
I realized it was time to come home to my roots but never did I imagine I would fall in love." Jo gasped as his words sunk in.
Jo�s breathing became shallow as his words played over and over in her head. A light snow began to fall. Jo looked up and Brian followed her. When
they both lowered their heads he cupped her face in his hands. There was more to say but at that moment all he wanted was to taste her lips. He
pulled her closer as his mouth took hers slowly at first and then he applied more pressure. Jo groaned as his warm tongue parted her lips and sought
out hers. When he pulled back there were tears in her eyes.
"Hey, I know this is a shock, it is to me too, and I�ll completely understand if I have overstepped�" This time Jo put her fingers on his lips.
"You don�t understand. I thought I had done something wrong. I kept thinking over and over what I did to make you leave." She lowered her eyes.
"I wanted this Christmas season to be different too. I didn�t want to stand on the sidelines and read about all the community celebrations, I wanted to
be part of them, but I never anticipated falling in love either." She looked up into Brian�s solemn face.
"You too?" She nodded at him.
"Yes. I had begun to see that what I had with Sam wasn�t�it�we would never get beyond a comfortable companionship. He was happy with that and
for a while I was too. But there was no fun any more, only commitments. I didn�t matter, only he did. And the love was gone, if it was ever there to
begin with. I realized I want more. And then you came into my life and suddenly the world opened up in front of me again."
The snow continued to fall but neither one of them seemed to notice as it began to accumulate on the ground. Brian knew it was late but something
kept him riveted to the spot. His arms went around Jo�s waist and pulled her tight against him. He kissed her softly. "It� late and�"
"Don�t go." She pleaded as she held onto the lapels of his coat.
"It�s cold and snowing and�"
"And I don�t want you to leave." She took him by the hand and walked up to her front door. Once inside Brian pushed her against the door. This
time his lips were hard, as they punished hers. He removed her coat and Jo pushed his off his shoulders. She worked on his jacket and tie as he felt
for the buttons or zipper on her dress. Suddenly he stopped.
"Jo, wait," he searched her face. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I�ve never been so sure of anything in my life." She led him back to her bedroom and lifted her dress over her head to reveal a short black
chemise. Brian sucked in his breath at the sight of her.
Later on when she thought back to their first time together, Jo had no recollection of how their clothes wound up in a heap on the floor or how Brian
lifted her and placed in the middle of her bed. But the rest was etched in her mind forever. His touch was gentle yet he knew how to apply the right
amount of pressure to make her body ache for release. He teased her until she finally begged him to let her body give over to the feelings building
up within her. As he slid his length inside her, Jo arched her body up to meet his movements. Each thrust sent her further and further towards her
climax until she let go and her muscles tightened around him and he was bathed in her femininity. As Brian felt her orgasm pulse around him, he
gave over to his need as well. With one more deep thrust he shuddered with his own release. Brian rested his head on her shoulder as their bodies,
covered in a thin coat of sweat, hung onto the final vestiges of their joining. Her arms grasped his shoulders holding him close, as if by doing so the
moment would last forever. Finally Brian drew himself up and kissed her tenderly.
"I love you," Brian whispered as he rolled on his side taking her into his embrace.
"I love you too." Jo settled in his arms. Brian pulled the blankets around them and in minutes they both fell asleep.
Chapter 7
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