A Merry Little Christmas by Melanie Schuster Page A

thought. I knew something was up. “So what’s next? What’s your plan?” Paris asked with a sly smile.
    “My plan? I have no plan other than trying to avoid him for the next few months until he forgets all about last night. I’m telling you, Paris, it may have been a harmless gesture that kind of backfired but he’s going to hold this over my head forever. I still can’t believe I did that.” She sighed, rubbing her hand across her forehead. “If I had to lose my itty-bitty mind last night, why on earth did I lose it with him? Why?” Again, she moaned dramatically as she once more threw herself face down on the bed.
    This time Paris did give a short burst of laughter, but she also gave Angelique a comforting pat on the back. “C’mon, girl, it’s not that bad. Let’ s get ready to go, you know everybody is expecting us at Alan’s. You’ll feel better once you’ve faced him and see it’s not as bad as you think.”
    Angelique rolled over and looked at Paris as though she’d lost her mind. “Are you crazy? I’m not going anywhere near that open house! In fact, I’m not going near any of the Cochrans until Easter, at least! Adonis Bennett Cochran is the last person on earth I want to see.”

 
     
     
    Chapter Four
    Donnie’s reaction to events of the previous evening was slightly different from Angelique’s. He had risen early the next day and taken Jordan and Pippen out for a run, a much longer run than usual, and they were now lolling in front of his fireplace, dead to the world. Donnie would have joined them in slumber, but his mind was in overdrive. After what had happened between him and Angelique the night before, he had a lot to think about Some details were hazy, such as the moments right before the kiss, but one thing was certain: Angelique had kissed him . An unexpected, unsolicited and completely delightful kiss, at that.
    He was stretched out on his long, comfortable leather sofa with his eyes closed, and anyone observing him would have thought him asleep. On the contrary, he was thinking about the moment Angelique had pulled him down to her level so she could touch her lips to his. It was something he wasn’t going to forget not ever. The heady fragrance of her perfume wrapped around him like the warm moisture of a steam bath and the softness of her lips sent a sensation through him that was like nothing he’d ever experienced. He felt her start to pull away from him and he took over, tightening his arms around her slender form so that the delightful warmth of her, the taste of her wouldn’t be lost to him.
    A soft sound of surprise had made her moist, tasty lips part just enough for his ravening tongue to seek hers out. When he deepened the kiss, he did so hungrily, like a starving man given his first meal in weeks. He completely lost himself in the hot sensations Angelique generated in his body. As she slid her arms around his neck and strained on her toes to get closer to him, he held her even tighter and slid his questing hands down to cup her behind, squeezing it gently but firmly. She might have started the kiss, but he was controlling it now, kissing her passionately over and over, and tasting the sweetness of her mouth while she did the same to him. He could still hear the arousing little sounds of pleasure she made as her enticingly firm breasts pressed against his chest. Only the fact that other people were entering the room made him stop kissing her. Left to his desires, they’d still be locked together in a passionate embrace, but it wouldn’t have stopped at kissing.
    As he lay on the couch, his stomach muscles tightened and other parts of his body reacted almost as strongly as they had last night. A convulsive shudder passed over him, and he welcomed the abrupt sound of his doorbell. Jumping up from t he couch, he adjusted his jeans.  H e was wearing an ancient Howard University sweatshirt that mercifully covered his now-hard member. He glared at the offending