I said. "The dance of choice in this house."
Mary looked at me critically. "A dancer's body."
"Former dancer, anyway," I said. I showed her the computer that controlled the music. "Feel free to put something else on, if you want, but there's no Christmas music. It's all dance music. I should go back upstairs, but make yourselves at home."
Another couple and a solo woman arrived ahead of Karen. I managed to avoid giving her a dirty look when she came up behind me and apologized in my ear.
I turned around, melted into her arms, and pulled her lips into a kiss. She wrapped her arms around me automatically, but I could tell she was surprised. She broke the kiss, but I held her tightly so she wouldn't back away and ruin it all. "It's all right, honey. I'm glad you're home."
It was after eight before I pulled Karen downstairs, making a big deal about it. Several couples followed us. The music had stopped, so I put on some tango and changed my shoes then stepped into Karen's arms.
No one else tangoed, but we had several people watching us. When we were done, we got applause. Karen looked embarrassed about it, but sometime later, Charlie and Sue, two of Karen's employees, cornered me. Charlie said, "We've never seen this side of Karen. But now we know where all the treats are coming from."
I laughed. "I think she's just keeping me for the holidays," I said. "But we're having a nice time together while it lasts."
"Don't be crazy," Sue said. "She's madly in love with you." Then Karen wandered close and Charlie changed the subject. I didn't have a chance to tell Sue she was mistaken.
I flirted lightly with Karen throughout the evening, and we stood with our arms around each other while saying goodbye to the guests. As soon as the door was closed, I pulled away from her and checked on how the caterers were doing cleaning up. They were efficient, and the place didn't look too bad when they left.
Karen stood around watching, getting in my way a few times and looking out of place in her own home. Finally I told her, " I have it covered, Karen. You've had a long day. You can relax. I'm almost done. "
"Are you angry at me? I'm sorry I was late."
"No big deal," I said. "I had it handled. I didn't come across as pissy , did I? I thought everyone found me charming."
"You were perfect," she said. "But you seem mad."
I turned to look at her. I didn't know what she wanted from me. She'd asked for a warm, inviting home. I thought I'd been providing that. She asked for a fake girlfriend in front of other people. I thought I'd done that, too, as weird as it was. I'd done her Christmas cards and handled her party. Finally I told her, "You're confusing me, boss." I stressed the last word.
She looked into my eyes.
"You were brilliant tonight," she said. "And the party was a great success. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I turned around and finished cleaning up.
* * *
Later in bed, I thought about the kiss I'd given her. I'd been disappointed when it ended.
She was definitely confusing me.
* * *
The next morning, I was relaxing downstairs when Karen came down. "Madeline," she said.
"Good morning."
"I was wondering. Would you cook for the dinner party next Saturday?"
"I thought you were catering all the events."
"This is six close friends," she said. "I can pay you extra."
"It's not the money, Karen," I told her. "It's my personal abilities. I'm not up to anything much fancier than what I've been making for you. I could try, but it wouldn't turn out very good. If you're trying to impress anyone, it would be a failure."
"What could you do, if you were going to cook?"
I thought about it. "Let's use an example. Let's say I did a turkey dinner. Thanks giving was just a few weeks ago; people may not want turkey again. But let's say I did it anyway. I'd make boxed stuffing instead of real stuffing, and canned cranberries from the store instead of canning my own."
"That sounds lovely," Karen told me.
I cocked my head. "What are you
Mary looked at me critically. "A dancer's body."
"Former dancer, anyway," I said. I showed her the computer that controlled the music. "Feel free to put something else on, if you want, but there's no Christmas music. It's all dance music. I should go back upstairs, but make yourselves at home."
Another couple and a solo woman arrived ahead of Karen. I managed to avoid giving her a dirty look when she came up behind me and apologized in my ear.
I turned around, melted into her arms, and pulled her lips into a kiss. She wrapped her arms around me automatically, but I could tell she was surprised. She broke the kiss, but I held her tightly so she wouldn't back away and ruin it all. "It's all right, honey. I'm glad you're home."
It was after eight before I pulled Karen downstairs, making a big deal about it. Several couples followed us. The music had stopped, so I put on some tango and changed my shoes then stepped into Karen's arms.
No one else tangoed, but we had several people watching us. When we were done, we got applause. Karen looked embarrassed about it, but sometime later, Charlie and Sue, two of Karen's employees, cornered me. Charlie said, "We've never seen this side of Karen. But now we know where all the treats are coming from."
I laughed. "I think she's just keeping me for the holidays," I said. "But we're having a nice time together while it lasts."
"Don't be crazy," Sue said. "She's madly in love with you." Then Karen wandered close and Charlie changed the subject. I didn't have a chance to tell Sue she was mistaken.
I flirted lightly with Karen throughout the evening, and we stood with our arms around each other while saying goodbye to the guests. As soon as the door was closed, I pulled away from her and checked on how the caterers were doing cleaning up. They were efficient, and the place didn't look too bad when they left.
Karen stood around watching, getting in my way a few times and looking out of place in her own home. Finally I told her, " I have it covered, Karen. You've had a long day. You can relax. I'm almost done. "
"Are you angry at me? I'm sorry I was late."
"No big deal," I said. "I had it handled. I didn't come across as pissy , did I? I thought everyone found me charming."
"You were perfect," she said. "But you seem mad."
I turned to look at her. I didn't know what she wanted from me. She'd asked for a warm, inviting home. I thought I'd been providing that. She asked for a fake girlfriend in front of other people. I thought I'd done that, too, as weird as it was. I'd done her Christmas cards and handled her party. Finally I told her, "You're confusing me, boss." I stressed the last word.
She looked into my eyes.
"You were brilliant tonight," she said. "And the party was a great success. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I turned around and finished cleaning up.
* * *
Later in bed, I thought about the kiss I'd given her. I'd been disappointed when it ended.
She was definitely confusing me.
* * *
The next morning, I was relaxing downstairs when Karen came down. "Madeline," she said.
"Good morning."
"I was wondering. Would you cook for the dinner party next Saturday?"
"I thought you were catering all the events."
"This is six close friends," she said. "I can pay you extra."
"It's not the money, Karen," I told her. "It's my personal abilities. I'm not up to anything much fancier than what I've been making for you. I could try, but it wouldn't turn out very good. If you're trying to impress anyone, it would be a failure."
"What could you do, if you were going to cook?"
I thought about it. "Let's use an example. Let's say I did a turkey dinner. Thanks giving was just a few weeks ago; people may not want turkey again. But let's say I did it anyway. I'd make boxed stuffing instead of real stuffing, and canned cranberries from the store instead of canning my own."
"That sounds lovely," Karen told me.
I cocked my head. "What are you
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