All I Want For Christmas
"So, do you have any big plans for the day?" Lulu Spencer asked her boyfriend, Dante Falconeri, as he sat across from her at the table, the sports section in front of him and a fork full of scrambled eggs in his hand.
"Not really," he answered, taking a bite. His eyes narrowed as he perused the baseball highlights, then grew wider, as some headline caught his attention.
"Can you believe this guy?" Dante asked her, truly amazed, as he read the article in front of him, "The Yankees offer an unbelievable amount of money and he turned them down," he said throwing the paper on the table in disgust, "to go back to the Phillies? The team that traded him in the first place. What the hell?"
"Is that bad?" Lulu questioned Dante, her eyebrow raised, as a grin began to transform her face. Dante was pretty damn sexy when he became riled over baseball.
"Well, it's not the end of the world. At least Boston signed Crawford and paid way too much. He won't be taking them anywhere near the Series. But, the Phillies, hell, they have the best pitching rotation next year," Dante told her in exasperation, holding his head in his hands and raking his hands through his hair.
"It is going to take every Yankee fan in the nation, and a few million Hail Mary's to pull a World Series out of this," Dante shared, "but, we can do it. You just see," Dante answered, more to himself, than to Lulu.
"So, you aren't planning on doing any shopping today?" Lulu hinted, placing her chin in her hands and smiling at Dante.
"Shopping? Baby, unless it's for a piece of Yankee history, not happening. Besides, your birthday isn't until August," he answered, nonchalantly, "Unless, you are trying to get me out of this apartment. You were planning on searching this place for your Christmas gift, weren't you?"
"Me? Search this place?" Lulu grinned, "I assure you, the thought never entered my mind, Dante. But, you? I heard you stumbling around the kitchen last night. What were you doing?"
"I wanted a sandwich," Dante answered, offended, "Are you insinuating that I was ransacking this place for my Christmas gift?"
"Damn straight, I am," Lulu replied, with a mischievous grin.
"I am just so disappointed in you right now, Lulu," Dante replied, pretending to be miffed, "I thought that you trusted me."
"With my life, honey. But, not the location of your Christmas gift. Besides, you can look all day, honey. You'll never find it," Lulu smirked.
"Never? That is a pretty strong word, Lulu. Not that I am admitting to looking, cause I am not and I wasn't," Dante told her, setting the paper aside and leaning over the table to kiss her on the lips.
"You know Santa doesn't deliver presents to little boys that tell lies, Dante," Lulu grinned, turning her head to the right, so that he missed her lips and landed a kiss on her cheek instead.
"I'm pretty sure that I was a very good boy this year, Lulu. So, I know that Santa is going to be extra generous with my stocking this year."
"Your stocking? It's a sock, Dante. You put a Yankee sock on the mantle above our fireplace."
"First of all, it's a fake fireplace, so we have nothing to worry about and secondly, I happen to know that Santa Claus is a HUGE Yankees fan," Dante informed her with a grin.
"Really? Santa is a sports fan?" Lulu laughed, shaking her head, "You're just trying to change the subject, Dante. You haven't bought my Christmas gift, have you? I mean, look at this place, other than your sock on the mantle, Dante, there isn't a single decoration. You forgot."
"I've been working and I did buy your gift, weeks ago, actually. Don't think that I don't see what you are doing, Lulu? You're trying to get me to break? To tell you where I hid it? I'm a detective, Lulu Spencer," he told her, placing a finger against his temple, "I'm on to you."
"Prove it," Lulu accused, hands on her hips, trying to hold in her laughter.
"How?" Dante asked, suspiciously, sliding his chair back, and moving toward Lulu.
"Tomorrow is Christmas, Dante. Look around you, does it look like it?" Lulu questioned him, staring at the lone item in the room, his Yankees sock hanging from the mantle.
"I didn't really have a reason to decorate last year, did I, Lulu?" Dante grinned, kissing her on the lips, "I guess that we could hang a stocking for you. But, no red ones. There will be no Red Sox in this loft."
"I don't want a stocking, Dante. Well, I do, but, Dante, it's our first Christmas together. I want us to look for a tree together. I want us to decorate it."
"Together?" Dante answered, laughing, "Lulu, "I'm all thumbs when it comes to this kind of stuff. Holidays are about football games, beer, food and more football."
"Please. I want this Christmas to be special, Dante," Lulu said, expressing her feelings for him by placing strategic kisses along his neck,"I even bought a surprise gift for you."
"Really? What kind of surprise are we talking about?"
"Help me decorate, Dante and I'll not only tell you, honey, I'll show you," Lulu replied, seductively.
"Mm, I like that idea," Dante smiled, completely turned on by Lulu's display of affection, "How hard can it be to find a tree, right? It shouldn't take more than an hour at the most," he said, honestly, kissing her soundly on the lips, before heading toward the shower, "You know, you could join me."
"In a minute," Lulu answered, pulling up the cushions from the couch and looking underneath for any signs of her gift.
"Dammit, where could it be? Aha, maybe, it's underneath," she whispered out loud, getting on her hands and her knees and searching underneath the bottom of the couch.
"Lulu, baby, what are you doing?" Dante asked, in bewilderment, a smirk on his face, as he caught Lulu red-handed, looking for her Christmas gift.
"Ouch," Lulu yelled, hitting her head on the bottom of the coffee table, as Dante suddenly appeared above her, "Don't do that. You scared me."
"Are you all right?" Dante asked, dropping to his knees and checking her scalp for any signs of injury. When he was confident that she was fine, he kissed her softly on the lips and grinned.
"You're not going to find anything."
"I wasn't-"
"You were too," he answered, standing.
"For your information, Dante, I lost something. Um, my earring," Lulu said, reaching for her earlobe.
"You weren't wearing any earrings during breakfast," Dante informed her, with a sly look.
"Exactly, Dante. I must have lost them when we were otherwise occupied last night," she hinted, as Dante's smile lit up.
Lulu pretended to continue searching, her pajama bottom tilted toward him. He had never seen anything sexier in his life. He didn't believe for a second that she was searching for her earrings. But, the sight of her on her hands and knees was sending him signals that he liked very much. But, dammit, if he let her continue, no matter how beneficial to him, she could figure out where some of them were hiding.
"Baby, the shower is running," Dante told her, as she turned to him with a confused look.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go, I'll just keep looking-" she answered, with a startled sound, as Dante reached for her, hoisting her over his shoulder and carrying her toward the bathroom.
"Dante Falconeri, you put me down this instant!" she shouted, smacking his very well-toned backside.
"So that you can tear this place apart for your gift? Not a chance, Lulu. Besides, baby, Santa is watching. He wants, no he needs to know that you have been a good girl this year," Dante told her, placing her on her feet outside the shower.
"He told you this," Lulu smiled, reaching for the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head to reveal her breasts beneath.
"In the strictest of confidence," Dante whispered, his breathing becoming faster.
"Well, we wouldn't want to disappoint Santa, now would we?" Lulu told him, dropping her pajama bottoms and backing into the shower, letting the stream of water soak her skin.
"Ho, Ho, Ho," Dante answered with a grin, dropping his sweatpants and walking toward her. He pushed her back against the wall, lifting her, until her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms clung tightly to his shoulders. He kissed her soft at first, his lips barely touching hers, as her body pushed against him, tormenting his arousal. Looking down at her, he grinned, "Merry Christmas to me," Dante whispered against her lips, before forcing her arms against the shower wall and crushing his lips to hers.
He made love to her, fast and hard, his body's movements matching the fast tempo of his breathing, as she clung to him, grasped him, couldn't get enough of him. Nothing was more important than this man, this shower and her impending release. Nothing. The search for her Christmas gift a distant memory.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just put an artificial tree together?" Dante asked Lulu, as they stood amongst what trees remained on the lot. A sad bunch of trees, Dante thought, looking at their broken branches and leaning trunks.
"No, Scrooge, it wouldn't and we're staying. I know it's here someplace. I can smell it," Lulu told him, as Dante nearly laughed.
"I'm sorry baby, are we looking for a Christmas tree, or dinner?"
"Laugh all you want, Dante, but finding the perfect tree, it's what Christmas is all about. The pine needles give off a fragrance that remind you of standing in the middle of forest, the white snow under your feet and the air crisp and clean. It's the most amazing smell," Lulu told him, closing her eyes and using her nose to home in on that one perfect tree.
"Well, if anyone can find it, baby, I'm sure it's you," Dante chuckled, looking around him at the various trees. Balsam firs and Colorado Blue Spruce, he read on the sign, as he noted the Sold Out mark next to the different variety of trees. A tree was a tree. They all looked the same to him. If you've seen one tree, you've seen them all, he thought, as Lulu practically jumped up and down in front of him, releasing a shriek that nearly shocked the life from him. Apparently, she'd found their perfect tree, as her eyes grew wide and a huge smile lit her face. He watched her race toward the saddest bunch of trees he'd ever seen, to find the one buried within. A tag attached to a branch marked it as a Colorado Blue Spruce. Lulu turned toward him, grinning like she had found the Holy Grail.
"This is it," she said, pointing to a tree that stood over 6 ft tall, its branches spanning out several feet in each direction. It was a majestic tree. Enormous, really, Dante thought.
"We're going to need a step ladder," Dante told her, as he peered up at the tree that towered over their heads, "What about this one?" Dante asked, directing her gaze to a tree that was barely four feet tall, with branches snapped in two, "It looks like it could use some care."
"Seriously? Honey, that one is so small, we'll need a microscope to place the ornaments on it."
"Ornaments?" Dante exclaimed, a look of dread upon his face, as he realized that they were nowhere near ready to return to the loft.
"Yes, ornaments, Dante. What did you think they came fully decorated?" she laughed.
"I'd hoped," he answered, as a young lad who worked at the lot came toward them.
"Did you find the tree that you wanted?" he asked Dante, as Lulu pointed toward the Blue Spruce, "We did. We'll take this one here. We'll also need a tree stand if you have one."
"Of course. Can I just tell you what a great choice you've made. The best in the lot. If you just point me to your vehicle, I can have this tied and ready to be placed in your home in no time at all."
"You don't deliver?" Dante asked, walking toward the man, as Lulu stepped a few feet away looking at all of the firs.
"No sir. As you can see it's just me today, but I'm sure that we can have it strapped to your car very soon. Might I make a suggestion?" the kid asked, as Dante nearly gasped at the price that was laid out before him. Seventy-five bucks for a tree? Holy Shit.
"Since I should arrest you for nearly robbing me, go right ahead," Dante answered, reaching for his wallet.
"Well, we do offer sleigh rides. Very romantic," he hinted, as he directed his gaze at Lulu.
"Hm, romantic, you say. How much is it going to cost me?" Dante asked, looking inside his wallet and extracting a hundred bucks.
"More than that," the kid told him, with an irritated expression, "their horse-drawn sleighs, mister, not mules."
"Fine. How much?"
"Another fifty bucks should do it. Believe me, its worth the cost. Picture a ride through the countryside, snow all around you, the smell of the trees and your girl snuggled beside you."
"Just the two of us?" Dante asked him, as the kid snatched the money from his hand.
"Absolutely. Hey, Caleb, got you some more riders," the kid yelled, as Lulu walked toward Dante, a look of curiosity on her face.
"Riders? We going someplace," she said, smiling at Dante.
"It's a surprise. But, you'll have to close your eyes first," Dante told her, waiting for her to do so and then directing her toward the waiting sleigh. It really was a nice and romantic idea. The sleigh was red with gold trim, the seats covered in gray leather.
"You can open your eyes now, beautiful," he told her, knowing he scored big time, when she gasped and a look of delight transformed her face.
"Dante, this is incredible."
"My lady," he said, lending her a hand to assist her into the sleigh. Once she was seated, Dante hopped up alongside of her, reaching for the heavy blanket and tucking it around them.
Lulu leaned her head against his shoulder, his arms wrapped around her, using the blanket and his body's natural heat to hold off the cold wind.
"This is the most romantic thing that you have ever done. I love it," she told him, turning and placing a kiss upon his lips.
"Only the best for you, baby," he answered, leaning back against the seats, as the sleigh began to move across the snowy ground.
The sleigh ride took them on a path through the trees, the frozen water of the lake to their left and the majestic landscape of trees to their right. As it moved amongst the trees, Dante smelled the fragrance that Lulu marveled about; the pine needles exuding a scent that teased his nose, carried on the cold, crisp wind. It beat upon their faces, their cheeks reddened from the biting breeze. But, huddled beneath the blanket, with her resting against his chest, Dante couldn't think of a place that he'd rather be at this moment. He smiled, realizing that they hadn't spent a day like this in a long time. Nothing but the rustling wind around them, no cell phones ringing, no family popping in and out of his loft. Nothing but the quiet countryside.
When the ride was over the kid directed Dante and Lulu toward his car and true to his word, the tree was tied and the car ready to depart.
"I don't suppose I could bribe you to send someone to haul it into my loft and decorate it too," Dante replied, with a grin, as Lulu smacked him on the arm and sent him a very scolding look.
"You are going to help me decorate this tree, Dante Angelo Falconeri and you're going to love every second of it," she informed him, as he opened the door for her and she sat inside.
"Yes, Ma'am," he answered, shaking his head, as he looked at the size of the tree that was strapped to his Prius.
"God help me," he said aloud, as he reached for his cell phone, "Hey, Michael, it's Dante. How soon can you meet me at the loft?"
One hour later, Dante parallel-parked his car in a space in front of his loft, looking toward his steps where a very unhappy Michael was seated.
"What took you so long? I've been here for over an hour, Dante," Michael told him, with a disgruntled frown, as he directed his gaze to Lulu and smiled, "Hi, Lulu. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, to you too, Michael. How is the new place? Have you met your neighbors? Any cute girls?" Lulu drilled him, ushering Michael toward the stairs and inserting the key into the lock for Dante's elevator.
"Hey, I could use some help over here," Dante yelled, a box of Christmas odds and ends blocking his vision, as he attempted to walk up the stairs and toward the elevator.
"Be careful with that, Dante!" Lulu scolded, directing Dante to place the box in the elevator.
"Honey, do you mind grabbing the bags too. Michael was just about to tell me about his new neighbors," Lulu winked, as Dante shook his head and headed back toward the car.
"This is why I always made myself scarce when Ma and the rest of the Falconeri women decorated during the holidays. Us Falconeri men, always got stuck with the grunt work," Dante answered, a bit perturbed, as he hauled several bags of Christmas decorations and plants into his elevator.
"So, tell me," Lulu questioned Michael, excited to hear about his new experiences, "How is school?"
"It's fine. My classes are pretty basic right now. An econ class, biology and intro to writing, easy stuff. The dorm is pretty cool though. The food is a little on the horrible side," Michael answered, looking at Dante, who was pushing a huge box inside the loft, while juggling the bags of ornaments and garland.
"You know, you could ask your Ma to send some more casserole dishes to the dorm," Michael said, with a conspiratorial nod.
"She sent you enough for at least a week," Dante replied, "you couldn't have eaten all of it already."
"He's been entertaining, Dante," Lulu smiled, as she turned to Michael, "So, what's her name? Do you have any classes together?"
"Abby. She's really nice, Lulu. Easy to talk to and she actually listens to what I have to say. Mom hates her," Michael told Dante, who raised an eyebrow.
"Carly doesn't like her. She's perfect then. I say go for it," Dante grinned, kissing Lulu on the lips, "Have I mentioned how beautiful you are, baby? Cause you are. So hot, it should be illegal," Dante smiled, as Lulu looked on with a look of disdain, shaking her head.
"You're out of beer, aren't you?"
"Michael and I are going to have to haul that tree all the way up here, baby. We're going to get awfully thirsty," Dante begged.
"I'm fine with water, Lulu. Besides, technically I'm not old enough to drink yet," Michael said, as Dante gazed back at him in annoyance.
"I'll drink the beer, you can have bottled water. What do you say, babe?"
"Fine. But, in the ten minutes it will take me to pick up your Bismarks, I'd better see a tree in this loft. With all of its branches intact, Dante, understood?" Lulu told him, pointing her finger at him, while she stepped into the elevator.
"Come on, Michael," Dante said, ushering him into the elevator with Lulu, "We'll ride down with you," Dante replied, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her in close. He turned and smiled, all of his love and adoration for her written plain as day on his face, as he leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.
"I really appreciate it, baby."
"I know. Besides, shopping is extremely tiring. I could use a cold one, myself," Lulu answered, exiting the elevator before the boys, "Remember, don't break my branches. I'll know," she grinned, pointing at both of them.
"Wow. You are so whipped," Michael told Dante, nodding his head from left to right and grinning.
"Am not," Dante answered, in denial, "Besides, you just wait, little brother. Abby sticks around long enough, you'll be suffering through the same ordeal as me."
"Is it really that bad?" Michael asked Dante, pausing and directing his gaze to Dante, as they stood next to his car.
"It's the greatest feeling that you will ever experience, Michael. Bro, it'll change your life."
"Good. Cause I think that I really like Abby," Michael answered, as they untied the tree, each taking an end and hoisting it off of the car.
"Holy Shit," Michael said, feeling the weight of the tree, as his muscles burned from the effort of carrying it.
"No kidding," Dante said, "only the best for Lulu. Now, stop whining, we have a few dozen steps and an elevator to haul this thing into. And try not to break the branches. She'll probably smell the pine needles from a mile away," Dante replied, chuckling.
"I'm really glad that you guys have stuck it out, you know," Michael told Dante, confident that his future could be as promising as he wanted, based on Lulu and Dante's relationship.
"We've have our hurdles. Love isn't perfect. It takes hard work, honesty and really trusting a person, Michael. But, in the end, brother, it is so worth it."
"Yeah, I'm seeing that now. I'm happy for you. Now, stop stalling, Dante and start carrying your part of the weight. We have a long way to go before your loft," Michael replied, as they grunted, carrying the spruce up to his loft.
Fifteen minutes later, Lulu returned, a case of Bismark bottled beer under her arm, as she entered the apartment.
"Wow, that looks fantastic," Lulu exclaimed, spying the tree propped against the far left corner of his loft.
"We moved the dining room table closer to the kitchen counter," Dante remarked, "it's tight, but I think it works."
"Honey, it's perfect," Lulu told him, a huge grin upon her face, as she kissed him soundly on the lips.
"You didn't think that I could do it, did you?" Dante baited her, smiling, as she shook her head in disbelief.
"You, no. But, with the help of Michael, I had no doubt that it would be fine," she grinned.
"Ouch. That hurt. Thanks for the confidence, baby. You see what I have to put up with, Michael. When you see Abby at school, you run. Run for your life, bro."
"Don't listen to a word that he is saying, Michael! Being in love is amazing. I hope you find it with Abby," she answered, pulling Dante closer and sliding a cold beer on the back of his neck.
"Freaking A, Lulu. That was cold. Give me that," Dante laughed, twisting the cap and taking a long swallow, "Thanks, baby."
"You're welcome," she said, taking the rest of the beers to the kitchen and placing them in the refrigerator.
"Well, I think my work is done here," Michael told them, as Dante returned a look of fright.
"Whoa, hold up there brother. We haven't even begun to decorate," Dante pleaded, looking around him at the boxes upon boxes of decorations.
"I would love to stay, Dante, but school calls. I have a test tomorrow that I really need to study for."
"A test? On Christmas Day? Why didn't you tell me when I called you earlier," Dante accused, suspiciously.
"I must have forgotten. Sorry, brother," Michael grinned, backing toward the elevator, as Lulu smiled, "I'm sure that you are in very capable hands. Have fun."
"Test, my ass," Dante replied, as the gate to the elevator closed, taking Michael down to the main floor of the building. A sinking feeling was beginning to settle in his stomach, and he took another swallow of his Bismark for fortitude.
"We are going to have so much fun," Lulu laughed, rubbing her hands together, as she began pulling out ornaments and garland. Honey, will you put this in the microwave?" she asked, tossing a box of popcorn at Dante, as he looked at her with befuddlement.
"It's for the tree," Lulu told him, placing the poinsettia plants strategically throughout the room, as Dante moved toward the kitchen.
He popped the popcorn, reaching for a bowl to put the kernals in, while Lulu moved about his loft like the energizer bunny, transforming his plain bachelor pad into the Rockefeller Center at Christmas. He couldn't believe his eyes, everywhere he looked he saw holiday decorations. Garland lined the fireplace, an additional stocking was hung next to his, plants lined his counters, Christmas cards atop the mantle and mistletoe dangled above the arch of the door.
The chime for the microwave sounded and Dante removed the freshly popped kernals, the smell of popcorn permeating the room. He popped a couple kernals into his mouth, feeling like a child caught in the act, as Lulu sent him a disapproving glance.
"Those are for the tree, Dante. Don't eat them!"
"What? I'm hungry. Why can't we just hang the garland? Besides, from the amount of ornaments I've seen, I don't think that we'll have room for the popcorn," Dante told her, tossing another kernel into the air, catching it in his mouth and eating it.
"If you eat one more piece, Dante. I'm taking your gift back," Lulu promised.
"If you even bought me a gift, Lulu Spencer," Dante answered, his arms folded across his chest, "I'm not sure that I believe you. I think that I require proof that such a gift actually exists."
"Hm. I could say the same about yours, Dante. Why don't you produce my gift?" Lulu demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
The two were at a standoff, neither one wanting to reveal the whereabouts of the other one's gift. Equally determined, and stubborn in their refusal.
"Fine," they said in unison, Dante plopping himself onto the couch and Lulu opening a box of ornaments in front of her.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" Dante asked Lulu, at a loss for words on exactly how he was going to hang the popcorn on the tree. In front of him was a ball of yarn and a needle, but for the life of him, he didn't know where to begin.
"Here, why don't you help me take out the decorations from the boxes and I will string the popcorn," Lulu told a very relieved Dante.
Once the popcorn was strung, Dante helped Lulu drape it around the tree and then followed it with a a few strands of red and green garland. He stood in front of the tree, as Lulu handed ornament upon ornament to him, each one having a story. Some were handed down generation to generation, with stories about births, first communions, while others represented her artwork as a child, and then their were new ones. Ornaments that showcased their first Christmas together, and ones that had their names engraved on them. Lulu had even purchased a Yankees ornament for Dante to place upon the tree, one bulb with the Yankees logo and another that was a miniature bat with the name, Mattingly, written on it.
"Baby, these are awesome," Dante smiled, leaning over and brushing his lips across hers, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. I just wanted our first Christmas to be special," she said, as he stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, as she placed the final ornament on the tree.
"There, perfect," she said, staring at the ornament in front of her. Destiny at its best.
"Almost," Dante grinned, turning around and spying the angel on the coffee table, picking it up and handing it to Lulu.
"Will you do the honors?" Lulu asked, as Dante used the step ladder beside the tree, climbing the few steps and placing the blonde angel with snow-white wings atop the tree.
"Beautiful," Lulu said, gazing at the fully decorated tree in front of her, as Dante stepped off the ladder and moved alongside her.
"Gorgeous," Dante exclaimed, his gaze directed at Lulu's beaming face, her eyes sparkling.
"So, what now?" Dante asked, arms wrapped around her, while they looked up at their first Christmas tree.
"We could open our gifts," Lulu told him, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"It's not Christmas, baby. It's barely noon," Dante told her looking over at the clock, "We practically have all of Christmas Eve. Are you hungry? Why don't we order a pizza?"
"Mm. Sausage and mushroom," Lulu begged, as Dante smiled, "Sausage and mushroom, it is. I'll just get the menu for the pizza place in the kitchen," Dante told her, turning his back on her and searching the counter cubicle for the pizza parlor's number.
"Baby, do you remember where you saw it last?" Dante asked her, searching through the coupons and receipts on the countertop.
"I'm sure that it's there, someplace?" Lulu told him, moving toward the mantle and searching behind picture frames and inside the vase for her gift.
If she were Dante, where would she place her gift? She was thinking jewelry, so it would be small, she thought, looking at his stocking with the bulge sticking out of it.
Aha! It would take better thinking than that, to hide something from her, she thought, with a grin. She peered toward the kitchen, noticing that Dante's back was still to her, and reached quickly inside his stocking, drawing out the object inside.
"Aha!" Dante shouted, as Lulu turned, nearly dropping the object in her hand.
"Caught you! You little sneak," Dante smiled, rushing toward her, and snatching the item from her hand, "I cannot believe you. That was my stocking, Lulu Spencer. Have you no shame?"
"The suspense is killing me, Dante! Just give me my gift. Please!"
"Not until Christmas morning, baby. Besides," he said, removing the object from behind his back, "this is for me," he revealed, showing her the Yankees box, no bigger than a pillbox inside.
"You bought yourself a gift?" Lulu questioned him, with one eyebrow slightly higher than the other, "that's really sad, Dante. Really sad," she told him, walking toward the bedroom.
"Where are you going?" Dante asked her, "I thought that we were ordering pizza."
"I have a stocking to fill," Lulu informed him, her back toward him, as she continued toward the bedroom.
"But, don't you want to know what's on my list."
"My stocking, Dante. Besides, I already know what's on your list," she grinned, peering back at him.
"Two more down, baby. I say we try the fire escape tonight," Dante said aloud, thinking of places to check off their list. They needed a bigger place. Soon everything would be checked off the list. Dante grinned, hell, they'd just have to start from the beginning.
Coffee table.
Lulu Spencer walked into Kelly's, the place empty, as she headed toward the counter.
"Mike, it's Lulu," she yelled toward the back.
"Hey, Lulu. Merry Christmas. I got that thing you needed in the back. Just give me a second, will you?" he said, moving toward the back of the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later, the poster-size item, carefully wrapped and a bow placed atop it.
"Thanks again, for holding it, Mike. You have no idea, how difficult Dante has been. He is determined to find his Christmas gift. I'm just glad that you could hold it for me," Lulu told him, grinning.
"Not a problem at all, Lulu. I'm glad that I could help. He's going to love it," Mike assured her, "So, what time are you two going to the Falconeri's?"
"We're going to my parents' house first, so probably 4pm?" Lulu told him, "Are you going to Sonny's?"
"He invited me," Mike told her, "So, we'll see," he answered, as Lulu placed Dante's gift under her arm, "Thanks again. See you tomorrow, Mike."
"Bye, Lulu. Drive safe."
Dante waited until Lulu left the loft, searching every inch of the place for his gifts. Her closet, he thought, tearing open the doors and searching high and low for his any sign of his gifts. On the floor, hidden behind a few dozen boxes of shoes was a brown bag. He pulled it out and peered inside, pulling out the carton and jumping back, his hands dropping the box like a hot baked potato. Tampons. Jesus, why did it have to be tampons. He kicked the box toward the back of the closet, his hand afraid to touch it, stacking a few of the shoe boxes in front of it. Why women felt the need to own dozens of pairs of shoes was beyond him. He was perfectly fine with his beat-up Nike shoes, his pair of dress shoes for special occasions and his boots. That was it. Nothing fancy. He was about to open one of the numerous boxes of shoes on the floor of Lulu's closet, when his cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
Ten minutes later, Dante Falconeri stood in front of Mike's counter, his eyes darting back and forth, as he made sure that the coast was clear.
"Hey, Mike. Thanks for calling. Merry Christmas," Dante told him, as Mike handed him a small package with a gold bow atop it, "You have no idea how much I appreciate this. Lulu, the little sneak, has been ransacking my loft, tearing up the couch and everything in sight, looking for this gift. Thanks for holding it."
"Anytime. You know, you two would save yourselves a lot of grief if you would just get a tree like regular folks, wrap your own gifts and place them under it," Mike suggested.
"We got a tree. Just today in fact. You'll have to stop by later tomorrow to check it out. Are you still going to Dad's for Christmas dinner?" Dante asked his grandfather.
"Yes, Sonny invited me. I expect that you'll be attending the Spencer's festivities tomorrow?" Mike answered, knowing fully well that Dante was, thanks to Lulu.
"Yes, then on to my family's holiday dinner. You're welcome to join us. Grandma Falconeri loves to cook." Dante told Mike, extending an invite.
"Thanks, Dante. I'll think about it. Tell Lulu I said Merry Christmas," Mike asked, as Dante nodded and headed toward the door.
"Will do. I'm off to my mother's and a few more stores. Thanks again, Mike."
Lulu Spencer arrived back at the loft several hours later, her errands finished, and an additional bag in her hand, as she walked room to room and called out Dante's name. When she realized that he wasn't home, she went to her bedroom and placed a bag on the bed, turning toward her closet and pulling out several boxes of her shoes, tossing the lids and pulling the wrapped gifts from within. Gathering them into her arms, she carried them to the living room and placed them underneath the tree, arranging them strategically around the base of the tree. She grinned, pleased with her effort and secretly proud that Dante hadn't figured out where his gifts were hidden.
Placing the last gift inside Dante's stocking, she raced toward the bedroom in preparation for Dante's surprise. She quickly undressed, pulling on the sexy, red santa lingerie with two triangular pieces that covered her breasts with one bow above each, tying at the neck and back. A triangular cutaway revealed her flat stomach and a flared red skirt, complete with trimmed, white fur finished the ensemble. She pulled on a red, satin thong, before reaching for a pair of black leather boots, pulling them on and zipping them from her ankle to her thigh. She looked in the mirror, applied bright red lipstick and brushed her long, blond waves, before placing a Santa hat atop her head. She walked toward the bed and lay down, waiting for Dante to return.
Dante quietly entered the loft, listening for any sound of Lulu. He heard nothing, so he reached inside his coat, pulling out the Lulu's gift and placing it in her stocking. Next, he walked toward the couch, and the book receptacle shrouded beneath a Yankees blanket. Removing the blanket, he retrieved the gifts beneath and placed the packages beneath the tree. Spying his gifts underneath, he picked one up and started to shake it, pulling it close to his ear and listening.
"Shake it enough and it could break, you know?" Lulu told him, as Dante nearly toppled the tree.
"I can explain," he said, turning, as his jaw nearly hit the ground where he stood.
"I'm listening," she answered with a grin, as she leaned against the wall, the black leather boots emphasizing the length of her legs and making them appear even longer.
She was dressed in the sexiest Santa outfit that he had ever seen in his life. Hell, it was the only Santa suit he had seen, Dante thought with a smile.
"Wow, you look unbelievable!" he exclaimed, rising from his perch beneath the tree and moving toward her.
"This old thing?" Lulu asked, a seductive look on her face, as Dante neared. His hands traced the vee of fabric covering each breast, before moving south and inhaling sharply when his hands felt the satin texture of her bare skin near her belly button.
"I forgot a few of the items on your Christmas list," Lulu told him, tracing the length of her outfit, slowly with one hand, as Dante stood transfixed, his eyes turning dark with passion.
"I hope this was on your list," she whispered.
"Lulu, baby all I want for Christmas," he said pulling her near him and running his fingers up and down her torso, as his eyes grew wide with passion, "is you."
Any thought that either had of wrapped gifts was completely forgotten, as Dante lead her toward the bedroom and continued to their exploration under the cover of darkness. The first time was slow and gentle, a Santa hat here, a Santa skirt there. The boots the only item left on as he made love to her. The second time they were laughing so hard, they fell off the bed and onto the floor, where once again they let their emotions soar. Hours later, they found themselves in front of that Christmas tree, nothing but a the couch cushions beneath their head and a sheet covering them, as they lay on the floor, their bodies spooned together, his arms wrapped tightly around her. They fell asleep beneath the soft light of the tree, its rays illuminating the ornaments and causing them to sparkle.
Lulu awoke to his eyes upon her, a smile spreading across her face, as she stretched out alongside him. The sun was barely up, as Lulu yawned, turning toward him and resting her head upon his chest.
"Good Morning," she said, grinning, as Dante handed her a small package, "Merry Christmas, Lulu," he told her, as Lulu sat up, a portion of the sheet tucked tightly beneath her arms, as she carefully tore the paper from the small box.
"I can't imagine a single day that I want to spend without you, a single night without you in my arms. I've never felt this way about anyone. You have filled my heart so completely," he told her, kneeling in front of her, as she opened the box with shaking hands. He took the box from her and removed the ring from inside.
"Lesley Lu Spencer, I love you. Say, you'll be my wife and I will promise to make every day and night of the rest of your life so incredibly happy. Marry me, Lulu?"
Lulu Spencer looked down at the round-cut diamond he held in his hand, the diamond set in white platinum gold. It was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen, she thought, as the tears streamed down her face, and she found her head nodding up and down.
"Yes," she cried, as Dante placed the ring on her finger, cradled his hands on the side of her face and kissed her with every emotion he felt inside.
"Merry Christmas, Lulu," he told her, holding her close.
"Merry Christmas, Dante," Lulu grinned, wiping the tears from her eyes, as she stared down at the ring upon her finger, the symbol of his love. She couldn't remember a time in her life when she had ever been this happy, she thought, leaning against Dante's chest, grinning from ear to ear, as she silently chanted over and over in her head those three little words.
Mrs. Lulu Falconeri.
The rest of the morning was spent opening gifts, a cashmere sweater and a gold chain with a key and heart interlocking, which Dante placed around her neck. "They're beautiful, Dante," Lulu remarked, as Dante smiled back at her. "Maxie helped me find the sweater."
Lulu handed Dante's gifts to him, handing him the package that Mike had held for her, as Dante tore the paper like an eager kid. He tossed paper left and right, searching for the gift within, his hands pulling out the two tickets inside.
"Venice?" Dante said, as Lulu grinned, "The tickets are open-ended. I promised to show you the world, Bensonhurst. I thought that you'd like to start with Italy," she smiled.
Next, he opened a package with several new shirts inside, all soft colors that emphasized his eyes. Lulu handed him the remaining package a small one that was not much bigger than a deck of cards. Dante nearly jumped, as he opened the package, the printing on the paper inside causing his eyes to widen with glee.
"Tickets to the Yankees at Boston. Are you kidding me, Lulu? These are fantastic," he exclaimed, as she laughed, "I thought that they would go with your Yankees box inside your stocking," she said, as Dante stood and pulled out the box from his stocking.
"About that, I kind of lied. It's really for you," Dante grinned, as he handed her the box and watched her open it. Inside nestled in a bed of tissue was a gold charm bracelet with several charms attached. There was a jukebox, a pool table, and a limo dangling from the chain.
"This one I got just yesterday," Dante told her handing her another package. Lulu opened the small package, revealing a Christmas tree charm.
"Dante, I love it," she cried, "I love everything," she smiled, looking down at the ring on her finger, "I love you."
"I love you, too, baby," Dante told her, holding her tightly.
"Merry Christmas, honey," Lulu told him.
"Merry Christmas, baby," Dante answered.