Page 58 of Tuxedos and Tinsel

“I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you aren’t one of those people.”

“Definitely not.” Even in the dark he could see her eyes widen in horror. Whether she realized it or not, her little protest had shifted her closer to him. Her shoulder brushed against the edge of his coat. “No shopping until December first. That’s my rule.”

Lewis looked at his watch. “Good news then. You can start officially start shopping. It’s after midnight.”

“Huzzah! I’ll fire up my computer as soon as I get home.”

“That’s the Christmas spirit.” Unable to help himself, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed, pulling her body into the crook of his arm as he did so. He liked that she was huggable. When you pulled her close, her body was warm and comfortable. The kind of body built for cuddling.

He’d never been one for cuddling before.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you tonight,” he said. “You were brilliant.”

Despite the shadows, he could feel she was blushing. “I told you before, you played as big a part in convincing Montclark as I did. If you really want to thank someone, thank the waiter.”

“Man’s timingwasimpeccable.” It was Susan, though, who made him feel confident. “I don’t think I would have made it through the entire party if you hadn’t been there to talk me off the ledge.”

“Don’t be silly. You righted yourself all on your own,” she said.

Perhaps, but her gentle reassurance was what had kept him righted from that moment on. “The stories you shared…”

Her gaze fell away. “Who knew sharing my childhood angst would be so powerful?”

“Don’t sell yourself short.” They both knew the real meaning behind her story. She’d peeled back a layer of herself to let him know he wasn’t alone. That she, in her own way, understood how it felt to be on the outside looking in.

For as long as he could remember, he’d been left of center. Separate and alone, even when surrounded by people. Oh, he put on a good face, but in the end that’s all it was, a face. Even when he was part of a team, he never truly felt a sense of solidarity. Why bother when you were only going to move on?

But tonight, he didn’t feel alone. He and Susan were a team. The idea was headier than anything he ever felt. It took his breath away, and at the same time, scared him. He didn’t do close. He did self-preservation.

Regardless, she deserved to know just how much her honesty meant to him. “All that stuff I told you tonight…” He chose his words carefully in case the driver was listening. “I’ve never told anyone before.”

Her breath caught, and a second later her head came to rest on his shoulder. “Me neither,” she said.

“Your apartment is right ahead, miss,” the driver said.

His announcement was a switch, ending the moment. Almost immediately, the two of them straightened, with Susan shifting one way and Lewis the other. The gap that formed was imperceptible, but Lewis’s side grew cooler nevertheless.

He busied himself with watching the traffic while Susan fiddled with her bag and the driver parallel parked.

“Tonight was fun.”

At the sound of Susan’s voice, he turned his head. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“I did. Between this and the basketball game, you’ve set the bar pretty high. Makes me wonder what you’ll come up with next.”

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

The driver opened the door, and they stepped onto the sidewalk.

“Should I wait?” the driver asked.

“I… No. I’ll be right back,” he replied. “I have an early morning tomorrow.”

Ignoring what looked like a flash of disappointment flaring in Susan’s eyes, Lewis guided her up the walkway to the red door marking the entrance to her apartment building. “If you give me your keys, I’ll open the door for you.”

“I think I can handle a key,” she replied before reaching into her bag and pulling out a large key ring. “It’s hardly complicated.”

“Yes, but the driver is watching. Since we don’t know if he’ll try to sell us out, I should make a point of unlocking and walking you in the door.”