Jack's Christmas Wish by Bonni Sansom Page B

head of yours?”
    She turned her head away. She couldn't tell him she had been daydreaming of their future. She had no idea if they had a future. What if all these feelings wore off after they weren't new anymore? What if it's just lust? There were too many what if's to tell him anything. They had already confessed too much while making love. “Nothing.”
    He huffed out a breath. “Alright, let's get something to eat.”
    He sounded a bit annoyed. She didn't want this between them. She couldn't tell him what she had been dreaming of, but she could take his mind off of it. She leaned in and kissed his neck.
    He smiled. “What did I tell you about starting something you couldn't finish?”
    “Oh, I plan to follow through,” she gave him a sheepish grin.
    “If Jack weren't here, I'd take you over my knee and spank your bottom for being a tease.”
    “I'm no tease. I gave you everything you wanted, and then some. Don't you dare call me a tease.”
    “I remember all too well and I loved your ‘and then some'. He made air quotes with his fingers.
    There he went again with the love crap. Why did he insist on saying ‘love'? What ever happened to ‘like'. Rex had told her he loved her and now she was being threatened and stalked. Her father had told her he loved her then beat her and her mother and left them forever. Not that she particularly missed the bastard, but love was highly overrated. That particular word could destroy your life in a heartbeat. Love, being such a tiny word held more significance that any other word she knew. It was the happiest and the most hurtful. She didn't really ever want to hear it. She'd been trying to ignore all the times he'd said it, but it was beginning to be a habit. A habit she would have to address if it kept up.
    “Are you hungry?”
    “Yes. I'm starved. Breakfast was a long time ago.” She remembered breakfast very well. It was right in-between two bouts of sex.
    “Yes. It was. What would you like for lunch? Anything you want.”
    “Pizza would be good.” At least with him she had plenty of food to eat. Her cupboards were bare as well as her fridge, unless you counted condiments as food.
    “Pizza, it is.” He held her hand and led her out of the room and down the stairs where Jack was waiting impatiently.
    “Daddy? What are we having?” He sat in a chair, kicking his feet, swinging loosely close to the floor.
    “We're having pizza. What toppings do you like Lissa? We love pepperoni with extra cheese.”
    “That's my favorite too.” It really was her favorite. They had a lot in common. Maybe this could work.
    “Then let's head out to Marcello's Pizzeria. They have the best pizza in Chicago.”
    “Um, Derek, may I speak with you?” she went to the dining room and waited. She wasn't dressed for going out, her hair was a wreck, and she still smelled of sex. She needed to at least go home first and shower and change. He would certainly understand. Or at least she hoped he would.
    Derek entered the room with a puzzled look on his face. “What's wrong? I thought you were hungry.”
    “I am. I just need to shower and change my clothes first. I still smell like,” she lowered her voice to barely a whisper, “sex.”
    He chuckled soft and low, a sound she was getting to like a lot. “Why don't we follow you to your apartment and let you do whatever it is you need to do and then we'll all go to Marcello's.”
    “Oh thank you. I needed to hear that.” How would she ever be able to say goodbye to such a good man. She hoped she wouldn't have to.
    He held his hand out to her, she took it and they headed back into the kitchen. “Jack, we're going to follow Miss Lissa home, then go for Pizza. Okay, buddy?”
    “Okay, Daddy. Can I bring my hand-held video game?”
    “Yeah, buddy, you can bring it.”
    “Whoo hoo!” Jack jumped up from the chair and did an air pump, then took off for his room.
    Derek grabbed both of Lissa's hands and leaned against the counter pulling her