A Savannah Christmas Wish

“Can you drive?” Samuel asked her.

“Oh, no. I’m walking home.” She shook her head. “Nope, nope. Not safe to drive.”

“We know,” Daniel said. “And no, I’m not driving, either. I’ll walk her back and catch a cab home.”

Samuel gave her a hug. “Take aspirin before you head to bed tonight.”

As Samuel walked away, she saluted. “Aye, aye, sir.”

“Where are your shoes?” Daniel asked.

She looked at her feet and wiggled her glittery toes. “I don’t know.”

Daniel propped her against the wall. Other than the servers and cleaners, they were the last two people in the room.

“These yours?” Daniel held her pretty high heels.

She grinned. He was so darn handsome. Why did she hate him? “Those are mine. They sparkle.”

“Just like you.” He handed them to her.

She hooked her fingers into the straps. “I sparkle?”

“Yes.” He pointed to her shoes. “You need to wear them.”

She wrinkled her nose. “My feet hurt.”

He tugged her to the elevator. “Before we head out to the street, you need to put them on.”

She scowled. “Okay.”

He stopped at the kitchen door and knelt at her feet. “Shoes.”

“My prince,” she giggled. She put her hand on top of Daniel’s head and slipped her feet into her shoes. “Ouch.”

“Toughen up, Fitzgerald.” He guided her outside into her gardens.

She inhaled deeply. “I love the smell.”

“It smells like you,” he said.

Twirling again, she tipped her head back. “I love my gardens.”

She was dizzy by the time he took her arm. “Time to get you to bed.”

“Oh, promises, promises.”

The arm he’d slipped around her waist tightened. “Come on.”

Why couldn’t he be nice like this all the time?

Her heels clacked on the sidewalk. “It’s quiet.”

“It’s almost one thirty.”

She leaned into his chest and inhaled. She’d know his woody scent in the dark. “I didn’t think Savannah slept.”

His laugh rumbled under her cheek. “I think that’s New York.”

She hummed “New York, New York” as they walked another block. They cut through Columbia Square. She stumbled on the uneven pavement, pain zinging through her toes.

His fingers tightened around her waist.

She had to get these shoes off—now. She bent down.

He pulled her up. “You can’t walk barefoot.”

She stamped her foot. “Ow, ow, ow.”

She kicked the heels off and hopped to the fountain, stepping over the edge.

“What are you doing?” He glared, pointing at her shoes.

“Cooling my feet.” She kicked in the water and pointed at him. “Mamma said if we frowned, our faces would freeze like that.”

“Right.” He reached for her. “Out of there.”

She grabbed his hand with both of hers, but slipped backward.

Daniel stumbled forward under her weight. His shin smacked the fountain’s brick edge.

She let go of him and grabbed the ledge.

His body kept moving. He did a shuffle step a dancer would be proud to have in their repertoire, boogying too close to the fountain wall.

He was going to face-plant into the fountain.

She reached for him.

He rolled, his feet splashing into the water. Slumping on the fountain’s edge, he stared at his shoes.

“Oh, gracious.” Her hand covered her mouth.

Daniel cursed.

“I...I didn’t mean to pull you in with your shoes on.” She giggled.

“Damn it, Bess.” He stood, his lips set in a solid grim line.