Happy Valentine's Day! #romance #truelove

Happy Valentine's Day - here are some tips on showing your love

1. Practice random acts of kindness with your partner. When they need a little help, lend a hand. If he or she is too tired to walk the dog or do the dishes, take on the task to show that you see and you care.

2. Leave coded messages. With all the communication tools we have today, it is possible to stay in very close touch with the one you love. Sending little text hearts and love notes is a great way to keep the heart fires burning.

3. Do nice things for no reason. When you bring home flowers or prepare a special meal, it tells your partner you are taking extra measures to show you care. These are acts of love, and they will be felt.

4. Do all the little things you did when you were courting. Remember opening doors and pulling out chairs? What about telling him how great he looks, or treating her so sweetly that other couples blush? It’s a fun goal.

5. Give little gifts. It shows you have been thinking of your other half. Small and expensive has its place too, but you don’t have to go overboard; just the act of giving is a loving action.    

Now....need some hotness inspiration for tonight? Take a few minutes to read The Holiday!

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Christmas Eve. Two lonely friends. A holiday movie. A little whiskey and pain.

It’s the recipe for truths and revelations that will change Dree and Kelly’s lives forever.

This story is intended for readers over the age of 18 due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

Dree closed her eyes and a tear streaked down her right cheek.

On instinct, I wiped it away with my thumb.  Her skin was so soft, like a rose petal.  Her face subtly shifted to lean into my palm.  The temptation to brush her full bottom lip was almost more than I could bear.  She opened her eyes and I dropped my hand before I crossed the friendship line.

“You’re always welcome to spend Christmas with me.”

One brow shot up.  “Eating Chinese food while watching Die Hard?”

“Hey, it’s a great Christmas movie.

“Oh my God.”  She rolled her eyes, but a tiny smile lifted her mouth.  “Just because a movie takes place at Christmas time, doesn’t make it a Christmas movie.”  She sat up.  “White Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, The Holiday, It’s A Wonderful Life—everything on Hallmark Channel in December. Those are Christmas titles.”

“I forgot—I’m talking to Miss Christmas.”

She groaned.  “Don’t start.”  Her eyes narrowed on me.  “Santa beard.”

“A full beard doesn’t make it Santa’s.”

“It’s already blond. Bleach it white and you only need the red suit.”

My hand went to my waistline.  “I haven’t eaten that many cookies this season.”

She elbowed me in the ribs.  Ow.  Skinny people and their bony appendages.  “Stop that. I can’t believe you’re still subconscious about your abs.”

“You didn’t grow up a fat kid.”  I grabbed the empty glasses and took them to the kitchen.  It gave me a few seconds to suppress the baggage my childhood always brought up.  I was trying to ease her pain tonight, not dwell in my neuroses.

“Kelly…”

Returning, I said, “I know you’re teasing. It’s fine. So what did you do this weekend while I had to work?”

“Just got home from looking at lights off Birch.”

“Yeah?”

“You’ve never wandered for lights? Dude.”

Shrugged.  “Didn’t know it’s a thing.”

“It’s totally a thing. There’s even a show called The Great Christmas Light Fight.”  She pressed buttons on her phone.  “Here, watch this.”  The screen was pushed into my face.

“Easy, you’ll make me cross-eyed.”  I moved the phone back to where I could focus and saw a YouTube video.  Tapped the play button on something called Wizards of Winter.

Adrienne leaned close to watch it with me, her breast pressing into my arm.  Our sides were pressed together down to the knees—how was I supposed to focus on a video?  She had no idea what she’d done to me from the moment I caught a box slipping from her tiny hands and saw her face for the first time.  Green eyes and black lashes in a canvas of ivory.  Her hair had been pulled into a messy bun, but I got the full glory of its black silk the following day when she left for an appointment.  The color seemed natural, but I’d never know for sure.

Dree’s string of boyfriends had put me in the Friend Zone, permanently left standing on the sidelines to keep my interest to myself.  Tonight was no different—she needed a friend, not a guy with palms that broke into sweat every time she smiled at him.