Sabrina turned her back and tried to hide her fascination with the man from Nina. “I know. I didn’t invite him to my bed. Just to dinner,” she said defensively.
Nina just snorted her disbelief. “I don’t think the man differentiates,” she said. “You’re incredibly beautiful. Don’t fall for him,” Nina replied earnestly. “And don’t let him hurt you.”
Sabrina laughed nervously and pulled out the egg casserole from the refrigerator she’d made the previous night for breakfast. “Oh, Nina, you’re just being silly. He’s not interested in me in any way. If he won’t date any of his show girls, why would he date someone like me?”
Nina looked at her older sister for a long moment. Sabrina was shorter than Nina by a couple of inches, but Sabrina was stunningly gorgeous. The two were exact opposites and Sabrina took after their mother’s looks with her fiery red hair, sparkling green eyes and voluptuous figure in a petite frame. Nina was taller, almost five feet, eight inches tall, a requirement for dancing in one of the Las Vegas shows. But Nina had jet black hair and crystal blue eyes that were staring at her sister with concern. How could Sabrina not know how beautiful she was? Her sister was ripe for someone like Sid Matthews to hurt her. Sabrina was too beautiful and definitely too sweet and gullible.
Seeing the excitement in her sister’s eyes, Nina knew there wasn’t anything she could say to talk her sister out of the dinner tonight. “He doesn’t play by the same rules we do, Sabrina,” she said softly. “Watch yourself.”
“I know,” and Sabrina took a long sip of the coffee. She turned pleading eyes towards Nina as she explained, “He didn’t have anything to do today and its Christmas. No one should be alone on Christmas, Nina.”
Nina sighed and shook her head. “You’re too soft, Sabrina. Watch yourself around him.”
“I will,” she promised. “No falling in love with Sid Matthews!” she said, crossing her fingers over her chest and raising three fingers in the air like a girl scout oath. “But right now, I want to know what is in those boxes,” she said, referring to the presents that were now sitting underneath the tree in her family room. “You know how I can’t stand secrets,” she said.
Nina laughed as she followed Sabrina into the family room and the two of them sat down and opened presents with their coffee in hand. There were several for each of them since their parents had shipped out a large box filled with wrapped presents earlier in the week, plus the ones each of the two sisters gave to each other.
Once the presents were opened, the two of them heated up the egg casserole and split it between the two of them, reminiscing over previous Christmas mornings, laughing about their childhood foibles and teenager whims.
All too soon, Nina took off to get ready for the evening’s shows at Solara and Sabrina was left to her thoughts and anxiety over Sid Matthews coming to her house for dinner. Nervously, she raced through her small house, cleaning everything from top to bottom, trying to see how things might look from his point of view. Was it frumpy? Or maybe too cottage-like? She knew Sid was more sophisticated so would her comfortable, overstuffed furniture covered in flowery fabric and pretty plaids or stripes make him feel uncomfortable? Should she hide some of the cut flowers?
Shaking her head, she realized she was a nervous wreck and it would only get worse if she didn’t stop second guessing herself. It was ridiculous to try and figure out what Sid Matthews liked or disliked. If he was uncomfortable, then he could just deal with it, she thought with a firm nod of her head.
Close to the time everyone was scheduled to arrive, Sabrina was chopping onions and other vegetables, her mind going through all the reasons she should call Sid and tell him that the dinner was canceled. Her sister was right. Sid played by different rules. Rules she couldn’t even fathom. Inviting a man like Sid Matthews to dinner asking for punishment in one way or another. She would have to be careful and make sure she protected herself.
A knock sounded on her door and she called out to enter, assuming it was one of her neighbors who was arriving early. “Come on in,” she called out, still dancing to the Christmas music playing on the stereo.
Sid walked into the cottage style house and followed the music to the back where the delicious smells of cooking were emanating from. Once he reached the doorway to the kitchen, he stood still, admiring the view of Sabrina dancing in her small kitchen. Gone were the business suits that covered her from her neck to her ankles and the hair that was neatly pinned to the nape of her neck. Sabrina was dressed only in leggings and a tight tee-shirt that perfectly revealed her slim figure and luscious breasts to his hungry view as well as her fire red hair flowing in waves down to the middle of her back. Her cute derriere wriggled to the beat of the music and he had a small glimpse of voluptuous breasts as she turned slightly to toss something into a large, wooden bowl beside her.
He leaned against the door jamb and enjoyed the sight. Sid remembered interviewing Sabrina. He’d known that she’d have an incredible figure underneath those stern suits but he’d never imagined that she would be so enticing. He wanted to walk over to her and place his hands on her hips, pull them into his and dance with her, feel the beat of the music and her svelte body against his.
“Oh!” she gasped, turning to say something. “I thought you were my neighbor. I’m sorry, Mr. Matthews,” she said and grabbed her sweatshirt that had been draped over a kitchen chair. She quickly pulled it over her head and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Am I early?” he asked, knowing that he was exactly on time. He set a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers on the counter, raising his eyes in inquiry as he watched the emotions flit across her face. Sid like that he could see so much of what she was thinking just by looking into her eyes. Eyes that were incredibly lovely, he thought.
Sabrina looked at the clock and gasped. “Oh no! You’re not early, I’m late.”
The clock obviously energized her into action. “Can you open the bottle of wine over there on the counter?” she asked and disappeared into what he could only guess was a storage room.
Sid took the cork screw and quickly opened the bottle of wine, setting it down onto the counter to breathe for a few moments.
Sabrina reappeared with a large, folding table in her arms, struggling to carry it through her tiny kitchen.