Christmas in the City - Jill Barnett Page 0,23

and froze the moment she saw him.

D.L. didn't move. "I thought you were still asleep."

"I thought you were at your office."

They said nothing else. The night before was still too fresh a memory, and it made the moment awkward and tense.

She looked at his neck where the greenery hung, and then gave a small smile. "Shopping?"

He shrugged. "Yes."

She held up the basket. "Me too."

He then remembered that he'd never given her one red cent she hadn’t given away. He’d never thought to give her pin money. He felt stupid. But after the lecture she'd given him he wasn't certain how to ask her how she had managed to pay for purchases. He eyed her basket a moment before he said, "I'm not certain I should bring up this subject after last night, but I have neglected to give you any money."

She looked everywhere but at him. Finally she sighed and said, "I pawned the gold pin."

"The wings?"

She nodded, and he groaned. He took her arm. "Where is the pawnshop?"

She pointed. "Down the street a few blocks."

"Come with me." He headed down the street, Lilli by his side.

"You should have pawned the earrings."

"I couldn't do that."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because they don't mean as much as the pin does."

He stopped and looked at her. "And that makes sense."

She gave a small smile.

"It shouldn't make sense. Don't ask me why. But for some hare-brained reason it does!" He turned and pulled her down the street.

Half an hour later they stood beneath the three white globes that hung above Murry's Pawnshop and D.L. pinned the wings onto Lilli's jacket. She touched them when he finished. "Thank you."

Uncomfortable, he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away. "Would you like a tree?"

Her smile was bright enough to melt the snow.

Two hours later, when the carriage left the market, a lush tree was strapped to the roof and the boot was stuffed with greenery. Baskets filled with flowers and fresh cranberries were on the seats by Lilli, and in her hand she held a cornhusk doll in the shape of an angel. "Isn't it just wonderful?"

He looked at her. Only at her. "Yes. Wonderful."

She looked up, then something caught her eye and she gasped. D.L. turned just as they passed a German bakery, its windows filled with a fairyland of gingerbread castles.

He banged on the roof. "Stop here, Benny." He jumped out, then helped her down.

She almost ran to the window, where gaslights made the holiday display sparkle. Intricate castles and houses had snow icing on the roofs. Gingerbread soldiers in full uniform rode horses with trappings and full manes of sugary white. There were gingerbread women and children dressed in costume and carrying baskets of miniature marzipan candy in the shapes of pears and peaches, sausages and hams, little dolls and animals.

Three gingerbread men later, they left the bakery, and Lilli handed Benny a cookie shaped and decorated like a queen's carriage. D. L. just stood there and watched her in amazement. She always thought of someone else before herself. She didn't want wealth or diamonds. She wanted so little. To make others happy. He wondered if there was anything she truly wanted just for herself.

He took her arm and propelled her a few doors down to a shop that sold hot chocolate and coffee. And while she was drinking hers, snug at a small table in the corner, he took his driver a mug of hot chocolate. when he handed Bennie the mug he turned away before his driver's expression told him how much Lilli's kindness affected his boss.

Before long, they left the shop with warm bellies and smiles and were almost o the carriage....

Then she saw the puppies. Small light brown canine heads with floppy ears and wagging tongues and bright red bows tied around their necks poked out of a street vendor's basket.

A squeal of delight and she rushed toward the pups like a Vanderbilt to Tiffany's. "Daniel, look!"

And he did look. But not at the puppies that were licking her chin and cheeks. Nor the kittens and the rabbits as she moved from one basket to another. He looked at the joy on her face and wished that he could give her that kind of happiness every single day of his life.

Lilli. Who preferred puppies to diamonds. Kittens to pearls. Rabbits to . . .

He looked down at her and scowled. "No rabbits, Lilli. Puppies, yes. And kittens, too. But no rabbits."

Unless you can love as the angels may

With the