I usually don't mind working the Christmas holiday (thank God I don't work in retail). The work is usually light and this year I planned to telecommute from my home office so it didn't seem like work all that much. Plus, I was going to be a bachelor for the holiday anyway so why not work.

My wife's youngest brother Jerry -- he's a jerk and I refuse to refer to him as a brother-in-law -- had invited us over to his cabin for the holiday and following weekend. I work at a small firm and this was my year in the holiday rotation to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Since I was stuck working I told my wife we'd celebrate early on Christmas Eve, then she could take the kids and enjoy a nice long weekend with her family. After a morning of opening presents and a hearty breakfast feast I cooked up for them, they piled into the minivan and took off for the next several days.

I think I spent more time on PokerStars than I did on my job, but I got done what needed to be done by quitting time. There was nothing in the fridge I felt like eating for dinner, and going out for Chinese seemed too Christmas cliché, so I decided to hit the grocery store and make myself something nice. It was a couple of hours before closing time and there were quite a few people grabbing items from the gift card rack or poking around the holiday aisle for last-minute gifts. I grabbed some duck breasts, Brussels sprouts, baby red potatoes, and a nice locally brewed ale.

I rolled my cart to the shortest line I could find and to what to my wondering eyes should appear, but this dark-haired young woman I had seen many times before. Her name tag said "Ria". She's about 5'5" with dark hair and dark eyes that were usually accentuated with dark eyeliner and dark make-up. The first time I saw her a few months ago she didn't seem very pleasant, but on later occasions she was more friendly and would even said 'Hi' to my 6 1/2 year old son.

Today was quite different. Same straight dark hair, but the makeup was brighter, lighter, more festive, with cranberry lips that sparkled when she smiled. The non-descript clothes I remember she usually wore under her clerk smock were replaced by a tight fitting sweater and low-rise hip-huggers that showed some skin and gave my imagination a lot to think about.

"Hi," she said with a big smile. "Merry Christmas. How's your little boy?"

"Merry Christmas to you," I said. "By now he's at his uncle's cabin enjoying his second Christmas of the day. Like you, I had to work today, so I sent the family off for a long weekend."

"Awww," she said. "Did he open presents with you?"

"Yeah," I said. "He's fascinated by technology and building stuff, so we got him a computer and things like that to play with. If he were here right now I'm sure he would be looking at the scanner watching you read the bar codes." As I said that I stood on my toes and leaned over the register. Hopefully she thought I was imitating what he would have been doing, and not realize that I was peeking at her midriff and wishing I could see what was a few inches lower.

"How late are you here 'til," I asked.

"Until closing time at seven. Not too bad. So if no one is home what are you doing?"

"You're scanning my plans," I said. "Make myself dinner, drink some beer and relax."

The fantasy part of my brain was ready to take over and blurt out 'why don't you come on over', but instead I swiped my debit card, wished her a Merry Christmas and went home. Out to the parking lot and on the way home my fantasy brain had visions of Ria dancing in my head and me nibbling on her nice sugar plums. Damn, I was getting a little stiff just thinking about it. But humbug. It's just an old man's fantasy, I said to myself. I wouldn't cheat on my wife.

Dinner was good if I do say so myself, and there wasn't much on TV I cared to watch. I started thinking about Ria again. PG rated thoughts about kissing her. X-rated thoughts about coming up behind her and sliding my hand down the front of her pants. I looked at the clock on the wall. The supermarket was open for another twenty minutes. What the hell.

As I walked back in the store for the second time that day I heard someone on the PA system announce "the store will be closing in five minutes." I grabbed some eggs, half-and-half, cheese and tortillas and got behind another customer in her lane. She saw me, gave me smile and a curious look, and finished checking out the other customer.

"Welcome back," she said when it was my turn. She turned off her light, meaning I was her last customer. "Forget some things?"

I figured I'd tell the truth, but wrap it in a joking tone of voice. "Well, if you must know, I don't really need any of this stuff. I just needed an excuse to see you again so I rushed over here before you closed. What do you think about that?"

She laughed. "I'm not sure whether you're joking or not."

I just smiled.

"But since you're here and I think I can trust you, maybe you can help me out."

"Sure," I said seriously. "What's up?"

"My co-worker who was going to give me a ride home left early and I'm stuck for a ride home, so..."

"...So say no more. Be glad to give you a lift. My Christmas gift to you."

"Thank you," she said happily. She had to finish closing her register so I went outside and warmed up my car. I must admit all kinds of fantasies were running through my head at this point, but I told myself, 'Down boy, this is just you doing a hot looking girl a favor.'

She was out in five minutes and climbed into the car. "Thank you so much."

"No problem. Where to?" She gave me her address. It wasn't too far away.

"So, what are your plans for the holiday?" I asked, trying to keep my eyes on the road and not stare too long at her lest she think I'm some perv.

"Not much. My roommate is off skiing with her boyfriend, and my parents are in Mexico, so I'm not going over there. It's just me and the Christmas tree."

"Sounds like me this year," I said. We chit-chatted a bit more about nothing, listened to Bruce Springsteen sing, 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town,' and all too quickly I pulled up to her apartment.

"Thank you so much," she said.

"You are very welcome." I looked into her eyes. Wow.

She wasn't making a move to get out of the car. "Um," she paused, "since you don't have anyone at home can I offer you an egg nog or a drink, something just to say thanks?"

Wow again. 'You can't do this', I told myself. 'You're not a cheating husband.' I looked down, then back at her. No fuckin' way. I can't believe this.

"Well, I'm not a fan of egg nog, but I'll take the rum or whiskey if you have it, sure."

We got out and walked up a flight of stairs into her apartment. Overall it was pretty plain; a simple couch and chair, generic art prints on the walls, a small kitchen and a two person dining table.

But the halls were decked. There were multi-colored lights strung around the window and in the kitchen. She had a decent sized Christmas tree lit up and a few small presents waiting to be opened.

She took my coat and tossed it into the chair, kicked off her shoes (I did the same, figuring it was house rules) then went into the kitchen and poured drinks. You better believe I took a long look at her once her coat came off. She was slender, but nicely shaped. The hip-huggers I saw earlier looked very sexy from behind. Her sweater still showed a lot of skin and when she turned I saw her top shape for the first time. Nice boobs, I said to myself. B cups, pushed up by her bra. Yes, I was getting a bit hard just looking at her and for a moment I wished I had my coat covering my lap.

I stood up as best I could when she came towards the couch. "Here you go," she said and handed me my drink. "Merry Christmas."

"And to you," I said as we clinked glasses. I took a sip of the whiskey and sat back down on the couch. She stayed standing, which gave me a good look at her.

"Um, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"You weren't joking before, were you? About why you came back to the store."

Crap. Busted! Now, I could try a song and dance and try to worm my way of telling the truth, but then how would I explain agreeing to give her a ride home or come inside her apartment? Shit. Deep breath.

"Nope." I paused. "You looked really attractive tonight and my hormones kicked in sitting at home alone, so I went back. My Christmas fantasy, I guess." Hell, looking straight across at her waist and seeing how her pants rode low towards her crotch, I was having another fantasy right then and there.

She didn't say anything for a moment. Perhaps she wasn't expecting me to fess up so quickly. She took a sip and a half-step closer. "So what were you thinking about me?"

She shifted from one foot to the other, and I looked up into her eyes. "Well, to put it in holiday terms, basically I wished you were a present under my tree that I unwrap and play with."

When she reached out, took my drink and turned, I thought for sure she was going to give me my coat and show me the door. Instead, she put down both our drinks, walked back and stood as close to me as she possibly could.

"Then Merry Christmas," she said. No way I heard what I just heard.

"Unwrap me."

Damn, there went the seventh commandment (or was it sixth, I forgot). I scooted to the edge of the couch and kissed her over and over on her exposed belly, wrapping my hands around her narrow waist and moving them over her ass. Her hands gently held the back of my neck. I looked up and she smiled and closed her eyes as my hands went over her sweater to caress her boobs.

My hands fumbled slightly with the button on her pants. As I opened them and tugged on her zipper, I breathed in deeply, smelling her natural perfume. I kissed every bit of bare skin I revealed, and her quiet moans and hip movement told me she was enjoying the moment. With both hands I pulled her pants and panties down over her hips and stared at her pussy.

Her lips were full and pink, covered with a close cropping of black hair. Her scent filled my nostrils and all I could mutter was "beautiful." I pulled her pants all the way down and she kicked them aside. I let my hands glide up the inside the thighs of this now half-naked woman. She put one foot up on the couch and opened herself to me. I licked the moistness from her thighs and kissed her softly on her pussy. She held on to my neck as I moved my tongue up and down her lips, alternately sucking and licking her. When the tip of my tongue hit her clit, she gasped and pulled me hard against her. I held onto her ass cheeks as she came, letting her sex coat my face.

I held onto her for as long as she could stand, then took her onto my lap and kissed her deeply. She tasted herself on my lips and gyrated her hips on the big bulge in my pants. She then straddled me and let me unwrap the rest of my present. Her breasts were soft and nicely sized. Her nipples were perfectly sized to take into my mouth, which I did with a passion.

"Stand up and let me look at you," I asked her. She stepped back and I gasped at the sexy woman in front of me. "You're more beautiful than I imagined."

My clothes were off in seconds, a great relief to my straining cock. I pulled Ria close again and kissed her deeply again. I touched her everywhere I could reach while kissing her, and her hand instinctively went to my cock. Now it was my turn to moan as she stroked me. I thought for a moment about picking her up and carrying her to her bedroom, but she guided me over towards the tree then dropped to her knees and took me into her mouth.

She swirled her tongue around the head of my cock and played with my balls. I could have shot my load right then and there into her mouth, but she knew just when to ease back to keep the pleasure going.

I knelt down next to her on the floor and laid her on her back. The lights of the tree made her skin glisten with Christmas colors. I got between her legs and kissed her on the mouth again, then down her neck to her breasts, and back to her pussy again. My tongue probed her opening a couple of times before I moved into position and guided my cock inside her.

I slid right in slowly and effortlessly. We both gasped as we felt each other inside. She knew how to use her muscles to clench and release my cock. I didn't move for several seconds, just enjoyed how it felt to be inside her.

"My beautiful present," I whispered.

We fucked slowly at first, then faster and faster as we each felt our pleasure build. Ria was the first to cum. I heard her cry out "yes" before wrapping her legs and arms around me and holding on with all her strength. Seconds later it was my turn. My balls throbbed and exploded as I came inside her. Neither of us moved as the sensations of pleasure overwhelmed us.

As I withdrew from her we kissed deeply again, holding onto each other tightly under the tree. "Merry Christmas," I whispered to her before we both dozed off for several minutes.

Ria and I enjoyed each other three more times over night and into the morning, all under the Christmas tree, before we finally parted. There wasn't much work for me to get done on Christmas Day, which was a good thing because I kept replaying my time with Ria over and over in my head.

I went back to the store the following day, even though I didn't need anything, and found Ria back behind one of the registers. "Hi there," she said when it was my turn. "Did you enjoy your Christmas?"

"The best present I ever unwrapped," I said. "Makes me wish Christmas came more than just once a year."

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