A Holiday Angel

"I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus..."

These familiar holiday lyrics, sung by a Caribbean reggae singer, sounded so amazing that I couldn't imagine listening to anything else at that moment. I decided to take a break from mingling and take it all in. High above myself and the other holiday partygoers, the atrium ceiling lit up with the shine of hundreds of tiny white bulbs, holiday lights shining like stars.

The stage was decorated with green garlands, framing the musicians under the spotlight with their eyes lost in the harmony they created. The steel drums, the acoustic guitar, the maracas, the sweat beading up on their temples... it was all so exotic, providing the perfect warm escape from the cold snow and brisk winds that blew just outside.

And an escape was just what I needed. Maybe an office holiday party shouldn't be considered as such, but reality had not been serving me well as of late, and the approaching holidays only made it more difficult.

The dark room, the winks from various men from my office, and the soothing warmth of the spiced brandy sliding down my throat, was a welcome distraction from the recent memory of my husband Gavin packing up his belongings and leaving me. It was Thanksgiving Day, and after holding my face in his hands, kissing me on the forehead, and whispering, "I truly love you," he threw his bags into the back of an emerald green BMW SUV driven by a busty blonde ski bunny at least ten years his junior. Then they ran for the hills, literally.

And now I found myself sitting alone at the bar at an extravagant company holiday party, contemplating which of the men who had shown interest in me tonight deserved my vengeful reciprocation. Should it be James, the president and CEO, who for some reason showed up tonight sans his wife, a woman known for jumping at any opportunity to tout her plastic surgeon's latest work? Or maybe Evan, a new hire in the marketing department- a handsome twenty-something with the most amazing pectoral muscles and biceps that I secretly admired whenever he offered to help me carry the box of paper to fill the photocopier. Even David, my long-time partner in the sales department, who I spend more time with than anybody was a possibility. There had always been something more between he and I than sales strategies... maybe tonight we could finally close our own deal.

As I looked out over the crowd from the bar, watching each "candidate", I suddenly felt a presence next to me and heard a light jingle, the sound of bells. It was a face I had never seen before- a blonde woman about my age (mid-thirties) in a stunning short red dress that showed off her enviable curves. She donned a Santa hat, bells around her neck, and bright red lips, somehow pulling it all off without looking tacky- something I could never manage to achieve myself. She arranged herself on the stool next to me, fidgeting a little insecurely with the hemline of her skirt pulling up her thighs. She waved down the bartender, asking for something "festive".

When I glanced at her, our eyes met, and we smiled at each other. Struggling with my own dress on the high barstool, I whispered, "They definitely don't design these stools with Versace in mind." We laughed, and while the bartender brought her drink and then turned to make another, we caught each other both admiring his tight derriere, and giggled like schoolgirls. I liked her already.

I had barely learned her name was Angel when I felt someone between us from behind, and an arm around my shoulder. It was Tom, from Human Resources. Known for being unable to handle his alcohol, he held on to both Angel and I for balance. "Hey, I didn't know you had a sister," he slurred loudly in my ear. "Wow, I never dreamed there could be two of you beauties!"

Realizing that we did look a bit similar, only in different colored dresses, and me without the holiday "bling", we giggled again. Tom took that as his queue to continue. "You ladies are a sight for sore eyes. I've been a good boy this year- what I wouldn't do to have Santa bring me you two-."

Jeremy, a buddy of Tom's, popped up behind us, interrupting him. He started pulling on Tom's arm, rolling his eyes apologetically at Angel and I.

"Tom, you are going to get fired if you stay here any longer. Let's get out of here." Jeremy nodded his goodbye before dragging the reluctant Tom towards the exit.

The next thing I knew, there was another drink in front of me, some kind of alcoholic eggnog concoction, courtesy of Angel. The reggae band started in on a soft Caribbean rendition of Feliz Navidad.

Angel informed me that she had originally come to the party with her boyfriend, Chris, an executive in accounting whose name I recognized. At dinner, Angel had accidentally spilled her butternut squash soup all over his lap during the first course, and he insisted on heading home to change his clothes without her. He still hadn't returned, and dinner had ended more than two hours ago.

She told me she was a hair stylist and massage therapist at one of the most exclusive salons in the city. Now in her ninth year of working there, she was currently undergoing plans to purchase the business from the owner. She lit up as she told me her ideas for the spa once it would finally become her own.

While we sipped drink after drink, chatting away like old friends, I took a good look at her. Her light hair was tied up in a sophisticated up do underneath that cute Santa hat, and I admired the way her perky, full breasts framed her cleavage in her strapless dress. The Christmas bell necklace accentuated her neckline. Her long legs were slim, smooth, and sparkly, even without stockings. Her three-inch red heels accentuated the muscles in her long calves. I wondered why I had this strange feeling in my stomach as I looked at her. After all, I looked at beautiful women every day- they were everywhere. It was just envy, as usual. Or was it?

Feeling a little woozy, I felt the need to sneak off to the ladies room. I excused myself and sauntered towards the bathroom, praying that I wouldn't trip. Evan, my copy paper helper, saw me and stood up to come towards me, but I quickly looked away and kept moving.

Once in the bathroom, I dashed into a stall as I struggled to collect myself. The sound from the reggae band was muffled. I had had a few too many. After flushing the toilet, I adjusted my black thigh-highs and tugged at my dress. It was an overpriced short tight strapless thing not unlike Angel's, and once in front of the bathroom mirror, I checked to see how my cleavage looked in comparison. I wasn't exactly eighteen anymore, but at least I could still get away with not wearing a bra.

Just then, I heard the bathroom door open, the jingle of bells, and heels on the ceramic floor. It sounded like reindeers, but it was Angel.

"I figured I better check on you- you looked a bit flushed out there," she said.

I smiled. "Yes, Angel, I think I may have overdone it on the eggnog. I'm surprised I lasted on that barstool so long, to be honest.

I watched her as she looked in the mirror, pulled out a lipgloss, and spread it on her pouty lips. I washed my hands and then applied hand lotion from my own pocketbook. Ready to go back out there, we faced each other. I laughed, still feeling a little dizzy. Closer to the door on our way out, Angel turned to face me and put her hands on my arms to jokingly steady me. "You going to be okay?" she asked.

Before I could answer, she was pointing at my neck. "Your necklace is twisted... here, turn around, let me fix it for you."

I turned back towards the bathroom and suddenly I heard the switch of the light, a lock of a door, and complete darkness.

Before I could register what had happened, I felt Angel's hands lifting up my hair and her breath on my neck. She was kissing me, slowly running her lips across the nape of my neck. I was in shock, but too tipsy to immediately react. I couldn't ignore the fact that it actually felt good. What was going on?

Before I could even think, her hands were nimbly working the clasp on my necklace, and she had straightened it out. The lights were suddenly back on and the door unlocked. I turned back towards her and saw her big smile.

"Good as new!" she announced, as she flung open the door and we headed back to the bar as if nothing had happened.

Realizing that I was never going to make it home if I had but one more drink, and feeling a little dizzy and strange from what happened, I told Angel I had to be on my way. I thought I saw a flash of disappointment on her face, but she simply tipped her glass at me and said, "good luck." We went through the usual, "It was so nice to meet you" exchange, and I headed out of the party quickly, avoiding eye contact with any of my aforementioned "candidates."

***

A week later, it was the Friday before Christmas, and I headed home from work to my dark and lonely house. I hadn't even bothered with Christmas decorations this year- not even the tree. In fact, in true grinch spirit, I was hoping I could get away with not acknowledging it all this year.

No such luck. I pressed the button on my answering machine to hear my sister babbling on about the family's plans for Christmas Day. Beep. Now it was my girlfriend Jessica wondering if Gavin and I could come to a cocktail party on Christmas Eve.

I still hadn't actually gotten around to spreading the news of Gavin's exit from my life. The truth was, I wasn't even thinking about Gavin anymore. For some crazy reason, all I could think about was Angel and the sensation I got from feeling her lips on the back of my neck.

At night as I lay in bed alone, just thinking about that moment with her filled me with a strange desire. I touched myself, fantasizing about what else could have happened in that bathroom that night.

And what was I to do? She was gone and that was that. I had no phone number, no address, nothing. And then, as I brushed my teeth that evening and noticed that I could use a good haircut, I remembered the spa.

The next morning I looked up Angel's spa in the phonebook, called, and requested a cut and conditioning treatment with her by name. Apparently, there was normally a three-month wait for her services, but I was in luck- there had been a cancellation for later in the day. I smiled with relief and excitement.

When I got to the spa, I was amazed. It was beautiful. There was a waterfall in the lobby behind a twenty-foot Christmas tree, and I could see at least twenty chairs of stylists working their magic like little elves. The advanced sound system was pumping Christmas music club-style and it seemed like all the clients had a glass of wine and a smile. I gave the young girl at the front desk my name, and she jumped up as if she had been expecting me.

I was expecting to wait in the waiting room flipping through People Magazine for fifteen minutes, my usual experience at these kinds of establishments. But instead, I was immediately led down a hallway into a small room with a massage table.

"I think there's been a mistake," I said to the girl before she could close the door behind me. "I'm just here for a hair cut."

She looked down at her clipboard and read out loud, "One massage on the house- courtesy of Angel," she smiled. She gestured for me to take off my clothes and put on the towel wrap. The garment reminded me of the little dress both Angel and I had worn to the office holiday party, only this time it was a snow-white terry cloth, and even shorter.

As I sat on the table, I looked around. The club-style music had been shut out, and now I was surrounded by a slow, chanting, rendition of the popular holiday song, "Greensleeves." A string of holiday lights along the ceiling, accompanied by candles adorning the walls, provided the faint, sultry light.

After a few minutes, I heard a little knock and the door opened. It was Angel. My heart fluttered. We exchanged greetings as she told me how excited she was to see my name on her schedule. As a treat, she had arranged for a free massage for me, her new "special friend." I noticed that she locked the door behind her.

"No Santa hat this time?" I winked.

She winked back, "No, not this time- it would just get in the way."

She directed me to lie down on my stomach, and as I did, I noticed once again how beautiful she looked. That strange feeling from the bathroom at the party stirred within me again. Her hair was up once again in an up do and she wore fitted designer jeans and a cropped, fitted light green tank top. Printed across the chest were the words, "I'm On His Naughty List."

I laughed, and she admitted out loud that a tank top was daring considering the snowy weather, but the salon got warm when you were giving a massage.

She told me to relax, and I tried, staring down at the carpeted floor. I felt a warm liquid being rubbed firmly into my back. It was massage oil. Then, she skipped to my feet and slowly worked her way up my legs, pressing and rubbing my muscles firmly. As she got to my thighs, I tried desperately to avoid thinking about the kiss at the office holiday party, but it was impossible. I could feel myself growing warmer by the minute, as I smelled the familiar flavored scent of the oil- gingerbread?

I had to do something. I tried small talk.

"It must be hard to be on your feet all day making others feel so good " I mentioned casually, catching my breath, and attempting to ignore the fact that she was caressing my bum in a way I had never felt before.

"It can be tiring, " she said. "But it pays the bills."

"Well, you're not going to be able to pay the bills if you keep offering free massages like this," I laughed.

She worked her way up my back slowly, until she got to my neck. It was all I could do not to moan in exhilaration as I once again remembered the bathroom kiss.

"Some things are worth more than money," Angel whispered softly, bringing her face close to my ear.

I stiffened upon realizing how her voice had changed. It was so tantalizingly sexy and so close that I could feel her warm breath.

Once again, I wondered what was coming over me. What was I thinking? How had I gotten myself into this? I wasn't a lesbian- I loved young marketing execs' pectorals and bartenders' cute tight buns too much... among other parts of the male anatomy.

But still, right now nothing could prepare me for the feeling I got upon hearing her voice so close to my ear.

"Well, I hope there's some way I can repay you, " I responded as she motioned for me to turn over.

And as it turned out, maybe there was. For when I had turned over on my back and looked at her, she was leaning over me closely and staring into my eyes with a sultry, mischievous smile. In her hands she held something green- mistletoe.

I don't know what came over me, but at that moment, I sat up and unfastened my towel wrap slowly. I could feel my breasts protruding, large and soft, into the cool bare air. She stared at them. The next thing I knew, the mistletoe was gone, and her hands were squeezing my mounds, rubbing that warm gingerbread-scented oil slowly in circles around them, and gently tugging at my hard nipples.

This time, I did moan in exhilaration. So did she. It was bliss.

I wanted more. I leaned back on the table, encouraging her to follow. She pulled one of her long legs up on the table, and straddled me, never missing a beat as she continued to rub my breasts.

"These are positively amazing," she whispered as she smiled at my breasts- they were swelling with arousal.

"Yours have driven me crazy since that red dress and the bells." I remarked, daringly pulling at her tank top. I slid my hands up underneath it and smiled as my hands encountered her warm, soft, fleshy mounds under the printed word "Naughty". Just as I had hoped, she was not wearing a bra.

We both moaned as I made initial contact with Angel's breasts. It was the first time I had ever touched another woman this way. I could never have imagined how much pleasure I could feel as I did at this moment. I slid her tank top up more and freed her breasts from the confines of the clothing. She leaned over me and they fell forward in front of my face. She finally stopped rubbing them to slide her top over her head and discard it on the floor once and for all.

I rubbed and squeezed hers, just the way I enjoyed it myself ... I never wanted to stop. Then I felt her lips on mine as she slipped her tongue into my mouth. She tasted like a candy cane- minty and sweet. Her tongue slipped in and out, teasingly. And then it wrapped around my own tongue making tiny, slow circles. I felt tingle after tingle of excitement running through my body.

I stopped and strained my neck to reach her breasts. But I didn't need to because she brought them to my mouth enabling me to lie back, still able to bury my head in her cleavage. She moaned loudly in my ear and whispered, "Oh, oh, ohhh..."

We were both very hot, sweaty, blotchy... and extremely aroused. The chanting holiday music continued in the background.

We stopped simultaneously, out of breath, and looked at one another.

"What is going on?" I laughed, feeling a little self-conscious with this foreign territory I had entered.

"I don't know," she said, looking nervous as if she felt the need to explain. "To be honest, I have never done this before either. But there was just something about you-."

I put my finger to her lips to quiet her concern.

"Don't worry. Angel. I know exactly what you mean."

I lay back as we spoke, and watched as she released her hair from the clip that was pinning it back. Her long, blonde hair cascaded down in front of her shoulders, framing her breasts. She was stunning.

"I don't know how I worked up the courage to kiss you at the holiday party," she said. "It just happened. I thought of it and made it happen. I think it was a combination of the drinks and my newfound desire to take charge in my life- reach for things I want, regardless of what others think or expect. It's my New Years resolution.

I nodded, understanding. After Gavin had walked out on me the way he had, I had been dealing with the same kinds of feelings.

We talked for another few minutes. She listened to me explain about my husband, the young blonde in the BMW SUV, and my need to work up the courage to get a divorce lawyer.

She looked at me in sympathy. I looked in her eyes, and I realized that for the first time in a long time, I felt really good. Nothing else mattered. This girl-on-girl thing was not something I was used to, but for now, it felt amazing. Angel could touch me in ways that I had never been touched before.

After a while, we looked at each other as if to say, "What now?"

"Well, we still have another twenty minutes on the clock," she winked, as she got off the table and pulled down her jeans. She was wearing a sheer thong. As she picked up her clothes and my towels, folded them, and placed them on a nearby bench, she was swaying to the music. She had an amazing shapely, toned body. I got down to help her tidy up. As I bent to straighten out the sheet on the table, I felt her body behind me. Her bare breasts were pressed against my back, sliding up and down easily with the oil.

Once again, her lips touched the back of my neck. It felt one hundred times better than I remembered or even imagined it could be. Her hips were swaying forward against my ass. I was overwhelmed with desire.

Her hand answered my needs. I felt it as it massaged my ass and then moved forward around my hip to my shaved vagina. She cupped it in her hands and pulled me back into her. The force felt incredible. She stroked me softly as she licked by neck and nibbled my ears.

I turned around to face her, barely able to stand it anymore. I was more turned on than I had been in years. She kissed me again... I pressed my lips on hers and grabbed her waist to pull her closer to me. I felt her pussy on mine, her breasts in my face.