Written by M. the Cat
Madame_Destine@yahoo.com

* * * * *

"Well, this is interesting," Fox said as she regarded the elegantly wrapped box sitting in the palm of David's hand. "It's too big to be a jewelry box and too small to hold anything else."

Her husband grinned at her wolfishly. "Oh, but that's where you're wrong, my dear. An entire evening's entertainment awaits inside."

Fox cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. "In there?"

"In there," David confirmed. "But I think you'll have to wait until after we get home to find out what's inside." He placed the box on the table between them, but just slightly out of his wife's easy reach, and signaled the waiter for more champagne.

The elegant redhead waited until the tuxedo-clad server had completed his duties. "You're evil, did you know that?"

"You wound me," the billionaire's voice was ripe with outrage though his eyes danced. He picked up the box and edged it closer to his place setting. "I may have to reconsider my plans for the rest of the evening."

"I think I already have." Fox drained her champagne flute and dropped a hundred-dollar bill on the table. "Let's go home."

"But what about the plum pudding?"

"Later," Fox promised as she gathered her wrap around her, snatched the box off the table and headed for the door

* * *

In the car, Fox toyed with the elaborate ribbon and heavy wrapping paper, tugging until the bow began to give and then dropping the box into her lap as if she'd completely lost interest. She knew David was watching. That was half the fun. He'd given her a toy. Promised her a game. And now it had begun. Three traffic-clogged blocks later, she picked up the box as if discovering it anew and undid the bow.

David stroked his beard. Fox imagined she could see the wheels in his head beginning to spin faster. She dropped the box back to the lap of her emerald velvet dress and forgot about it for another thirteen blocks.

At a traffic light, just as David was beginning to look impatient, she stripped the red satin ribbon off the package and tied it, with a long end dangling, around her wrist. David licked his lips and smiled.

Two blocks from the Eyrie Building, she snapped the tape holding the wrapping paper with a French manicured nail.

As they pulled into the parking garage, she let the paper fall onto leather seat next to her.

Primly, she allowed Owen to hand her out of the car. He made no comment as David took the red satin tether in hand and pulled her toward the elevator.

The doors slid smoothly home and the couple was momentarily alone. Fox regarded her husband through veiled eyes. She held the box in her palm and David's eyes with hers as she raised the feather-light parcel to her lips removing the lid with a flick of her tongue. It fell to the floor with a sigh and she broke eye contact long enough to peek inside. The contents eluded her still, neatly wrapped and sealed in a layer of tissue paper.

She frowned. "Don't I get any help?"

David tugged on the length of red satin pulling Fox in for a rough kiss. His body against hers was hard with desire. He broke the kiss and pushed her away. "You've always impressed me as resourceful."

Fox smiled. "Thanks. A little motivation never hurt." She grabbed his hand with her free one.

He snatched it away. "Uh, uh. That's cheating."

"Fine." She stuffed the tissue-wrapped parcel down the front of his trousers and smirked. "Maybe I don't want to find out what's inside anymore."

David's lip curled involuntarily in a smile. He loved his Fox, she always kept him slightly off-balance. "Pity."

Fox regarded the additional bulge in his trousers coolly. "On the other hand," she said as she drew her palm over the double bulge and cupped it firmly, then moved the parcel aside so that she could concentrate on massaging his erection. "You do have very good taste. And I'd hate to deprive myself over something so petty."

He couldn't help the strangled sigh of desire. "Vixen."

Green eyes sparkled in bemusement. She dropped her hand demurely to her side as the elevator doors parted to reveal Detective Maza. She glanced involuntarily at the tie binding the billionaire couple and the obvious bulge in David's trouser and blushed before quickly averting her eyes. "Maybe I'll get a lift with one of the guys."

She rounded quickly towards the gargoyles' section of the castle and Fox smothered a giggle. "Come on, David, before we embarrass anybody else."

"This is my home," he protested. He picked up his wife and swung her into his arms kissing her thoroughly. "I'll make love to my wife in any room I please."

Fox used the distraction to snake her hand down the front of David's pants. She grabbed the tissue-wrapped parcel with deft fingers and when he set her down she broke free, running down the corridor toward the living quarters of Old Castle Wyvern, flinging her high-heeled pumps behind her.

David gave chase, dropping his head and pumping his arms to keep Fox in sight. She disappeared around a turn in the corridor and when he rounded the curve he found it empty.

He leapt into the closest alcove and found nothing. He stalked on leather soles down the flagstones to the first guest chamber. Fox continued to elude him.

"Invisibility spells are cheating," he called into the air.

A full-throated chuckle answered from down the hall.

David sprang after it with renewed earnest to another long disused guestroom and flung open the door.

He stepped on a crumble of tissue paper and grinned.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Fox drawled from the bed. She reclined casually as if she'd been there for hours. The emerald green gown hung over a chair. Her hair was unbound. In bustier and half-slip of palest spring she made David's mouth water. In her hand was his gift: a gossamer sheer pair of silk stockings, the top bands embroidered with sprigs of mistletoe. "Stockings?"

"Christmas stockings," David advanced on Fox shedding his tuxedo in an untidy heap on the floor. "Now let's find out if you're naughty or nice."

Fox held his gaze with hers, and a smile ghosted her lips. "How about a little of both?"

"Perfect." David drawled as he took the red satin ribbon back in hand and looped it around Fox's other wrist.