Chapter 37

Val had just gotten home when the doorbell rang. A delivery boy stood there with a gift basket topped with a big red ribbon.
"You sure this is the right place?" Even if it was less than a week to his birthday, Val couldn't think of anyone who would send him a basket of chocolate chip muffins.
The young man read off the name and address, so Val tipped him and carried the goodies over to his kitchen counter, which blocked off one corner of the open loft space. They were freshly baked and smelled divine. He opened the card attached to the basket of muffins - the same as the one he'd bought Cora the day before - and started to smile.
"Val,
Thanks for a lovely evening.
Cora"
Well, that was just about the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him after a date - especially one that hadn't even involved sex. He couldn't resist diving into one of the muffins while his leftover lasagna heated up in the microwave. They tasted as good as he remembered - almost as good as Cora had, though nothing he could think of quite topped the flavor of her lips.
A little later, he plopped himself onto a stool at the counter with his dinner and his laptop. Opening his email software, he shot off a thank you to Cora. Not too mushy but heartfelt, he thought. Then he opened up his inbox and saw a message from her in his private email queue.
"From: Cora Lopez
To: Val Holiday
Thank you for the gorgeous flowers. You really, really shouldn't have.
Cora"
Flowers? He hadn't sent her flowers. Maybe he should have, but he hadn't. Had Compu-Cupid gone and done it for him? And did that mean she hadn't sent the muffins?
A moment later he got his response.
"From: Cora Lopez
To: Val Holiday
Muffins? I didn't send any muffins. So did you really send the flowers?
Cora"
Yep, Compu-Cupid was definitely at it again. He replied no but he should have and that he'd had a great time the night before. Then he asked about her day at work.
She told him what she could about her caseload and about being on forced vacation for the next couple of weeks.
He emailed back about one of the employees dumping a can of soda into her CPU and trying to fry half the network. Then he groused because his newly married sister was trying to fix him up again.
By the time they both logged off, Val was surprised to realize two hours had passed. Wow. Talking to Cora, even on email, seemed to make the time whiz by.
Apparently so did dreaming about her.
When he woke up the next morning, sweat-soaked, limp and sticky, he knew he was going to have to do something. Maybe the Fates had been working through Compu-Cupid or maybe it was some elaborate joke, but he wanted her, desperately. Once they'd had sex, hopefully he could get her out of his system so life could go back to normal again.
One other possibility tickled the back of his mind that Val utterly refused to accept.
His father claimed the Holiday family was descended from the ancient Celtic and Roman spirits of the holidays. That's why they were all born on holidays, either modern or ancient. And the magic wanted to continue, which meant Holiday offspring had to find mates. It had happened to Noel when he and Shelby had been trapped in a magical Christmas decoration a little over a year ago. They'd ended up engaged. Last Easter, Star and Theo had wound up stuck together in his family's mountain cabin until they'd worked out their differences and patched up their relationship.
But it couldn't be Val's turn yet. He was the youngest. He wasn't even turning thirty. Summer and Sam had to be ahead of him on the list. They simply had to. Val wasn't anywhere near ready to settle down. He was, however, ready to make a serious pass at Ms. Corazon Lopez.
While he ate his breakfast, he logged on to email Cora. Before he could though, he found a surprise waiting in his inbox.
"From: Compu-Cupid
To: Valentine Holiday; Corazon Lopez
Congratulations on being couple of the month at Compu-Cupid. You and your perfect match have earned our special prize of three nights in one of our deluxe guest cottages at Cupid's Hideaway, our all-inclusive, couples-only resort in the US Virgin Islands. Your airline tickets will be arriving in the mail, and your stay will be from February 12-15. Thank you again for choosing Compu-Cupid to make your match.
Sincerely yours,
Eros and the staff at Compu-Cupid"
What the hell?
They wanted him to leave the day after tomorrow?
This was so wrong and yet... She was on vacation, and he had plenty of time banked. A few days in the Caribbean sounded like heaven - especially with the luscious Cora. He wondered if she could be convinced. The relaxation would probably do her a world of good.
Val grinned at his computer screen. Yeah, this was going to be fun. He'd make sure of it.
Oh no, no, no. Cora stared at the email on her computer screen as milk and cereal dripped from her spoon back into the bowl. This couldn't be happening. A trip? With Valentine Holiday? All expenses paid? For three nights at a couples-only resort. Talk about more temptation than anyone could be expected to resist. No freaking way could she spend that long with the man and not try to jump his bones. It would be embarrassing as all get-out when he turned her down. No. She couldn't do this. Not no way, not no how.
Then she made the mistake of clicking on the link at the bottom of the email that took her to the resort's website.
Oh lord, it's gorgeous. The sandy beaches, the elegant cottages. Sumptuous buffets, fruity drinks, water sports and even spa treatments were all included. Her tight, tense shoulders started to relax, just imagining a hot stone massage at the outdoor facility shown in the photo. Maybe she could talk Val into agreeing and then just not showing up? Her computer dinged, indicating another incoming email.
"From: Val Holiday
To: Cora Lopez
Call me so we can talk about this vacation thing. I'm not sure I trust our emails.
Val"

His number was right below his signature, and she stared at it, debating. In the end, she shook her head and closed her laptop. She still had his card with his phone number tucked away in her wallet. She'd hold on to that - just in case.