“Uh, sure.”She started for the stairs.
The only thing was that with all of the boxes in the room, there wasn’t much standing room.Her foot struck a box.She lost her balance.She fell into Colin.His arms wrapped around her until she regained her balance.
When she tilted her chin upward to thank him, their gazes met and held a moment longer than necessary.Thoughts of her parents and the missing ornaments slipped to the back of her mind.There was something about the intensity of his gaze that drew her in.
Her tattered heart beat with renewed life.There was something about being around Colin that had her wishing for things that she knew were out of reach.
She felt her body leaning against his muscled chest.At the same time, his gaze lowered to her lips.He was going to kiss her again.And she was going to let him.
“Arf!Arf!”Tater Tot ran and jumped on her leg.
And the moment was over as quickly as it had started.Holly glanced down at the pup and petted his head.Then she turned and headed for the stairs.
What was she doing wanting Colin to kiss her?She of all people knew the risk of letting herself care about someone else.It was always a gamble.And the odds were against her.
This whole evening felt as if it were spinning out of control.Since her grandmother died, she’d been working so hard to get her life under control.Little by little she worked toward that goal.
It started with selling her childhood home in order to settle her grandmother’s medical bills and then creating herself a new home.But now with her parents in town and Colin looking at her like he wanted to kiss her again, she felt that control slipping from her grasp.
To her relief, they had an easy time of getting the tree up the stairs.With Tater Tot yapping at them the whole time, they made it to the living room without incident.Colin propped the tree up in the corner.
Holly slipped off Colin’s coat and hung it on the back of the kitchen chair.Then she set to work finding the ornaments.She was determined to find them in short order.
She knew Colin wouldn’t leave until they decorated the tree.And she just needed some alone time to decompress and figure out what her parents’ presence meant.
It was the fourth box she opened that held the old ornaments.It was a huge box and so heavy she couldn’t lift it.So she dragged it across the floor.
When she spotted her grandmother’s favorite ornaments, she was immediately hit with memories of Christmases gone by.She lifted one of the snowmen ornaments and dangled it from her fingertip.The glitter made the snowman sparkle.
She thought of her grandmother fussing over the tree, wanting to get the ornaments in just the right place.The memory brought a smile to her face.Oh, how she missed Gran.She could use her advice now that Roger and Billie Jean were back in town.
“What are you thinking about?”Colin’s voice drew her back to the present.
“Oh, I was just thinking about Gran.She loved this time of the year.”
“So, she would be happy that you got a tree.”
“Yes, she would.”If it weren’t for Colin, she wouldn’t be putting up the tree.And she wouldn’t have had these happy memories to warm her heart.“Thank you.”
His brows rose.“For what?”
“For making me go get a tree and for digging through these ornaments.It reminded me of Gran.”Barely more than whisper, she said, “I miss her so much.”
“I know you do.”He put an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close.“She would want you to be happy.”
“I wish I could ask her what to do about my parents.I can’t believe they’re here.”
He squeezed her shoulders tighter.“I know it’s not the Christmas you want, but we can still make it fun.”
She moved to the box of decorations.“Then you better get busy.”
“Me?I thought this was a joint endeavor.”
“I seem to recall that it was your idea.”
“But it’s for us to do together.Come on.”He carried the decorations to the living room, where Tater Tot was stretched out on the couch.He lifted his head, yawned, and then went back to sleep.“I don’t think he’s going to be very much help.”
Holly checked the time.“That’s because it’s almost his bedtime.”
