Instead, I felt a sudden warmth and a huff as I slammed against something soft, coming to a stop completely unharmed. Then I opened my eyes.
Diego had caught me.
His strong arms wrapped around my waist, holding me firmly against his chest as we both stumbled backward before finding our balance. His breath was warm against my neck, and I could feel his heart hammering through his shirt.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice low and concerned, still not letting go of me.
“Yeah,” I breathed, my own heart racing from the fall and his proximity. “Thanks for the save.”
“I knew that ladder was a death trap,” he murmured, his lips so close to my ear that I felt a shiver run down my spine.
We stayed like that for a moment, his arms around my waist, my back pressed against his chest. Neither of us seemed eager to break the connection. I could have sworn I felt him inhale deeply, like he was breathing in the scent of my hair.
“Are you always gonna be there to save me?” The question slipped out before I could stop it, softer and more vulnerable than I’d intended.
His arms tightened slightly around me. “Of course I will, Freckles,”he promised, his voice barely above a whisper against my ear. “For as long as you’ll let me.”
Something shifted in that moment, like pieces clicking into place. The past three days of avoiding him, of trying to convince myself that what happened in Amarillo was just a temporary escape from reality, suddenly seemed ridiculous. Because this… his arms around me, his steady presence, the way he looked at me like I mattered… this felt more real than anything I’deverhad.
I turned in his arms to face him, our chests nearly touching. His dark eyes searched mine, full of questions he wasn’t asking. Customers and staff alike were watching us. Even Dolly was standing behind the counter, her mouth hanging open in shock. But for once, I didn’t care who was looking.
“I think I’m done running,” I said quietly, my hands coming to rest on his chest. “From you, I mean.”
A slow smile spread across his face, making his eyes crinkle at the corners in that way that always made my heart skip. “Yeah?”
I nodded, feeling suddenly shy despite everything we’d already shared. “Yeah.”
Diego’s gaze dropped to my lips for a fraction of a second before returning to my eyes. We were standing directly under the mistletoe that Dolly had hung days ago. Somehow, we’d ended up under the little plant again, almost like it was fate.
“You know where we’re standing, right?” he asked, as if reading my thoughts.
“I do,” I replied, my voice steadier than I felt. “And I think we should honor tradition.”
Diego didn’t need to be told twice. One hand came up to cup my face, thumb brushing gently across my cheek as he leaned in. His lips met mine in a kiss that was soft and sweet and achingly tender, nothing like the heated urgency we’d shared in Amarillo. This was a promise, an offering, a new beginning. I melted into him, my arms wrapping around his neck as I pulled him in tight.
When we finally pulled apart, the whole diner eruptedin cheers and applause. I felt my face flush hot with embarrassment, but Diego just grinned, keeping his arm wrapped firmly around my waist.
“Well, it’s about damn time!” Dolly called from behind the counter, wiping at her eyes with the corner of her apron.
“I love you,” Diego whispered, his forehead pressed against mine, words meant only for me despite our audience.
The confession knocked the wind out of me. Three simple words that somehow held the weight of everything I’d been running from… and everything I’d been searching for.
“I love you too,” I whispered back, surprised by how easily the words came and how right they felt.
He kissed me again, quick and sweet, before pulling back with that cocky grin that still made my heart race.
“So, Freckles,” he said softly, not breaking his gaze. “You wanna get the hell out of here?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
He let go of my waist, taking my hand instead. “C’mon.”
“What about the tree?” I asked, heat rushing to my face.
“Dolly?” Diego called out, still pulling me toward the door.
“Yeah, sugar?”
