Riley's eyes went shiny. "Yeah. I will."
They stood like that for a long moment, holding each other in the quiet kitchen, snow falling soft outside the windows.
Grant didn't say what he was thinking—that he wanted this every day, that he wanted to wake up with her every morning, that the thought of her leaving made it hard to breathe.
Instead, he just kissed her again and tried to memorize the moment.
The way she felt in his arms.
The way she looked at him like he mattered.
The way, for just a little while longer, she was his.
"You could stay, you know," Grant said quietly. "After New Year's. You could stay."
Riley's breath caught. For a second, hope flared in Grant's chest.
But then she just pressed her face into his shoulder and whispered, "I know."
Grant's heart sank. She knew. She knew she could stay.
She just wasn't saying yes.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
Grant held her tighter, cataloging the weight of her in his arms, the smell of her hair, the way she fit against him like she was made to be there.
He'd said his piece. The invitation was out there.
Now all he could do was wait and hope she'd choose him.
Choose this.
Choose them.
SEVENTEEN
Riley
Riley had seen some truly hideous Christmas sweaters in her life, but the one Grant was wearing might take the prize.
It was forest green with a massive reindeer face on the front, complete with a red pom-pom nose that actually honked when you squeezed it. The antlers were made of brown felt that stuck out at odd angles, and someone—probably Hannah—had glued googly eyes to the reindeer's face that wiggled when he moved.
"You look ridiculous," Riley said, grinning up at him.
"Says the woman whose sweater is actively blinding people." Grant reached out and tapped one of the LED lights embedded in her sweater, making it flash even brighter. "I'm pretty sure you're violating some kind of electrical code."
"It's festive."
"It's a fire hazard."
"You're just jealous because mine is clearly superior."
Grant pulled her closer, his hand settling on her hip like it belonged there. "Oh, I don't know about that." He leaned down, his mouth brushing her ear. "You've never looked sexier though."
Riley's stomach did a complete flip. Leave it to Grant to make her feel beautiful while wearing a light-up sweater covered in dancing kittens wearing Santa hats.
