Once we were both clean, I lay on my side next to him and pulled him close. Colin placed a hand on my face and kissed me deeply, slow and purposeful as my heart rate slowed down and my breathing evened out.
When we parted again, I looked into his dark brown eyes. The words were on the tip of my tongue but I was scared to say them. Scared he wouldn’t feel the same way, or that he’d balk over the suddenness of it all. I knew I had to do it, to risk everything and let him know how I felt. I swallowed hard, a lump in my throat, and forced myself to move past the nervousness and to speak.
“I love you,” I whispered, adrenaline flooding me. He inhaled sharply, eyes widening, and I hurried to speak again, to reassure him. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I know we’ve known each other for barely two months. I’m not trying to rush things. I just… needed to tell you.”
When I stopped speaking, he closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and looking directly at me. He combed his fingers through my hair before pulling me to him for a quick kiss. “I love you, too.”
My heart fluttered and I let out a shaky laugh. A moment passed before I spoke again. “Now what?”
He smiled wide, fingers still in my hair. “Anything you want.”
Chapter 16
Colin
DakotaandIpassedour time in bed together whenever possible as December flew by. Before I knew it, the day for the light displays to be judged had arrived—Christmas Eve. The judges had visited all of the competing houses in Port Grandlin and there was a holiday festival downtown to celebrate and announce the winner. The morning of judgment, I let myself into Dakota’s place as I’d been doing lately, ready for anything.
“Daddy?” Caroline called from her room as I entered the house.
“Be right there.” He emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish towel before he draped the towel over his shoulder. “Hey, you.”
Warmth rushed through my body at the simple domesticity of it all. I stepped close and gave him a quick kiss. “Hi there.”
He kissed me again, deeper this time, and pulled me close by the waist, inhaling sharply.
I broke the kiss reluctantly. “Go see what the princess needs. We can finish this later.”
“Fine.” He sighed and made his way down the hallway. A few moments later, before I even had a chance to sit down, Caroline came bolting down the hallway wearing a purple princess dress and leggings.
“Mr. Colin!” She launched herself into my arms.
I pulled her close and squeezed before lowering her back to the floor. “How’s it going, Princess Lina?”
She giggled and twirled so the skirt of her dress flew outward. “Isn’t it pretty? Daddy had to help me put it on.”
I leaned close and dropped my voice to a whisper. “Can I tell you a secret? A long time ago, real princesses had people whose job it was to help them put on their dresses.”
“Really?”
I nodded, but before we could continue the conversation, Dakota handed Lina her coat. “Princesses have to wear their coats, too, you know. It’s cold today.”
She sighed and put the coat on before she took my hand and then Dakota’s. “Ready for the festival!”
We made our way outside, where I helped Lina get buckled into her booster seat before Dakota drove us the short couple of miles to downtown. We parked near the movie theater and walked around, enjoying hot cocoa from a stand as we looked at the decorations the city had put up, stopped to browse different craft booths, and ultimately made our way to the park, where the town had put up a small stage to hold performances for the festival. There was a significant crowd gathered around watching a magician do his thing on stage, with more kids running around the park in the open spaces, and several stainless steel fire pits set up so people could warm themselves.
We caught the tail end of the magic show, kids squealing in surprise as the performer breathed fire as his final trick. Caroline wasn’t impressed.
“A dragon!”
Dakota dipped down to reassure her that the magician was not, in fact, a real dragon and ease her fears.
A few moments later, Mayor Boxall made her way onto the stage. The crowd settled down as she waved, and when I looked around, I spotted many familiar faces. Levi and Soren, owners of the Radiance Theater, were standing next to a fire pit, along with several of Levi’s kickball buddies. Off to one side were Jake and Max and a couple of Max’s coworkers. He was a reality TV producer and the show was being filmed throughout the year right here in Port Grandlin. I was a little surprised he didn’t have a cameraman with him, to be honest. And approaching us was Dakota’s best friend, Robbie, waving and smiling brightly.
The mayor stepped up to the mic. “Welcome, everyone, and happy holidays!” A few people cheered or clapped, and once the noise quieted again, she continued. “I’m here to announce the winners of the winter festival contests, including the winner of the Christmas lights display competition.”
I tried to focus on the winners, giving each one their due applause and cheers. Finally, she reached the end of the list. My stomach flipped, nerves hitting me hard. There had been several great contenders this year and I didn’t want to count my chickens, so to speak.
“No matter what, you’re a winner in my eyes,” Dakota whispered to me, cutting through my nervousness.
