I launched myself into his arms again. “You didn’t read my texts, did you?”
He sighed. “Nope. I actually tossed my phone over the edge of a cliff.”
“Why would you do a thing like that?”
He hugged me for a heartbeat, and then another, before quietly saying, “Because your name came up on my caller ID and it hurt too bad to see it.”
“Easton, you’re a silly, silly man. You should have read my texts.”
Easton gently pushed me away. “Yup. Look, it’s going to be hard on me if you try to get all cuddly with me now. I don’t want to get in the way of whatever man you’ve set your sights on. And all this hugging is giving me some mixed messages.”
I breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of him.
Wild woods and winter promises. That’s what he smelled like.
“Easton,you’rethe man I was talking about. I didn’t think you were my Secret Santa. I was trying to let the other guy down easy.”
Confusion crossed his face. “So who’s the other guy then?”
I laughed and buried my face in his flannel shirt. Then peppered it with kisses.
“There is no other man.You’rethe only man.”
This time he didn’t try to push me away. His arms came up around me, wrapping me in his universe.
“I’m a little confused, Violet. Explain this to me. Because I got your letter where you told me you were in love with someone else.”
This wasn’t the way I would have chosen for him to find out. It was too soon. And those words were so big. But they were out there now, and there was no taking it back.
“I was talking aboutyou,” I whispered. “I’m in love withyou.”
“With me,” he rumbled, still sounding mystified. “Am I hearing you right?”
I laughed lightly and hugged him as tight as I could. “Yeah. You heard me, Easton.”
He let out a deep, shuddering breath, then kissed me like a madman before scooping me right up as though I weighed nothing.
“How long until your plane leaves?” he rumbled, a deep husk in his voice.
“An hour or so until the Uber driver comes to get me. But where are you taking me?”
“Cancel the Uber,” he growled. “I’ll take you to the airport. But first we’re going to your bed.”
Easton had a crazy look in his eye as he took me to my bedroom and put down on the edge of the bed.
I hastily canceled the ride, then looked up at him, unsure about what would happen next.
He crawled onto the bed with me, then pulled me close, wrapping me in a kiss.
Was this really happening?
It sure was.
His lips felt divine on mine, and I lost myself in his kiss.
The whole world disappeared, and it was just the two of us in my teeny-tiny apartment discovering all the cheer that Christmas Eve could bring.
But when his hand slipped under my sweater, cupping my breast lightly, I whispered, “There isn’t enough time.”
