His lips met hers and he kissed her, pleasure swarming through his body.
A timer beeped.“The tea is steeped,” Josie explained.She poured the tea into two takeaway cups and capped them.
“Does Daisy just let people into her cafe to make their own tea on Christmas Eves?”
“There is a whole other part.Come with me.”Ares made sure the lights were off, the door locked then taking her hand, he walked her around the building.
“What is this?”Josie squeezed his hand.
A sprawling garden, with a sign above it that said, “Dragonfly Tea Shop’s Fairy Garden.”Christmas lights were around the sign and soft yellow flood lights lined the path.
“A garden.”
“This is amazing!”Josie hung on to his arm for balance but they followed the path, passing fairy houses with miniature foxes, wolves, squirrels all wearing elf or Santa hats.
“You know how you said that you felt like you belonged with Xander, Harper, and Logan when you told my brother off for trying to make me do something I didn’t want to do?’
“Yeah.Oh, look at the reindeer!”Josie leaned down and righted a tiny statue of a snowman that had toppled to the side.
"That's how I feel with you, like I belong.I can buy you anything Josie but I wanted to give you an experience that was just us.Something we could have tonight and remember forever.”
“This is definitely out of the ordinary.”
They sipped their tea and walked through the garden’s paths, their feet making footprints in the light dusting of snow.
“When Daisy first opened, people told her she couldn’t compete with the big places.But she persisted.I know your circumstances are different …”
“Did you bring me here just to show an example of a success?”Josie’s high pitch tone had him stopping in his tracks.
“When we first started our business, we scrounged profiles of people who had done something we were trying to do…”
Joise burst into laughter.“I know there are successful restaurants out there, Ares.”
“I know.I’m sorry I can't turn my business mind off sometimes.You need to find your own place instead of using Carter’s space.You can make something your own.”
“I wished I had made this.This is so fun.Look at the elves!”Josie pointed to a collection of tiny little felt elves perched on the garden wall.
“You have made something magical too Josie.”
“Thanks.I love this!Thanks for bringing me here.Can I ask you a question?”Her fingertips brushed against his, her tone so serious his belly clenched.
Was she going to ask him about his business?
He cupped her face in his gloved hands.He didn’t want to lie to her.There was so much that she couldn’t know.
“You can ask me anything but you might want to ask yourself if you really want to know the answer and if you’re okay with me lying to you by omission.I will always answer you as honestly as I can but when it comes to my business and things like my childhood, there’s a lot that I won’t or can’t share.”
His heart stopped beating.It was the first time that he had said those words.But they had to be said because this woman had his whole heart.He didn't know if she could live with the unknowns that he wasn’t willing to give her.
“Okay.Are you an investor in Daisy’s business?”
He didn’t know what he’d been expecting her to stay but that wasn't it.He laughed and kissed her forehead.“No but I wish I was!I think she started this with a small inheritance from an aunt.Finn showed me the list of companies that are renting this place out.”
“It's a good reminder to get out of my comfort zone.Thank you for this magical walk.”
“You're welcome.”
An icy snowy drizzle started to fall.“Are you ready to leave?”
