I stared into his eyes, searching for any hint of doubt or deception. But all I saw was love and hope and the kind of raw honesty that came from someone who’s decided to bet everything on a single moment.
I believed him. I didn’t know if that made me a fool, but I truly believed what he was promising.
The practical part of my brain whispered warnings about trust and risk and the possibility of getting hurt again. But my heart was already reaching toward him, already believing in the future he was painting with his words.
“We?” I asked again, needing to hear him say it one more time.
“We,” he confirmed.
And then I was kissing him like I needed his lips on mine to breathe.
His arms came around me immediately, pulling me against him as we melted into each other in the snow-covered wonderland he’d created. The kiss was desperate and sweet and hot. I finally gave into all the possibilities I was finally brave enough to reach for.
CHAPTER 56
KENT
The moment Sylvie’s lips touched mine, the rest of the world disappeared. The cold, the exhaustion from hours of stringing lights, the uncertainty about what her answer would be. All of it vanished in the warmth of her kiss.
Blood flowed south to my toes and finally moved through my fingers. She was a lifeline. There was no way in hell I could live without her.
And judging by this kiss, I wasn’t going to have to. As long as I kept my word and didn’t screw things up again.
Her hands found the front of my coat, gripping the fabric like she was anchoring herself to me. I pulled her closer until there was no space left between us. She tasted like hot chocolate and I was guessing peppermint from a candy cane. She made a soft sound against my mouth. It was a trigger. I wanted to gobble the woman up.
The kiss deepened, became something desperate and hungry and full of all the longing we’d both been holding back. My hands tangled in her hair, messing up whatever careful styling she’d done for the evening. She pressed herself against me like she was trying to crawl into my coat. I would gladly welcome her body against mine.
We were both wearing way too many clothes for my liking.
Snow began to fall in soft flurries, reminding me why it would be a bad idea to strip down right here among the trees. The truck bed was rough enough. I couldn’t imagine getting down and dirty right on the snowdrifts.
I traced the line of her lower lip with my tongue before gently pulling at her lip with my teeth. This was better than any fantasy I’d allowed myself during the long, miserable week since I’d left Northwood. This was Sylvie choosing me. She was choosing to believe in the possibility of something beautiful despite all the reasons she had to protect her heart from me.
We finally broke apart, both of us panting in the cold air. Her eyes were dancing with joy mixed with desire and just a hint of the mischief I’d fallen in love with from the very beginning.
“I want to take you up to my apartment,” she said. “You can’t sleep in that cabin.”
My body responded immediately to the promise in her voice. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end my night. The lights might have been a foolish idea, but she had loved them, making all the cold and misery worth it.
But then she bit her lip in a way that suggested there was a complication coming. I replayed what she said. Shewantedto take me up to her apartment but she didn’t say she was going to do it.
“Okay,” I said, waiting for her to clarify.
“But I’m still on the clock,” she said, glancing back toward the lodge. “The Santa event doesn’t officially end for another hour, and I can’t just disappear on our guests.”
I nodded, though every cell in my body was screaming in protest. My cock was demanding to be inside her. “Of course,” I said, restraining myself. “Duty first. Can I meet you after?”
She grinned at me, that brilliant smile that could power half of Manhattan, and grabbed my hand. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
I planted my feet, sudden panic overriding desire. “Sylvie, I’m not sure going in there is a good idea. I’ll just wait for you to finish.”
“Why don’t you want to come in?”
“Your brother is going to beat me to a pulp,” I said, looking toward the lodge where I could see figures moving around inside. “And your dad will probably help hide the body. Maybe throw me in the same ditch I tossed that Christmas tree into.”
Sylvie laughed, actually laughed, at my very reasonable concerns about my physical well-being. “Hush. I’ll explain everything. It will be fine.”
Before I could protest further, she was dragging me through the snow toward the front door of the lodge. My heart hammered against my ribs as we approached the building, but there was something infectious about Sylvie’s confidence that made me believe maybe everything really would be fine.
