I let my head fall to the side, leaning into his caress. God this feels so right. So natural. Like this is how it should have been all along. “Merry Christmas, Theo.”
“Is there anymore coffee?” he asks, straightening. I give him a glare over my shoulder.
“No, I made just enough for myself.”
He laughs as he walks around to the kitchen. “You really don’t know how to not be a brat, do you?”
“Not when I’m awake,” I counter, my tone sassy. He glares at me from beneath lowered brows as he pours himself a cup of coffee. I wink, and he shakes his head with a light scoff.
“Don’t think being cute is going to get you out of trouble,” he grumbles darkly, raising the mug to his lips. Those intense, baby blue eyes of his are fixed on me.
“Maybe I like being in trouble with you,” I whisper. What I can only describe as a rumbly groan escapes him.
“You’re going to be the death of my sanity,” he grunts, shaking his head again. I grin over at him.
“Oh, how the tables have turned,” I tease, making my way around the living room to the kitchen. I set my coffee on the counter then step in front of him. He glowers at me from over the rim of his cup as he takes another sip, then he sets it down with a thunk next to mine. Wrapping my arms around his naked torso, I lean into his chest as he wraps his arms around me as well. Turning my head, I plant a kiss to the very center of his chest. One of his hands buries itself in my hair at the back of my head, holding me to him. Spanning my hands wide across his back, I murmur directly against his skin, “How is it that this feels so right, Theo?”
The hand cupping the back of my head tightens in my hair so that he can tilt my face up toward his. His eyes, those beautifulblue eyes, search mine. “Because this is where we were always supposed to end up. It just took us a little while to get here.”
My chest cracks open at his fervent, quiet words. “I wish you would have told me sooner.”
His other hand cups my jaw and cheek in his palm, his thumb swiping over my bottom lip, his eyes just a little sad. “I was too scared to take the chance of telling you and having you pull away from me, Noe. I was selfish enough to need you in my life no matter how it needed to happen, just as long as I didn’t lose you. I needed you too much, even if you never returned those feelings.”
I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I don’t know that I return those same feelings that he has, not yet. I do know I love Theo, have always loved him. Just in a different way than he has… He hasn’t come out and said the words, thankfully, because I’m not entirely sure I’m ready for that yet.
He smiles gently, swiping his fingers along my cheek and tucking my hair behind my ear. The gesture is sweet and so tender it makes my heart ache. “I know you know, and I know you well enough to know you’re not ready for that, Angel. I won’t say it yet, but I think we both know how I feel. All I ask is that you give this a chance, maybe let us see where it takes us. One day at a time. Please, Noelle.”
My eyes bounce between his. God, he’s so perfect. “One day at a time?”
Both of his hands frame my face, pushing my hair back over my shoulders and then he dips down to press his mouth to mine. It’s a sweet, chaste kiss. Full of promise and beautiful opportunities.
“One day at a time,” he repeats, his lips moving against my mouth.
I nod. One day at a time.
Chapter Twenty-One
Noelle
“What time is Belle supposed to be back?” Theo asks, staring out the window over the sink out into the still falling snow. At this rate, we’ll be snowed in for days. Not that I mind.
“She isn’t coming home until tomorrow, if this slows down at all and the plows can get out to clean up the roads.”
My phone buzzes where its sitting on the end table, so I reach for it, swiping open the group chat that includes all three of us girls and Mom.
Mom
Merry Christmas, girls! Noelle, did you and Theo get home okay last night?
Willow
What are Val and I, chopped liver?
Val
Val: *Eye roll emoji* You and Luck have like a two-minute drive home. Beau and I made it home safe, if anyone cares.
Mom
