“Whatever rules you want.”
I hold up my index finger. “One, no more Mr. Tough Guy at work. I need honest feedback, not you needing to overcompensate for appearance’s sake.”
“Done. I promise to be fair and constructive.”
“Two,” I continue, “we take things slow and don’t rush into anything.”
“We’ll go at whatever pace you’re comfortable with.”
I hold up three fingers. “My career is important to me, and I need your support as much as you need mine.”
“Abby, your success and happiness come first. I mean that one hundred percent. You’ll always have my support.”
A warmth spreads through my chest. I’m almost in disbelief. I’m not used to being put first by anyone, including Powerfluff. It’s an odd feeling, but one I’d like to get used to having. I swallow again. “Okay, then. We’re doing this. For real.”
John’s smile is brighter than any Christmas lights I’ve ever seen. I hope I can always make him smile like that.
A gust of wind blows sparks from the fire, and we both jump. I lunge forward, my elbow accidentally knocking my mug off the table. Cocoa spills across the ground, splattering everywhere.
“Oh no.” I reach for a napkin to clean up the mess I made.
John grabs a handful, chuckling. “Here, let me help.”
We lean in at the same time, our heads colliding with a thunk.
“Ow.” I rub my forehead, grimacing.
John’s expression turns mortified. “Sorry. Are you okay?”
I nod, then wince. “Yeah, I’m fine. Maybe we need to work on our coordination.”
He touches the spot where our heads met, his fingers gentle. “Not exactly the smooth move I was going for.”
A smile tugs at my lips. “Oh? And what smooth move were you planning, Mr. Casanova?”
Mischief gleams in his eyes. “A romantic kiss by the fire. But I guess knocking heads works too.”
I laugh, trying not to move my sore head. “Oh, no, mister. That doesn’t work at all.”
Before I can second-guess myself, I press my lips to his. John freezes as if caught off guard. Then he wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss.
Our mistletoe kiss was nice, but this is a million times better. It’s real—warm and full of everything we’ve been holding back. Bonus points for no family audience. When we finally pull apart, we’re both breathless.
“Wow,” John says, his voice low.
“Yeah.” I feel dazed. “Wow.”
We stay there, just basking in the moment. I can’t help but giggle.
John pulls back slightly, raising an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”
“I was thinking how this is definitely not how I expected Christmas to go when I woke up this morning.”
He pulls me close again, his eyes twinkling. “Me neither. But I’m happy with how it turned out.”
As I snuggle into John’s warmth, I realize I’m not only happy but grateful. This Christmas has been full of surprises—from fake dating to a real relationship, from family drama to unexpected romance. But I wouldn’t change a thing.
Well, maybe except for the head bump. But nobody’s perfect, right?
