“That’s because you’re a romantic.”
“I like to think so.” She winked. “So, December rolls around and Great-Grandpa gets up the courage to ask Olivia out. He picks her up in the sled and she’s blown away—says it looks beautiful. He blushes and says it’s not as beautiful as her. And then she blushes. And things are going so well that he stops under a branch where he’s hung a sprig of mistletoe. They shared their first kiss, declared themselves soul mates, and were married on Christmas Day.”
He brushed his thumb along her palm.
She shivered in response. “What do you think?”
“I think Grandpa was pretty gutsy to hang that mistletoe.”
She laughed. “Look up.”
He did. Barely discernable in the lantern light were dozens of sprigs of mistletoe. They moved slowly under the canopy of trees, and the small plant was tacked to maples, aspens, and pine trees. The care and time it took to plan and execute something like this was downright magical. “How?” he asked in wonder.
Diana brushed her hand down his cheek. “It’s tradition.”
He brought his gaze away from the branches and found her blue eyes. “I like it.”
“Me too. Do you believe in soul mates?”
He paused. Feeling vulnerable and open didn’t come easy. With Diana, he didn’t think he could hide his heart, even if he wanted to. “I did. Then I didn’t. But … I think it’s possible that two people could be destined to be together.”
She glanced down. “I always wondered how they knew they’d found their match.”
He cupped her face in his hands, lifting her eyes to meet his. “Maybe there was a bit of Christmas magic involved.” He considered her lips. “Or maybe it was knowing they were better, happier together than they would be apart.” He thought of the half dozen ways Diana was a part of his everyday life. He took comfort hearing her move around in her kitchen in the morning. He didn’t settle in for the night until he heard her come home.
“Maybe,” she whispered.
The sleigh pulled up short.
“Why are we stopping?” He glanced at the driver, who kept his head forward.
“It’s the kissing tree.” She pointed up. Above their head was an oversized plastic mistletoe. “We’re supposed to kiss.”
He frowned. He didn’t want to kiss her for the first time for show. “No one’s watching.”
“I know.” She slid her fingers to the back of his neck and lifted in her seat, bringing their lips together.
There was a burst of cold as their skin touched, and then fire ignited. He moved his hands, tipping her head to deepen the kiss quickly. He wasn’t slow on the uptake, and he wanted this—wanted this woman in a way that dispelled rational thought.
She tasted sweet, like ginger cookies covered in frosting. His heart hammered so loud it should have startled the horse. Holding Diana was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. No woman had captivated his every sense, his every thought so easily. He pulled back to get a breath but then had to kiss her cheek, her temple, her forehead. She sighed with pleasure, and his heart soared. She tugged him back for another kiss, and he knew he’d fallen for her, this sweet, big-hearted woman who apparently wanted more of him. He was happy to oblige.
Chapter 15
Diana
Cliff moved to kiss her neck, and Diana caught sight of the barn in her peripheral vision. “Cliff,” she whispered urgently, pushing him away. “We’re here.”
“Hmmm,” he hummed against her skin, testing her resolve to at least look innocent before going to the Christmas Eve devotional.
She sank into him even as she said, “We’re back.”
He bolted upright, looked her over quickly, fixed her hat, and then kissed her nose.
She giggled, burying her face in the front of his coat. She was probably a thoroughly kissed mess.
The sleigh stopped, and Cliff lifted her chin with his finger. “You look stunning.”
More like stunned, she thought. Cliff couldkiss! All this time he’d seemed reserved and grouchy, when in reality he was a rock star. She smiled wickedly, thinking of how much fun it had been to surprise him with a kiss. She’d thought he’d pull away before she made contact, but he’d flipped the tables on her and kissed her senseless. If she hadn’t needed to breathe, she wouldn’t have seen the barn looming close.
