I rolled my eyes and leaned in for a kiss, pushing both hands into his coat and trailing them down to squeeze his incredible butt. Just to remind him how good the sex was.
“The dogs?” I asked.
“Right, yes. Let’s... let’s walk the dogs. We can worry about everything else later.”
* * *
We didn’t even get allthe way through walking the dogs before Kit was called away, and I’d been left more or less alone since.
Even at dinner, his mom had separated us and left me to sit between Flick and an older woman who ignored me when I tried to introduce myself and hadn’t said a word to me the whole time. Kit and I had shared a few tired glances over the table as dinner had dragged on—and then Kit had been draggedoff, after, for drinks I clearly wasn’t invited to.
Eventually, I’d hidden in the front parlor, where I knew no one else would be brave enough to tread.
I must’ve fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, Kit was shaking my shoulder to wake me.
“I’m so sorry, darling,” he said.
I liked it when he called medarling.
“I’ve been unconscionably neglectful, haven’t I?”
I shook my head. “I understand. I don’t think you’ve been having a better time than I have.” I smiled shyly at him, happy to have just one minute alone.
Kit pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’ve heard tell of a batch of brandied hot chocolate being made up in the kitchen. I imagine I could sneak two cups away, if you’re interested. Are you hungry? You barely ate at dinner.”
“I’m fine. I hid in the kitchen a little while and made friends with the staff,” I beamed at him. “But hot chocolate sounds good? If you’ve got a few minutes to drink it with me?”
“Ah, well, thankfully, most of them have started going to bed. So you’ll have me to yourself for the rest of the night.”
I liked the sound of that.
“Then I’ll take a cup,” I said. “Kinda fun to have an earl waiting on little old me.”
“In the unlikely event I end up king, I would still bring you a hot chocolate whenever you asked.”
“Would they let you?”
“They’d have to, remember? I’m practically the last resort.” Kit smiled that stunning smile I loved on him, pecked my lips, and then disappeared again.
I stood up to stretch my legs, heading over to the Christmas tree in the corner to breathe in the fresh pine scent and wake myself up.
Maybe I could get used to Christmases like this, if Kit wanted to go home for them every year. It hadn’t beenthatbad. As long as I didn’t have to do it all the time, I could handle it.
I turned around again as the parlor door creaked open, heart lighting up like a Christmas tree at seeing Kit walk through it.
I had some big feelings happening for him right now. So big they might’ve been terrifying if he wasn’t already my best friend.
“Well, in a thrilling turn of events, I’ve just caught Flick and Pippa snogging under the Christmas tree,” Kit said, looking haunted as he passed me a cup of hot chocolate. “So I suppose you were right.”
“I’m always right,” I said. “But, uh. When you saysnogging...”
Kit sipped his hot chocolate, smirked, and then set it down, holding his hands out for mine. “Care for a demonstration?”
I took one sip—which wasreallygood—and then handed it over to him so he could set it aside with his.
Hot chocolate was good, but Kit was better.
“Sort’ve starts like this,” Kit murmured, reaching out to run the pad of his thumb over my lower lip. “Builds anticipation, you see?”
