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“Good. I think you’re going to be happy here.” He backed out of the parking spot.
“But I might have to redecorate the inn. Not all of it but some of it to make it a bit more of my taste.”
Shaun nodded. “But you don’t have to do it all at once.”
“I won’t. First, I need to work on advertising.”
There was a light snowfall on the short drive home. Shaun parked the car and then turned to her. “Did you have a good evening?”
“I had a lovely evening. Thank you.” Her gaze strayed to the old garage. “Someday it would be nice to clean out the garage so I could park in there. The thought of having to clean the snow off my car every time I want to drive it does not appeal to me.”
He smiled. “You might want to move that close to the top of your to-do-list because I have a feeling it’s going to be a white Christmas.”
She stared out at the falling snow. This evening was wonderful, and yet it had all gone by too quickly. As though to prove her point, Shaun opened his door and got out. She inwardly groaned, and then she got out. Shaun was there waiting for her.
After closing her door, he took her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm. “I don’t want you to slip and fall with the snow-covered sidewalks.”
“I enjoyed the evening.” She meant it. She knew she would look back on it fondly years from now.
“I never thought a town hall meeting would make for an interesting date, but we might have to do that again.”
She stopped and turned to him. “Do you mean it?”
The breath hitched in her lungs as she waited for his answer. She wanted so desperately to see him again.
He looked into her eyes. “Would you like that?”
She nodded because she didn’t trust her voice.
“Then, yes, I’ll be back. You’ll have to keep me updated on those town hall meetings. I don’t want to miss the drama of the snow chairs.”
She laughed. “I guess I’m lucky I don’t have to worry about parking.”
They continued walking to the door of the cottage. She pulled her hand from its warm spot in the crook of his arm. She turned to him. “Thank you for dinner. I loved it.”
He smiled. “I think you loved the cake.”
“I did. It was so moist and chocolatey.”
He took her hand into his. He lowered his voice. “Is that all you enjoyed about the evening?”
She knew what he was hinting at, but she wasn’t ready to tell him what he wanted to hear—at least not yet. She was enjoying this moment too much.
“I thought the meeting was hysterical.”
Shaun frowned. “Is that all?”
She played coy. “Is there something else I was supposed to have enjoyed about the evening?”
“Perhaps you liked the company?”
“Oh. That.” She sent him a teasing smile. “Yes, I enjoyed the company most of all.”
He smiled. “I enjoyed your company too.” His gaze dipped to her lips. “A whole lot.”
Her heart launched into her throat as he lowered his head to hers. She lifted up on her toes as her eyes fluttered shut. And then their lips met.
This kiss was more certain than the other one. His lips moved over hers with more confidence. And her heart soared.
