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Her hand drifted to his thigh, which was even hotter through the layers than she’d imagined. He let out an unbidden mmm.

‘What are you doing to me?’ he whispered, his eyes flicking to where her fingers twitched.

‘Nothing,’ she said innocently.

‘Thank God.’ His voice was so deep that gravel would be impressed. ‘Because I haven’t come prepared for that sort of date in a bookshop. I thought this was a quiet and wholesome place.’

‘Oh, it is,’ she replied, glancing to check she’d locked the door and closed the curtains. ‘Usually. But you never know what awaits when you open the pages of a new story. Now will you kiss me?’

‘Thought you’d never ask.’ Though the end of the sentence got lost on her lips as he kissed her.

And it was everything she’d come to expect from the many love stories she’d read, as though all previous kisses had been part of her prologue. His mouth moved against hers, her soul dipping and soaring, fingers twisting into his caramel curls. She was so here for this moment that she longed to bookmark it and stay forever.

She sank into it, like Alice falling down a rabbit hole, swirling and tumbling. The desire to kiss and be kissed. She sensed with all of her that he felt it too. No urgency for more. Just this.

Noémi couldn’t say how long they’d been wrapped up in each other when they reluctantly came back to the room.

‘You were meant to be sizing up my feet,’ he said lightly, breaking any risk of awkwardness. ‘And I was meant to be reading and sampling your delectable baking.’

Pride whooshed through her. ‘You trust my Christmas cookies?’

‘I just let you fondle my leg and touch my angelic hair. My heart’s already a goner.’

‘Size nine,’ she volleyed back by way of distraction, trying to hide her pink face.

‘Maybe you underestimate me.’ His eyes twinkled. ‘Though you’ll have to come on my ice-skating date to find out. I assume we can officially call these dates now you’ve taken to kissing me thoroughly?’

He’d definitely plucked that phase from a romance novel, and she loved this bookish banter. Though she wouldn’t add a quip about heaving breasts.

‘I could drive us to our skating date in the campervan? It gives us somewhere to kip if we decide to stay.’

Stay? Hmm, she did like the sound of it. And he’d only mentioned sleeping, which was extremely practical. There was probably nothing sexy about the inside of a van.

‘Handy.’ She nodded. ‘Though would you have room for me, with the many carrot outfits, safety cones, and protein shakes? I’m surprised you haven’t dumped stuff in the flat above your shop.’

‘One kiss and you’re asking me to move in next door?’ He chuckled.

‘God, no.’ She blew cool air up her cheeks, her fringe flapping. ‘Just as temporary useful storage. I mean, I assume you’re paying for the whole building as part of your rental agreement?’

She resisted the urge to ask him how long his rental agreement was for, and if she could persuade him to renew it, and wouldn’t the flat look lovely with some new curtains and a nice big bed? Don’t be a weirdo.

He moved his hand to her fringe, freeing a strand that had got caught in her eyelash and was causing her to blink. ‘Anything is possible, right? You know I never plan to stick around anywhere. But who knows what la magie de Noël may bring.’

He winked at her, leaving her wondering if his mention of the magic of Christmas was just a joke. But the way he was now eyeing the cookies on the coffee table told her he was serious about that part.

Chapter 40

‘I don’t want to ruin your health kick,’ Noémi said gently. She knew she only used the finest ingredients in her cookies – but some of the best bits happened to be sugar and butter, even if Shay rarely sat still for long enough to turn back into an unhealthy couch potato.

‘Not to come at you with cheesy clichés – but a bit of what you fancy does you good.’

‘And everything in moderation?’

He ran his tongue along his lips as though tasting the thought. ‘Probably.’

Noémi leaned forward and brought the tray. She was quietly confident with her new selection of flavours, some inspired by online recipes from Cookie Weeks past and present, with her own special twists. She was even more thrilled to have the chance to share them with Shay. It was easy enough to tempt a sweet-treat lover, or impress a random passer-by, but to have the opinion of someone she was growing to care about – who’d explored many places but rarely sat still to indulge – sent her belly butterflies dancing.

‘Talk me through your flavours and tell me what you’d recommend for me.’