Page 50 of Grinchland
I didn’t think before I acted. I reached out and grabbed his hand. He froze, his gaze drifting over to study our hands. Suddenly, he turned his palm and opened his fingers so I could slip mine in. Then he paused, our bodies next to each other. Supporting each other.
He didn’t let go as we moved to the next display. He held my hand the entire walk to the gazebo at the end of the trail. The wooden structure was covered in fairy lights and all sorts of Christmas foliage. Just as we went up the steps, Silas paused.
I was one step above him, which made me just an inch shorter than him. I turned to see what I had missed. Silas was staring above my head, so I followed his gaze.
“Is that…mistletoe?” he asked, bringing his gaze level with mine.
My cheeks warmed as I studied him before I glanced back up at the very obvious mistletoe above us. “I’m not sure,” I said, my tone teasing.
He took a step up so he was towering above me. Slowly, he reached up to cradle my cheek before he slid his fingers through my hair and firmly placed his hand behind my head. “I’ve heard that a mistletoe kiss is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced,” he whispered as he brought his lips inches away from mine.
“Oh really,” I said softly as I glanced down to his lips and then back up to meet his gaze.
“Really,” he said, his half smile emerging, which caused butterflies to dive-bomb my stomach. “I’ve never experienced one, but I’m always up to try something new.”
“It’s good to have an open mind.”
He nodded. “I’m learning to be better.”
My hands found his arms before they slid up so I could rest my arms on his shoulders. “You’re doing such a good job.”
His lips captured mine, and all further words flew from my mind. All that existed in the moment was Silas and I. His lips against mine. His hands on my body. Our breaths intertwining.
My lips were swollen and my eyes felt hazy when he pulled back. His gaze was full of desire as he studied me.
“Dear God, woman,” he murmured as he rested his forehead against mine. “That was incredible.” He pulled back slightly so he could cup my cheek once more. Then he gently ran his thumb over my bottom lip.
I nodded. “Agreed.”
He studied me before he stared at my lips. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but when his lips crashed into mine again, I decided that I was done with thinking for the night.
TWENTY-ONE
SILAS
I woke up thinking about Clara. In all honesty, she hadn’t left my mind ever since I dropped her off at her house. After I kissed her, pressed up against her front door until she was panting. After I let my hands roam over her body, memorizing her curves. After her hands clutched my jacket like she never wanted to let me go.
It felt good, kissing her.
It felt right.
I both loved and loathed how right it felt to be close to her. To touch her. To want her. And for her to want me back? It was perfection. So much so that I found myself humming while I shaved, doing a little dance in my closet while I got dressed, and barging into Isabelle’s room like an announcer for a TV show.
Isabelle loved it. She could feel my energy and matched it. She skipped around her room while I helped her pick out an outfit, sang at the top of her lungs while I packed her lunch, and demanded that I twirl her as we walked out to the car to get to school.
I laughed—something I hadn’t done in a long time. But it felt right. After all, I was doing a lot of things that I hadn’t done in a long time.
When Clara emerged from her house, I paused to take her in. I wanted her to know how I felt about our date last night. A shy smile emerged as she studied me. There was a secret between us, and I loved that we were the only two people in the entire world who knew what had happened.
Her cheeks flushed and she focused on her car before she glanced back up at me. I waved and called out, “Good morning.”
She only nodded as she unlocked her driver’s door and then slipped onto her seat. I wanted to walk over to her and demand that she acknowledge me, but I suspected that her hesitancy had more to do with Isabelle being present than with her suddenly finding me repulsive and never wanting to speak to me again.
At least one of us had self-control.
I tried to keep my composure as I dropped Isabelle off outside of her classroom. I wanted to see Clara again, and I was disappointed that she hadn’t been in the hallway to greet me. I angled my body in the doorway in an effort to catch a glimpse of her.
With my weight on one leg as I attempted to peer deeper into the classroom, I heard someone clear their throat from behind me. Heat flushed my body as I turned to see Maria standing there with her eyebrows raised. My gaze flicked over to Clara, who was standing next to her, clutching a stack of papers to her chest. She had an amused smile on her lips.
