Page 40 of The Wedding Planner's Manny
Ethan took a step closer to me, the air around him thick with his alpha pheromones. Butterflies erupted in my stomach as he gazed into my eyes. I'd thought the marbles were the best present ever, but maybe they weren't. No, what I really wanted was another kiss.
Was he going to give it to me?
He didn't lean in, though, and when he opened his mouth, it was to speak. He'd wanted to ask me something, hadn't he? For a moment, I'd forgotten all about it. “Be honest,” he said. “Was the mistletoe really the only reason you kissed me?”
Slowly, I shook my head, because I knew that admitting to the truth was the only way I stood a chance at getting another kiss. “It wasn't just the mistletoe,” I made myself say, even though my mouth was really dry. “It was... I've just been wanting to kiss you for a really long time.”
Areallylong time if we counted back to my teenage years, which I did, because I had been blessed with excellent memory. I never forgot Ethan. I got over him, for a time, but I never forgot him.
The most beautiful smile lit up his face now. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“You were?” Ethan's words, coupled with his smile, made my heart beat so fast I was scared I was going to explode or something, even though I knew such a thing wasn't physiologically possible.
“Yeah.” Ethan's smile grew even wider, and then, finally, he leaned in to give me what I'd been yearning for. A kiss. And this time, neither of us was taken by surprise or acting under a pretense. No, when our lips met that Christmas Eve, it was because we both wanted it. Ethan touched my cheek with his thumb, and I opened my mouth to grant him access, just like that first time. Goosebumps sprang to life all over my skin as his tongue touched mine and I lost myself in the moment, in the feeling. I still couldn't believe that Ethan was actually kissing me. That helikedme.
How could I be so lucky?
Even when Ethan's lips left mine again, he kept standing close to me, gazing into my eyes. But what was he seeing when he looked at me? I couldn't fathom what it was he liked about me, but if he wanted to kiss me some more, I wasn't going to question that. With every breath I took, I was inhaling a little more of his alpha scent, and holding on to rational thought was getting difficult anyway. I broke eye contact, but only to glance at Ethan's large bed in the middle of the room.
The bed where he used to sleep with his wife.
That thought brought me back to reality as quickly as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me.
I took a step back. “We should probably go back down to the kids, don't you think?”
Ethan reached out, resting his hand on my arm as if he wanted to stop me from leaving. “Is something wrong?”
“You're my boss,” I pointed out. “I don't know if we're doing this because you like me or because you've had a really bad year.”
Ethan huffed with an air of something that almost sounded like amusement. “Seriously, Rhys, how do you not get how amazing you are? But tell me honestly if you want me to back off. I'm not going to fire you for being straight with me. I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything you don't want to.
I know our situation is a bit... precarious, but I've tried waiting for these feelings to go away and they won't, so if you feel the same way...” He exhaled. “Let me make you a promise now that I'll always be honest with you. I would never use you as a rebound, Rhys. You're too special for that.”
Ethan thought I was special? His words sounded too good to be true, and yet, I believed them completely. Maybe only because I wanted to? “I do feel the same way.” I looked down as I spoke, to where Ethan's hand was still resting on my arm. I wished there were fewer clothes separating us.
I wished we didn't have to go downstairs again to entertain the kids. But there was no way around it, was there?
“I can tell what you're thinking,” Ethan said with a low laugh. “How much do you like to dance?”
“Dance?” Where was this coming from?
“Yup!” Ethan grinned at me. “Most couples whose weddings I organize want to brush up on their dance skills, so I take them to this insanely good dance studio on Main Street. It's a lot of fun. Your brother wants to go right after New Year's Day. You should come. Dance with me. I could arrange for the kids to be with their grandma for an extra day or two. They adore their grandma—and we’d have a little time to ourselves.”
“I don't really know how to dance,” I admitted, but the light that shone in his eyes when he talked about it made me want to give it a try anyway.
“Don't worry. I'll help you figure it out.” His hand slid down my arm to grasp my fingers.
“People will talk.”
Ethan shrugged. “I'll be there for work, and you'll be there for your brother. It's perfect.”
I let out a little sigh, feeling myself give in. If Ethan wanted to take me out on a date—even an unconventional one—who was I to say no? “Okay, I'll go.”
“Great!” Ethan's eyes shone with joy. “Thank you for making my Christmas special,” he whispered into my ear, and then he gave me another kiss.
I melted into him, thinking that, yeah, this Christmas was pretty damn special.
1 4
