Page 52 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
Sarah bit into one, the buttery pastry melting on her tongue. “Mmm,” she murmured, closing her eyes briefly to savor the taste. When she opened them, Michael was watching her with an expression that made her stomach flutter. “Delicious.”
“Aren’t they?” he murmured, his voice stirring something deep inside her.
They continued their exploration, sipping mulled wine and sharing the pastries as they wandered. The market seemed to expand the more they explored, revealing hidden corners and new delights around each bend. A quartet played Christmas carols near the central tree, the music floating above the merry chatter of the crowd.
With each step, each shared smile, each brush of their shoulders as they moved through the market, Sarah felt something unfurling inside her—something that had been tightly wound for so long she’d forgotten how it felt to let go.
It wasn’t just the magical setting or the holiday atmosphere, though both were enchanting. It was Michael himself. From the quiet attentiveness in his eyes when she spoke, to the way his hand hovered protectively at her back when they navigated through crowded areas, and how he showed genuine interest in the stalls she liked.
He’d saved the day earlier with Emmy, turning potential disappointment into a memory her daughter would cherish. And now he was doing the same for her, creating space for joy where there might have been only regret and frustration over Liam’s failure.
“Look,” Michael said, pointing to a wooden archway draped with evergreens and tiny white lights. “That’s the entrance to the Christmas trail.”
“What’s that?” Sarah asked, finishing the last of her mulled wine.
“It’s a path through the pines behind the market,” he explained, taking her empty cup and depositing both of theirs in a nearby bin. “They decorate it with all kinds of lights and displays. It’s pretty special.”
“Lead the way,” Sarah said, surprising herself with her eagerness.
They approached the archway, where a small sign proclaimed “The Enchanted Christmas Trail” in elaborate script. Beyond, a path wound into the trees, lit by lanterns hanging from branches and soft lights embedded in the snow along the edges.
As they stepped onto the path, the sounds of the market faded behind them, replaced by the soft crunch of snow beneath their boots and the occasional tinkling of wind chimes hung among the branches. The trail curved gently through a stand of pines, each tree wrapped with strands of warm white lights that created a tunnel of golden glow.
Without thinking, Sarah reached for Michael’s hand. His gloved fingers immediately closed around hers. The connection felt so natural, so right, that she couldn’t bring herself to analyze it. Instead, she simply enjoyed the warmth of his palm against hers, the way their steps fell into perfect rhythm.
They walked in comfortable silence, following the winding path deeper into the woods. Small vignettes appeared along the trail, first a miniature village with tiny illuminated windows, followed by woodland creatures crafted from twigs and pinecones, then a frozen pond where crystal swans appeared to glide across mirrored glass.
“This is incredible,” Sarah murmured, squeezing Michael’s hand unconsciously. “I feel like we’ve stepped into some kind of fairy tale.”
Michael looked down at her, his eyes reflecting the golden lights. “That’s exactly how it feels to me, too.”
The trail curved again, and they found themselves in a small clearing. In its center stood a simple wooden gazebo, its roof dusted with snow, its railings twined with evergreen boughs andred berries. From its center hung a lush bunch of mistletoe, tied with a bright red ribbon that caught the light from the surrounding lanterns.
They stopped at the entrance to the gazebo, still hand in hand. Sarah’s pulse quickened as she looked up at the mistletoe, then at Michael. His eyes had darkened, holding a question he was too respectful to voice.
In that moment, with snow falling softly around them and the scent of pine filling the air, Sarah made her decision. She stepped closer to him, tilting her face upward. Michael remained perfectly still, his gaze never leaving hers, allowing her to set the pace, to determine how this moment would unfold.
Sarah rose on her tiptoes, closing the distance between them. Their lips met softly at first, tentatively, a gentle exploration. Then Michael’s free hand came up to cup her cheek, and the kiss deepened. Heat bloomed in Sarah’s chest, spreading outward until her entire body tingled with it. His lips were warm against hers, tasting faintly of cinnamon and wine.
Time seemed to suspend as they stood wrapped in each other’s arms, the rest of the world fading away until there was nothing but this moment, this connection, this man who had somehow found his way past all her careful defenses.
When they finally broke apart, Sarah kept her eyes closed for an extra heartbeat, savoring the sensation. When she opened them, Michael was watching her with an expression of wonder and something deeper that made her breath catch.
“Sarah,” he said, his voice hoarse. “There’s something I need to tell you. Well, show you.”
A flicker of apprehension cooled the warmth in her chest. What could be so important that he needed to say it now, in thisperfect moment? Was there someone else? Was he going to warn her not to fall too fast, too deep? Too late!
Her mind raced through possibilities, each worse than the last.
But as she looked into his eyes, she saw nothing but sincerity and the same warmth that had drawn her to him from the beginning. Whatever he needed to tell her, to show her, she trusted him. Trusted this connection between them that felt both brand new and somehow ancient, like recognizing something she’d always known. Always needed.
“Show me,” she whispered, placing her palm against his chest where his heart beat steady and strong beneath layers of wool and cotton. “Whatever it is, show me.”
Chapter Twenty-One – Michael
His mate was putting her trust in him.
So we can’t let her down,his bear said.
