Page 110 of Holiday Romance
“Or maybe it was a monk’s tower?” He doesn’t wait for my answer, practically dragging me along as we leave the village behind. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t really pay attention.”
He leads me to a bunch of old ruins five minutes away that might have been a castle, a monk’s tower, or any number of things, but is now overgrown with grass and wildflowers. It’s quiet out here, away from the village, the peace broken only by the sound of the odd bleating sheep in the distance.
“Ta-da,” Andrew says as we stand in the center of it.
I wait. “This is it?”
“This is it.”
“I don’t get a history lesson?”
He makes a face, turning in a small circle as though looking for a place of significance. “I had my first kiss over there,” he says, pointing to an unremarkable patch of dirt glistening in the melting frost.
“I meant about the monks.”
“I don’t think the monks were really into kissing back then. Or now for that matter.”
“Oh, he’s so funny.” I press a foot against the low wall and, finding it sturdy, step up, reaching out to Andrew so I can hold on to him for balance.
“Hannah thinks your mam likes me,” I say as I walk along the perimeter. I feel like an overgrown child in my bulky winter clothing, but I kind of like it.
“She does. I bet you she even got you a present.”
“She didn’t,” I groan.
“She always has spares in case some relative drops in unannounced. I hope you like mass-market scented candles.”
“But I don’t have anything for her!” Why didn’t I think about that? I should have got something in the hospital gift shop.
“Just sign your name on my stuff. It can be from both of us.”
“Uh, no.”
“Why not?”
“Because a, that’s not fair to you, and b… isn’t that a little, I don’t know, official?”
He laughs. “She has us sleeping in the same bed, Molly. I don’t think a joint present is going to shock her that much. Just remind me when we get in. We tend to do presents before dinner.”
I reach the end of the wall before it crumbles into nothing and jump down onto the grass. It’s not as graceful as I envisioned and a shock jolts up my ankle, but I shake it off with a grimace as we move around a mostly intact part of the tower, stepping out of the shade and into the bright winter sunshine.
“So, is this it or are you— Hey!” My breath comes out in a huff as Andrew turns, stepping into me so I’m forced to move back. I hit the wall as I do and he follows, his arms going to either side of my head so I’m barricaded in.
Oh. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He smiles as I gaze up at him. “You know,” he says. “I was really,reallylooking forward to seeing my family and being a good second son, and yet ever since I’ve come home, all I am is annoyed that I can’t spend every second alone with you.”
“Are you telling me I’ve ruined your Christmas and that I should have stayed in Dublin?”
“It was pretty selfish of you to come,” he agrees. “And take up my precious time with thoughts of you.”
“Thoughts of me?” I like the sound of that. “Indecent thoughts?”
“God no.” He reaches for the zipper of my coat, flicking it once before pulling it down. “I’m a gentleman.”
I smirk as his hands settle on my hips. “Castles get you all hot and bothered, huh?”
“There is about to be a lot of people in my house for the next few hours and it is going to be impossible to get a moment to ourselves. I think we should come up with a signal when we want to escape.”
