Page 39 of Tee the Season
“I wanted you to stay after that night.” The confession tears out of me. “But I knew you didn’t want to, and I didn’t want to risk asking, risk rejection. So I slipped away.”
“I should have tracked you down.” His voice is thick. “Should have asked for your number. Should have come back sooner.”
“You’re here now.”
“I’m here now,” he agrees. “And I’m not going anywhere. Not unless you tell me to.”
I pull back enough to look at him fully. “I still don’t know how to do this. How to need someone.”
“Then we’ll figure it out together.” Simple. Certain. Like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
Before I can overthink it, I fist my hands in his jacket and pull. He comes willingly, mouth finding mine, and it’s desperate andperfect and tastes like a promise. His hands slide into my hair, scattering the messy knot I twisted it into this morning when I thought he was leaving and I wanted nothing more than to come down here and distract myself with work.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard.
“You’re really staying?” I whisper against his mouth. “Job or not?”
“I’m really staying. Job or not.” He pulls back enough to meet my eyes. “If you’ll have me.”
Relief and joy stir together in my chest, and I smile. “I guess I could make room.”
His laugh rumbles through both of us. “Deal.”
I glance at the reading chair behind us, at my laptop still displaying replacement options. “I was going to get rid of it. The chair.” I gesture to my laptop. “Already found a replacement.”
He’s quiet for a beat, then says, “Don’t.”
“I can’t sit there without thinking—”
“Good.” He turns me to face it, arms wrapping around me from behind, chin resting on the top of my head. “Every time you sit there—hell, every time you see it—I want you to think about this. About us.”
I lean back against his chest, a sliver of doubt still creeping in despite everything. “You’re sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
“So what happens now?” I ask.
“Now?” His breath is warm against my ear. “Now, I ace that interview and celebrate Christmas here with you.”
“You’re not going to Texas? Sophie will be so disappointed. She’ll—”
He spins me around, cutting me off with a kiss that steals my breath. “She’ll understand, believe me.”
“You think?”
His grin is pure joy. “I’ll just tell her Santa brought me exactly what I wanted…a happy ending.”
Heat floods through me at the mention of Santa. “Speaking of Santa…” I let my hands slide down his chest, “and happy endings…”
His eyes darken, understanding exactly where I’m going with this. “I could put the costume back on if you want.”
“Maybe, just the hat,” I murmur, my low belly tightening.
His laugh is wicked. “I’ve got two hours until my interview. And I'll need a ride, if you don't mind.”
“It's always a ride with you, isn't it?" I tease, before heading to the door, flipping the sign from Open to Closed and turning the lock. Then I grab his hand, tugging him toward the stairs. "We’d better not waste a minute.”
He follows willingly but pauses at the bottom step. “You’re sure about this? About me?”
