Page 18 of Christmas with the Firefighter
"And you know what I want?"
"I know you light up when you laugh. I know you're tired of being alone. I know you spent last night in my arms like you belonged there, and I know you're terrified of admitting that maybe you did."
She takes a shaky breath. "This is insane."
"Yeah."
"We could crash and burn spectacularly."
"We could. Or we could be happy."
"You don't know that."
"No," I agree. "But I know I want to find out. And I think— Ihopeyou do too."
She's quiet again, and I can practically see her thinking, weighing pros and cons, trying to logic her way through something that defies logic.
"What would it look like?" she asks finally. "If I stayed."
"However you want it to look. You could keep the room at the inn while we figure things out. Or there's a furnished apartment above the bookstore that comes available next month. Or..." I take a deep breath, knowing I'm about to jump off a cliff. "Or you could stay with me."
Her eyes widen. "At your house?"
"It's not much. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, needs some work. But it's got a decent kitchen, assuming you want to try makingcocoa again. Good internet for work. And it's mine, which means no one's going to judge you for taking up space."
"You'd want that? A virtual stranger moving in with you?"
"You're not a stranger. Not anymore."
"Corey—"
"I love the way you scrunch your nose when you're thinking. I love that you apologize for things that aren't your fault. I love that you're brave enough to change your plans when something better comes along, even when it scares you." I lean down, close enough that our foreheads almost touch. "I love that you're considering this at all, even though it's crazy."
"It is crazy."
"The best things usually are."
She searches my face, looking for something—doubt, maybe, or signs that I'm not as certain as I sound.
But I am certain, with a clarity that surprises me. This woman, this moment, this possibility… it's worth the risk.
"I'm scared," she whispers.
"So am I."
"What if we're wrong? What if this is just Christmas magic and good sex?"
"Then we'll figure that out together."
"And if it's more?"
"Then we'll figure that out too."
She's quiet for another moment, and then she's rising on her toes and kissing me. It's soft and desperate and full of everythingwe haven't said yet, and I kiss her back with all the certainty I can't quite put into words.
When we break apart, we're both breathing hard.
"Okay," she says, so quietly I almost miss it.
