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“Wow, what a bitch!” I smacked a hand over my mouth. “Sorry to say that about Lila’s mom but I mean, really, she left her kid.”
Chris sat back with a casual shrug as the waiter arrived with out drinks and our meals. When we were alone again, he spoke softly. “I’m glad she left Lila with me and didn’t fight me for her. I love being her father and Cassie did us both a big favor by leaving.”
I laughed. “It’s funny how something that was so devastating at the time, can be seen so maturely after a while isn’t it?”
“Growth is a funny thing.”
“Indeed,” I agreed, thinking this was the strangest, most honest date I’d ever been on in my limited dating history. The rest of dinner went on with less serious conversation that ranged from the upcoming Pilgrim Winter Dance to Lila’s Christmas obsession.
“I’m glad she’s still young enough to get excited about holidays. It helps make sure I always get excited too and I never want to lose that.”
“Kids are amazing that way, aren’t they? I mean I always do little things like my pumpkin obsession but I probably would’ve gotten a small plastic tree if Mikey hadn’t insisted on a real one. Or Lila hadn’t demanded we decorate it.” I always wanted a life that included kids and now that my plans in that regard were so off track, it was nice to have them in my life in other ways.
Chris lifted his drink with a grin. “To tiny tyrants forcing us to take joy in the little things in life.”
“Cheers!” I sat back with a sigh. “Dinner was delicious. The company wasn’t half bad either,” I offered with a crooked grin.
“Careful Tara, that was almost a compliment and you know my ego can’t handle it.”
“I’m willing to risk it, just for tonight. You give good conversation.” He was an introspective man, which I hadn’t expected because he was just so masculine. And arrogant. And charming.
“Wait until you see how I do a moonlit walk.” He stood and held his hand out to me, and like an overeager girl with a crush, I placed my hand in his.
I swear, I swooned a little when I stood because everything about him was so potent. So intoxicating, even more than the cocktails. “I could do with a bit of post-dinner exercise,” I told him, realizing how that sounded a moment too late.
Chris chuckled and shook his head. “I like where your mind is at, Tara.”
I smacked his hard midsection and let him guide me out of the restaurant, one hand scorching my lower back as the cool night breeze swept over us. “The night is so clear.”
“You can see almost every star in the sky.” His words were filled with awe and I looked up at him as he took my hand.
“Are you the kind of guy who looks up at the sky and knows the constellations?”
“I am. I even know some of the stories behind them. Impressed?”
“Maybe.” I was totally impressed and my heart raced as we took what could only be described as a romantic stroll through Pilgrim, half lit already with holiday decorations and twinkle lights to make up for the earlier sunset.
“Guess I’ll have to try harder,” he said and gave my hand a squeeze. “Or maybe the town will do it for me.”
I looked up again at his ominous words and followed his gaze to the mistletoe dangling from the Main Street sign above. “If I didn’t know better I’d swear Sophie and Eva had planted that.” But I couldn’t deny that my mouth felt a little dry in anticipation of kissing Chris again.
“Just our luck, I guess.” Before I could say another word, his lips crashed down over mine, teasing and tempting me until my mouth opened up and his tongue swept inside. The kiss was slow but it was also hot and hungry. Chris cupped my face and devoured my mouth until I was breathless and clinging to him. Then he pulled back with an arrogant smile. “My good luck, anyway.”
My legs were too shaky and my heart thumped so loud I could barely make out his words so I shook my head to clear some of the lust. Nope, it was still there. “Walk me home?”
Heat flared in his eyes. “My pleasure.”
The walk home was tense and too short, both of us making inane conversation to stop thinking about that kiss. That super hot, only in your fantasies kiss kind of hot. “Thanks for tonight, Chris. It was unexpected but in a good way.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that Tara, because I had a really good time too.”
“Good.” He took a step closer and speared his fingers through my hair, his big body pressing me up against my front door as his mouth covered mine again but this time there was no sweetness, no hesitation. Just heat. It was so hot I couldn’t breathe, I could only feel and taste. Could only touch. “So damn good,” I whispered when he pulled back.
