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No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he regretted them. What was he doing lashing out at her? He sounded just like his father when his mother told him that he worked too many hours.
Alina gasped. Pain and disappointment shimmered in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry.” He moved closer to her. “I didn’t mean that. I... I wasn’t thinking.”
When he reached out to her, she immediately recoiled. Whatever connection they’d been building, he felt as though he’d destroyed it in one outburst.
He jumped to his feet and moved to the window that looked out over quiet Holly Lane. He raked his fingers through his hair. All the while, his jaw was clenched tight. How could he hurt Alina of all people? She was the sweetest and kindest, just ask anyone in the Stirling.
“My mother was right.” His voice was soft. “I am turning into my father. No wonder she doesn’t bother with me.”
Guilt weighed down on him. He wanted to make this up to Alina, but he had no idea how to do it. His mother had given him an ultimatum—selling the company and having a life that included her or running the company alone. His mother would never know how much that decision had cost him. And now he doubted Alina wanted him, either.
A hand touched his bicep. “It’s okay.”
He turned to find Alina standing there in the glow of the Christmas tree. He wanted to wipe away the sadness from her face. “You don’t know how much I want to rewind time and take back my words.”
“But you’re right. I am
stuck here. Without any true family left, I just can’t imagine letting go of the Stirling and the people in it. They make me happy. They make me feel needed.”
“And I have a company but no one to share it with.”
Alina reached out and cupped his face in her delicate hand. “You don’t have to be alone, if you don’t want to be.”
Wait. Had he heard her correctly? Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Every fiber of his body longed for her—to be close to her—to breathe her essence in. But first he had to know if that’s what she really wanted because he just couldn’t make any more mistakes where she was concerned.
His gaze searched hers. “Alina, what are you saying?”
It was then that she lifted up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Whoever said actions spoke louder than words must have been referring to this very moment. Because as her lips moved over his, he had no doubt what she’d been saying. Her lips were definitely doing all of the talking. And he was more than happy to be on the other end of that wordless communication.
He reached out and drew her to him. Her soft curves fit perfectly to his hard planes. But now he took the lead, heating up their kiss. Her hands reached up past his shoulders, wrapping around his neck as her fingers combed through his hair.
He no longer felt alone. With Alina right here next to him, he felt as though together they could take on the world. And for the first time in his life, he knew what it was to have someone truly believe in him.
Alina didn’t judge him as not good enough like his father had done. And she didn’t hold things against him that he hadn’t even done yet like his mother. Alina didn’t pressure him to be anyone but who he was.
In this moment, he wasn’t the head of a billion-dollar corporation. He wasn’t the heir to a mess of accounts that had been mismanaged. And he wasn’t the mean landlord that was kicking everyone out of their homes.
With Alina in his arms, he was just a man—a man that felt worthy just by being himself. He felt the weight of the world fall away. And he stopped worrying about the future or looking over his shoulder at mistakes of the past. In this moment, he just wanted to savor the here and now for this one special evening in the twinkle of the Christmas lights.
They pushed aside the coffee table and then he grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch. As he spread it out over the floor, Alina tossed down the throw pillows.
And then with the lights off except those of the Christmas tree, Alina was once again back in his arms. He claimed her lips—her full, soft lips.
Santa had come early this year. Graham wasn’t sure he was worthy of such a sweet gift. He was pretty certain he wasn’t. But he was totally caught up in the moment—caught up in Alina’s addictive kiss.
And so he would unwrap this most special gift. He would savor this evening and the twinkle of desire in Alina’s blue eyes.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
OH, WHAT A NIGHT!
Alina woke up smiling, remembering how attentive and loving Graham had been during the night. Like a cat after a sunny nap, she stretched. She enjoyed the way her body still tingled all over.
But when she looked around, she didn’t see Graham anywhere. She paused and listened for sounds of the shower. There was none. He was gone?
It was then that she checked the time. It was after eight. After eight! She never slept this late. But she did have a good excuse. The best excuse.
