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“Is the pizza here yet?”
Headlights shone in the front window, and we laughed.
“Looks like it,” Knox said as he headed toward the door.
I made a move toward my purse. “I can get it.”
Knox held up his hand. “I’ve got it.”
I didn’t want him to think I expected him to pay, and I was touched that he took care of it. When he paid for and got the boxes, I said, “Thank you for dinner.”
“You decorated my trees. It was the least I could do.” He set the large boxes on the counter and popped the tops. “We have plain cheese and pepperoni.”
“Plain,” Addy said as she climbed onto a stool.
I searched the cupboards until I found plates, while Knox grabbed a slice. It was easy and efficient, and I enjoyed moving around the kitchen with him.
He poured Addy some cider and water for us. Then we sat at the counter to eat the warm and gooey pizza. It was the perfect evening.
“You want to watch a holiday movie after this? They have a new Santa show on one of the streaming services. Ember said it’s good.”
“Can we stay, Mommy?” Addy asked, and I couldn’t say no. “For a little while.”
We ate, cleaned up, and then made our way to the living room. I tidied the leftover and broken decorations that didn’t make it onto the tree while Knox cued up the movie. Then we sat on the couch with cozy plaid throws.
I sat on one side of Knox, and Addy curled up on the other.
“This is cozy,” Knox said with a smile.
I didn’t detect any sarcasm. He was genuinely enjoying spending time together. “Oh, I almost forgot. I brought cookies and left them in the car.”
I got up to grab my keys, and Knox followed. “Go ahead and start watching, Addy. We’ll be right back.”
Addy was already focused on the opening credits and didn’t bother to acknowledge him.
“You don’t have to help. It’s not a heavy container,” I said as he opened the front door for me.
Knox flashed me a smile and leaned in to say, “I figured I could give you a proper hello.”
I flushed, feeling a little flustered and a whole lot excited as we headed outside. I reached inside to grab the tin of cookies and closed the door to my car.
With a hand on my elbow, Knox spun me until my back was against the door, and his body pressed against mine. He took the tin and placed it on the roof of the car.
I sucked in a quick breath. “What if Addy walks outside?”
His lips quirked. “She won’t. But in case she does, we’ll be quick.”
But it didn’t feel rushed as he lowered his head until his lips hovered over mine. His eyes fluttered closed as his lips finally touched mine in a feather-light touch. “I like having you here in my house.”
“I like it, too.” There was something about being here that felt like coming home. I almost had a sense of déjà vu, which I hadn’t experienced since I was a kid.
He kissed me again, one hand tangled in my hair and the other on my hip, anchoring me in place. I felt surrounded by his warmth and the ever-present scent of evergreen. He was like my own personal Christmas tree.
I sank into him as the kiss deepened, and I lost all sense of time. When he finally pulled back, I felt like a different person. One who was adored by a man. “That wasn’t quick.”
He tugged on a strand of my hair. “That was my fault. I got a little carried away.”
I sighed. “I can’t blame you, but we should get inside before Addy wonders where we’ve gone.”
