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He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. ‘I’m so sorry you had all that to go through. It was so not the way I wanted Mum to find out I’d volunteered again.’
‘Well, it didn’t really compare with fighting the high seas and rescuing people in peril.’
‘Bravery comes in many forms.’ He kissed her again.
Honor cuddled closer. ‘What happened anyway?’
‘As Jamie said, the yacht had engine failure and had gone aground. We got the casualties off, a couple in their fifties, and brought them back to harbour.’
‘What were they thinking going out on a night like this?’
‘Good point. They’d sailed over from France to stay with friends for Christmas. Thought they’d get ahead of the storm but it blew in early and has left early by the looks of things.’
‘No one was hurt though?’
Jago shook his head. ‘Paramedics checked them out and their friends collected them. All ended well.’
‘What a night.’
‘So, do you think you’ll cope with me volunteering?’
‘Do I have an option?’
Jago pulled a face.
‘Then I’ll just have to learn from the old hands like Lucie and your mum.’
‘It’ll rarely be as dramatic as tonight. I promise.’
‘It had better not be.’
‘Does that mean you’re planning on staying around?’
‘Your mum’s asked me to stay tonight,’ she said, deliberately misunderstanding but enjoying teasing him.
He lifted a strand of her hair, staring at it intently. ‘It wasn’t quite what I meant. Oh God, Honor, I know I’m not the hottest catch in town and I’ve only just got divorced and I suppose some might say I don’t even have a proper job.’ He gazed into her eyes. ‘What I’m trying to say, very badly, is I know we’ve only just met but I’d like to take this further.’ He sucked in a breath. ‘I think I’m falling in love with you.’ He frowned. ‘No, scratch that. Iamin love with you! I love you, my Honor bright. I love you as I’ve never loved anyone.’
Honor’s breath hitched in her throat. She gazed back at him. At the strain and exhaustion the night had etched upon his face, at the tangle of dark curls she was desperate to run her hands through, at his green eyes liquid with emotion. ‘I don’t know how this has happened, but it has,’ she began, haltingly. ‘A month ago, I would have said I was resigned to a single life, working too hard because there was no one to come home to, eating at the Sea Spray because I couldn’t be bothered to cook for one,Strictlybeing the highlight of my weekend.’
‘And now?’
‘Now? Oh, Jago, now I wouldn’t know what to do if I thought I’d never see you again.’ She ran a finger over his collar bone and felt his shiver of arousal. She pressed her lips there and heard him groan. ‘I love you, Jago.’
They kissed. With tenderness building to passion and with the promise that this was only the very beginning of something wonderful.
Honor broke away and giggled slightly. She blamed tiredness and the champagne. ‘Besides.’
‘Besides what?’
‘I really,reallyhave to teach you how to love Christmas!’
Laughing, he kissed her again. Releasing her his eyes lit on the angel pendant she was still wearing. He took it in his fingers. ‘You’re my angel, my Christmas angel. Something tells me you’ve already sprinkled me with Christmas magic. Something tells me this year we’ll have the best Christmas ever.’
‘I think it will be too. Happy Christmas, Jago,’ she whispered, lost in the love in his eyes.
‘Happy Christmas, Honor,’ and he kissed her.
THE END
