Aiden didn’t realize he was holding his breath waiting for her response until she whispered one simple word.
Yes.
She said yes. He almost couldn’t believe it.
He turned her around in his arms and pulled her closer. “Let me lead you.”
He took a few steps. She followed blindly, trusting him to walk her backwards. When he reached the first mistletoe, he stopped. His lips dropped toward hers, and he kissed her as if he’d never get to kiss her again. The heat slowly built around them, warming him from his head down to the very tip of his toes.
The first kiss ended too soon, but there were plenty more to come.
“One down.”
He started moving again down the hallway until he came to the next mistletoe. A bright smile lit up her face right before he kissed her again. A kiss as sweet and fierce as the first one he delivered. A kiss that poured every ounce of his love he had for her. A kiss that said he never wanted to let go.
As he led her down the hallway, stopping every few steps to kiss her under each mistletoe that he and Bentley had painstakingly made themselves, he hoped she could feel the love he had for her. He didn’t want to just say it over and over that he loved her. He wanted her to feel the love as well.
When the idea to make a trail of mistletoes around his house, to kiss her, to remind her of the sweet way their love started to blossom, he started right away with it. Bentley thought he was nuts when he told him the plan. He even argued with him that there’d be no way in hell he’d being doing any sort of craft to help him. Then, in the next breath, he picked up a foam white ball and started to make what the video he found on the Internet called a mistletoe kissing ball.
They followed the instructions to the T, creating fifteen different kinds of mistletoes, not just ones formed into a ball. He wanted each one to be unique and beautiful, just like Theresa. He knew Betty, the owner of the craft store, had so many questions on the tip of her tongue when he bought all the supplies earlier this morning. He didn’t offer an explanation and she never had the guts to ask.
Making each one wasn’t as easy as it looked in the video. Oddly enough, he enjoyed himself. He couldn’t help but savor and picture the beautiful smile Theresa would produce when she saw each one. At least, that’s what he hoped when he made each one and then hung them around the house.
She didn’t disappoint him as they walked, stopped, and kissed under each one. Her smile brightened the light inside him like a glorious star in the sky.
When he stopped at a mistletoe in the doorway of his bathroom, he kissed her as lovingly as he did all the other times, then rested his forehead against hers.
“How about a shower…then I’ll show you the last surprise.”
Her eyes misted with what he thought might be tears. “Okay.”
He reluctantly stepped away from her. “Hop in and I’ll go find you some clothes to put on.”
She nodded, the question in her eyes, yet it didn’t leave her mouth. Why wasn’t he going to shower with her? Why did he suddenly stop the passion that built between them as he walked her from the door to here?
Simple answer.
He needed to do one more thing before they went further than a kiss. He had a plan. He wanted to stick to it, even if he felt rushed. He hadn’t planned for anything to happen until tomorrow where he would’ve had more time to create the perfect setting. Although, it was pretty damn amazing to him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to change any part of this night, besides the fire and her getting hurt, of course.
She walked into the bathroom and shut the door. He grabbed her one of his old but favorite shirts for her to wear. That was it. His boxers wouldn’t fit her. There was no point of even letting her try them on. He knocked once on the bathroom door before opening it. With a quick message that he left her some clothes, leaving the part out it was only a shirt, he closed the door and decided he’d take a shower of his own in the master bathroom. He tossed his shirt in the garbage can next to the sink, considering it got ripped probably when Bentley tackled him to the ground.
He fingered the light scrape across his abdomen, thinking how much he deserved that. Bentley had been right to stop him. He had been crazed with fear, not thinking to ask someone first if she made it out alive. He jumped in the shower and cleaned himself up as fast as he could.
He honestly couldn’t imagine his life without her. If Dusty had anything to do with it, he’d…he’d what? He knew he wanted to beat the living shit out of him, but he would never touch him in that way because he wasn’t about to ruin his life over that piece of shit. No. He’d let the courts handle it and push for the stiffest penalty. He was just thankful Theresa wasn’t hurt.
Walking out of his master bathroom, he stopped in his tracks at the sexy picture in front of him. Theresa stood in his old college shirt that came just above her thighs. Her hair was wet and messy, but in a beautiful way. A small, almost nervous smile graced her lips.
He wasn’t fast enough to prepare the rest of his surprise. He stood with a blue towel wrapped around his waist. Both of them stood almost naked.
“I’m tired. It’s been a long night. Should I sleep in anot—”
“You’re sleeping with me.” His voice was firm.
Didn’t she understand how much he loved her? Then his mind went back to yesterday when she asked if they could be friends. He agreed, but said he’d still kiss her under a mistletoe any time they stood under one. She kissed him a few minutes ago, but perhaps she still wanted to be just friends.
He forced himself to loosen his limbs and not sound so angry. “Unless you want to sleep in the spare room.”
“I…I want to sleep in here. I’m…” She frowned. “I’m just confused what’s going on here. About everything…is there an us?”
Two long strides and he was by her side, grasping her hands in his and guided her to sit on the edge of the bed. His hands held hers tightly as he gazed into her eyes. “I want there to be an us. I screwed up. I got…scared.” He took a deep breath.
Then it came out. Every single thing he held inside about Cynthia. The hurt, the anger, the pain. Through it all, Theresa held his hands, her eyes glued to his with concern and understanding.
“I haven’t felt as happy as I do now in a long time. You bring me happiness. You fill up my darkness with light again. Please say you’ll forgive my idiotic behavior and give me another chance.”
She bit her lip, her eyes looking into his as if searching for something, an answer he hadn’t offered yet. “I think what hurt the most was how you could ignore me after we shared something so special. It’s okay if you don’t want to talk. It’s okay if you need time to yourself. But please don’t ignore me like that again.”
“Never again.”
Her eyes finally turned down. “Did you mean it when you said you loved me?”
He didn’t like how she pulled away from him by turning her head down. With a light nudge, he raised her chin. Her eyes were locked with his once again. “Today, tomorrow, and forever.”
The sweetest, most beautiful smile touched her lips. “I love you, too.”
A kiss would make this moment perfect, but he needed one more thing before he did.
“Don’t move.”
He got up and walked to his closet, shuffling a box down from the top shelf. Pulling out the last mistletoe he made, he walked back to the bed, sitting down gently as he held it out to her.
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “It’s gorgeous.”
It was a simple mistletoe, but beautiful. At least he thought so. He picked out the best one he made for this moment. Simple artificial green leaves with red holly berries mixed in. Tied on the top was a deep red bow. Not a perfect bow, but the best he could do. He was damn proud of himself for all the mistletoes he and Bentley made.
“Not as gorgeous as you. I made it myself. I made all of these hanging in my house. With some help from Bentley.”
She looked surprised. “You did? You really made all of these for me?”
“I’d make a hundred more if you asked me to.”
Her smile widened. “I feel like I’m seeing a whole new side of you right now. No one has ever been this sweet, kind, and loving to me.”
“And I’ve never felt inclined to act this way. Everything I did is because I wanted to, not because I had to.” He glanced at the mistletoe in her hand. “You missed something important.”
Surprised again, she jerked her attention from him to the mistletoe. A lone tear slid down her cheek as soon as she saw it. Her fingers trembled as she plucked the diamond ring off one of the green leaves.
He slid off the bed to kneel on one knee as he placed his hands on her bare thighs. “It hasn’t been long. Hell, I know it’s crazy to even contemplate getting engaged so soon. But I know what I want. I’m damn sure of what I want.” His fingers tightened on her soft thighs. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me, Theresa?”
❄
Her emotions were tumbling everywhere at the moment. Joy. Nerves. Exhilaration. Panic. Happiness. Wariness. But the one feeling overriding it all…love.
She loved him. He said he loved her. He said so many things tonight that gave her a better understanding of his attitude. This whole time she thought he was pulling away because he loved Cynthia too much to love another. Not even close. He shied away because he loved her so much it frightened him.
She wanted to soak up every little moment from tonight and savor it until the end of time. She had no idea he could be this sweet and romantic.
“You’re making me a little nervous. Say something.”
Aiden’s whispered words had her smiling wide and slipping the ring on her finger.
“Yes. A thousand times, yes.”
His fingers slid up her thighs as he leaned forward to kiss her. It melted her on the spot. The kiss was soft and soothing, tender and sweet. His kisses always had a way of filling her heart with delight and contentment.
She felt him grab the mistletoe from her lap and a quiet thud hit the floor. Laying back as he pressed her further into the mattress, the kiss started to turn fierce and hungry. Moaning a little at the ache he was creating, she wrapped her arms tighter around him.
Breaking the kiss, his lips stayed almost pressed to hers as he whispered, “I need you. Badly. But not if it’ll hurt you more.”
Besides her arm that throbbed a little bit from the incision, she felt fine. A little shaken from the night, but she needed him. Just as badly. He’d soothe the shakes with his gentle kisses and smooth hands.
“I want you.”
He grinned, a sweet, almost rakish grin. “Good.” Lifting up some, he grabbed his towel and flung it to the floor, then removed her shirt just as easily. “Move to the center of the bed.”
She scooted back until she found the middle and sighed happily when he pressed his wonderful body to hers. Small, light kisses started on her lips, making a trail down her chin, neck, then gradually up to her ear where he nibbled for a taste. The entire time she slowly rubbed her hands up and down his back in smooth, small strokes.
A kiss landed on her shoulder where the faint mark of his hickey he gave her last time showed. “Wow. I don’t remember doing this.”
A chuckle left her lips. “I do. It felt wonderful.”
His eyes sparkled with a strong craving. “So I have permission to do it again?”
Nodding with a wily smile, she inhaled sharply as he slid down her body and his warm breath touched her most intimate spot.
“And here? Do I have permission?”
“Oh, yes.”
He said nothing else but to lay his soft lips down, his tongue darting out and spiraling her body into passionate bliss. Her hands fisted the comforter tightly as he stroked and licked and suckled every tiny emotion hidden inside her. His mouth just knew what spot to touch and how to touch it, she couldn’t help but squirm and moan and enjoy every little sensation he pulled out of her.
It didn’t take long for her to cry out with ecstasy. He moved back up her body lazily, kissing her lightly on the lips.
“You taste delicious.” His hands cupped her cheeks. “Are you really mine?”
She wrapped her arms tightly around him. Her legs circled his waist with no wiggle room to escape. “I’m all yours. You can never escape.”
He chuckled. “Good thing I never plan to.” Brushing his mouth against hers again, his tongue ducked in briefly before he pulled away. “Can I escape for a moment to grab a condom? I’m not sure how much longer I can hold off.”
She released him and he quickly darted to the bathroom and back within a few seconds. He sheathed himself and then thrust into her with happy abandon. He felt perfect and right and everything she always dreamed of.
She couldn’t believe he asked her to marry him, or the wonderful surprise of all the mistletoes dangling in his house. Such a romantic gesture. Something no one had ever done for her. She liked this hidden sweet side of him. It would be impossible to walk around his house without stepping under a mistletoe. Which was probably his intention. So he could kiss her anytime he wanted. With a good excuse to do it.
And his kiss at the moment had her toes curling and her belly flipping and her heart soaring as he moved in and out of her like a wild stallion bucking away.
The magic in the room grew so high she swore she saw stars as another orgasm, more epic than the last one, tore through her. He followed her shortly, thrusting a few more times before resting his heavy weight on her. She adored the feeling so much she tightened her arms around him so he couldn’t move.
“I love you, Theresa. I plan to show you how much every day of our lives.”
Sighing happily, with a soft kiss to his neck, she whispered, “I love you, too. I can’t wait to make beautiful memories with you.”