Dreams. They were talking about dreams.
“I’d like to dream about something else.” She felt as breathless as a teenager. “Did you have something particular in mind?”
He gave a slow smile. “How about sharks?”
She started to laugh but then he covered her mouth with his and kissed her, and she kissed him back until her heart was hammering and her stomach melting. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling the hard muscle of his shoulders under her hands. His kiss was raw and skillful, an intimate prelude to something deeper, more intimate, but they both knew that wasn’t going to happen tonight.
Even consumed by pleasure, Hattie was acutely conscious of Delphi sleeping in the next room.
She pulled away reluctantly. “Delphi—”
“I know.” His voice was roughened, and he pulled back and closed his eyes for a moment. “Give me a moment. Talk about something unsexy.”
Unsexy?
“Er—did you know that a T. rex weighed around seven thousand kilograms?”
He opened his eyes. “Had he tried time-restricted eating?”
She smiled and snuggled closer, gazing into the fire. “I used to love Christmas.”
He closed his hand over hers. “And now?”
“This year I love it again.” She shifted so that she could look at him. “That’s because of you. I can’t believe you’re here, in my living room, on Christmas Eve. It feels—”
“How does it feel?”
“It feels good. It feels the way Christmas is supposed to feel.” She lifted her hand and traced his face, the roughness of his jaw, the silk of his hair.
He took her hand and kissed her palm. “It feels like Christmas to me, too.”
“Delphi was so excited that you were here this evening. And you were adorable with her.”
“Adorable?” Still holding her hand, Noah gave a mock frown. “I don’t think of myself as adorable. I think of myself as a tough outdoorsman who can light a fire by rubbing sticks together while fighting off a bear.”
She widened her eyes. “You’ve fought off a lot of bears lately?”
“About ten a day. Twenty on some days.”
“Aren’t bears supposed to be sleeping at this time of year?”
He shrugged. “They get excited about Christmas, just like the rest of us.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling content, relaxed, for the first time in ages. “Do you remember when Delphi used to call you the Christmas tree man?”
His fingers tightened on hers. “I do. I was pretty happy with that title. Who wouldn’t want to be Christmas tree man?”
Hattie paused, feeling as if she was balancing on the edge of something momentous. “She loves you, Noah.”
“I love her back.” He said it easily, without hesitation, and then pulled her gently to him. “I love you, too. Just in case you were wondering.”
The words drove the breath out of her body. “Noah—”
“I don’t have an agenda.” He slipped his fingers under her chin and raised her face so that she was looking directly at him. “I’m telling you the truth, that’s all. And now you’re going to tell me you’re worried about Delphi being hurt, but you know I’d never hurt her. I’d never hurt you, either, but I understand that it’s complicated and that you’re probably not ready. But I wanted you to know how I feel, so that if and when you feel ready, you can let me know.”
“I love you, too.” She had no hesitation in saying the words because they were true. She loved Noah. She knew that now just as she knew that the relationship wouldn’t be easy, that she couldn’t just delete her feelings for Brent, that guilt would ebb and flow. She hadn’t thought she’d fall in love with another man, but it had happened and she could ignore that or she could embrace it as a gift and be grateful that happiness had come her way twice in a lifetime. “And I know you’d never hurt Delphi. You’ve been the very best friend to both of us.” And she knew she’d never have to hide how she felt when she was with him. Never have to pretend that she was fine if she was having a moment of sadness, or guilt, or pain. Noah never tried to offer suggestions or fix as so many people did. He didn’t minimize her pain. He didn’t tell her that all she needed was time. He seemed to accept that some things in life were tough, and sometimes there were no shortcuts and you had to find your own way through it, and all anyone else could do was to listen and offer support.
“Hearing you say that is the best Christmas gift I could have had. I hope, one day, maybe there will be a place for me in your little family.” He kissed her again, but slowly this time and she could have stayed like that forever, with his lips on hers and his words in her heart.
“You’re already in our family.” But the mother in her was still on duty and eventually, she eased away. “It’s late, and Delphi will be up before dawn. You should leave, but I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want the evening to end.” She was torn between her own needs and her responsibility as a mother.
“Me neither.” He stroked her hair, holding her close. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“It’s just like any other day, but with Santa and presents and an overactive, overexcited child.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I assume you’re talking about yourself?”
“Naturally. Delphi is the restrained, adult one.” She marveled at how conversations with him almost always made her smile. “After I have ripped open my presents with abandon, I will probably drink several large mugs of very strong coffee in order to set me up to serve Christmas lunch to a dining room full of guests, including my sister and sexy Jack.”
“Sexy Jack? You think he’s sexy?”
“Why? Are you jealous?” It was her turn to tease him.
“I don’t know. Can he wrestle bears and chop down a tree?”
“I have no idea. I’ve never met him. Chloe was here when they checked in and they haven’t emerged from the room since.”
“Then how do you know he’s sexy?”
“I don’t. But that’s what Anna calls him. I’m waiting to make my own judgment.” And she was sure that whatever the mysterious Jack was like, he wasn’t going to be as sexy as Noah.
“That decides it. I’m going to be here tomorrow, helping.” He leaned toward her, intending to kiss her again, when they both heard a sound behind them. They jumped apart guiltily.
Flustered, Hattie smoothed her hair and jumped to her feet. “Delphi! What are you doing? You’re supposed to be asleep.”
“I tried but it didn’t happen.” Delphi ran to her, arms outstretched, and Hattie scooped her up, feeling the weight and the warmth of her, and her heart felt full.
“You have to sleep.”
“I can’t because I’m not sleepy. And anyway, Noah is here, which means Christmas has started.”
“Christmas hasn’t started and Noah was just leaving,” Hattie said quickly and Noah obligingly stood and reached for his jacket.
“That’s right. Just leaving.”
Delphi shook her head. “He’s not leaving. He can’t leave.”