Page 118 of Christmas at the Castle
She smiled. “It’s the truth.”
“I know, but you try to make things easy on everybody else, even if that may turn out to be hard on you.” He ran his finger along her jawline. “It’s time someone did the same for you. I want to be that person.”
Her throat constricted with emotion. She tried to speak but couldn’t.
Her grandparents had provided her with unconditional love and support. Sophie did what she could for Kat living with an ocean between them. But she’d never expected anyone to make her feel so loved and special as her grandparents had made her feel.
But Gill did.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.” The sincerity in his voice matched the look in his eyes. “And I mean that.
Gratitude brimmed, but so did something else.
Love.
She had been falling for Gill before, but she’d fallen all the way now. Stepped over the edge and crashed heart first.
She loved him.
The realization should terrify her, but she felt nothing but peace. The fairy tale was hers to grab like a brass ring.
If only the situation weren’t so complicated with his mother…
They could still make this work. Kat had to try.
She gazed into his eyes. “There is one more thing I would like.”
“Name it.”
“A kiss.”
Kat didn’t wait for him to lower his mouth to hers. She rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.
If Gill was surprised, he didn’t show it.
Instead, he pulled her close against him. His lips moved across hers, soft at first, and then harder as if he couldn’t get enough.
Kat couldn’t. She ran her hands through his hair. Strands curled around her fingers.
Their tongues met and explored. Heat pulsed through her. She arched against him.
He was all she needed.
Time seemed to stop. There was only this moment and him. She wanted the moment to last forever.
Gill drew the kiss to an end and pulled back, then he brushed his lips against her again.
“I want nothing more than to continue this in your room, but we should say goodnight and not rush things.” He pushed a piece of hair off her face. “We have plenty of time.”
Two days didn’t seem long enough, but maybe he was right. She hoped so. The wordsI love yousat on the tip of her tongue, ready to leap out of her mouth.
Too soon.
He was right about not rushing things. Especially tonight after so much had happened today.
“I understand. I need to check on the puppies.”
