Page 82 of Mistletoe Mistake
Could he literally read my mind? It felt that way. How did he know what I was going to say? “Cole, I wanted to tell you exactly the same thing. I just didn't know how.”
Something sparked deep in his eyes, something that almost looked like hope. I hadn't ever seen that expression on his face before. “You mean that?”
“Of course.” I reached over to take his hand in mine, the warmth of it making me feel safe and grounded. “Our time together has been incredible. You're incredible. I feel like a different person when I'm with you, in the best possible way. And I like that person. I like being her.”
“I like her too.” His eyes gleamed with that promise of passion that I always found irresistible, but also with a hint of tenderness that was new. “I don't know exactly what I'm suggesting, Gemma. I don't have a plan, and I have to admit that kind of terrifies me. All I know is that I don't want Friday to be the end of us. I want you in my life for a lot longer than that.”
“I want that too.”
Words didn't seem enough to show him how much, so I pulled his face down to mine and kissed him. He kissed me back eagerly but gently too. For the first time, it felt like we weren't kissing just as a way of moving on to something else. The kiss was the endpoint. It was the only thing that mattered.
I couldn't guess how long we stayed there, simply kissing and holding each other, but eventually, Cole pulled back, giving me a sweet smile. “I had all kinds of plans for tonight, but I have to admit I'm completely exhausted.”
I knew what he meant. I felt elated that we were on the same page, that he wanted us to be together too, but it also felt like we had run a marathon to get to that point. On top of that, he’d been travelling and dealing with time zones and all the other stress of the last few days. He must be absolutely knackered.
“Let's get some sleep,” I suggested. “We'll have plenty of time tomorrow to carry out your plans after my father's party.”
The smile on Cole's face faltered. “We're going to that party?”
“I am,” I clarified. “Just for a little while, and then I'll come straight back here to you.”
His smile fell away completely, replaced by a scowl. “You're not going there alone. Either I come with you or you don't go. Those are the options.”
“It's not a big deal,” I tried to assure him. “There will be so many people there, I probably won't even speak to my father. I just need to be seen, to keep up appearances.”
“Gemma, this isn't negotiable. I will keep you tied to that bed all night if I have to, but you are not going alone.”
“Is that supposed to be a threat?” I teased him, trying to distract him from the issue at hand. “You know I have no problem with you tying me up.”
I could see his desire warring with his protectiveness as he looked back at me. “Well, we can always do both. I'll go with you to the party, so you can be seen, and then we can come back here and tie you up in as many ways as possible.”
He obviously didn’t intend to give in, so I decided to press my advantage. “You can come with me on one condition.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “And what's that?”
“You have to wear a Santa hat with me as we walk in.”
His eyes narrowed and for a moment, I thought I had actually angered him. But a few seconds later, his face broke into a smile, that genuine, boyish smile of his that was so rare and all the more precious for its rareness. “Very well, Gemma. You've outplayed me. I'll wear your damn hat.”
“It won't be the last time I outsmart you,” I teased, giving him a seductive wink.
His smile only got wider. “God, I hope not.”
~Cole~
Waking up the next morning with Gemma beside me in the bed, I could hardly believe that the previous night really happened. Our talk might have been brief, but it was still everything I could have hoped for. She felt the same way I did. She wanted to be with me. It seemed almost too good to be true.
I hadn't been so happy in a long time. Probably not since Samantha had agreed to marry me, which had also felt too good to be true, and look how that turned out.
My good mood began to fade, but I tried to push my doubts aside. I didn't have any reason to be suspicious of Gemma's motives. She wasn't Samantha, and it wouldn’t be fair to her to make that comparison.
Gemma began to stir, so I leaned down to give her a soft kiss. “Good morning.”
Her smile felt like the sunshine through the clouds, flooding my whole body with warmth. “Good morning. What time is it?”
“Only just after six. I need to get up though, I've got a lot of work to catch up on from the last few days. I can order some breakfast for us if you want?”
We ate together and she got ready for her day while Jackson joined me in the living room to review the meetings we had coming up. He had pushed back a couple of things from earlier in the week that needed my personal attention, so our day would be completely full. I wouldn't have a spare minute until the time came to get ready for the party that evening.
