Page 34 of Cruising for Christmas
Shay stopped walking to let the guys get several more feet ahead before following behind at a slower pace. “I think you two would be good for each other. So be honest with me. Is something happening between you two?”
Norah sighed. “I think so. He kissed me.”
“I knew it!”
“I don’t know how it could work, Shay. We live on opposite sides of the country. It can’t possibly work.”
“You don’t know that.”
Norah scrubbed her face and gave Ian a small smile when he looked back at them questioningly. “I do know that. My life is in Washington. His is in New York. How would that work?”
“Whoa,” Shay breathed.
Norah looked at her. “What?”
“You have it bad for him.”
“What? No, I don’t.”
“Norah. You’re my best friend. I know you well enough to know that you’re falling for him. You wouldn’t be stressed about where you lived otherwise.”
Norah shook her head. They were getting closer to the ship, and she knew this conversation would need to end quickly.
“That’s crazy. I barely know him.”
“I don’t know, Norah. You can learn a lot from someone by living with them. Even if for a short time.”
Despite wanting to deny it, she knew Shay was right. She had fallen for Ian. She had fallen hard. Last night, she knew Shay wouldn’t care if they hooked up. She had given them permission. Norah had only made up the excuses in her head because she had been worried about the consequences. Of falling for someone who possibly wouldn’t fall for her. Of falling for someone she couldn’t have because they lived on completely opposite sides of the country. Of risking her heart getting crushed when they went their separate ways, possibly never seeing each other again.
Shay bumped Norah’s shoulder. “He’s a good guy.”
“I know.”
“I think you should give him a chance.”
They approached the ship and caught up to the guys, ending the conversation between Shay and Norah. Ian smiled down at Norah and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze and never letting go.
Shay smiled over at them before turning her attention to Ryan. Perhaps Shay was right.
Norah looked up at Ian and smiled. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
It was when he tugged her into his side and kissed the top of her head that she knew. She hadn’t just fallen for Ian. She was head over heels in love with this man, and she had no idea how they could make it work. Her heart was officially on the line. And that terrified her to no end.
16
They had their last dinner on the ship with the group before heading back to their room. Everyone had made a plan to meet for a quick breakfast before getting off the ship in the morning and heading to the airport.
Normally Ian looked forward to getting back to his life of traveling the world, but now his mind spun with what the coming days would hold without Norah. The thought of getting on a plane to go home without her by his side made him sick.
What’s wrong with you? I don’t want to settle down. That’s why things didn’t work with Kelly.
But looking at Norah standing on their balcony, her long brown locks and her dress swaying in the breeze, had him questioning everything.
He stepped out onto the balcony behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back into his chest, and he dropped his head to press a kiss to her bare shoulder.
“I’m going to miss this,” he said.
