“All I know is that we don’t have to decide right this second. It’s been in there for decades, so another day or two won’t matter.” Sean took the book from her hands and carefully set it on top of the china cabinet. Then he took their empty dinner boxes and set them aside as well. Holly looked up at him questioningly when he put his hand out for her.
“Go for a ride with me?”
“What?”
He smiled. “A ride. I thought we might take a little drive, look at the Christmas lights.” He took her hand and pulled her up so her body came up flush against his. “Now, don’t rush to say no. I’m well aware of your feelings on the holiday, but lights are just lights. They’re pretty to look at and they don’t stare at you while you sleep.”
Her lips quirked. “I’m not that big a scrooge, you know. Actually, I kind of like the lights part of the holiday. It’s hard not to be cheery when you drive by a twinkling display.”
“Great.” She started to say something, but he dipped his head and caught her mouth in a slow, sweet kiss. “I know you have a million things to do, but you’ve been holed up in this place for days now. An hour or two out won’t kill you and might help clear your head a little.”
She held his gaze for a moment, then smiled. “Well, I’m not so sure about the cleared head part. Something about being in your proximity seems to muddle that up a little.”
“In a good way?”
“You were in the room earlier today, right?”
He laughed. “Yes, I believe I was.”
“Alrighty then.”
He kissed her again and scooped her up against his chest and spun her around.
She was laughing, too, when he put her down, but said, “What was that for?”
“For making me feel like spinning around like a kid. Turns out it’s even more fun as an adult…when you’ve got another adult in your arms at the time.”
“Imagine that,” she said, her brown eyes shining.
That was what he wanted to see. And for a very long time. “Come on, let’s get your coat and get out of here.”
He’d brought his truck over and parked it in front of her shop, which made her nudge him with her elbow when they stepped outside.
“Pretty sure of yourself.”
“Actually, I delegated closing to my cousin tonight, so I was done when I came over here. I knew if I had to go back through the restaurant later to get my truck I might get trapped, so I parked out here. And I didn’t want Mickey to feel like I was checking up on him.”
“Very thoughtful of you.”
He opened the passenger side door and helped her up into the seat, then leaned in after her. “Well, it wasn’t an entirely altruistic move.”
“When did you come up with the Christmas lights tour idea?”
“When I realized it was either get you off of that crushed velvet sex goddess sofa you have up there, or strip you naked and make love to you on what is probably a very uncomfortable piece of furniture.”
To her credit, this time there was no blushing. Good. That meant she’d been thinking about him, about them…and was, perhaps, getting more comfortable with letting things continue to develop.
“You’re right,” she said, then when he wiggled his eyebrows, she laughed and added, “that is the most uncomfortable piece of furniture ever made. At least for sleeping.”
“Why are you sleeping on it, then? It’s also drafty in there, you can’t be comfortable. Why not stay in a motel or one of the inns.”
Willow Creek was small, but there was a clean, neatly kept little motel on the edge of town, and several of the older homes had been turned into bed-and-breakfasts.
“When I got here I really was feeling pretty overwhelmed, still am, to be honest, and I guess I just didn’t want to have to deal with people. It might not have been the best thing to do, to hole myself up in the shop like I did, but I really needed to sort through things, and to think, and it just seemed like the thing to do.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I’ve come to your rescue, then.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I have a very large house—” He broke off long enough to shake his head for her to not interrupt. “—with several bedrooms, all of which have beds and only mine is occupied. Even my couch is more comfortable than that slab you’ve been sleeping on.” He leaned down and kissed her, fast at first, then dipped in for another one, then another. “You can have pick of the house, Goldilocks. I’m the only bear in residence.”
She rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. “I’m sure the next thing you’ll be telling me is you’re a teddy bear.”
“Only if you believe that you’d sleep more soundly curled up with one.”
She laughed outright at that. “Why don’t we get on with our tour of lights here, before people start unplugging them for the night.”
“Okay, okay.” He ducked in for one last kiss, then pushed her hair back, touched her cheek, as he finally moved back. “You know, I think I had it all wrong anyway.”
“Had what all wrong?”
“About which one of us was doing the rescuing.” He didn’t let her question him on that, but closed the door after she’d situated herself in her seat, then scooted around to his side. He had no idea how he was going to handle knowing Holly was under his roof, in a bed other than his own, and not give in to temptation. Or at least tempting temptation. He glanced over at her and found her watching him, only mixed in with that always thoughtful, always intent look…was what looked like affection. The kind that just comes naturally when you look at someone you honestly care about.
He was grinning as he turned on the engine. So, that would be his motivation. To do whatever it took to keep that look on her face. And not give her any reason to feel otherwise.
He was still grinning over an hour later when they finally pulled into the driveway of his home. The drive had been both relaxing and informative. They hadn’t talked business, or about their burgeoning relationship. Instead he’d shared stories about his family, she’d asked about his culinary training and what most compelled him about cooking, he’d asked her about when she’d started painting, and the conversation simply continued on, flowing easily and naturally.
“This is your place?”
“Yep. Bought it a few years ago. Used to be—”
“The McElroys’ place, right?”
“Right. Old Mr. Eddie’s kids moved him to a senior home over near them in Charlottesville and put the house on the market. I like that it’s in the older part of town, not too far from the restaurant, but not right next door.” He flashed her a smile. “And not next door to any of my relatives, either.”
“Most of them are over on the west side, right?”
He nodded. “Newer homes, closer to the highway, and the stores and schools.” He turned off the engine. “It’s quieter here, an older, more sedate neighborhood, for sure, but with all the chaos of the restaurant, I like the peace, the retreat.”
She was looking at the house. He was looking at her.
“Did you ever think you’d want a family? I know you love yours, but, as you said, being surrounded by them all the time, night and day, seven days a week…and your parents only having you…”
“Only because my mom couldn’t have more. She had some complications with me. She’d have had a dozen if she could have, and my dad would have loved it, too.” He laughed now, as he looked at the terror that crossed her face. “I don’t have any predetermined ideas on what kind of family I want. I guess I do know I want one, at least that’s how I see my life going. But…I’m not a big future planner in that regard. I’m happy with letting it take its own course.”
She glanced at him, then smiled when he reached across and took her hand. “I think you’ve really done well for yourself, Sean. You’re happy, you love what you do, you have a nice home here…surrounded by family and friends. I think your folks would be so proud and happy.”
“I’d like to think so.” He tugged her hand a little, and she slid across the seat to be closer to him. “You know, I meant what I said earlier.”
“Which part?”
“About just wanting you to be comfortable, to have a bed, get a good night’s sleep. I know how much stress you’re under, and that I’ve been a part of that, so consider it the least I can do.”
She didn’t say anything right away. Instead she looked down at where their hands were still joined, then finally, back up at him. “Okay.”
He smiled. It was a start. That’s all he wanted. Starting meant they were moving in some direction. Together.
Then she smiled, and reached up and cupped his face in her palm, leaned forward until her mouth was a breath away from his, and said, “So…what would be the most that you could do?”
His heart leapt, his body beat that by double, and he completely lost his train of thought. “I—uh—”
She laughed then, and kissed him. “It’s good to know I’m not the only one who feels occasionally discombobulated by this.”
“No…not the only one,” he said on a short laugh. “You know, you don’t have to—”
“I know I don’t. But after this afternoon, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. A lot. Okay, nonstop. And I don’t know, yet, what I’m going to do. Here, in London, so many things yet to be figured out, decided on. Normally I’d want to take my time, be sure of every little thing. I’m not normally so spontaneous, especially about this.” She touched his face again. “But, like you said, now is when you’re here. And I’m here. And I want…what I want. In fact, it’s the one easy decision I’ve had to make. I don’t want regrets. I want time with you.”
He grinned. “Have I mentioned how much I love that you’re such a decisive woman?”
“Remember you said that.”
He was still smiling as he walked around and helped her slide from the truck. “How about a nice bottle of wine, maybe a fire in the fireplace. And we’ll see where we end up later.”
“I think Goldilocks never had it so good.”