Page 62 of A Sudden Romance

“You kissed Sabastian?”

“He kissed me. Yesterday wasn’t our first time.”

“I knew it was only a matter of time before it happened.” Joy dipped her finger in the jar and dolloped some cream into her palm.

“Did you feel the sparks?” Tessa wagged her brows.

“Do you think he’s the one?” Liberty kept her voice hushed.

Just thinking about Sabastian’s kisses made goosebumps blossom on Iris’s skin. She checked the shop. Besides their group, only a couple of shoppers perused the jewelry glittering on the table.

As Iris parted her lips to confess Sabastian was probably the one, a family member interfered.

“Did you find anything?” Hailey held a knitted scarf. “Isn’t this divine?”

Iris loved her family, but she’d rather confide in her friends with deep matters before letting the whole crew in on it.

“I haven’t looked around yet.” She eyed her friends and shrugged so they knew she’d tried telling them, but they’d have to wait for details.

The next evening at The Peak, they all cuddled into their ugly Christmas sweaters as they lingered in the dining room after dinner.

Leticia’s team had made a delicious dinner and cleared the dishes, but chatter still resounded through the room. At Iris’s table, Julia sat across from her, talking about Christmas in New York. One of the aunts asked Julia a question, and Iris’s gaze wandered to one of the six long tables they’d added in the room.

As if Sabastian had a sixth sense, he lifted his head, and his gaze met hers. Her heart skipped the way it did lately whenever he looked at her. With her cheeks aflame, she tinkered with the tree-shaped earrings on her ears, a gift from Grandma last year.

When Sabastian turned his gaze away, he stood. Somehow, it seemed like they had a secret code. Or maybe a magnetic pull had her anticipate another moment alone with him.

Since his table was closer to the entrance, he stepped out of the room in no time.

Iris turned to Hailey on her left talking to a couple of their uncles across from them. Interrupting, she whispered, “I’m gonna help Sabastian with the gingerbread setup.”

“It’s already set up,” Julia responded, her brow arched as if she wasn’t missing anything between Iris and Sabastian.

“Either way, we have frosting and supplies to take downstairs.” While Iris had been in town getting pedicures and massages yesterday, Sabastian had promised to set up the game room. Her brothers had probably helped, but as the reunion organizer, she needed to prepare things rather than leave the job to Sabastian. He’d made all the frosting already and was on top of everything again.

When she entered the kitchen, he was pulling massive containers from the fridge and setting them on the stainless steel food cart. Amazing how Leticia’s crew always made a fast exit since the catering company brought the plates and took the dirty dishes with them.

Upon hearing her footsteps, he set the bowl on the cart, then eyed her. He was breathless as he grinned.

“Hey,” he said, then peered behind her as if to make sure no one followed her.

“Hey yourself.” She leaned her forearms on the counter. The black granite seeped its chill through her fuzzy loose-weave sweater sleeves. Standing there, she fought the urge to walk to him and greet him with a kiss. After all, the last time they’d kissed in the kitchen, they’d almost started a fire.

A mischievous grin crinkled his cheeks. He, too, was probably thinking about yesterday’s escapade.

Her lips twitched. “Nice sweater.”

He touched the green dinosaur wearing a Santa hat. “There’s this really beautiful woman who picked it out for me.”

“Huh. I wonder if she’s willing to help with the frosting? If not”—Iris winked—“I could be persuaded to push the cart.”

“If you’ve got the cart, I’ll handle the elevator.” He fell in step with her as she started toward the elevator door beyond the main room.

Voices and laughter carried on in the dining room.

“How was your time with the girls at the nail salon yesterday?”

She stopped walking to lift her hands. Red wasn’t usually what she put on her nails, but it complemented her sweater.

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