Page 27 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

“What do I say?” she asked him.

“You say, Thank you, Batman,” he told her.

“Thank you, Batman,” she said, turning to Aidan.

“You’re welcome,” he growled, grabbing his keys out of his pocket and not making eye contact.

She watched as he got Walt strapped into his booster in the back seat before heading to the passenger side door and wordlessly offering her his help to get in.

She didn’t necessarily want to take it, now that he was being a little weird. But the truck was higher up off the ground than her little car, and it had been a long day. She let him take her crutches and then her hand and elbow, lifting her easily to her seat.

“Thanks,” she said softly.

He nodded to her, making sure she was fully inside before closing her door for her. She waited, feeling almost breathless, while he headed to his own door. Why was she feeling this way? He was just being kind.

“We wish you a Merry Christmas,” Walt sang in a sleepy voice from the back seat. “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

“We wish you a Merry Christmas,” Kenzie joined him softly. “And a happy new year.”

“Wow,” Aidan said as he took his seat and started the truck. “A Christmas concert.”

Kenzie laughed and they both listened as Walt continued to hum.

There was something incredibly nice about being in the small space with her two new friends. Maybe it was just the holiday spirit getting to her, but something about it felt cozy and right.

“Here we are,” Aidan said as they pulled up in front of her house. “Hang tight, and I’ll get you inside.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she said.

But he was already getting out and moving across the headlights to get to her side of the truck.

“Hey, Walt,” he said, when he had opened her door. “I’m going to get Kenzie inside, okay? You’ll be able to see me the whole time. Can you see her front door?”

“Yes,” Walt said.

“That’s as far as we’re going, okay?” Aidan said.

“Okay, Daddy,” Walt told him. “Bye, Kenzie. See you later.”

“Goodbye, Walt,” she replied. “It was so nice to meet you.”

Aidan grabbed her crutches and leaned them against his truck.

“I’m just going to carry you,” he told her. “It will be easier that way.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “I can walk around back on my own.”

“No, no,” he said. “I’ve got you.”

The next thing she knew, she was in his arms again, being carried up to the porch with what seemed like zero effort on his part. And even though she was prepared for what it would feel like this time, she was still thrown by the feelings being in his arms brought up.

He placed her down gently in front of the door, and she expected him to say something awful or awkward and rush back to his truck.

Instead, he gazed down at her for a moment without moving.

In the darkness, it was hard to read his expression, but she felt a little thrill of something between them.

He leaned down, closing the small distance between them, and a shaft of moonlight showed her his face. His eyes drank her in hungrily, his jaw tight.

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