Page 74 of My December Darling

He drops a kiss on the top of my head. “But mostly, I’m happy that I can be here with you.” He hesitates before speaking again. “It means a lot that you invited me tonight.” His next breath is shaky. “My parents… I try with them, you know? But it’s pretty one-sided, and we don’t really click. It doesn’t help that I’m an only child, so it’s not like I have siblings who help keep us all together.”

“With them buying you encyclopedias for presents, it’s hard to imagine why you don’t get along.”

He laughs, but it sounds more weary than happy. “I don’t hold anything against them.”

“You don’t?”

“No. They could’ve been worse.”

“A glowing endorsement as any.”

His laugh sounds fuller this time. “I like when you get all protective of me.”

“That’s not—” My cheeks flush. “No. I’m…”

He leans in until our mouths are an inch apart. “You’rewhat?”

I squint up at him. “I’m just annoyed they don’t appreciate the person you are rather than the version they wish you would be.” I’m not sure where the hell that came from, but I’m slightly embarrassed that I got that heated over people I’ve never met.

Thankfully, Luke saves me from self-doubt and rewards my confession with a kiss that makes my body melt into his.

“Well, there goes our plan to trick Luke and Cata into standing underneath the mistletoe,” my sister says, loudly enough for half the house to hear.

Based on the gasps from the other room, everyone now knows about Luke and me.

As if they couldn’t put it all together with the way you were both leaning into each other throughout dinner.

I pull away from Luke, only to have him plant the softest kiss on the corner of my mouth that quells some of my embarrassment.

I press my forehead against his chest. “How are we going to survive the rest of the week with them?”

His chest shakes beneath me from his silent laughter. “I have no idea.”

“Is it too late to suggest that we skip the wedding?”

“Para con eso, Catalina Ana-Lucia Martinez-Rivera! my sister shouts from the hall.

“Keep embarrassing me and I will!”

“I’m hiding your passport and driver’s license as we speak.” Feet shuffling and the tinkling of jingle bells on Gabriela’s hat follow her as she walks down the hall.

I tilt my head back to look Luke in the eyes. “Now what?”

“I’ll follow your lead.”

I shift my weight nervously from one foot to the other. “Meaning?”

“We can walk in there and pretend the last five minutes didn’t just happen.”

My heart dives into my stomach at the thought. “Or?”

“Or whatever you want. I’m open to suggestions.”

“They’re going to ask if we’re officially dating.”

His palm brushes my cheek before he cups it. “Is that a problem?”

Only because I don’t know the answer. Calling Luke my boyfriend sounds…too serious. We’ve only been on a few dates. Sure, we’ve hung out quite a bit during the last two weeks, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready for that next step.

---