Page 66 of A Whiskey River Princess

“I mean, I have plenty of room, and the place is so large,” he backtracked.

Gabriella nodded. “I understand. But, Dirk, I don’t know how long I’ll be here. I’ll have to go when—”

“Shh,” he said as he touched a finger gently to her lips. “Then let’s just enjoy the time we have together, for as long as that may be.” A broad smile spread across his lips. “Now, let’s go home and enjoy the holiday together.”

Home. Gabriella liked the sound of it. As he helped her into the sleigh, overwhelming sadness came over her. Her time with Dirk had been the only true home she had ever had. Yes, she had her cousin and her uncle in the palace back home, but it was different. Less personal. Dirk’s openness and warmth made his house a home. She’d finally found her home with Dirk here in Whiskey River, and now she would have to leave it. But as they headed back to Dirk’s cabin, she pushed the thought aside, determined not to spoil the evening. The memories they made together here would have to sustain her for a lifetime after she was gone.

“So, would you mind if we open our gifts tonight?” Dirk asked. “In my family, when I was a child, we opened the gifts under the tree from each other on Christmas Eve, and then Santa Claus left gifts for the children on Christmas Day. Is that okay with you?”

“It’s perfect,” she gushed. “But you didn’t have to get me anything. You’ve already given me so much.”

“Nonsense.” He gently squeezed her hand. “I wish I could shower you with gifts all the time. If you’d let me, I’d spoil you.”

Gabriella’s heart clenched as a small smile lit her lips. She didn’t want to mislead him, but she wanted nothing more than to stay with him, if she could.

Dirk sighed, pulling his hand away. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Gabriella reached over and took his hand in hers. “No, it’s okay.” She was about to say that she would spoil him, too, but she didn’t want to make promises that she couldn’t keep.

Within a few minutes, the bare trees and evergreens gave way to Dirk’s cabin. A broad smile spread across her face as she anticipated what Dirk would think about the books and her special surprise. She hoped he liked his presents. Gabriella hadn’t been so excited for the holidays in a very long time.

“Whoa!” Dirk pulled Angel to a stop in front of the cabin. Then he got out and walked around to Gabriella’s side of the sleigh. “Gabby, why don’t you go inside and start getting everything ready? I’ll be inside in a bit, as soon as I unhitch April.”

He reached out for her, but she stopped. “What was it you just called me?”

“Gabby,” Dirk answered, then amended, “but if you’d rather I not call you that—”

“No. It’s fine,” she reassured him as she took his hand. “It’s just that no one’s ever called me that before.”

“I’m sorry. It just slipped out—”

She pressed her finger to his lips. “I like it. It’s okay.”

He smiled as he helped her out of the sleigh. When she stepped down onto the snow, she slipped a bit, but he caught her in his strong arms, preventing her from falling. He looked down at her and then moved closer. She didn’t turn away as her heart pounded against her rib cage in anticipation.

His lips met hers gently at first, and then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest as passion overtook them both. She pulled back a moment later, breathless. Although it was cold outside, she felt only warmth.

“I’d better go inside,” she whispered, and gave him one last look over her shoulder. She felt his eyes watching her as she walked up the stairs. Before she went inside, he got in the sleigh and drove it toward the back.

“How are you doing?” she asked Buster as she walked inside. She bent down to pet him, and he wagged his tail.

Then, she headed into the spare room with Buster following, took off the cloak and hung it up, and then smoothed her hands over her dress and checked herself in the mirror. She pushed back a few loose tendrils. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold. She almost didn’t recognize the woman staring back at her in the mirror. That girl was happy. In fact, she hadn’t felt that happy in a very long time.

Gabriella walked into the kitchen and poured the eggnog that they had made. Then, she took out a velvet cake, along with sugar cookies, and many other treats. She had made all if it with recipes from her new cookbook and from Dirk’s mothers’ cookbook, too.

Earlier in the day, she had even cooked a turkey that Dirk had shot and had it on the counter. She slipped it into the oven to warm again. The scent soon filled the cabin as she placed it onthe table, along with some homemade cranberry sauce that they had made together, and biscuits.

This time, the turkey hadn’t burnt. Then she lit two tapered candles that were on the table in long-stemmed crystal candleholders. She stood back to take in the table, satisfied with her efforts, and then decided to make some hot cocoa.

She looked at the cellar door and thought for a moment. Not wanting to get locked down there again, she took a chair and propped it against the door to keep it open, and then walked down into the cold cellar and picked up a jug of milk that Dirk had set down there earlier that morning. A shiver ran over her as she went back up the stairs.

Dirk laughed, greeting her at the top. “So, you didn’t want to get locked down there again?”

He placed the chair back at the table, and then leaned against the counter, his muscles bulging under his shirt as he watched her work. “Look. I’m sorry about—”

“Please, don’t ruin it,” she cut him off as she poured two cups of milk in a pan and set it on the stove. “I’m not sorry at all, and I hope you’re not.” She added two teaspoons of cocoa, and then sugar. “Let’s just enjoy tonight. I haven’t been this excited about the holidays for a long time.”

“Honestly, I’m not sorry, either.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “While you’re making the hot cocoa, I’ll rekindle the fire.” He gave her one last look as he walked into the living room. “Everything looks great, by the way.”

---