Page 39 of Secret Santas and Holiday Dances

“Real?” he asked. It should be. It was the tree that held every ornament he and his siblings, and now his nieces and nephews had ever made. It was under this tree where, tomorrow morning, the family would gather to open presents.

She smiled. “Yes. I’ve never seen a tree like this before.”

Liam turned to her, taking her hands in his so she’d face him. “Grace.”

She swallowed. “What am I doing here, Liam? Why did you invite me?”

He grinned at her—feeling her full forgiveness like a wave of warmth. And it that moment, he knew. This was it for him. She was it.

Chapter 19

Grace’s chest tightened as she waited for Liam to answer her question. Everything in her wanted to question her recent revelations, but this time, for the first time in her life, she refused.

His blue-gray eyes sparkled down at her, reflecting the lights of the tree, and taking her in. The moment felt so intimate it scared her a little, but she embraced it. Whatever this was, she was going to enjoy every second of it.

A few more moments of silence followed.

“Liam?” she asked, in an attempt to break the tension building between them.

“I love you, Grace Montgomery,” Liam said.

A small giggle escaped her lips, and then another, as genuine joy spread its way through every part of her. “I love you, Liam Nichols.”

He grinned back at her.

“Now, what are you going to do about it?”

She almost didn’t finish her sentence as he swooped in, pulled her flush against him, and slowly lowered his lips to hers. The juxtaposition of him pulling her in fast, to kissing her slowly, sent tingles of delight up and down her spine. She gripped tight to his shoulders and went up on tiptoe, and Liam ran his hands up and down her back as he took his time learning the curves of her lips.

Grace trembled in his grasp. She’d longed for this pretty much from the moment she’d met him, and the reality of it was more than her tender heart could’ve ever hoped for.

He pulled back, then leaned in again and planted a quick kiss on her lips, and then another, then pulled her tight to him in a warm and comforting embrace.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” Liam whispered in her ear. “Your lips used to drive me crazy.”

She giggled against his shoulder. “Not anymore?”

His cheek lifted against hers in a smile as his grip on her tightened. “Mmm, yes, but now I can kiss them whenever I want.”

“Is that right?”

He pulled back to look at her, but not so far to let her out of his grasp, and for the first time in her life, in that simple gesture, she felt really and truly wanted. Really and truly loved.

“Grace, I’m so sorry. I never meant—”

She kissed him again, effectively silencing him. “Shhh, I know,” she said. “Let’s just let the past stay in the past.”

He pulled her tight to him again. “I suppose it’s too soon for proposals?”

“Is it?” she smiled into his chest.

“I don’t have—”

A knock sounded on the door, and Grace tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her get far.

“Come in,” he beckoned.

The door opened, and Helena stepped in. She smiled when she saw Liam’s arms wrapped around Grace. “I take it you two worked things out?”

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