Page 39 of Christmas In Love

Or, at least, that she had tocontinuebeing a mess in her relationships. If she’d learned anything over the last couple of weeks, it was that she’d made a pretty big mess of things between her and Cade. She’d just been so worried about her innate nature—so concerned that she would turn into her mother—that she’d used her diagnosis as an excuse to ruin a good thing with Cade. She’d been using it as a wall ever since.

But the truth of it was that she was in love with Cade Davis and was going to find a way to convince him of that.

She’d grovel if she needed to. Offer to make him cinnamon rolls for a year—a blatant bribe, but one she knew he’d accept. Whatever it took to convince him to give her another chance after she’d essentially taken a wrecking ball to their relationship. Tomorrow—after he’d spent Christmas with his family—she’d talk to him.

Which gave her approximately twenty-one hours to figure out what to say.

The front gate clanged shut. It was Christmas morning and all of her residents were gone for the day. Who would be back?

Cade’s form filled the doorway as the bell above the door jingled. Natalie fought a look of terror. He wasn’t supposed to be here. What about her twenty-one hours?!

“Why aren’t you at your parent’s house?” It was all she could say with the way her thoughts were buzzing around her head.

“I went over early to watch the little kids open presents. I’ll go back later.”

“Oh?” She picked up a pen and tapped it against the desk, essentially announcing to him that she was nervous.

He stepped up to the counter, hands in his pockets and his hair mussed—as if he’d been running his hands through it. “I have some things I would like to say.”

She nodded slowly. “Okay…” So did she, but she was supposed to have hadtwenty-one hours!

“First, I am not happy with you. In fact, I’m mad.”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t have a chance to respond as he stepped closer.

“You completely disregarded my feelings and acted in fear four years ago. But,” he raised a hand to ward off her retort, “I recognize I should have done things differently too. Starting with calling you every day until you talked to me.” He took a deep breath, meeting her eyes with a fire that could have melted all the snow off the B&B. “Secondly, I am still in love with you.”

Her heart stuttered to a stop, then jumped back to action at double speed. Cade leaned over the desk, his arms steadying him as he looked into her eyes. “Thirdly, your inability to have children doesn’t change anything. I’m sorry I ever did anything to make you think it might have. I wantyou,Natalie Taylor.Youand whatever family we create together.”

A stinging started at the back of her eyes. She blinked and tried to focus on Cade and his words. Was she dreaming? After four years, this sort of moment shouldn’t be possible.

Slowly, deliberately, Cade walked around the desk and pulled Natalie to her feet. His dark eyes never left hers. The hairs on her arms lifted at the proximity, and her knees seemed unwilling to hold her weight.

“Are you going to say anything?” he asked, his voice low. A hint of uncertainty tinged the words.

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head with a small smile. “I forgive you.” Then he watched her. Waiting for her to gain the nerve to say more.

So she threw her twenty-one hours out the window. “I… love you, too.” The words were barely audible.

His smile grew; his hands came up to cup her jaw. “Say it again.”

Her voice was stronger this time. “I love you, Cade.”

He looked at the ceiling and muttered something that sounded a lot like, “Finally.”

Then he pulled her toward him at the same moment that she grabbed the edge of his coat and pulled him to her. Her eyes flicked between both of his as they stopped, mere inches apart. He ran his knuckles up her jaw, his eyes crinkling at the edges with a smile.

“I love you,” he whispered. Natalie’s hands tightened on his coat.

Then he closed the space between them, their lips meeting.

It was everything she’d remembered, but better.

His mouth moved over hers, his hands pushed their way through her hair, ran down her shoulders, then settled at the small of her back, pulling her as close as possible. Fire chased itself around her body, and she pressed her hands flat to his chest, feeling the rapid thrum of his heart. It matched her own.

He deepened the kiss, bending her back in half a dip—their lips becoming reacquainted, erasing the years they’d been apart. She pulled back just long enough to take a breath. He took the opportunity to pepper kisses up her cheekbone and into her hair.

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