Page 41 of Darla's Christmas Knight
Robert Björn Bellrose was worthy of forgiveness.
A man bursting with integrity and loyalty, compassion and love.
Darla smiled and put her head back.
And he was courting her.
The next few weeks were going to be so freaking exciting.
She must have drifted off, because next thing she knew Bobby had her in his arms again.
“You know, Icanwalk.”
“But you don’t have to.”
She pressed her cheeks to his shoulder, relishing his warm skin. And placed her palm against his chest, the steady drum of his heart reassuring. It would be wonderful to climb back into bed and fall asleep with her head resting exactly where it was.
Alas, that was not to be. She gave a heartfelt sigh. “I need to go home, babe. You know I can’t sleep without covering my hair. Oomph!” she gasped, bouncing on the mattress when he dropped —dropped!— her.
She crunched upright and opened her mouth to give him an earful but stopped when noticing the item in his hand.
“Stay,” he said.
“That’s … my scarf?”
“Hmm. You left it here. Before. I hoped that one day you’ll end up in my bed again.”
*
She stayed, and Bobby drove her home at the crack of dawn. But not before confiscating the scarf. “Keeping it hostage till next time you stay over,” he’d said.
A while later, Darla left her apartment and walked down to her car. King’s Auto had delivered it before she left for the ranch yesterday afternoon. The first thing she noticed was the object beneath her windshield wiper. Grinning from ear to ear, she quickly removed the card featuring a blue number seven with a red bauble hanging from the tip.
Ireally, really, reallyliked waking up beside you this morning. And the cherry on the top … seeing you (dare I say it?) barefoot and pregnant in my kitchen.
13
It had been a week since her visit to his cabin. She had stayed over with him twice more, and Bobby had managed three nights in town with her. Two nights they’d spent apart. The last two. Two long and lonely nights.
The cards (some with gifts) were the highlight of her day. And expecting them hadn’t detracted from the thrill of receiving them as she had feared. The mistletoe number fourteen card arrived yesterday with a gift.
I treasure our times together – past and present.
Darla ran her finger over the glass protecting the collage of photos capturing her and Bobby from their Gulf Coast tripyearsago. She placed the frame back on top of the filing cabinet behind her desk.
Right beside the ceramic bowl bursting with yellow mums delivered on the eleventh with a card displaying a Christmas lollipop.
You are the sunshine of my life.
So far, she had received nothing today, but they had a date (an actual go out and eat date!) this evening. Bobby refused to tellher where they were going, just to pack an overnight bag, dress up, and be ready to leave at six.
Her office door flew open.
Startled, Darla looked up.
Her heart sank.
“I did not raise my daughter to be a trollop,” her mother exploded, marching across the floor.
