Page 114 of The Crush of Christmas Past
“Sixhours with the weather and holiday traffic,” he deadpans. “Also, deflect all you want, but you were about to drivemy way tonight.To Theo, was the direct quote you told Ash, I believe.”
“Only because…”I wanted to hug you and never let go.“My thing couldn’t fit into a text.”
He arches a brow. “File too big?”
I stop short of laughing. He’s right—I’m sabotaging the moment.
Before fear can take over again, I let the truth spill free. “I also have no pitch or plan. But I want to try. Whatever it takes. However it looks.”
Headfirst into the unknown.
Theo threads his fingers through my hair, both arms firm against my back, crushing me closer to him. His heartbeat echoes the speed and intensity of mine. The scent of pine and mint clings to his clothes, blending perfectly with the crisp air around us. It feels like it belongs here—in the woods, in the quiet night. I inhale deeply, realizing I’ve missed him in ways I can’t even put into words.
After I’ve had my fill, I pull back to look at him. His eyes are clear and focused, a stark contrast to the hazy, dream-like quality of everything else around us. For once, we’re both fully present in the same instant at the same time.
No more running. No more hiding.
I reach up and touch his face, partly to make sure he’s real, partly because I simplycan.
“Hi,” I whisper. After an avalanche of feelings, a lone syllable is all I can manage.
His smile is so real and so bright it crinkles the corners of his eyes. “Hi.”
Without another thought, I lift on my tiptoes and press my mouth to his grin. What follows isn’t a scene from some perfectromance, but the union of two people who have wasted enough time not being together.
At first, his lips are cold, but everything about him heats up as our kiss deepens. His hands find my waist, strong and certain. I melt into him, arms wrapping around his neck as he lifts me off my feet. The move is so natural—my legs instinctively locking around his waist, his grip tightening—that it feels like we’ve done this a thousand times before.
He carries me the few steps to the railing and sets me down, his hold never loosening. Even with the added height, he barely needs to adjust to keep his mouth locked against mine—which works perfectly, since I never want him to stop.
The first firework startles us apart. A sharp crack splits the sky, followed by a spray of silver that reflects in Theo’s eyes as we both glance up. For a beat, we just stare. Then we dissolve into laughter, blissful puffs of breath shared in the space between us.
More fireworks ignite overhead, painting the night in shifting colors. The lights ripple across Theo’s face as he looks at me, managing to both smirk and appear completely sincere at once.
“It might not be aStarlight Summit Christmas Confession,” he says, “butNew Year’s Eve Fireworks at the Springsis not half bad for an impromptu declaration.”
“As long as you keep kissing me, I promise to rate it high on my scale of grand gestures.”
He obliges immediately, one hand moving to cradle the back of my head, steadying me on my perch. This kiss starts off slower, like we have all the time in the world.
Maybe we do.
When we break apart, I’m dizzy, but it has nothing to do with the height or the cold. I feel lighter. Like I’ve shed some of the armor I’ve been dragging around for years.
“Happy. New. Year. Isla,” Theo whispers between kisses.
I lean forward, brushing my lips over his, soaking in his warmth. “Happy New Year, Theo.”
For the first time in years, the future doesn’t scare me.
Thirty-Three
Six Weeks Later
Isla
“You’renoteatingcupcakes,Teddy Bear?” Jovie asks. The corners of her mouth are smeared with sparkly pink frosting as she studies Theo with genuine concern. “They’reloveflavored!”
Sugarpine Sweets is brimming with all things love today.
