Page 49 of Once Upon a Winter
He looked even more confused. “Was it?”
“No.”
Cooper seemed to brighten at the thought of her unmerry Christmas.
“Mine wasn’t either.”
“I’m sorry.”
He asked, “About my Christmas or yours?”
She nodded. “Both. And last night.”
His gaze softened, which completely undid any hope Laura had of holding back her emotions. Cooper held out his arms. “Come here.”
She sank into his embrace and buried her face in his neck. All she wanted for Christmas was to lean into the warmth of his chest with his strong arms around her. It was a perfect moment.
When he loosened his arms and leaned back, he put his hands on her shoulders. “Nothing’s changed from last night.”
There went her perfect moment.
He gazed into her eyes. “I still feel the same about you.”
With a sigh, she let out tension she hadn’t realized she was holding in.
Cooper’s narrowed eyes didn’t bode well for what was coming next. “But…”
Laura braced herself.
Cooper paused midsentence. “Let’s sit down. First, let’s turn on the heat.”
While he adjusted the thermostat, Laura turned on the gas fireplace, then she sat on the sofa, holding her knees, and he joined her.
After a few seconds of silence, Cooper began. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Me too.”Borderline obsessing. No, just plain obsessing.
His penetrating gaze wasn’t easy to take. She couldn’t tell whether he was angry, fed up, or worse, disappointed in her. After all, a grown woman—a usually logical woman—should be able to put things like snow globes into perspective.
When he showed no sign of speaking, Laura said, “Look, I still don’t understand everything that has happened, but I do understand that I need to trust you.”
“Not just me—your own feelings.” He added, “For me. If you have them.”
“Of course I have feelings for you! Maybe it’s because it—we—happened too easily.” She fixed her eyes on the floor. “I didn’t understand how you could…”
“Care for you?” His soft gaze nearly melted her heart. “How could I not?”
She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Because I’m… me?”
“But that’s what I love about you.” He shook his head. “Laura.” His gaze trailed to her lips, and he kissed her. “I told you how I feel about you.” He kissed her again. “But we can’t build a relationship with a snow globe between us.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
With all her heart, she said, “Yes.”
His eyes searched hers. “Are you sure?”
