Page 25 of Forever Yours on Christmas Eve
“You could always give me a kiss,” he suggested, holding still and making absolutely no move closer than he already was. In his mind, it was a suave come-on line. Out in the wild, however, he worried it sounded creepy. Like some stranger asking a pretty woman for a kiss out in public?—
His thoughts vanished completely when she grabbed his jacket in two fists, and her soft lips press eagerly against his.
Nearly groaning out loud, and maybe just a touch on the inside, he let his eyelids droop closed as he wrapped her in his arms and descended into the fantastical madness that was Kelsey Kramer.
Feeling her lips eagerly move over his, he met her with the same fervor, terrified that if he showed how enthusiastic he was about having her in his arms, kissing him, he’d scare her to death.
Even more? If he stopped, he might just die right there on the spot.
How was he going to live without this? Without her?
When he felt Kelsey slow down, he matched her pace. Her energy. Her hands slid along his jawline, cupping his cheeksas she finally stopped, separating from him but still close enough to feel her panting breaths against his lips.
He realized that he was panting too.
“I wish this wasn’t goodbye,” she whispered, dropping a sweet kiss on his lips that he hardly had any time to return.
“I wish this didn’t have to end, either.” But just like his kiss proposal, the words sounded so much better in his head. Hopeful. Like he cared for her the way he could feel her caring back for him.
Instead, it sounded like he was putting an end to them.
And… maybe he was.
“You’re going to be in New York all next year,” he began, settling his hands against her lower back. “Working hard on something you so very much deserve.”
“And you’ll be with your unit,” she said, trying to follow along with his logic, sadness threading her voice. “Are you deploying again?”
“Probably,” he said. “We won’t be gone like we were this year, but we’ve still got some… stuff… to do.”
She gave him a sad smile, nodding her head as he felt her fingertips intertwine with his hairline. “Will you be out of contact?”
“I shouldn’t be, I can still text. Call if you like,” he said, feeling a small glimmer of hope that he could still hold onto a little piece of her. “I’ve been known to write a mean letter when I want to.”
It worked. She chuckled at his antics, making him smile in return.
“I hate this,” she whispered, daring to finally look in his eyes. He was taken aback at the tears pooled there, and something about those sad eyes made him want to pull out his sword and slay a dragon or two for her. Anything to make her happy again. “But I know you’re right. It’s not like we can just casually date and get to know each other better. Like grab a movie one night, or go mini-golfing next weekend.”
“You’re right,” he said, hating it just as much as she did. “But maybe we can take the next year to get to know one another better?We’re texting now, but maybe we can email too. Do some video calls?”
“Really?” she asked, her nose crinkling as she gave him an adorable smile. “You’d want to video call me?”
“And see your beautiful face? Yes, you can say I’d jump at the chance,” he said, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them.
But this time around, even though it sounded cringeworthy in his mind, it sounded perfect out in the world.
“Depends,” she said, nibbling her bottom lip and giving him that mischievous grin once more. “Will you meet me back in front of the Second Call next Christmas Eve?”
“So we can compare notes?Reevaluate?” he asked, trying to mimic the conversation they had last year. The twinkle in her eyes said she was picking up exactly what he was putting down. “You can count on it.”
“I’d really,reallylike that, Sev,” she said, her voice lowering once more before she pressed to her toes and lifted her face to his.
He met her halfway, holding her tight as he sought to commit every last detail of this moment to memory. The feel of her warm body pressed against his. Her arms around his neck, and the gentle force of them pulling him downward. Her fingers threading through his hair. The soft whimper she made when his tongue slipped past her lips and stroked against hers.
Stopping faster than he would have liked, he opened his eyes to the most beautiful woman he’d ever known.
“Merry Christmas, Sev,” she said, her voice sounding shaky, like she was barely holding it together. “Let’s make this next year the best ever.”
“Merry Christmas, Kels,” he whispered back. And being entirely unable to control himself, he kissed her once more, briefly, before wrapping her up in a bear hug that said all the things he wanted to but knew would only complicate their situation.
