Page 19 of Her Cowboy Prince Charming

Then he slipped her thick boot sock off her foot, and she wiggled her toes. And he took the sparkling high heel and slipped it right on her foot.

“It’s a perfect fit,” he said.

“You just needed to be sure?”

“Yeah. I just needed to be sure. And it’s kind of a magical thing. To see you. You, Jessie Granger, wearing that shoe. Because I know you were the woman that I saw walk into that space. But ever since then, you look like the you I’ve always known. And it doesn’t make you less beautiful. Don’t mistake me. It’s just that it was easy to think of you as two different things. But this is you. It’s all you. The girl in the snow boots and the sweatpants, and the girl in the red dress.”

“And you’re just the same. It’s just you don’t have a Zorro mask. And now I’m getting used to the beard.”

“Stand up,” he said, grabbing her hands and pulling her up into a standing position. She was lopsided because of the high heel and the snow boot. She had a beanie on her head, and he grabbed the top of it and lifted it off, letting it fall down to the ground. Then he cupped her chin, tilting her face up. “You’re beautiful,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said.

“I’m not saying it just for my benefit. You’re beautiful, and I want you to know it. You’re beautiful, and I want you to know that I mean right now. I want you to know that that night... It wasn’t the first night that I thought so. I had to leave, Jessie, because when you tried to kiss me, you damn near lit my world on fire. You were hotter than that bonfire, and it scared me to death. Because I knew if I didn’t kiss you, then we couldn’t go back. And I knew you were too young, too inexperienced...”

“Well, I wasn’t, though. Because when we... When we actually did...”

“Exactly,” he said. “When we actually did, when all my own doubts were stripped away. When it could be nothing except just seeing where the chemistry went, well, then... I was wrong. You weren’t mismatched for me. You were perfect. And you always were. I just...couldn’t see it when I looked and saw Jessie. And it wasn’t anything to do with you. It was to do with everything...”

“Everything surrounding me,” she finished.

“Yeah. I remember. I remember when your parents died, Jessie. Your mom. And then your dad... And it felt so unfair. I remember just wanting to be there for you. For all of you. I certainly never wanted to be the reason that you cried.”

“Well, you were. Just so you know. After the bonfire. I was so embarrassed I’d...”

“Yeah. But that was a fitting trade. Just a little bit of sadness for all the hurt I could’ve caused you. That’s all.” He took her hand and brought her close, led her out to the center of the cabin. And her with her one high heel and snow boot clocked after him. Then he pulled her into his arms like it was a ball, and swayed back and forth with her. She laughed, and he twirled her, before bringing her back up against him. “No masks,” he said. “Just us.”

And that was when she kissed him. With all the pent-up desire inside her. For the very first time in her life, she looked up into his eyes, knowing it was him, and she closed the distance between them. Claimed his mouth with hers, and the best part was, he kissed her back. Harder. Deeper. Longer than she could’ve imagined. She was lost in it. In him. In tidings of comfort and joy that she hadn’t even believed in before this moment. And she could understand. The glory in being wrapped in the glitter of the season and letting it sweep you away. Because sure, the darkness and snow were still out there. Sure, there was still grief. But there was this. There was this, and they were them, and it was more than she ever dared hope. “I need to get that shoe off,” she said, kicking the high heel away. And then he lifted her up off the ground, wearing one boot and the rest of her snow clothes, and carried her over to the bed in the corner.

“Say my name,” she said, feeling needy and desperate, hungry for the acknowledgment that it mattered to him as much as it did to her who they were. Exactly who they were in this moment.

“Jessie,” he said. “Jessie Granger.”

“Yes,” she whispered, before he kissed her again.

He lifted her foot, put it in his lap, began to unlace her remaining boot, getting it loosened and pulling it slowly from her foot, along with her sock.

He paused for a moment, and dealt with his own shoes. Before drawing her close on the bed and kissing her again. It was a stark difference to that frantic coupling in the broom closet. It was a stark difference to everything that had come before. Because this was Jessie and Damien. Making a decision to do this. Making a decision to be together.

They were meeting as equals, here in this bed. She wasn’t a virgin anymore.

Close enough.

But still. Still. She pushed his coat off his shoulders, began to work the buttons on his shirt. He pulled her sweatshirt up over her head, and before she knew it, they were stripped down to their underwear. And she was lying in bed with him, watching as her fingertips trailed over his muscles. Watching as her palm skimmed over the well-defined pecs and abs. His hair tickled her fingertips, and she luxuriated in the feeling. Of all that masculine heat and warmth.

He kissed her neck, down her collarbone, down to the edge of her bra. And she ignited. This was what she had wanted. Since that night. It had been hell. Being around him, trying to pretend it hadn’t happened. She was just so relieved they weren’t pretending that it hadn’t happened anymore.

She wanted him. She wanted this.

She wanted everything that came with it.

And that thought scared her. Because the truth was, no matter how warm it was in this cabin, it was still cold outside.

And the metaphor was good for all the rest of life.

Don’t think about it. Don’t think about anything past now. You wanted a Christmas miracle, and this is your damned Christmas miracle. So just take it. And don’t ask any questions.

She listened to her stern inner voice, because what else was there to do? She listened to that voice because she was powerless to do anything else. So when he unhooked her bra and cast it to the floor, lowering his head and taking her nipple deep within his mouth, she gasped, arching against him.

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