Page 35 of Only for Christmas

‘Tea, please. One sugar. And quit calling me honey,’ she said, elbowing him in the ribs.

‘Coming right up, sweetheart.’ The serving guy placed two cartons on the counter.

Lucas looked indignant. ‘So it’s okay for him to call you sweetheart, but I can’t call you honey? And I’m your boyfriend. Talk about hurtful.’

The serving guy poured their drinks. ‘Aw, let him call you honey, sweetheart. The lad’s in love. Anyone can see that.’

Lucas burst out laughing. ‘You see? He gets it.’

Sarah glared at the serving guy. ‘Please don’t encourage him.’ She took her tea. ‘Thank you.’

Lucas collected his coffee and took a sip as they wandered off. He immediately grimaced. ‘You people really can’t do coffee in this country. How’s your tea?’

‘Fine.’ She was still mulling over his previous comment. ‘So, you’re a believer in the whole happy ever after?’

‘Now who’s being sarcastic.’ He took another sip of coffee. ‘I think most people are. Isn’t that what keeps us going? Optimism and hope. Whatever’s happened in the past, we need to believe the future will be brighter.’

‘You really are annoyingly optimistic.’

He grinned. ‘Besides, I like being in love. It’s fun.’

She sipped her tea. ‘Not always.’

‘But when it is, it’s great. Isn’t that worth fighting for?’ His expression was open and honest, and for a moment she almost believed him… until reality kicked back in.

‘Depends what you have to lose.’

‘I figure it’s more about what you have to gain.’

‘That’s because you’re American. You have a more positive outlook on life than us Brits. We’re experts at doom and gloom.’

‘So I’m learning.’ His expression softened. ‘You must have been happy once?’

‘If I was, then it’s been obliterated.’

Lucas took another sip of coffee. ‘Then he wins.’

‘Who?’

‘The man who hurt you. Do you really want to give him that much power over you? I can’t drink any more of this.’ He threw the remaining coffee into the flowerbed and binned the carton.

Sarah averted her eyes. ‘He ruined my life.’

‘But your life isn’t over, not by a long way. Don’t let him ruin your future too. Just like you don’t want Stephen Stokes to ruin your career. Talking of which.’ He nodded behind her.

She glanced over to see Stephen walking towards his flashy silver Mercedes. ‘You’re right, I don’t.’ She turned back to Lucas, her heart racing with a panic. She couldn’t allow him to make her feel that way. She was tougher than that.

‘So, what are you going do about it?’

She swallowed, trying to control her breathing. ‘Has he seen us?’

Lucas discreetly glanced over. ‘Yup. He doesn’t look happy.’

‘Good.’ She placed her tea carton on the ground. ‘Then I’m going to do this.’ Mustering her inner bravery, she reached up on tiptoes and kissed Lucas Moore.

It was brief, fleeting, a mere glancing of her lips brushing his, so that anyone watching would think it perfectly innocuous. Nothing really. Blink and you’d miss it. And yet it set off a tingle in her blood so fierce that she felt like she’d touched an exposed electrical socket.

She stepped back, slightly stunned, and wondering what she’d just done.

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