Page 39 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

She nodded, propping her chin against his chest. “Where?”

His sweet smile only grew bigger, white teeth against those lips that she wanted to feel against her own for the rest of time. “Go get changed and you’ll find out.”

Amelia raced upstairs faster than a kid toward Christmas day presents, and nearly toppled three times in her rush to put real clothes on. She’d managed to pull on a black sweater with skinny jeans, and in the bathroom she brushed on only minimal foundation and mascara. Downstairs, she was tugging on her black snow boots when Josh strolled out into the hallway.

“I’m almost ready,” she said, hopping on one foot as she struggled to pull on the left boot.

He smirked, slipping his boots on, and lifted his jacket off the hook by the door. Once her boots were on, he opened the front door.

“You got a rental,” she said, sliding into the front seat. She stroked the armrest as if it were the most unique and beautiful thing in the world. He could have brought a combine to pick her up in. She was just so damn happy to see him, to be near him. It was like a year had passed instead of three days.

And she never wanted that much time to go by without seeing him again. Because even when they were strictly colleagues, she’d seen him five—sometimes six—days a week.

They had a long history of seeing each other all the damn time. And now, she wanted to make sure they saw each other even more. Daily. Hourly. Waking up in the same bed. Going to sleep lost in each other’s embrace.

“So where are we going?” She laced her hand through his as he drove. He maintained that mysterious smirk and clucked his tongue.

“Can’t say. Sorry.”

“Are we going to the New Owner’s Suite at the Resort?” she asked.

“No further information at this time,” he said.

“Or maybe you’re stealing me back to New York?”

His smile stretched wider. “Keep trying.”

“Oh! I know. We’re heading back to Denton Headquarters for one last run as boss and assistant. I missed you and I’m totally down for a little roleplay.”

A laugh erupted from him, his white teeth glinting in the early morning light. “I like all these wrong answers. Keep going.”

“You’re taking me to a different hotel that we can rent by the hour just so we can take all these clothes off and celebrate Christmas Eve on our own?”

“Hmmm.” He squeezed her hand as he pulled onto Main Street. “Now I like that idea. We might have a change of plans.”

Amelia looked around as he pulled into a parking spot downtown. Wreaths hung from every lamp post, and ornaments dotted the well-manicured bushes outside the coffee shop.

“Okay. I’ll bite. Where are we going?”

Josh didn’t say anything but instead offered his arm. She took it and walked alongside him, staring up at him in wonder.

“I’m still not certain this isn’t a dream.”

“If it was a dream,” Josh said, looking down at her, “would you be able to feel this?” He dipped down and pressed his lips to hers, cupping her face between his hands. She pushed up onto her tiptoes, deepening the kiss, clutching at him as if he might disappear if she didn’t hang on tight.

When they broke for air, she felt like she could float into outer space.

“No more of that here,” Josh said, leading her farther down the sidewalk. “Not until we reach our destination.”

She giggled. Which only proved this man was for her. She was back to giggling. “Our destination. How mysterious.”

He rounded the corner onto Jackson Street, and that’s when the horse-drawn carriage came into view. She sucked in a breath, and the way his smile gleamed only proved that the carriage was their destination.

“Shut up,” she said, though he had said nothing.

“Come on.” He tightened his arm around her. “We have a very important date with this horse.”

“A Christmas Eve horse-drawn carriage ride!” She laughed into her palm as they approached the driver, who talked to Josh like he’d been expecting them. Josh helped her inside first and then followed. They settled back into the ultra-comfy leather seat tucked into the gilded red and silver wooden carriage. Josh pulled a heavy wool blanket over their laps. Once they lurched forward, one majestic chestnut horse pulling them, Amelia turned to him.

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