Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
His cheek scrapes mine, and goose bumps scatter across my skin. He’s cold.
“Shit.” I pull away. “You’re out here without a coat. It’s twenty degrees.” I take his hand in mine and kiss it. “You need to get inside.”
He doesn’t say anything, he just smiles at me. “I haven’t noticed the cold.”
“I mean it, Worth. You’ll get sick. Let’s get you inside.”
He sighs. “The house is full of people. I just want to have you to myself for a little while.”
I can’t help but smile at his wish. “They’re holding it at your house to make you feel better,” I say.
He nods. “I know. They’ve been amazing. I was… in a bad place there for a bit.”
I tilt my head. “If I could take it back, I would.”
“Don’t,” he says. “Don’t say that. We’ve been tested and survived. You left and you came back. We’re stronger because of that. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard, but look—it’s all worked out in the end.”
I tug on his hand a little, leading us back to the brownstone. “Let’s go see your friends.”
“They’re your friends too.”
“Maybe not anymore.”
He stops, turns to face me, and holds my shoulders. “Yes. They’re your friends too. They want us both to be happy.”
I nod. That’s true. Worth’s friends adore him. They would only want what’s good for him. I just might have to convince them that’s me. But I’ll prove myself. I know where my heart is. With time, they’ll see it too.
“I’m not going back without you,” he says. “You want to celebrate Christmas Eve at the brownstone or do you want to go somewhere else?”
There he goes again, ignoring his own wants for mine.
“Before you ask,” he says, before I can push the decision back on him, “I’d like us to spend the rest of the day with our friends, and then I want to take you to bed and keep you awake all night.” Worth’s always been able to read my mind. I shouldn’t be surprised he’s doing it now. “It doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’ve been working on figuring out what I want. So… that’s what I want.”
“I see that,” I say. “And I love that.” I reach up and press my fingers along his jaw. “And your suggestion sounds better than perfect.”
“You’re better than perfect,” he says. “Because you’re you.”
I have a feeling this man is going to continue to make me melt every day for the rest of my life. But first, I have to make sure he doesn’t freeze to death. “Let’s go home,” I say, and slide my hand into his.
THIRTY-FIVE
Worth
I thought it was going to be the worst Christmas ever. Turns out, I couldn’t have imagined one this good. We come up the stoop and the gift bag Sophia brought is still hanging on the doorknob.
“Should I open it?” I ask her.
“You can.” She sounds uncertain. “It’s not anything really. Just a reason to drop by.”
I press a kiss to the top of her head. “You didn’t need a reason.”
Inside the gift bag, I find a fridge magnet. But not any old fridge magnet. It’s the New York Loves Vegas Chapel logo, with a heart replacing the “o” in “love.” A print of our selfie in front of the Vegas sign is framed inside.
It’s perfect. “You’re an excellent gift giver,” I say. “Thank you.”
“I think it will look fabulous on your refrigerator.”
“I’ve always thought that room was missing something.” I smile. “I just realized, I haven’t bought you anything.”
Her eyes soften and she smiles. “I have everything I need, now that I’m with you.”
There’s nothing more to resolve between us. I’ve never felt so certain about anyone in my life, and I know she feels the same. There may be hurdles ahead of us—although I can’t think of any specifics at the moment. Whatever they are, we’ll face them as a couple. We’re together, now and forever. I see it in her eyes. I feel it in her heart.
As we step into the front hallway, the mixture of voices and clatter of dishes fills the air. For a moment, I want to turn right around and escape, so it can be just the two of us a little longer.
“Are they here yet?” A voice draws closer and Jules appears at the kitchen door. “Worth, have you seen—” She sees Sophia and looks back at me, then down to our joined hands. A moment later, she throws herself at Sophia. “You’ve come back!”
The two of them almost fall to the floor.
“You think you can rustle up another table setting?” Sophia asks.
“Absolutely! How are you? I’ve been so worried. Did you see your dad? What happened? How’s your mom? Are your brothers okay? You’re all set?” She lifts her chin in my direction, letting me know the last question was fired at me.