Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“I think I must have decided then and there that I would never feel that way,” Dominic said, his voice low. “And that meant never loving someone the way she’d loved Bryan. Then I met you, and I couldn’t help it. But that didn’t mean I liked it.”
My eyes filled again, overwhelmed by his words. “So, you pushed me away at the first opportunity.”
Dominic set his jaw and nodded. “Yeah. But it didn’t work. I figured that out these last couple of days. You’re the gamble I’ve spent a lifetime avoiding, Selena, but I don’t want to anymore. I’d rather run the risk of losing you than never have you. Can you forgive me?”
Tears were gathering again, blurring my vision to gold for a moment, then slipping down over my cheeks. I could barely see Dominic through them, but I could feel him. His eyes were on me, his shoulders were rigid, his hands shoved into his pockets to keep from reaching out.
I swiped at my eyes while every emotion I’d felt over the last few days ran through me. The grief, the anger, the loss all carouseled around, reminding me of the risk I was considering. If I let Dominic in only to lose him again, I might end up like Marjorie, spending the rest of my life in the shadow of a great love that once was.
But what was the alternative? I didn’t have the luxury of deciding whether or not to love someone that much. It was already done. My only choices were to feel the pain now or fall deeper in love with Dominic and risk feeling the devastation later. Both felt terribly dangerous, but one carried the promise of magic.
I closed my eyes. The golden glow permeated my closed lids, and somewhere, far off, I could hear the sweet, somber notes of Silent Night. I could feel the delicate, nearly insubstantial brush of fake snow as it whispered down from the ceiling to dust my shoulders, hair, the tip of my nose. I breathed deeply and opened my eyes. They were clear now; all the tears had fallen.
Dominic stared back at me, his face haunted, his eyes burning, like a man waiting to be sentenced. Would it be life or death? That was the question with no answer. Maybe this love would be both. Maybe, by some miracle, it would be love until death. I put a hand to my stomach to remind myself that somewhere beneath my palm, a miracle was growing.
It was Christmas Eve. If there was ever a time to believe in magic, it was now.
“Yes,” I finally whispered. “I can forgive you.” I could have said more – that I did forgive him, that I’d forgiven him the second I saw him standing on that dance floor, but I didn’t have time. In one quick stride, Dominic had crossed the distance between us.
I hadn’t been cold, exactly, standing on this little covered porch, but as Dominic’s arms went around me, I realized I hadn’t been warm either. Now, as his mouth came down on mine, I felt a glow that went beyond warmth into pure joy. I could have stood there all night, my arms slid beneath his jacket, his kiss nearly bending me backward, but first, I had to tell him.
“I have to tell you something,” I whispered, breaking our kiss.
“It can wait,” Dominic said, his voice an impatient growl. “I haven’t kissed you in days.”
“It can’t wait.” I pushed him back, gently but firmly, and dusted fake snow from my lashes. “It’s about your Christmas present.”
He looked at me, disbelieving. “Selena, you’re my Christmas present. I don’t need anything else.”
“That’s unfortunate, because there’s a no returns policy.” Bubbles of joy were fizzing up in my voice.
Dominic heard them and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What is it?”
“I don’t know yet.” I couldn’t stop my smile from spreading across my face. “I guess I’ll find out in a few months. Unless you want it to be a surprise.”
“What the hell are you –” Dominic began, but then stopped abruptly. His mouth was still open, but words weren’t coming out. His eyes were searching mine for verification of the truth.
I nodded and touched my stomach again. It was a habit now. “Merry Christmas, Dominic,” I said quietly. There was so much joy and hope in my voice that I hardly recognized it. “You’re going to be a father.”
Dominic closed his eyes, and in that moment, just a glimmer of fear snuck through my happiness. Was he upset? Was everything about to change? But then he opened his eyes, and light was shining out of them that had nothing to do with the reflection of decorations. He pulled me into his arms, gentler this time, and kissed me, the snow swirling around us, the faint tune of It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas just reaching our ears.