The Child Who Rescued Christmas by Jessica Matthews

Author:Jessica Matthews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

SARA carefully placed her silverware across her dessert plate and leaned back, feeling remarkably mellow after two glasses of wine and a melt-in-your-mouth meal. “That was wonderful,” she told him.

“I’m glad you liked it.”

“The wine was delicious, too.” As he attempted to fill her glass again, she covered it with her hand and shook her head. “No more or I’ll be snoozing under the table.” Then, because she’d noticed he’d never emptied or refilled his own glass, she asked, “Aren’t you going to finish yours?”

“The hospital might call me.”

“You aren’t on call, are you?”

“No, but I had a couple of dicey patients today. One never knows what will happen.”

Her theory suddenly seemed less like conjecture and more like fact. “You don’t drink alcohol of any kind anymore, do you?”

He blinked, clearly startled by her remark. “Not really, no.”

“You stopped after that weekend,” she guessed.

He shrugged. “It seemed the right thing to do.”

Although she’d suspected she was right, having it confirmed stunned her. “You really did regret your actions that evening.”

“I told you I did.”

She warmed under his gentle rebuke. “Hearing someone say so doesn’t mean as much as when he actually modifies his behavior as a result,” she defended.

“Then you believe me now?”

“I think I always did,” she said slowly, “but it helps knowing you weren’t merely paying lip service.” Then, because she didn’t know what else to say, she changed the subject.

“Thanks again for the great meal and the wonderful evening,” she told him. “I’ll help with the dishes—”

He rose and pulled her to her feet. “Oh, but the evening isn’t over yet.”

“It isn’t?”

“No.” Using the remote control, he selected a different playlist and music suitable for slow dancing drifted out of the speakers. He pulled her against him and because she could either follow his lead or lose her footing, she fell into step.

“What are we doing?” she asked as they moved to the song’s rhythm.

“Isn’t it obvious?” His breath brushed against her temple. “We’re dancing.”

“Yes, but—”

“Shh. You’re ruining the mood,” he teased.

Suddenly, being in his arms seemed like the best place to be. “Can’t have that,” she murmured as she allowed him to draw her close enough that she could feel his heart beat.

His hand engulfed hers and being in his embrace gave her the sense of being both protected and cherished.

For several minutes, she didn’t say a word. After the stress of the last few days, it was far too easy to pretend that someone had turned back the clock and everything was as wonderful as it once had been.

“Now I know how Cinderella felt,” she mused aloud.

“How so?”

“At the moment, everything is perfect, but at midnight everything changes. The coach and six white horses will become a pumpkin and a few mice. Her gown disappears into rags and—”

“And the prince eventually finds her because of the glass slipper,” he said. “Did you ever wonder why her shoe didn’t disappear, like everything else?”

She looked up at him. “Honestly? No. Have you?”

“Oddly enough, I have, because it didn’t make sense.

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