Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
We walked hand in hand out to the dance floor. The band started to play “As Time Goes By” and Harrison drew me closer to him.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
“You have, a time or two.”
“Em, let me come home with you tonight.”
“What about Noel?” I asked.
“Renee, my cousin who adores Noel, is with her, and had already planned on staying all night. I told her it would be a late night and not to expect me until early morning.”
I raised my brows. “Did you now?”
He smiled that devilishly handsome smile of his and I was lost to him. “I’d love for you to come home with me.”
Leaning closer to me, he kissed me softly. “Can we leave early?”
With a quick look around, I turned my attention to the man I was pretty sure I had fallen in love with the moment I saw him walk into the library holding his daughter’s hand. “I think if we slipped out now no one would notice.”
“You go grab your purse and I’ll meet you in the lobby in ten minutes.”
I giggled like a schoolgirl and made my way back to the table with an excuse that I needed to use the restroom. When Wendy said she would join me, I nearly cried out no. But once we had walked away from the table, she said, “I’ll tell everyone you developed a headache and Harrison took you home.”
Stopping, I faced her. When she stopped and turned to me, I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, Wendy.”
“What are friends for?”
After kissing Wendy on the cheek and hugging her, I quickly made my way to the lobby where I found Harrison leaning against a pillar looking so damn striking it was unfair. When our eyes met, I had to place my hand over my stomach to calm the butterflies.
“Ma’am,” Harrison said as he took my hand in his. “I do believe I’m to escort you home this evening.”
I couldn’t help the girlish giggle that slipped free. “I also believe there was something mentioned about unwrapping presents this evening as well.”
His eyes turned dark with desire before he placed his hand on my lower back and quickly guided us out of the hotel and down to the waiting limo.
Noel had been over the moon when Emma had shown up on Christmas morning right when she had woken up. Of course, Emma had been there all night, but my daughter had been clueless to that little truth.
“Come on, Em!” Noel said as he pulled on Emma’s hand and guided her to the Christmas tree. I loved that she had picked up on my nickname for Emma. Since the benefit dinner three weeks ago, Emma and I had spent every spare moment together that we could. A good portion of that time was also spent with Noel. I wanted Noel and Emma to get to know each other a little better, and it wasn’t hard to tell that my daughter adored Emma, and Emma felt the same toward Noel.
“Noel, we have to wait for your Grammy before we can open presents,” Emma said as she let Noel pull her down to the floor.
“Daddy has a pwesent for you before Gwammy gets here! Don’t you, Daddy?”
I made way over to my two favorite girls and sat down on the floor next to them. “I do, indeed.”
Taking Emma’s hand in mine, I smiled at her. “Noel and I had a long talk the other day.”
Emma glanced between the two of us. “You did? About what?”
“Daddy wants you to be–”
I quickly put my hand over Noel’s face and tickled her. “You can’t say it, I have to!”
Noel giggled and bounced around. “Hurwee, Daddy! Pwease!”
Turning to Emma, I sighed. “This is what life would be like if you agreed to be…”
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my grandmother’s engagement ring I had asked my mother for yesterday. Opening the box, I held it out. Emma’s eyes grew wide, and tears instantly sprang free.
“My wife and Noel’s mother.”
A hand slowly came up to Emma’s mouth and she let out a sob.
“It’s fast. Supersonic fast.”
Her eyes lifted and met mine. A beautiful smile spread across her face as she softly said, “You jump, I jump.”
“Me too! I jump too!” Noel said as she stood and promptly started to jump.
Emma threw herself into my body and wrapped her arms around my neck. I fell back and Noel jumped onto both of us.
“What is going on here?” my mother asked from the kitchen where she was setting food down on the counter.
“Gwammy! Em is gonna be my new mommy!”
My mother looked at all three of us piled on top of each other and laughed. “What a beautiful way to start Christmas Day!”
“When can you be my mommy?” Noel asked as she wrapped her arms around Emma’s neck.