Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
NOELLE
“ A Christmas tree farm?”
I nodded, licking the frosting from my finger. “Yep. My grandparents owned the farm, and every year, we had a sleigh pulled by two white horses, Jingle and Bell,” I laughed, “and a light display, hot chocolate. They even have a greenhouse, though Christmas Cactus and Poinsettias are notoriously fickle if you don’t play ‘I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas’ nonstop,” I teased.
“And how the hell did you not end up hating it all?” Killian asked, and I couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes tracked every movement I made. When I showed him the small alcove I’d turned into a cozy fairy lit escape, he’d shrugged off his jacket and placed it on my shoulders. The tall outdoor heater fired up easily, but I couldn’t bring myself to take off his jacket. It smelled wonderful, better than Christmas cookies and hot chocolate.
“Because every memory I made wasn’t about working on the farm. And they never made us, it was just something we did because we loved it. It’s not about the things. It’s about the memories, and the people. All of this,” I gestured at the trees and at the door leading into my shop, which was still filled with people celebrating and enjoying the evening. “It’s just sprinkles on a cupcake. The frosting, the filling and the cake are what counts. The sprinkles are nice, but they aren’t always needed.”
Killian sat back on the bench next to me, and studied the tree for a few minutes. “Is this one from-”
“It is,” I answered as my heart filled with pride. “Most of my plants are from their greenhouses. My grandmother was not only Christmas obsessed, but she loved plants. And what isn’t from there is either propagated by me, or sourced through people who love growing them, too.”
The air was warm, the crisp scent of the pine and other evergreens filled the air as we sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
“And I suppose you know that mistletoe is actually parasitic?”
My eyes grew wide. “Why, Mr. Nice Guy, did you just spout Christmas plant facts? My heart just might explode!”
He chuckled as he took a sip from his wine glass. “Contrary to my shitty attitude this year, I grew up in a very Christmas is everything household. My dad served, and the years he was home, we decorated early, and when he was deployed, my mom put up everything even earlier. If you took all the houses on our block, we would still have more lights and mistletoe than all of them combined.”
“The parasitic plant was well represented.”
He nodded. “Not that my parents needed an excuse to kiss, but they met at Christmas party on base and had their first kiss under-”
“Mistletoe,” we both finished.
“Who knew parasitic plants could bring people together.”
Killian chuckled. “And she wasn’t even supposed to be there, but one of her friend’s brothers, who was also enlisted at the time, had a crush on her. She went and ended up falling for his best friend. And they all still laugh about it.”
The soft snow flakes that had been falling earlier returned, as if on cue. I caught a few in my hand. “See, Christmas miracles do happen.” When I looked up, Killian was staring at me with a strange expression. “What?”
His tongue snuck out as he licked his lips, and gingerbread help me, I wanted to know how he tasted. Yes, I bid on him for not just selfish reasons. Spending a night with someone at a Christmas party when you weren’t in the spirit would be absolute misery and make the bah humbug grow into BAH HUMBUG that might become permanent. But, the selfish part of me wanted to have him all to myself, if only for a few fleeting moments that I could use as fantasy happy by myself moments later.
“You really love it.”
Statement, not question.
“When I think about the good memories or how some people never had the chance to experience it all like me? Yes. Because if I take it for granted, it lessens the love and people and memories I connect with the farm and Christmas. The things that mean the most to me.” God, I sounded so cheesy, but I didn’t care. If all I had with Killian, Mr. Nice Guy Scrooge, then he was going to have to deal with the real me. “That’s why I opened Leaves & Love. The wood on those shelves we hung the lights from?” I pointed to the backdoor of my space. He nodded. “From the old barn that finally fell down. Or, at least what could be salvaged. The summer I graduated from college, I told my grandma about what I wanted to do, and she said, ‘At least that double major is going to come in handy, Noelle’, hugged me, and paid me for all the work I had done over the years at the farm. I tried to give it back, but she said investing in my future was more important than anything she could’ve bought with it.”
“Does she still…own it?” He asked, eyes wary like the answer would upset me.
“Yep, though she doesn’t run it like she used to. My brother, Hudson, is going to take over once he and his wife have their twins. Well, Tessa is technically having them, but you get the idea.”
The snow fell in a steady blanket, and I looked up with a sigh. “I guess we should go inside now. Plus I hate to think I abandoned Nia and Indra. They put so much into tonight, and I have to check on Frosty. He gets really feisty if he thinks he’s being ignored. Thank you for spending time with me, Killian.” I stuck out my hand, cheeks reddening as he took it into his own. The warmth of his hand spread up my arm. And oh Dasher and Dancer, I imagined how they would feel on other-
Stop it, Noelle. And save it for when you get home and not embarrass yourself anymore than you have , I chastised myself.
Flakes dotted his lashes and darkened his already red hair even more as they melted. Kinda like I wanted to.
We stood at the same time, and, once again, the world spun as I lost my footing, but at least this time I wasn’t up on the ladder talking to myself. Or saying embarrassing things. Killian caught me before I embarrassed myself any further.
“Noah said the mistletoe was easy to miss, but this one,” he jerked his head to above us, where I had hung one where the lights all met in the center above the tiny courtyard, “is pretty obvious.”
“You don’t have to-” I stammered just before his lips met mine.
My eyes closed, and I lost the ability to protest as he licked, and teased, and his tongue traced the seam of my lips. I sighed, and forgot all about the party or the people inside as he kissed me. He tasted like cupcakes and dreams. Nights filled with sighs and naked bodies seeking and searching.
Sex on a stick, and oh Santa, how I wanted him to stuff my stocking.
When we finally came up for air, the hockey player helped me stand while I willed my knees not to buckle. “Oh,” I said, breathless.
He smirked. “Traditions.”
I grinned. “ Christmas traditions.”