Chapter 49
JOY
The town square had emptied of families and children, leaving behind only the skeleton crew of vendors packing up their gear and volunteers breaking down booths. The magical chaos of the festival was winding down, replaced by the quiet satisfaction of a job well done.
I was still riding the high of success. It had gone well. Yes, there were plenty of hiccups and near disasters, but it had been saved in the end. I was actually pretty happy with all the crazy stuff that had gone down. It made it that much more exciting.
I sat beside Cooper in one of the folding chairs directly in front of his magnificent ice tree.
The embedded LED lights continued their gentle dance of color.
It was even more beautiful now in the relative quiet, without the distraction of crowds and conversation to pull attention away from its ethereal glow.
Cooper had finally gotten out of the Santa suit, though he’d kept the beard on for an embarrassingly long time just to make me laugh. Now he wore his normal winter coat and jeans, looking like himself again but somehow transformed by everything that had happened tonight.
I was a little disappointed, but he promised there would be other things to strip him out of. I was already envisioning him wrapped up in a big red bow and nothing else. Or maybe I’d wear the bow, and he could unwrap me.
So many possibilities.
We passed a bottle of hard cider back and forth between us, the sweet warmth cutting through the December cold. I took a sip and handed it to him.
“Cooper, I need to thank you.”
He raised an eyebrow, settling the bottle between us in the snow. “For what?”
“For everything. For showing up tonight when I needed you most. For putting on that ridiculous costume and saving Christmas for every child in town. For standing up to Lynn in front of everyone.” I paused, gathering the words that felt too big and too important.
“For being there for me even when things were muddy between us. Even when I asked for space and probably seemed like I was pushing you away.”
Cooper was quiet for a moment. “You weren’t pushing me away,” he said finally. “You were protecting yourself. There’s a difference.”
“I was scared,” I admitted. “Scared of getting hurt, scared of hurting you, scared of making the wrong choice. But you showed up anyway. You didn’t let my fear drive you away.”
“I couldn’t,” he replied simply. “I love you too much to give up without a fight.”
There it was again, those three words that had changed everything when he said them in front of the whole town. They settled between us now like a promise, warm and certain and resonating in my soul.
“I love you too,” I said, the words coming easier this time. “I think I’ve been in love with you since we were kids and didn’t even know what love was.”
Cooper laughed softly. “I was terrified of you in high school. You were this bright, fearless girl who seemed like she could conquer the world, and I was just the quiet kid who felt like a total dork.”
“You’re a still a dork,” I teased. “It’s one of the things I love about you.”
“Great,” he groaned.
“You make me feel safe, Cooper. Not just physically safe, but emotionally safe. Like I can be myself without worrying about being too much or not enough.”
The ice tree pulsed with soft light, and somewhere in the distance I could hear the last vendors calling goodbyes to each other as they loaded their trucks. But here in our little bubble of warmth and color, it felt like we were the only two people left in the world.
“I’m staying,” I said suddenly, the decision crystallizing as I spoke the words. “In Calton Hill. Whether I get the tourism job or not, whether things work out the way I planned or not, I’m staying.”
Cooper’s hand tightened around mine. “Because of me?”
“Because of you, yes. But also because of this.” I gestured around us, encompassing the festival grounds and the town beyond.
“Because of the way people came together tonight. Because of how it felt to create something that brought so much joy to families. Because this place feels like home in a way nowhere else ever has.”
“Even with all the gossip and small-town drama?”
“Even with all of that. Maybe especially because of that. At least here, when people talk about you, it’s because they care about you. In the city, nobody cared enough to gossip.”
Cooper lifted our joined hands and kissed my knuckles, the gesture so tender it made my chest ache.
“I love you, Joy Murphy,” he said, each word deliberate and weighted with meaning. “I love your wild enthusiasm and your attention to detail and the way you turn every problem into a creative challenge. I love that you make me want to be braver, to take chances, to believe in happy endings again.”
“I love you too, Cooper Frost,” I replied.
“I love your steady strength and your hidden romantic soul and the way you put on a stinky, musty Santa suit without hesitation because you knew it would make children happy. I love that you make me feel like I can have roots without being trapped, like I can belong somewhere without losing myself.”
We sat there for a long moment, letting the words settle between us. The admission felt momentous and simple at the same time—like something that had always been true, finally spoken aloud.
“Come here,” Cooper said softly.
I shifted closer until I was practically in his lap. “We’re going to break these chairs,” I murmured.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.”
“Cooper,” I said, turning in his arms so I could see his face.
“Yeah?”
“Take me home.”
Cooper stood and extended his hand, pulling me up from the folding chair. His fingers intertwined with mine as we walked across the snow-covered square toward his truck.
Anticipation hummed between us like electricity. His thumb traced circles on my hand where it rested on the center console. Every touch sent warmth shooting up my arm.
We walked inside. Cooper took off his work boots. I took my boots off and left them by the door.
“Do you want something to drink?” he asked, hanging our coats on the rack. “I’ve got coffee, beer, or—”
I turned and pressed myself against him, cutting off his nervous hospitality with a kiss. His arms came around me immediately, pulling me closer as months of tension and uncertainty finally found their release.
“I don’t want coffee,” I whispered against his lips.
His hands tangled in my hair, and I could feel his heart racing beneath my palms where they rested on his chest. We kissed like teenagers, desperate and eager, making up for lost time and all the moments we’d held ourselves back.
“Joy,” he breathed.
I jerked at his shirt and then attacked the shirt underneath until he was bare chested.
I guided him backward until he hit the edge of his couch, then gently pushed him to sit. The position put me at the perfect height to continue my exploration. I took my time trailing kisses along his collarbone, tasting salt and soap and something uniquely Cooper.
His hands found my waist, holding me steady as I worked my way lower, pressing open-mouthed kisses to his chest and stomach. When I dropped to my knees between his legs, his breath caught audibly.
“Joy, you don’t have to—”
“I want to,” I said firmly, looking up at him through my lashes. “Relax.”
The rest of our clothes disappeared in a blur of eager hands and whispered endearments. When I finally took him in my mouth, Cooper’s head fell back against the couch cushions, a low groan escaping his throat that went straight to my core.
I took my time, learning what made his breath hitch and what made his hands tighten in my hair. The sounds he made were better than any symphony. The way he whispered my name made me feel powerful and cherished all at once.
“Joy, I’m close,” he warned, his voice strained.
I hummed my encouragement, but he wasn’t having it. He tugged at my arms before he finally lifted me up by my armpits and brought me into his lap.
I straddled him, feeling the heat of his skin against mine. Cooper’s hands roamed my body with reverent touches. When his thumb brushed across my nipple, I arched into him with a soft gasp.
“I’ve wanted this for so long,” I whispered, positioning myself over him.
“It hasn’t been that long.” He grinned. “But I missed it too.”
“You know what I mean. This. Us. Real. Not just sex.”
“Ah, but I want so much sex with you,” he murmured. He bent down and took one nipple into his mouth. I cried out, gasping and arching as he sucked. He moved to the next one and drove me wild.
Instead of answering with words, I sank down slowly, taking him inside me inch by inch. We both groaned at the sensation. Cooper’s hands gripped my hips tightly. His fingertips were bruising my flesh, but I didn’t care.
“God, Joy,” he breathed.
I began to move, setting a rhythm that had us both gasping. Cooper met each of my movements with his own, our bodies finding a perfect synchronization that felt like coming home. His mouth found my breast, tongue circling my nipple until I cried out.
The couch creaked beneath us as our movements became more urgent. I could feel the tension building low in my belly, every nerve ending alive with sensation. Cooper’s hands guided my hips, helping me find the angle that made stars explode behind my eyelids.
“Cooper,” I gasped, feeling myself teetering on the edge.
“I know, baby. I’ve got you,” he murmured against my neck.
“Faster. More.” My words came out in short bursts of air. I was close and yet so far.
Cooper’s hands gripped my hips harder, his fingers digging into my flesh as he helped lift and guide me. The angle shifted and suddenly he hit that perfect spot that made me see white.
“Right there,” I gasped, my nails digging into his shoulders. “Don’t stop.”
He didn’t. His mouth found my breast again, tongue swirling around my nipple while his hips thrust up to meet mine with increasing urgency.
The combination of sensations was overwhelming.
The stretch and fullness of him inside me and the wet heat of his mouth was pushing me closer.
The friction was building with every movement.
“Look at me,” he commanded softly.
I forced my eyes open, meeting his intense blue gaze. The intimacy of it, seeing him watch me fall apart, pushed me even closer to the edge.
“I love you,” he said, his voice rough with emotion and desire.
Those words, combined with a particularly deep thrust, sent me tumbling over. I cried out his name as waves of pleasure crashed through me, my body clenching around him. Cooper followed moments later with a groan, his face buried in my neck as he pulsed inside me.
We stayed like that for a while, breathing hard and holding each other close. My legs felt like jelly, and I was grateful for his strong arms keeping me upright.
I buried my face in his shoulder with his arms crushing me against him.
“That was…” I started, then trailed off, unable to find adequate words.
“Perfect,” Cooper finished for me, pressing a kiss to my temple. “You’re perfect.”
I lifted my head to look at him, seeing nothing but love and contentment in his expression. “Merry Christmas, Cooper.”
“Merry Christmas, Joy.”