Read Online Christmas and Forever by Delilah Hunt - Free Book Online
Authors: Delilah Hunt
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on his chest. “Let me take care of you. We’ll take care of each other for these three days, and then you’ll go back to your life and I’ll return to mine. No guilt, Aidan. It’s not like there’s a chance of you losing your heart to me. Sarah will still be your number one.”
“It’s not fair to you…” Anticipation dripped from Aidan’s words. He wanted this as much as she did. Needed it.
Liya locked her eyes with his, hoping Aidan could see the honesty and candor within. “I don’t want to spend the holiday alone. We’re two adults, right? I just want to pretend for a little bit how it could have been between us. I know you do, too. You can’t lie to me about that. I know what’s deep inside you, beneath all those layers.”
He glanced at her hand on his chest. “I never realized how selfish I was until this moment.” Touching his forehead to hers, he whispered, “I want that so much, sweetheart. God help me, Liya. I don’t want to be alone either.”
Liya felt his body relax into her touch. Carefully, she weaved her arms around his waist and held him close. “We don’t have to be. It’ll be just you and me. Aidan and Liya. Just three days and then you can return your heart to her.”
His lips brushed across her cheek and she felt his warm breath against her ear like a lover’s caress. “Don’t make me lose my heart to you, Liya. I can’t do that, sweetheart. Please don’t make me lose my heart.”
Her heart ached for him. Pangs of jealousy stabbed at her, seeing the devotion he had for Sarah. What it must have felt like to be loved by him. She stroked her fingertips to his jaw. “I won’t take it from you. That much I can promise you.” I want you to give it to me willingly .
Aidan cupped her chin and swept his lips against her mouth. “Welcome to my cabin.”
Jerking back her head, she laughed, joyous tears clinging to her lashes. Finally, they were just a man and a woman––nothing more, nothing less. “Was the kiss a part of the welcome?”
Aidan clasped her tighter to his frame. “Unplanned, but something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.” He regarded her in earnest. “Are you a hundred percent sure about this?” Was that a tremor in his voice? Liya gazed up at him. Aidan was dead wrong. What she felt for him had nothing to do with pity or sympathy. And while her actions were meant to bring him a measure of happiness, her moves were not entirely unselfish. She was in love with Aidan Keegan and if she wouldn’t be allowed to have him forever, then these precious few days would remain with her long after they went their separate ways.
“You can change your mind, and we could stay here and—”
“Go back to being Dr. Keegan, entertaining his receptionist?” she asked, cutting him off.
His dark brows narrowed. “You were never just a receptionist.”
“You’re neglecting the point. Is that what you truly want?”
Jaws clenched, he brushed a snowflake from her cheek. “No, Liya. That’s not what I want for this Christmas.”
A fist clamped and squeezed around her heart. Although he said what she wanted to hear, it stung nonetheless that he made sure to emphasize that it would only be for Christmas.
She padlocked it away deep in the recesses of her mind. It was what she wanted, after all. “All right.” She hooked her arm through his. “You can give me the grand tour later on.” Liya craned her neck and looked to the left as they hedged to the entrance, bags in hand. Beyond an expanse of pine trees, she could barely make out what appeared to be a pond covered in ice. “Does all of this belong to you?” She grinned. “If it does, then I guess surgeons must really be rolling in it, huh?”
A shadow crossed Aidan’s face. “I’m not a surgeon anymore. You know that. And to answer your question, just about everything you can see encompasses the property.”
“If you’re not a surgeon, then what on Earth are you doing teaching those students and
“It’s not fair to you…” Anticipation dripped from Aidan’s words. He wanted this as much as she did. Needed it.
Liya locked her eyes with his, hoping Aidan could see the honesty and candor within. “I don’t want to spend the holiday alone. We’re two adults, right? I just want to pretend for a little bit how it could have been between us. I know you do, too. You can’t lie to me about that. I know what’s deep inside you, beneath all those layers.”
He glanced at her hand on his chest. “I never realized how selfish I was until this moment.” Touching his forehead to hers, he whispered, “I want that so much, sweetheart. God help me, Liya. I don’t want to be alone either.”
Liya felt his body relax into her touch. Carefully, she weaved her arms around his waist and held him close. “We don’t have to be. It’ll be just you and me. Aidan and Liya. Just three days and then you can return your heart to her.”
His lips brushed across her cheek and she felt his warm breath against her ear like a lover’s caress. “Don’t make me lose my heart to you, Liya. I can’t do that, sweetheart. Please don’t make me lose my heart.”
Her heart ached for him. Pangs of jealousy stabbed at her, seeing the devotion he had for Sarah. What it must have felt like to be loved by him. She stroked her fingertips to his jaw. “I won’t take it from you. That much I can promise you.” I want you to give it to me willingly .
Aidan cupped her chin and swept his lips against her mouth. “Welcome to my cabin.”
Jerking back her head, she laughed, joyous tears clinging to her lashes. Finally, they were just a man and a woman––nothing more, nothing less. “Was the kiss a part of the welcome?”
Aidan clasped her tighter to his frame. “Unplanned, but something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.” He regarded her in earnest. “Are you a hundred percent sure about this?” Was that a tremor in his voice? Liya gazed up at him. Aidan was dead wrong. What she felt for him had nothing to do with pity or sympathy. And while her actions were meant to bring him a measure of happiness, her moves were not entirely unselfish. She was in love with Aidan Keegan and if she wouldn’t be allowed to have him forever, then these precious few days would remain with her long after they went their separate ways.
“You can change your mind, and we could stay here and—”
“Go back to being Dr. Keegan, entertaining his receptionist?” she asked, cutting him off.
His dark brows narrowed. “You were never just a receptionist.”
“You’re neglecting the point. Is that what you truly want?”
Jaws clenched, he brushed a snowflake from her cheek. “No, Liya. That’s not what I want for this Christmas.”
A fist clamped and squeezed around her heart. Although he said what she wanted to hear, it stung nonetheless that he made sure to emphasize that it would only be for Christmas.
She padlocked it away deep in the recesses of her mind. It was what she wanted, after all. “All right.” She hooked her arm through his. “You can give me the grand tour later on.” Liya craned her neck and looked to the left as they hedged to the entrance, bags in hand. Beyond an expanse of pine trees, she could barely make out what appeared to be a pond covered in ice. “Does all of this belong to you?” She grinned. “If it does, then I guess surgeons must really be rolling in it, huh?”
A shadow crossed Aidan’s face. “I’m not a surgeon anymore. You know that. And to answer your question, just about everything you can see encompasses the property.”
“If you’re not a surgeon, then what on Earth are you doing teaching those students and
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