Tic-Tac-Mistletoe - N.R. Walker Page 0,42
mood seemed to dissipate, thankfully. “That’s true. I did.”
“Lucky boys.”
His eyes glittered with humour and he shook his head. “It’d just be nice to take you out for dinner first, like an actual date, a few times even, before we fall into bed. Because once that starts, everything else kinda stops for a while, and I don’t want to risk what could be a good thing.”
I nodded and rubbed my thumb over his knuckles. “I get it. You don’t have to explain. And it’s sweet that you want to get to know me and don’t just want me for my totally ripped body.”
He chuckled again. “I do. And sure, sex is great and all, but if I had to choose between the two, I’d pick conversations and laughs, movie watching on the couch, and baking cookies.”
“You don’t have to choose. You can have both. If you want both, that is,” I added.
“I want both.”
I grinned. “Both is good. And just so you know, for full disclosure, I do not have a totally ripped body under all these clothes.”
He laughed again. “Good. I’d rather we count how many times we laugh over good food than count carbs.”
“Same. As evidenced by the cookies and hot chocolates we had earlier.”
“And the pasta I was going to make for dinner.”
I groaned. “I don’t know how hungry I’m going to be, to be honest.”
“Same. We could just have more cookies for dinner if you want? We have a few dozen to get through.”
I laughed. “I’m all for more cookies for dinner, as long as there’s more hot chocolate, then we can watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas or Elf. Or our favourite episodes of Schitt’s Creek.”
“Sounds perfect. ‘This is going to be just like senior year, only funner!’” he said, impersonating Elle Woods.
Chuckling, I squeezed his hand and sighed happily. “I’ve never been with someone I can have TV- and movie-quote conversations with before.”
Ren grinned. “And I’ve never been with someone who knew where I got the name Chutney from.”
“That’s settled. We’re watching Legally Blonde. It’s not Christmassy but that’s fine.” I looked into those bluest of blue eyes. “And I appreciate your honesty. Before, I mean. You were honest about how you felt and what you wanted, and if it were up to me, I would never have had the courage to do that first. Even if saying goodbye to you hurt like hell.”
He barked out a laugh. “Well, that’s the first time I’ve just blurted stuff out like that. But I figured it was now or never. How often is some cute and funny Australian guy gonna run his car off the road out the front of my place?”
“I’m gonna go with once. But you never told anyone else how you felt about them?”
“Sure,” he replied with a laugh. “But not two days after meeting them. And they were always a fling first, all physical and not much else. That’s why I want this to be different. If that’s okay with you? Because what you want is important too, obviously. It’s not all about me and what I want. I mean, if you don’t want to see me again, that’s fine too. You did just fly into the country, and you’re probably still jet-lagged—”
I booped him gently on the nose. “You’re really cute when you ramble.” I put my hand to his chest. “Ren, I want to see you again. And Chutney. Both of you. I want to spend more time with you and get to know you better. I don’t know the logistics or how we’ll make this happen, but we just need to have a little faith. Don’t stress about any of that just yet. Let’s just agree to possibilities.”
He grinned then, with what I’m sure was relief. “To possibilities.”
I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed him. “And to eating cookies for dinner and watching Legally Blonde in front of the fire.”
Ren’s grin became something else, and his eyes softened. “Yes to all of that.”
So we got comfy on the couch with our hot chocolates and another cookie each, and we opted for Legally Blonde. Ren turned the ceiling lights off so the Christmas lights looked amazing. I leaned against Ren and he slipped his arm over my shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. He was so warm and he smelled so damn good, and Chutney joined us, and it was so perfect, and I was so blissfully content, I only closed my eyes for