A Wright Christmas - K.A. Linde Page 0,34

to see you dance.”

“I had no idea. Why didn’t you say something?”

“I planned to. I bought flowers. I waited for you after the show. And then, when you came out, you were with your dance friends. You were laughing and looked so happy. I could see that it was the place for you. I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t see a way for it to ever work. I couldn’t move to New York, and you were never coming home.”

“Isaac…”

“So, I dumped the flowers and came back. I knew that ballet was what you were made for, so we never had a chance. But now, you’re here, Peyton, and you’re the only thing I want.”

I didn’t wait for her response. I just pushed her body back against the balcony railing and brought my lips down onto hers. There was no hesitation. There was nothing soft or tender about the moment. I’d finally told her the secret I’d been harboring for years. I had never stopped thinking about her. I would have gone to the ends of the earth to be with her. But not at the expense of her happiness.

But now that we had a chance…there was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her in my arms.

She pulled back, breathless. Her eyes dilated in the faint light. Her fingers clutched my shirt.

“Do you…want to get out of here?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said, a flush coming to her cheeks. “I thought you’d never ask.”

16

Peyton

Isaac Donoghue had come to New York for me.

My mind was still reeling. I’d thought about him and pined over him for years after he told me to leave to go to New York. It had been the right decision. But he was my first love, my first everything. I hadn’t wanted to let him go, and my heart never left him behind.

It was different, knowing that he felt the same. That he’d wanted to make it work, but once again, he’d chosen my happiness over his. And now, we had this moment. I refused to waste it.

We exited the ballroom and grabbed my jacket from the coat check. I switched out jackets with him, pulling him on instead, as I headed toward the parking lot, but Isaac stopped me and held up a hotel key.

I raised my eyebrows. “Did you get a room?”

He shrugged. Not at all sheepish, like he would have once been. He took my hand and pulled me toward the elevators. “Thought we might have use for it.”

“Cocky,” I said as I crossed the threshold of the elevator.

His eyes gleamed as he walked me back against the opposite wall. “You were the one who invited me in last time.”

“I was.” I was breathless as he ran his hands up the silk of my dress. It was as if he burned his way up my body, dragging his fingers across the muscular contours of my back. My fingers threaded through his tie, just like I’d wanted to do earlier outside of his house, and I tugged him toward me. “Offer still stands.”

“Good,” he ground out as he finally fit his hips against mine.

His erection was evident, even through the layers of material, and a small gasp escaped my lips. He smirked as if he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

And God, how many times had we been here before? Desperate to strip our clothes off and fall into each other’s arms. We’d learned the language of love from each other’s bodies. Both of us were adults now, well versed in what the other wanted but with more experience than when we’d been fumbling teenage in uncontrolled hormones.

Isaac leaned in, his breath hot against my lips. “I’m going to take you up on that offer, if you don’t mind.”

I swallowed, my body a treacherous, wanton thing. “You’d better.”

I’d forgotten. It sounded ridiculous, even in my own mind. But I’d forgotten what it was like to be desired. Not just for convenience or anything like that. But to be honestly and completely wanted. The look in Isaac’s eyes said that he could hardly wait another minute before shredding this new dress to pieces and taking me right here in the elevator.

My body thrummed in response as our lips finally met. It had all the fervor that we’d been holding back. Knowing that we both had to be responsible adults and return to our commitments. But there were no responsibilities or commitments here. There was just two people who wanted nothing more than to forget