A Kilted Christmas Wish (8 page)

Chapter Nine

S
now fell in clustered clumps, like mini, fluffy snowballs, outside Darla’s window. Christmas music played softly on her radio. While carolers decked the halls with boughs of holly, she sat curled up in her favorite cushy chair, the latest Highland romance novel spread over the armrest to save her spot, and a cup of hot cocoa warming her hands. Every sip, every page read, every song reminded her of Aaron.

Damn him for making her believe
that life could be sweet, that romance and love were attainable, and for forever ruining her experience with a decadent cup of mocha deliciousness.

She’d taken the rest of the day off after his flower stunt, feeling terrible for leaving her employees hanging once again, but they’d both insisted.
Packed up a bag of comfort food and shoved her back out the door. Was her devastation that obvious?

Darla
set down her cocoa on the side table, leaned her head back against the cushion and closed her eyes, willing the tears burning her eyes to disappear.

Only three weeks had gone
by since she’d met Aaron. Three weeks of emotional highs and lows. Three weeks she’d never forget in her life. Days filled with bliss and adventure. Days of laughter. A night of pleasure. Followed by days and days of second guessing herself and feeling lower than dirt.

And then today.
He’d just had to show up and apologize. Make her feel like there was a future between them. Aaron had been sincere, of that she was sure. She could see it in his eyes. He was sorry. He did care about her. The only thing standing in the way of them moving forward was her.

She loved him.

Had known that the moment the pain of loss had struck so hard it physically hurt. Had known it the moment she saw him and was willing to forgive him her pain in order to spend a few moments in his presence. Had known it when she’d wanted to comfort him for the loss of his love.

She loved him desperately.
Achingly so.

And she’d shoved him away. He wasn’t coming back. She’d have to go after him—and risk him rejecting her in the process.
Darla leaned forward in the chair, resting her hands on her elbows.

Probably best to see
him tonight, or at least try. She’d need to apologize, too. Tell him she’d been too scared to accept his heartfelt apology that morning. That she’d been too stubborn.

The buzzer on her door rang.
Darla stared at the panel on the wall, unwilling to get up and see who it was. Probably Amanda bringing her dinner and offering advice. And she wasn’t interested. She loved her friend dearly, had been through so much with her. But she preferred to mourn the loss of her heart, and wallow in her own dramatic mess without the attention of her friends. And she needed to get dressed. Needed to go across the street and ring Aaron’s door.

The buzzer dinged again.

Dammit. Her friend wasn’t going to leave her alone. She heaved herself from the chair, a Reese’s wrapper falling from somewhere. Yes, it was time to admit she had a chocolate addiction.

“Amanda, go away,” she said, pressing the button.

“Look outside.”

Darla gasped.
That wasn’t Amanda’s voice. No. That was a sexy, deep, Scottish brogue.

Aaron’s voice.

Her heart skipped a beat. Palms were suddenly sweaty. She stared at the buzzer, unsure if she’d heard right.

Her finger hovered over the buzzer. She pressed the button.
“Outside?”

“Aye, lass.
Open your window.”

Her throat tightened. What was this about? She was supposed to be apologizing to him. She pressed the button again. “Wait, I need to say something.”

“Darla Strider,” he said with his thick brogue. “Will you please go to the window?”

With a slow push she turned from the wall panel and went back to the window by her chair. She pushed the window up and looked outside, her knees buckling at what she saw.

In the middle of the sidewalk was Aaron—dressed in a kilt of rich green, blue, red and white plaid. He wore a billowing white shirt, partially undone, no jacket, and black leather boots. His legs were bare and snow fell in his dark hair. The man was every bit the vision of a Highlander. His gorgeously chiseled features blew her mind as did his charismatic smile. An apparition of her dreams come true. He held out his arms and she shivered. A band consisting of a drummer, guitarist and saxophonist stood to his left. As soon as she leaned out, they started to play a slow, heady tune.

“Darla,”
Aaron called up. “Darling. I have a confession to make.”

Her face heated and she was left speechless. She covered her cheeks and shook her head, uncertainty filling her and fighting against the pure elation at seeing him serenade her
in a kilt
.

“Not a moment has gone by since we first met that I haven’t thought of you.
That I haven’t been completely enchanted by you. Every moment we are apart, I find myself thinking up excuses for reasons why we should be together.”

A short hysterical laugh escaped her lips.
She felt the same way. Felt the same intense urge to be together.

But it couldn’t be real.
Just hormones. Just the thrill of something new. That was what her head said, trying to reason out the unreasonable. But her heart sang. Her heart knew in truth that she belonged in Aaron’s arms.

“
I’m sorry. I should have told you,” he said, his voice laced with regret, his eyes imploring. “But I couldn’t bear the thought of you believing I was only with you for the healing of loss.” He took a step closer to the building. “You did heal me. You did. But you also showed me something. That I could love again. That I couldn’t control life or death, but that I should live for the moment. Live for the excitement you brought me.”

He could love…again. He…loved her? A hot tear slid over her cheek, leaving a chilling streak in its wake.

“I love you,” he said, voice filled with conviction. “Without a doubt and wholeheartedly, I love you. I want to do every cliché thing we can think of. I want to go on every adventure with you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.”

Her breath hitched, and she pressed a
hand to her heart. She swiped away the tears spilling down her cheeks. “I love you, too,” she whispered, then louder, “I love you, Aaron! I’m so sorry, too.”

Cheers on the street echoed off the brick and stone
Soho buildings.

Aaron bent down, one bare knee in the snow. Her stomach flipped. Someone stepped forward and handed him a tiny black velvet box.
“Will you—”

“Wait!” she shouted. Darla whirled from the window and ran to her door. She flung it open, not caring that she was only in her fuzzy slippers and pjs. She ran down the stair
s and pushed open the glass doors. A cold whoosh of air hit her, but she barely felt it, only the heat of the moment.

Aaron’s gaze dropped from her window to meet hers. He jumped to his feet and took two large steps forward to her hurried lunge into his embrace. Their bodies clashed together, and despite his lack of winter attire, he warmed her through. Aaron buried his face in her neck, arms
tight around her waist and he twirled her in a circle. Darla laughed with pure joy, touched her hands to his face and met his lips in a frenzied, fiery lip-lock.

“I’ve been miserable without you,” she whispered.

“I couldn’t live another minute without you,” Aaron answered.

He set her down and got back down on one knee. Looking up at her with eyes filled with love—God, how her heart lurched!—he opened the black velvet box, revealing a square-cut platinum-set diamond ring. “
I know we’ve not known each other long, but it was long enough for me to realize I’d found the real thing. That I love you with all my heart, and that I never want to let you go. Will you do me the honor of spending the rest of your moments with me?”

Her throat swelled with emotion, hands clasped to her face again. “Yes,” she said “Yes!
Every moment.”

Aaron gripped her hand and slid the ring over her left ring-finger, a perfect fit. He stood and pulled her into his arms for another emotionally charged kiss.
Cheers and claps sounded around them, but the pounding of her heart drowned them out.

“You’ve made me the luckiest
man in the world,” he murmured against her ear.

“I don’t know about that,” Darla said
, with a shiver. “Seems to me, I got my wish.”

“Wish?”
he asked, rubbing his hands up and down her back.

She giggled, hugged him closer. “I wished for a man in a kilt.”

“Och, lassie, ye got more than simply a man in a kilt.”

“I love when you talk like that,” she kissed his chin. “What else did I get?”

Aaron pressed his forehead to hers, kissed her gently. “Love, lass, ye got love.”

“The End”

If you enjoyed
A KILTED CHRISTMAS WISH
, please spread the word by leaving a review on the site where you purchased your copy, or a reader site such as Goodreads or Shelfari! I love to hear from readers too, so drop me a line at
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Many thanks!

Remember Darla’s friend, Gabrielle? Check out her
sexy, contemporary, romantic tale in,
THE REBOUND PACT
.

Just one taste is never enough...

The attraction between Gabrielle and Holden still sizzles on the surface even after all these years since their last encounter. Having just experienced serious relationship breakups neither one is ready to start again. Instead, they make a rebound pact. Casual sex, no strings attached—and rule #1? Don't fall in love. Problem is, with each scorching encounter, Gabrielle and Holden find themselves falling hard and fast.

After college, Gabrielle Dane makes one terrific mistake. Thinking she's sneaking into her crush's bedroom at an all-night party, she ends up sleeping with her older brother's best friend. It’s only when the sun comes up that she recognizes Holden Bellamy. Mortified, Gabrielle leaves to train with a renowned chef in France, vowing never to return to her hometown and the awkwardness of her one night stand mix-up. But several years later, she finds herself doing just that, and she runs smack into the delicious man who makes her catches her breath.

Holden Bellamy, owner of Belle Ami, a critically acclaimed vineyard, has always had a thing for his best friend's little sister...even if she was off limits. Waking up to her in the morning several years back was a remarkable surprise, one that crashed and burned when she left town without a word. Now he's face to face with the woman he never stopped wondering about.

Want to read the book Darla was reading at the beginning of the story? Check out
THE HIGHLANDER’S REWARD
, an award-winning, bestselling historical romance novel.
And guess what? The hero is an ancestor of Aaron’s!

BOOK ONE: The Stolen Bride Series

She belonged to another… But was destined to be his…

Lady
Arbella de Mowbray abhors the idea of marrying an English noble occupying Scotland. When she arrives in Stirling, she is thrown into the midst of a full battle between the Scots and the English. Besieged by rebels, she is whisked from her horse by a Highland warrior who promises her safety. But when he kisses her she fears she's more in danger of losing herself.

The last thing Magnus Sutherland wants is to marry the beautiful English lass he saved. As the laird of his clan, he has a responsibility to his clan and allies. But when Arbella is attacked by one of his own men, he determines the only way to keep her safe is to make her his. A decision that promises to be extremely satisfying.

Magnus brings Arbella to his home of Dunrobin Castle in the Highlands. And that’s where the trouble begins… Their countries are at war and they should be each other’s enemy. Neither one considered their mock marriage would grow into a deeply passionate love. What’s more, they were both unhappily betrothed and those who've been scorned are out for revenge. Can their new found love keep them together or will their enemies tear them apart?