Christmas Break

Chapter 24

Celeste

When Celeste saw Sterling get out of his car, she tried to stop... But her bare feet slipped on the layers of icy snow, and she slid forward, right toward Sterling. She gave a cry and fell against him, slamming him against the side of his car. But in a flash, Sterling reached out and caught her just in time, holding her steady.

As soon as she regained her footing, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. After running through the cold, she savoured his warmth. She was sure he could probably feel her heart pounding against his own.

"Celeste?" Sterling said, shocked. He tried to free himself, but she held fast.

She worried that if she let go, he might slip away and leave. She had to make him understand first. But though Celeste wanted to speak, she was panting too hard. So she just tightened her grip.

"Don't... Go..." she gasped.

Sterling sighed and stopped fighting. After hesitating for a moment, he wrapped his arms around her, too. "I have to, Celeste," he said, letting out a breath that curled through the cold air.

She shook her head against his chest. "No," she wheezed, grabbing hold of his hoodie. "Not yet... Not like this..."

"Don't worry about me," Sterling said. "I'll be fine. You knew this was temporary. You should get back to Jared."

Again Celeste shook her head, frustrated that she couldn't just spit it out and explain it to him.

Didn't he get it?

"You just got him back," Sterling continued. He looked down at her. "So, why are you here? Didn't you get what you wanted?"

"No!" she shouted as she looked up at him, her eyes pleading with him to understand. Her eyes stung as they filled with tears, the cold freezing them to her lashes.

Sterling's brows folded together in confusion. "What? Why not?"

Celeste finally managed to pull in a breath to clear her throat. The cold air burned, but it was also clarifying.

"Because I want you!" she cried at last.

Sterling's eyes went wide with shock. "Me?"

"Yes," Celeste said, finally able to speak. "I'm a fool. I can't believe I didn't realize it until just now, but now I do. It's you that I want, Sterling. So, please, stay. Stay for Christmas. Stay for me."

Sterling just stood there, staring at her, as if the snowy storm had frozen him solid.

Celeste set her jaw. If he didn't believe her words, she'd make him understand. She reached up to him, putting her hand on his cheek and pulling him down to her. He let her, going easily as she drew him close and pressed her lips against his. It took only a moment before he kissed her back, pulling her tighter into his arms.

Despite the cold snow, a now familiar warmth spread through her. The kiss was as sweet as she had imagined it would be. She ran her hand down his cheek and neck before letting it rest on his warm chest. In return, his fingers trailed along the bare skin of her shoulders, chasing back the chill, before climbing into her hair—

In the distance, something bright lit up the night, pushing back the darkness of the storm and pulling Celeste and Sterling out of their kiss. Together they looked up.

The star on top of the town's tree had been lit. It now shone out across Winter Grove's Main Street, and the cheers of the crowd could be heard, carrying over the wind.

Celeste and Sterling stared at it for only a moment before returning to each other. His dark eyes were sparkling again, like the stars in the night sky. He pulled her close into the warmth of his coat and wrapped his arms around her. One kiss would not be enough for them. Sterling lifted her off the snowy ground for another kiss, and another, and another...

As Celeste moved her lips against his, she was reminded of their first date, of their first almost kiss. She remembered Sterling teasing her, telling her she'd know a real kiss when she got one.

He'd been right. She did know.

This was real, and it was perfect.

🎄