removed his glove and cupped her face with his large hand. “Maria.” Her name was hardly more than a whisper.
“Yes?” She lifted her own gloved fingers to encircle his wrist.
“I’m not sure how to say this…” The smell of mints blended with his warm breath against her cheek. “These last few weeks, working together…well, I’ve enjoyed them very, very much.”
Her pulse began to skip faster. “I have, too, Dale.”
“We make a good a team…a fantastic team…” He visibly swallowed. “And that’s why I need to tell you…”
Wanting to ease his discomfort and assure him that she felt the same, she threw poise to the wind and went up on tiptoe to place her lips against his. Dale hesitated only a second before he kissed her back. Lifting his other hand to her face, he pressed his mouth confidently over hers. Maria’s heart beat wildly and her head spun as she lost herself in Dale’s kiss. How could she have ever thought she was meant to be with anyone else but this wonderful man?
When he released her face to hold her hand, Maria rocked back on her heels, her breath coming in swift white clouds. “I didn’t mean to interrupt…” She glanced away as self-consciousness finally caught up with her actions.
Dale pulled her into his arms, resting his head against her winter hat. “I can’t say I’m sad that you did,” he murmured into her ear, a smile in his voice.
She tipped her chin up to look at him and found his smile held a touch of sadness. “Are you all right?”
He nodded quickly. “Tonight, I’m perfectly all right.” Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, he led her down the sidewalk again. “We’d better get you back now before that boardinghouse matron skins me alive for having you home late.”
Maria chuckled, though she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bothering Dale. At least it wasn’t her or their kiss. Of that she felt certain. Resting her head against his shoulder, she pushed aside any niggling doubt and instead relished the happiness she felt at this moment.
* * *
Maria hummed the tune of “O Tannenbaum” as she pulled a brush through her dark hair. Once finished, she surveyed herself in the mirror and couldn’t help smiling. Her whole demeanor looked as lit up as the tree at the bank, and she had Dale to thank for that.
She’d been invited to Sunday dinner with him and his mother the night before and had enjoyed every minute of it. The easy conversation, Harriet’s quick sense of humor, and Dale’s lingering kiss when he walked her home afterward had made it another wonderful evening.
Dale had also asked her to spend Christmas Eve with him and his extended family, and Maria had gratefully accepted. Since the bank would be open the day before and after Christmas, her parents had reluctantly agreed there wouldn’t be enough time to drive her home and back.
Maria had been disappointed, more so than she’d been at missing Thanksgiving with the family. Christmas at home had always been a festive and magical affair. But if she couldn’t spend her favorite holiday with her own family, then she preferred spending it with the man she loved.
She pulled on her hat and gloves, left her room, and headed outside. The early morning chill couldn’t dampen her good mood, especially with the way the sun sparkled off the snow. She resumed humming her Christmas tune as she strode down the sidewalk.
Once she reached the bank, she slipped inside, smiling at her beautifully decorated tree. Not only did it look spectacular, but it brought to mind another happy memory with Dale.
“Good morning,” she called out as she pushed through the gate and entered the tellers’ room. “Isn’t it a lovely day?”
Lawrence scowled and blew on his hands. “Yes, if you like freezing to death on the walk here.”
“Amen,” James murmured as he shed his coat and wiped the fog from his glasses.
Maria ignored their grumbling, especially when Dale filled the
“Yes?” She lifted her own gloved fingers to encircle his wrist.
“I’m not sure how to say this…” The smell of mints blended with his warm breath against her cheek. “These last few weeks, working together…well, I’ve enjoyed them very, very much.”
Her pulse began to skip faster. “I have, too, Dale.”
“We make a good a team…a fantastic team…” He visibly swallowed. “And that’s why I need to tell you…”
Wanting to ease his discomfort and assure him that she felt the same, she threw poise to the wind and went up on tiptoe to place her lips against his. Dale hesitated only a second before he kissed her back. Lifting his other hand to her face, he pressed his mouth confidently over hers. Maria’s heart beat wildly and her head spun as she lost herself in Dale’s kiss. How could she have ever thought she was meant to be with anyone else but this wonderful man?
When he released her face to hold her hand, Maria rocked back on her heels, her breath coming in swift white clouds. “I didn’t mean to interrupt…” She glanced away as self-consciousness finally caught up with her actions.
Dale pulled her into his arms, resting his head against her winter hat. “I can’t say I’m sad that you did,” he murmured into her ear, a smile in his voice.
She tipped her chin up to look at him and found his smile held a touch of sadness. “Are you all right?”
He nodded quickly. “Tonight, I’m perfectly all right.” Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, he led her down the sidewalk again. “We’d better get you back now before that boardinghouse matron skins me alive for having you home late.”
Maria chuckled, though she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bothering Dale. At least it wasn’t her or their kiss. Of that she felt certain. Resting her head against his shoulder, she pushed aside any niggling doubt and instead relished the happiness she felt at this moment.
* * *
Maria hummed the tune of “O Tannenbaum” as she pulled a brush through her dark hair. Once finished, she surveyed herself in the mirror and couldn’t help smiling. Her whole demeanor looked as lit up as the tree at the bank, and she had Dale to thank for that.
She’d been invited to Sunday dinner with him and his mother the night before and had enjoyed every minute of it. The easy conversation, Harriet’s quick sense of humor, and Dale’s lingering kiss when he walked her home afterward had made it another wonderful evening.
Dale had also asked her to spend Christmas Eve with him and his extended family, and Maria had gratefully accepted. Since the bank would be open the day before and after Christmas, her parents had reluctantly agreed there wouldn’t be enough time to drive her home and back.
Maria had been disappointed, more so than she’d been at missing Thanksgiving with the family. Christmas at home had always been a festive and magical affair. But if she couldn’t spend her favorite holiday with her own family, then she preferred spending it with the man she loved.
She pulled on her hat and gloves, left her room, and headed outside. The early morning chill couldn’t dampen her good mood, especially with the way the sun sparkled off the snow. She resumed humming her Christmas tune as she strode down the sidewalk.
Once she reached the bank, she slipped inside, smiling at her beautifully decorated tree. Not only did it look spectacular, but it brought to mind another happy memory with Dale.
“Good morning,” she called out as she pushed through the gate and entered the tellers’ room. “Isn’t it a lovely day?”
Lawrence scowled and blew on his hands. “Yes, if you like freezing to death on the walk here.”
“Amen,” James murmured as he shed his coat and wiped the fog from his glasses.
Maria ignored their grumbling, especially when Dale filled the
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