The Kissing Season by Rachael Johns Page A

didn’t want to ruin Christmas.
    As the carol came to a close, he offered her the warmest of smiles and then slowly turned back around to face the front. The Wildwood Point Primary School choir took to the stage and sang an angelic rendition of “O Holy Night,” Father O’Brien followed with a message about remembering the real gifts of Christmas, and then people were invited forward to light candles for loved ones who couldn’t be with them this season. Half the congregation seemed to have someone to remember, but while Sarah and the Two Cs went forward, Matt remained firmly in his seat.
    When a few dozen candles flickered at the front of the church, everyone stood to sing the last hymn. Although it was close to midnight, festive cheer buzzed in the air and no one seemed in a hurry to get home to bed. At the end of the pew Hannah dillydallied, pretending to tie a shoelace even though her heels had none, hoping her family would go on ahead and she’d be able to snag Matt’s attention when he traipsed past. But luck was not on her side.
    She straightened up as Sarah and her family approached, and she tried to catch Matt’s eye. Offering her a bemused smile, he looked sideways as if to see if she’d been making eyes at anyone else. He seemed pleased when she nodded. And then he slowed. Her heart echoed the steady beat of his feet, halting when he did, only centimeters away. In desperate need of oxygen, she took a breath and inhaled the woody, all-male scent of him. It threatened to unravel the appearance of cool and calm she’d been practicing since she’d fled his car yesterday afternoon.
    The last thing she needed was for him to guess how desperately she wanted to go back on her word.
    “Good evening, Hannah.” Good Lord, if she thought he smelled good, his voice was an instrument of pure seduction. He may as well have said “come to bed” for the effect it had on her knees and senses.
    “Hi.” This one word came out breathy and she found herself leaning toward him, forgetting the church full of people surrounding them. She was supposed to be telling him something—that much she knew—but she couldn’t for the life of her recall what that thing was.
    His lips twisted upward into a full-on grin. “Hi,” he echoed, his voice equally gravelly. “Merry Christmas.”
    “Yes, um...” That’s right, she needed to make sure he...
    She was about to tell him her family didn’t know about the baby and that was the way she hoped to keep it until New Year, when her words were cut off by the hasty return of his mother. “Good evening, Hannah.” Sarah’s voice held a warning that Hannah now recognized as the other woman’s misguided attempt at protecting her.
    “Merry Christmas, Sarah.”
    “It’s not Christmas yet,” she said, tugging at Matt’s arm, “and I’m tired, Matteo, I need you to take me home.”
    At the use of his full name, Hannah knew her chance of talking to him on his own was nil.
    “I’ll just be a moment,” Matt told his mother without tearing his gaze from Hannah’s.
    “Fine.” Sarah folded her arms and planted herself on the spot. “I’ll wait.”
    Hannah sighed inwardly and wished she could somehow telepathically convey her thoughts to Matt. The three of them stood awkwardly for a moment before she realized carrying out her plan was hopeless. “Anyway, I’d better find my family, too, or they’ll leave without me and I’ll have to walk home. I guess we’ll be seeing you both tomorrow.”
    “Yes. I can’t wait.”
    A tingle of awareness skittered down Hannah’s spine as if Matt had whispered the words hotly into her ear instead of simply uttering them out loud.
    “Well, you’ll have to,” snapped his mother, giving his arm another yank. “Come on.”
    Matt smiled again and inclined his head apologetically as he let Sarah lead him away. Hannah watched him go, chomping down on the ridiculous urge to run down the aisle after him. If only she had his number, she could