Waiting for Midnight by Samantha Chase Page A

depended on it.  Maddie clung to him and kissed him back with equal intensity.
    When they finally broke apart, Noah looked at her like he’d never looked at her before.  Love .  Maddie saw it in his eyes and her heart did a little kick.
    “Come on, open another one,” he said with a little nudge.
    “Wait just one minute.”  Jumping to her feet, Maddie quickly made her way to her bedroom and came back a minute later with a pile of wrapped gifts.  She put them down next to Noah and smiled.  “I never took them back.”
    He reached for her and gently tugged her back into his lap and kissed her again.  “Merry Christmas, Maddie,” he said softly.
    “Merry Christmas, Noah.”

Epilogue
     
    “Three…two…one…Happy New Year!”
    The room erupted in cheers and a chorus of “Auld Lang Syne”.  Maddie didn’t join in.  She was too busy being kissed senseless by Noah.  When they finally broke apart, she looked up at him and smiled. 
    “Mmm…that was nice,” she said.
    “Nice?  I think I’m losing my touch.”
    She chuckled and shook her head.  “I guess you’ll have to try a little harder when we get home.”
    “You’re on,” he growled next to her ear.  Wrapping an arm around her waist, he held her close.  “How much longer do we need to be here?”
    “Just a little while longer.  I promised Kiera we’d put in an appearance.”  She looked around the room and spotted her friend laughing and smiling with Chris.  When Kiera spotted her, they screeched and then hugged each other.  “Happy New Year, Ki-Ki!”
    “Happy New Year, Mads!”  Kiera looked at Noah and Chris for a minute.  “Gentlemen, excuse us for a moment.”  When they were a safe distance away, she hugged Maddie one more time.  “Look at us!  We have dates on New Year’s!”
    “I know!  Life is good,” Maddie said with a smile.
    “Yes it is.”  Kiera glanced back at the guys.  “You guys ready to leave?”
    Maddie grinned and nodded.  “Yes, please!”
    “Go,” Kiera replied.  “Go and be happy and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
    With one final hug, Maddie walked back to Noah and hooked her arm through his.  “Ready to go?”
    “Sweetheart, I was all for staying in,” he whispered in her ear.  “We could have rung in the New Year in a completely different way.”
    Maddie tugged him across the room and out the door.  With a coy smile, she looked at him.  “We’ll have to try it your way at home.”
    “But…it’s after midnight,” he said, confused.
    “We’ll pretend we’re on Pacific Time,” she said and let out a little squeak when Noah hauled her into his arms and kissed her.  “Wow.  What was that for?”
    “I love you, Maddie,” he said softly.  “Happy New Year.”
    “I love you too,” she said. 
    And looking up at him, she couldn’t help but feel hopeful about their future.