Christmas Kisses

Chapter 22: Christmas Kisses #1 and #2

Cecelia stretched in Mac's arms and then lifted her head to kiss him. He tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her mouth tighter against his. "You taste wonderful," he whispered against her lips.

Moving her mouth to his ear, she whispered back, "I kind of like your taste, too."

"Hmm, sounds like we need to have a tasting contest."

Cecelia laughed and pushed slightly away. "After I have a heart-to-heart talk with you."

Mac lifted his eyebrows. "Am I in trouble?"

"Not now, but you could be soon."

Placing his good arm behind his head, he said, "Okay, you have my undivided attention. What gives? I have a feeling it has something to do with Sean. Correct?"

She grinned. "It does."

Mac puffed a breath, scooted backward until he was leaning against the headboard, and finally said, "Go for it."

Cecelia's grin widened. "I love it when you do that."

"What?"

"Look so sexy."

Mac chuckled. "Are you trying to change the subject? Because if you are, it's working. Why don't you scoot up here and I'll try to look even sexier."

"As tempting as that is, I really have to talk to you first." She paused a second before forging on. "Sean was asking about your locked room."

Mac frowned. "When was that?"

"When I drove him to Tessa's birthday party."

Mac reached to finger a strand of Cecelia's hair. "What do you think I should do?"

"You know what I think."

"You want me to reveal my identity."

She nodded.

Mac glanced past her and then back. "If the tabloids find out about my son, they'll track him relentlessly."

"But if he finds out on his own, he'll hate you."

"He already does."

"He does not. He wants a relationship with you, but he doesn't know how to go about it."

Mac moved his knuckles to graze Cecelia's cheek. "I need to contact his parents before saying anything. Things could get uncomfortable for them, too." Mac studied her shocked expression and pulled her forward. "See how much of an influence you have on me. I'm already changing my mind about things I thought were forever settled."

Cecelia burrowed her head against his chest. "I think you've made a wise choice." Since Mac was feeling so amiable she decided to ask a question she had long been pondering. "Changing the subject, Mac, I have a burning question." She quickly added, "You don't have to answer, of course."

He reached to smooth her hair. "And what might that burning question be?"

"Who are the mysterious figures in your paintings?"

Mac chuckled low and moved his mouth to Cecelia's ear. He whispered, "I have no idea. At first, I felt compelled to paint them. Now, it's become something I rather enjoy. I sometimes speculate myself."

After his response, Mac's kisses made her forget everything but the present moment, until she remembered one more thing she needed to get off her chest. She leaned back and placed a finger over his lips. Shyly, she said, "After that first day we met and you bandaged my wounds, I researched you on the internet."

When she didn't continue, he nibbled on her finger still against his lips. "And?"

She inhaled deeply, moved her hand to feather the hair on his chest, and said, "You may not know this, but I'm five years older than you. Does that bother you?"