A Winter's Kiss (A Winter's Tale Book 1)

by Tailor, Kristi

  Although his answering smile was empathetic the look in his eyes seemed calculated- holding a resolve she had grown rather familiar with. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’d rather you not get involved.”

  Nicholas’ frown deepened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “Dimple,” he sighed.

  “It’s a sweet gesture . . . your trying to reconnect me with my family and all, but I’d much rather you leave well enough alone. I’m more than content with things being the way they are now.”

  Nicholas nodded his head as he processed her words hearing the lies as soon as she had spoken them. “You only get one family, Dimple. Shunning the people who love you most in this world-”

  “I have you . . . right?” she asked wide eyed.

  Nicholas stopped short taken aback by her forwardness. Closing his mouth he brazed his smooth knuckles along his rough jawline in silence. It wasn’t her words that had given him reason to pause rather the manner in which she had said them.

  “Right?” she pressed her big browns watching him intently seeking an answer beyond that of which he was ready to divulge.

  “Right.”

  “Then I’ am content,” Charlotte hesitated, her mouth agape as she contemplated her thoughts unsure on whether or not she should allow her intimate feelings to flow past her lips, keeping the unspoken matters of her heart at bay seemed the logical thing to do- logic was never a lacking sentiment. “You’re my family now.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Pulling up in front of her parents’ home Charlotte paused before turning off the engine, fixing her gaze on Nicholas she sighed dramatically. “I would love to be anywhere else right now.”

  “I know,” he said parting his lips slightly, his frown mirroring hers. “You don’t have to-”

  “We have nowhere else to go . . . hotels are booked up in this area and staying anywhere further away from the highway means more trouble if the storm hits Baltimore, too. As soon as they give word that New York is no longer under State of Emergency I want to be on the road speeding out of here.”

  Nicholas nodded. “Makes sense . . . so until then what do you want me to do?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You told your family that I’m you fiancé.”

  “Yeah- and?”

  “And before this morning we were under the impression that that lie would only have to last for a few hours yesterday, and this morning at the most . . . now we’re stuck here until further notice . . . what am I supposed to make of that? I don’t want to lie to your family for days on end . . . .”

  “So you’d rather that I feel humiliated even more than I already am?” Charlotte mused, a knot forming between her brows. “You do know that I’ am literally at my breaking point, right?”

  “Dimple.”

  “Nicholas,” she pressed, her dark brown eyes bearing into his hunted greys.

  Sighing heavily Nicholas rubbed his long fingers through his thick hair in deep contemplation for a moment, his expression exerting unspoken thoughts. Inhaling once more he licked his lips, his mouth agape though no words were spoken. There were so many things he wanted to say to her . . . so many feelings fighting to be heard, emotions that fearfully evaded the trespassing of his lips; yet unexpressed sentiments aside the needful look that haunted her gaze tore at his heart until there was only him, her, and the lie she had produced for the sake of her sanity.

  “Okay,” he said assuredly reaching over to caress her chin with strong fingers. “But if we are going to make this believable we need to go all in. Actions speak louder than words.”

  “Actions?” she pondered. “Like what?”

  “Well for one. We don’t really embrace one another like an engaged couple would . . . you know we interact like we’re afraid to touch one another . . . always careful not to touch each other too much. It’s hard to explain.”

  “Oh?” she whispered averting her eyes. “Do we do that?”

  “You haven’t noticed?” he laughed softly.

  “No,” she lied. Charlotte shrugged nonchalantly seemingly un-phased by his observation of their habits. Of course I’ve noticed, she thought. Whenever you touch me I get-

  Shaking her head she aimed to silence the thoughts that had begun to creep their way into her subconscious . . . thoughts that she had fought long and hard to keep subdued- hidden even from herself.

  “If we want it to be believable we have to interact like we’re a couple . . . couples touch and embrace one another . . . are you willing to do that?” he asked.

  “Of course,” Charlotte smiled not certain if she whole heartedly meant it. Being in his arms would no doubt make things more complicated for her once they were back in the solace on New York, but that was a different battle for a later time.

  Nicholas looked at her sideways a slow smile forming at his full lips. “No holding back?” he smirked testing her level of commitment.

  “No holding back,” she echoed uncertainty concealed behind her practiced smile.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Who wants to say Grace?” Babet breathed heavily eyeing everyone at the table in one swift glance. When no one volunteered she focused her gaze on Charlotte who had been taking a long sip from her glass. “Charlotte?” Babet beamed her eyes wide with anticipation. “Would you mind saying Grace?”

  Charlotte glanced at her mother in dismay. Of all times to be put on the spot it had to be at a moment when she vowed absolute silence. Smiling through her annoyance she closed her eyes and breathed inwardly silently asking The Lord to give her the words to speak. “Father we come to you in humbleness asking that you bless this food that we are about to consume for the nourishment of our bodies. Keep us in your mercy and continue to cover us by your blood because we know that if it were not for you we would have nothing, and that this meal would not be before us. Allow us to govern ourselves according to your will, and give us all peace that passes all understanding. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.” Opening her eyes she stared down at her plate a blank expression on her face.

  Babet reached for the mashed potatoes as she simultaneously pulled her dinner plate closer toward her. “That was beautiful honey,” she smiled brightly.

  “It really was,” Marguerite agreed a weary smile on her lips.

  Charlotte looked up from her empty plate to meet her sister’s gaze for the first time since they sat down for dinner. It amazed her how she could even open her mouth to utter a word let alone a phrase to her. Marguerite batted her charcoal eyes in attempted innocence but the act was as unacknowledged as it was uninvited. Her coyness was as worthless as her failed attempt at making amends.

  “Nicholas,” Adeline dramatically cleared her throat drawing everyone’s attention to her. “Tell us about how you proposed- I bet it was really romantic?”

  Nicholas smiled broadly at her before turning his attention to Charlotte who had been sitting quietly beside him. “I don’t know if I’d call it was romantic-”

  “Tell us!” she gushed. “Did you get down on one knee? Did she cry?”

  Nicholas narrowed his eyes at Adeline a boyish smirk teasing his lips catching her attention and causing her to quickly divert her hazels from his greys. His charm was unnerving and she was sure that he knew it better than anyone.

  “She must have been giddy?” Adeline continued her eyes focused on the napkin resting to the left of her plate hoping that in looking away from him she would gather her thoughts more vigorously.

  Nicholas laughed softly at the young girl sitting across from him hoping that no one else caught there little standoff. He couldn’t help but tease the girl, her nosiness proved unsettling. Still, she had already brought up the topic of interest and as he expected all eyes were on him awaiting his response to her train wreck of questions. “Charlotte was-”

  “I was beyond shocked when he proposed,” Charlotte interrupted a huge smile brightening her complexion. “We
were lying in bed, it was Christmas morning of last year . . . I remember it being so cold outside . . . New York winters are nothing to play with- yet I was so warm in his arms. I didn’t want to get up let alone move, but he insisted that we get out of bed,” she giggled turning to face Nicholas who was watching her closely. “I should have known that he was up to something, he was so adamant about opening presents. We took turns opening our gifts laughing at the fact that we both brought each other mostly the same things . . . tunics and perfume for me and cardigans and cologne for him. It’s amazing how much we think alike.” Tilting her head to the side Charlotte traced the outline of Nicholas’ 5 o’ clock shadow holding his gaze captive as she did so. “Just when I thought we were finished and I had begun to clean up he told me that I hadn’t opened all of my presents,” she sighed a sound of fulfillment turning her attention back to Adeline who like the rest of her family was engulfed in her story. “Looking around the tree I couldn’t see anything left to open so I turned to face him . . . that’s when my heart dropped . . . he was down on one knee with this ring in the palm of his hand,” she cried holding up her left hand with the blue topaz diamond sparkling for all to see. “He told me that he had never loved another person as much as he had loved me, and asked me to spend the rest of my life waking up to him so that he could show me just how much loving me meant to him, every day, for the rest of his life.”

  “Oh my Lord! That is perfection if I ever heard of such a thing,” Babet gushed.

  “Something out of the movies,” Adeline agreed wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. “I’m so happy for the both of you. It’s so amazing that you went to New York and met such a sweet guy.”

  “Amazing that she went to New York and met him?” Manuel scoffed. “No offense Nicholas, but you do know that you’re the lucky one, don’t you? Charlotte is as good as it gets.”

  Nicholas smiled kindly at the older man, “I know that well, sir.”

  “The two of you haven’t known each other that long. Why rush marriage?” Todd asked. Though his tone was impassive it wasn’t hard for Nicholas to see the hidden emotion right beneath the surface of his words.

  Nicholas shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “I wouldn’t say we’re rushing into anything. If a man wants something he should do whatever he can to acquire it.”

  “I just think two years isn’t an adequate amount of time to truly get to know someone. After years-”

  Charlotte laughed sardonically. “After years and years someone can still be a stranger to you, or was that not a concept you taught me best?”

  “Charlotte-” Marguerite began.

  “And please . . . Don’t get me started with you.”

  “All I’m trying to say is that rushing into a marriage never made anyone happy?” Todd continued despite Marguerite’s stiff hand on his leg urging him to remain silent. “I’m sure this man makes you happy in his own way, but to force marriage-”

  “Excuse me?” Charlotte shouted. “Who do you think you are to question the validity of anything let alone my engagement?”

  “Dimple, calm down,” Nicholas whispered into her ear, his large hand caressing her cheek as his thumb prompted for her to look at him. “Everyone has the right to their opinion even if it isn’t warranted, right?”

  “Still-”

  Leaning into her Nicholas gently pulled Charlotte to him closing the small distance between them, his fingers lightly wrapped at the base of her neck. Parting her lips to speak Charlotte offered nothing to the silence of the room, words were lacking as was her ability to process what was about to happen. Like the fair hairs of a dandelion his lips tinted hers, teasing her senses until her flesh tingled from the excitement of his closeness. Soft petals of blown daisies floating from the coolness of a breeze his mouth caressed hers until she was opening for him, allowing his soft tongue entry into the warmth of her mouth. Time stopped along with her heart as she melted into his embrace blind to the knowledge of where one began and the other ended- in that lapse of time they were one and the awareness that her family had been watching their embrace was circumstantial to the unknown feelings that were quickly making their presence known. His mouthed caressed hers hypnotizing her senses and overtaking a part of her that had never been awaken. Taking his time Nicholas slowly pulled away from her ending their kiss with a tug of her bottom lip, the small bite adding a pleasure pain sensation there.

  Nicholas regarded her carefully his molten grey eyes holding her captive. Blinking rapidly Charlotte swallowed hard as she raised a trembling hand to her sensitive lips. Her reaction made him smile. Turning his attention back to the plate of food in front of him Nicholas avoided making eye contact with the others around him afraid that his amusement over their ordeal would get the better of him, and the last thing he wanted to do was laugh in Todd’s face even if the man deserved it.

  “If you would all excuse me . . . I need some fresh air,” Todd announced abruptly rising from the table not awaiting a response before he briskly walked out of the dining room and down the long hallway toward the front door.

  Feeling that all eyes were on her Marguerite kept her gazed fixed on the table unable to meet the stares of her family. “Please excuse me,” she said softly a forlorn look on her face as she backed away from the table and went after her husband.

  “Aye, Papa peut vous me passer le macaroni, s'il vous plait?” Aye, dad can you pass me the macaroni, please? Adeline asked un-phased by her brother in law’s behavior.

  Manuel shook his head in protest. “Vous mangez trop. Vous obtenez la graisse.” You eat too much. You’re getting fat.

  “Ay - ya- ya- ya,” Babet moaned. “Vous ne pouvez pas dire une adolescente elle devient la graisse, il va ruiner sa confiance,” You can’t tell a teenage girl that she’s getting fat, it will ruin her confidence.

  “Elle est la mère Bon je ne suis pas manque de confiance me passer les balles de citrouille.” It's okay mother I'm not lacking in confidence pass me the pumpkin balls.

  Charlotte giggled aloud unable to keep her laughter at bay at the exchange between her parents and her baby sister. Adeline had grown into such a beautiful, self- assured young woman who had learned early on how to hold her own against their over assertive parents. Ignoring her father’s words she passed the bowl of cinnamon drizzled pumpkin balls to the bright eyed younger girl. “Elle est une fille de plus en plus. Voici Adeline, manger plus, plus, plus,” She's a growing girl. Here Adeline, eat more, more, more.

  Babet shared in her oldest daughter’s laughter taking the bowl of macaroni from her husband’s hands and piling it on Adeline’s plate. “Manger plus, plus, plus.” Eat more, more, more.

  Nicholas smiled at Charlotte who for the first time since they arrived seemed to be at ease with being around her family- the thought made him happy.

  “Nick, I feel sorry for you . . . marrying into this family of troublesome women . . . poor man with bad luck,” Manuel groaned.

  “A few minutes ago you told him that I was a catch,” Charlotte smiled. “You changed your mind rather fast.”

  “You’re no good just like your mother. Troublesome woman,” he grumbled as he rose from the table.

  “I love you, too, papa,” Charlotte chuckled ignoring her father’s words.

  It had been over two years since she had laughed with her family, since she had broken bread with them, since she had spoken French. Stealing a quick glance at Nicholas she felt thankful to him for pushing that they stay. The relentless feeling of anxiety had been a never -ending cloud on her spirit from the time they had left Manhattan. The persistent yearning to escape the house she had grown up in had clung to her like a second skin always there- always present . . . to get in the car and head back to New York with no desire of ever looking back was a need beyond what words could describe, however, in those few short lived moments of laughing with her parents and seeing Adeline’s golden eyes light up with amusement, Charlotte couldn’t help but feel a sense of home. The familiarities o
f tradition and what it meant to be surrounded by her family. In those few seconds she had all but forgotten the damage that her loved ones had inflicted on her- the feelings of pain and betrayal were non- existent in that moment.

  “You two must be exhausted,” Babet sighed interrupting her from her thoughts. “Go upstairs and get ready for bed.”

  “Dinner was delicious, thank you,” Nicholas smiled.

  Babet waved her hand in dismay. “No thanks necessary. You’re my son now. What is thank you among family?”

  “Good night, mom,” Charlotte said returning her mother’s smile. “Merci.” Thank you.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Standing in the middle of her bedroom Charlotte waited until Nicholas closed the door before she exhaled a sigh of relief. They had gotten away with their first onset of group interrogations and she couldn’t have been more relieved. Throwing herself onto her bed she pulled off her shoes and socks quickly wrapping her slender body in the duvet that lay across the bottom of her bed. Her mother was right about one thing she was exhausted, beyond exhausted. The thought of being found out was mentally draining. Thank God for Nicholas! She thought rolling to her right so that she was once again facing the center of her room. Nicholas sat at Charlotte’s desk quietly watching her every move.

  “So what was that kiss about?” she asked after a moments time breaking the silence between them.

  “It’s called acting . . . you know what you asked me to do.”

  “I never asked you to kiss me.”

  “The moment called for it, and so I took one for the team. You’re welcome,” he smirked boyishly at her.

  Rolling her eyes she reached for one of the many throw pillows that rested against her footboard and flung it in his direction. “I’m welcome? You’re so full of yourself.”

  “Yeah you’re welcome. What you experienced was an Academy Awards performance. Do you know how much actors get paid for the job I’m working for free, be appreciative,” Nicholas smiled; his silver eyes alight with mischief. “What about you and that engagement story? You’re better at telling stories than you are at editing magazine articles, maybe you should consider switching to the writing team,” he joked. Leaning back in the black cushioned chair he rested his hands behind his head.