Drawing in a deep breath, she raised her head and met his intense gaze. “I promise you it’s okay to have faith in me and in us. I promise you it’s okay to feel hopeful and excited about what’s to come.” He brushed a soft kiss over her lips. “I promise you this is not the end, but just the beginning.”

Her heart beat so fast, she felt light-headed. He made her believe anything was possible and all she had to do was have faith. She could do that if it meant more time with him, more of the way she felt when he held her and kissed her and made love to her. More. Just more.

“Do you believe me?” he asked.

“I want to.”

“You can. I swear you can.”

“We… We should go back. Simone…”

“Okay.” But he made no move to go. Rather, he kissed her again, softly and sweetly this time, devastating her with every stroke of his tongue. “It’s going to work out. Remember that I promised you, okay?”

“I’ll try.”

With what seemed like great reluctance, he disentangled himself from her and got back on the snowmobile to return to the tree farm, where her daughter waited for them. As he steered them back the way they’d come, Emma rested her face against his back and held on tight to him and his promises.

When they returned to the tree farm, they marveled over the huge snowman Lucas and Simone had built while they were gone. Lucas invited them up to his loft for the hot chocolate he’d promised Simone.

“What a great space,” Emma said, taking in the post-and-beam ceiling, the fireplace, the knotty-pine wood floor and the other rustic touches. “I love it.”

“I like it, too,” Lucas said as he put a kettle on to boil. “From one barn to another. Such is my lot in life.”

Emma laughed at the witty comment. “At least you’re up here rather than in one of the stalls.”

“There is that. My grandparents lived here for a time when they were first married, and my parents stayed here while their barn was being renovated. Lots of family history in this place.”

“You all have the coolest homes up here,” Emma said. “I love the rustic vibe.”

“It’s rustic, all right,” Lucas said. “Especially when the wind chill is at thirty below zero.”

Emma shivered. “I don’t think I’d like that.”

Grayson put his arm around her. “I’d keep you warm.”

She shivered for a whole different reason, imagining how he’d do that.

They enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate with Lucas before departing in Grayson’s SUV.

“How about some pizza before I take you ladies home?” he asked.

“Yes!” Simone said from the backseat.

“Pizza is her favorite food group,” Emma said.

“Mine, too,” Grayson said. “Especially Kingdom Pizza. It’s the best.”