Christmas Behind Bars #simplychristmascontest

Chapter 18- Busted

    Every few minutes her fingers found their way up to the necklace Preston clasped around her neck. It was so beautiful, and the thought behind it meant more to her than she could ever put into words. Somehow it confirmed his real, genuine care for her. If this was only a game to him, he would never have bought her something so extravagant. The butterflies in her stomach made it difficult to eat the food on her plate. After pushing it around with her fork, she finally gave up and pushed it all away.

He has made this Christmas so special. What can I do to return the favor? How can I show him just how much I care for him? Unfortunately, she already knew the answer to her question. I have to let him go home to his sister. Christmas is tomorrow and he's already missing their Christmas Eve traditions. I need to get him to the airport and put him on a plane to Kansas City.

As badly as she wanted to keep him all to herself, she knew the right thing to do would not be the easiest course of action.

"Hey, Muffin," his breath tickled her ear nearly melting her resolve to let him go.

"Yeah?"

He held out a hand for her, "You promised to dance with me," he smiled.

Taking his hand, he helped her to her feet. A couple of dances with me and my two left feet, and he'll be ready to run home without a look back.

He whisked her on to the dance floor while Michael Buble sang 'All I Want for Christmas is You' through the dated sound system. As he held her in his arms, she didn't even notice the occasional cracking and popping emanating through the speakers.

When she gazed up at him, she found his eyes turned on her with a look of unmasked tenderness. No, surely he isn't acting anymore. He wrapped his arms tighter around her making it harder to imagine the difficulty she would experience in sending him home. It no longer mattered what her family would think when they found out everything between them had been nothing more than a charade, a game of smoke and mirrors. The love she felt for Preston was all that really mattered, and the only way to prove to him how much she cared was to let him go. All she could do was trust he would come back to her after the holidays. When...if he returned, she would be eagerly waiting with open arms and open heart.

One song faded effortlessly into the next, and when the soft, melancholy strains of 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' drifted through the speakers, her heart caught in the throat. It would be wrong of her to keep him prisoner any longer. Without any thought, she had ruined all of his plans and left his sister completely alone. Overwhelmed with disgust for her own selfish and insensitive behavior, she let go of Preston's hand and fought back tears as she weaved her way through the maze of townspeople and out into the frigid night air.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to block the cold in the best way possible. Tears clung freezing to her cheeks, and her unsteady breathing was evidenced in erratic, smoky clouds hanging in the air in front of her. I've gotten myself into a lot of trouble in my life, but this is seriously the most stupid, careless thing I have ever done! Her lungs burned from the frosty air, as puffy snowflakes dotted the black lace of her dress.

"Darcy!" Preston called her name as he stuck his head out the glass, double doors. When he spotted her, he hurried to stand beside her. "What's got into you? You must be freezing out here." Her chattering teeth would not allow her to form a denial. He rubbed his hands over her arms to generate some heat. "What's going on? Talk to me. Did I do something to upset you?"

"No," she whispered. "You didn't do anything wrong. This is all my fault."

"What are you talking about? What's your fault?"