Free A Christmas Knight by Kate Hardy Page A

between us because there was this huge zing of attraction and I really, really didn’t want to fall for you.’
    â€˜Distance.’ She gave him a pointed look, because his arms were still wrapped tightly round her.
    â€˜Epic fail.’ He kissed her again. ‘And that was because I need the practice.’
    She laughed back. ‘That’s the worst excuse I’ve everheard.’ And then, just when he thought she was going to wriggle out of his arms, she kissed him.
    Her mouth was sweet and soft and incredibly sensual, and that kiss blew his mind.
    When she broke the kiss, he released her and took a step back. ‘Distance,’ he said. ‘Because, even though I want to kiss you until neither of us can think straight, that’s not a good idea. I’m not taking anything for granted, and we’re most definitely not going to rush this. We’re taking this slowly.’
    â€˜Agreed.’ She handed him a mug of coffee, and lifted her own mug in a toast. ‘To taking things slowly.’
    â€˜And seeing where it takes us. And keeping it just between us, until we’re ready.’
    Â 
    Over the next couple of weeks, Dominic and Louisa snatched coffee breaks or lunch breaks together at work, getting to know each other; and they saw each other more out of work, too. Dominic gave in to Tyler’s request to join their swimming session, one Thursday evening, even though he knew it meant meeting her parents—which made everything feel much more serious.
    â€˜Mum, Dad, this is Dominic Hurst—our friend,’ Louisa introduced them. ‘He works with me at the hospital, and he sometimes works with Ty at the stables.’
    Dominic was half expecting a grilling about his intentions towards Louisa, but Gillian and Matt Austin turned out to be absolutely lovely, and he found himself relaxing with them, to the point where he accepted the invitation to join them for fish and chips following the swimming session—and insisted on helping to wash up afterwards.
    He wasn’t quite ready for Louisa to meet his family—there was a lot he needed to tell her, first—but he did invite her and Tyler back to his flat for a pizza one evening.
    â€˜Is that my picture?’ Tyler asked, spying the framed sketch on the wall.
    Dominic smiled. ‘You bet it is. It’s a brilliant picture.’
    The little boy seemed to swell with pride. ‘I drew Pegasus from memory.’ He glanced around the room. ‘Do you keep your harness here?’
    He’d known the little boy would ask that, given that Tyler had already drawn a copy of the photograph of him in his jousting kit, along with several other suits of armour. He’d even unlocked the box for the first time in months and checked that the plate hadn’t rusted, so he wouldn’t disappoint the boy. ‘Yes. Want to see it?’ he asked.
    â€˜Oh, cool!’ The little boy’s eyes were round with pleasure. Then he glanced at his mother, who’d raised an eyebrow. ‘I mean, yes, please.’
    His enthusiasm made it easy for Dominic to unlock the box.
    â€˜Oh, wow, that’s amazing. I’ve only ever seen silver armour, even at museums,’ Tyler said. He smiled. ‘Black armour’s right for you. Like Edward the Black Prince. He was a champion jouster. Are you?’
    â€˜I used to be.’ When life had been different. But he didn’t want to talk about that. Time for more distraction. ‘Want to try it on?’
    â€˜Can I? Really?’
    â€˜It’ll be a bit big for you,’ Dominic warned, ‘but sure. I’ll be your squire and help you put it on. Did you know there are twenty-seven pieces in a set?’
    Tyler nodded. ‘And the squire used to clean the armour with sand and vinegar. Do you know what they had to use if they didn’t have any vinegar?’ He glanced at his mother, then whispered gleefully in Dominic’s ear,