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“I’d love that.”

Soon, Noah handed Claire the last ornament. “Do you want to do the honors?”

It was the ornament they had picked out together that afternoon. They had decided to pick out an ornament as a couple every year. This was their first.

“Every year?” she’d asked in the store.

Noah had smiled. “Every year.”

Apparently, they’d both decided they would spend every Christmas together.

She took the ornament from him and hung it front and center. They smiled at each other. Noah reached up and placed the tree topper. Claire put the tree skirt around the tree.

Claire stepped back and looked at the finished tree. “It’s perfect,” she said with a smile.

Noah wasn’t looking at the tree. He was looking at her. “Yeah,” he said softly, “it is.”

Claire caught the look on his face. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“That is definitely not a nothing look.”

His mouth curved into a smile. “Come here.”

She narrowed her eyes but stepped toward him anyway.

Noah took her hand and tugged her another step closer, until she was standing directly beneath the mistletoe.

Claire looked up. Then back at him. “You did that on purpose.”

“Of course I did.”

She laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe.” His hands settled at her waist. “But rules are rules.”

“Whose rules?”

“Christmas.”

Claire shook her head, smiling. “Well, I’d hate to ruin Christmas.”

“Exactly.”

She barely had time to laugh before he kissed her.

It was soft and warm and completely unnecessary considering they had kissed plenty of times without mistletoe involved.

Claire decided she liked the tradition anyway.

When Noah pulled back, he glanced up at the mistletoe. “Best decoration we bought.”

Claire laughed. “You’re going to make me stand under this thing every time I walk past it, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely.”

That night, Claire curled up on the couch beneath a blanket while the tree lights glowed across the room. Biscuit stretched out at her feet. Noah handed her a mug of hot chocolate before sitting beside her.