Chapter 304: A Romantic Date?

At first, the kiss was gentle, almost cautious—a lingering press that carried none of his usual arrogance. It felt like a question, and when Isobel’s fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, her answer was unmistakable.

Kristoff drew her closer.

The kiss deepened, slowly and naturally, until the roar of the fireworks and the muffled sounds of the celebration seemed to fade into the background.

Isobel could feel the warmth of his hands against her cheeks, the steady pressure of his arm around her waist, and the faint, clean scent of his cologne mingling with the cool night breeze that slipped through the gondola’s narrow opening.

She had been kissed by him before.

She knew the warmth of his embrace, the confidence of his touch, and the way he could make her forget what she had been about to say.

But this was different.

There was no urgency in the way he held her, no attempt to turn the moment into something more. He kissed her as though he had all the time in the world, as though the only thing he wanted from this evening was to hold her close and know that, for once, he wasn’t demanding something from her, nor forcing her.

And that was what unsettled her most.

Because she wasn’t trying to escape him, either.

When he finally drew back, he didn’t move far. His forehead rested lightly against hers, and their breaths mingled in the small space between them.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Kristoff’s eyes searched hers. 𝖋𝙧ⅇ

"Still think I’m being foolish?"

Isobel was quiet for a moment.

Then she whispered, "A little."

He chuckled, his nose brushing hers.

"I’ll take that."

She should have pushed him away. She should have reminded him that putting a ring on her finger didn’t automatically make him the winner of some private competition.

Instead, her hand rose to his chest, resting over the steady beat of his heart.

And that was when a suspicious thought struck her.

Wait a minute.

She looked down at the ring on her middle finger, then back at Kristoff’s entirely too-satisfied expression.

Did he give me this ring just so he could officially kiss me?

Her eyes narrowed.

"Kristoff Dalton."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Did you just buy yourself permission to kiss me?"

His grin widened.

"Would you rather that I kiss you before putting the ring on your finger?"

She opened her mouth then closed it.

His laughter filled the gondola.

"That’s what I thought."

"You’re unbelievable!"

"And you’re still holding on to me."

Isobel glanced down. ℓ.

Her hand was, indeed, still gripping his shirt.

She released him at once.

Kristoff caught her hand before she could pull it completely away and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles, directly above the new ring.

"Too late," he murmured. "I’ve already taken the picture."

She stared at him, torn between exasperation and laughter.

This man is going to be the death of me.

And yet, when he slipped his fingers through hers again, she didn’t pull away.

Outside, the final fireworks burst into a magnificent shower of gold, raining sparks across the dark sky before slowly fading into the night.

Inside the gondola, Kristoff held her hand as though he had just won something far more valuable than any business deal he could close that evening.

For once, he wasn’t thinking about how to persuade her, how to outmaneuver her, or how to get the upper hand.

He was simply happy.

And Isobel, despite herself, was beginning to understand why.

The gondola suddenly jolted into motion.

Isobel gasped as the unexpected movement threw her slightly off balance. Instinctively, she grabbed Kristoff’s arm, her fingers tightening around his sleeve.

Kristoff’s smile vanished.

He glanced toward the mechanism above them, then at the gondola’s gradual descent.

What the hell?

It wasn’t supposed to move yet.

He had specifically arranged for the ferris wheel to remain at the top until he gave the signal. He had even made sure no other passengers would be allowed aboard, hoping to have a few uninterrupted minutes with Isobel.

Who had given the signal?

His brows drew together.

The timing couldn’t have been worse.

Still holding her hand, he looked at her.

"Are you all right?"

Isobel nodded, though she was still recovering from the sudden movement.

"I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting that."

He squeezed her fingers reassuringly, but his attention had already shifted toward the ground below.

As the gondola descended, the lights of the park grew brighter, and the faces of the waiting guests gradually came into view.

Then Kristoff saw them.

Julian Foster stood near the ferris wheel exit with his arms crossed over his chest, his expression dark enough to make the surrounding lights seem dim by comparison.

Beside him stood Morgan Foster, whose cold gaze was fixed on the approaching gondola.

Leanne was there, too. Unlike the two men, she looked relatively calm, although the faint amusement in her eyes suggested she had already guessed what Kristoff had been up to.

Kristoff’s mouth twitched.

Ah. So that’s why the wheel started moving.

Someone had undoubtedly decided that the romantic interlude had lasted long enough.

He almost wanted to applaud their efficiency.

When the gondola finally reached the platform, Kristoff stepped out first and turned to offer Isobel his hand.

She accepted it, unaware of the storm waiting just beyond the exit.

Kristoff, on the other hand, was perfectly aware and remained calm.

And rather than looking even slightly guilty, he wore the smug expression of a man who had accomplished exactly what he had set out to do.

Julian’s gaze dropped to their joined hands.

Then it rose slowly to Kristoff’s face.

"You!"

Kristoff smiled pleasantly.

"Uncle Julian."

"Don’t ’Uncle Julian’ me!" Julian snapped. "What exactly were you doing up there with my daughter?"

Kristoff glanced at Isobel, then back at the older man.

"The best view of the fireworks was from the top, so I brought Isobel up to watch."

Julian’s expression darkened further.

"You think I’m an idiot?"

"Of course not."

"Then don’t give me that nonsense! You deliberately dragged her away from everyone else. What did you tell her? What foolish thing did you do this time?"

Kristoff’s smile didn’t waver.

"Uncle, I’m serious about Isobel. Why would I say anything foolish to her?"

"That’s precisely what I’m worried about!"

Morgan remained silent, but his eyes moved between the two men.

Then his gaze settled on Isobel’s right hand.

The platinum ring on her middle finger caught the light. A moment later, he noticed the matching band on Kristoff’s hand.