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I giggled again.
“Love the sound of your laugh, sweetheart,” Ari murmured to me, brushing a kiss against my neck. “Are you having fun?”
I turned in his arms so I could stare up at him. “The best,” I whispered, amazed at how good he was at replacing memories of my past with good ones.
He stared down at me, something I couldn’t read in his gaze. “Good,” he finally said, stroking his hand down my cheek.
After we paid for our ornaments, we made our way to Bryant Park, where a winter wonderland had been created with an ice-skating rink and rows of quaint holiday shops. The giant Christmas tree in the center of the park glittered with multicolored lights, and the scene was straight out of a holiday postcard.
Lunch found us at a charming little café in the West Village, where I introduced the group to the best hot chocolate in the world. After taking one sip, Ari somehow convinced the shop owner to ship us a few pounds of his homemade mix.
As the sun began to set, we headed to Fifth Avenue, where the holiday window displays were out in full force. The storefronts of famous department stores had been transformed into elaborate scenes of holiday enchantment. We took our time wandering from window to window.
There was one final stop to make before dinner—the observation deck of the Empire State Building.
We stood there at the railing, Ari’s arms wrapped around me, taking in the magnificent view of the city that never slept.
“I think you’re a little bit magical, Ari Lancaster,” I whispered as we stared at the city skyline, with its sparkling lights and skyscrapers reaching for the heavens.
“Yeah, sunshine? And why’s that?”
I turned in his arms, like I had earlier, thinking that the view from this angle was much better than the one behind me.
“I didn’t think I could ever come back here…and like it.”
“Baby steps,” he murmured, staring down at me intensely with that stunning emerald green gaze of his.
“What?”
“I said I would make you happy. And happiness is a process. One that I intend to succeed atEvery. Fucking. Day.”
My breath hitched and wetness slid down my cheek.
“Is that alright, sweetheart?” he whispered so tenderly, my heart literally ached.
“Perfectly alright,” I answered softly.
As we gazed out over the city, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the chance at happiness it felt like Ari was giving me after a lifetime of tears, for the friends who had become my family, and for the magic of the holiday season that surrounded us.
* * *
Ari
We’d just gotten back to the hotel room after the most Christmassy day I could recall…but it wasn’t over yet.
I had a little surprise of my own planned for my girl.
"Wait right here for a second," I told her with a mischievous grin before disappearing into the bathroom. I swiftly changed into a pair of red Santa bottoms I’d gotten the hotel to drum up for me, leaving my upper body gloriously shirtless to display my toned abs.
With Walker’s Santa hat perched jauntily on my head, I opened the door that led back into the bedroom, and leaned against the doorway, striking my most inviting pose.
"Want to sit on Santa's lap?" I asked, my voice laced with playful suggestiveness.
Blake's reaction was priceless. Her mouth opened and closed as if she were searching for words, her eyes dancing with a mixture of amusement and surprise. I’d caught her completely off guard…understandably. Her gaze dragged up and down my body, getting caught on my abs…exactly my intention.
"I hear if you sit on a bearded man's lap, you get what you want," I teased.
She pretended to think about it for a moment, tapping her finger on her chin. “But you don't have a beard.”
