The tiny diamonds glinted in the mirror just like the stars she’d been looking up at earlier. Holly traced the pattern of the Big Dipper charm on the necklace. They’d come in from snowshoeing and now she stood in front of the mirror in the master bathroom. She’d showered and changed into the black camisole set, and her hair had dried into soft waves that brushed against her collar bone. She looked at her eyes reflected in the mirror and didn’t see any uncertainty, only excitement and…love. Her nerves had settled, she had fallen in love with Nick, and she trusted him. That made her even more confident with her decision, she wanted this moment and she wanted it to be with Nick.
Making love to Nick didn’t scare her. Opening the door to her heart did. She’d kept it closed for so long.
Holly slipped on the matching robe, and at the last second, she untied the robe, letting the soft folds caress her skin. She walked out to the bedroom room where Nick stood in front of the large window, looking out at the forest and the lake below. The desire in his eyes when he saw her took away any lingering doubts that she may have had. She didn’t know how it had happened. He had a carefree way about him that reminded her of a video she once saw of cliff divers. Nick threw himself into life the way the divers hurtled themselves off the cliff into the ocean below. She was ready to take the jump into life with this man she’d fallen in love with.
She moved to his side and he wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close.
“It’s like we’re in our own snow globe, our own little bubble of peace and quiet here,” she whispered.
On the way back from their stargazing she told him she wanted him to share a room with her that night. He’d kissed her, his eyes filled with a mixture of passion and concern. She saw it again now as he caressed her face.
“Are you sure you want me to stay?” he asked again. His voice was a low seductive whisper that caressed her just as thoroughly as his hands.
She lifted herself up on her toes. Her mouth hovered just below his. “I’m absolutely sure.”
The minute her lips pressed against his, a fire ignited between them. Heat flared as he deepened the kiss. His arms banded around her as his mouth devoured hers.
She stayed locked in his embrace as they stumbled toward the bed, trusting him to guide her safely. They toppled onto the mattress and he began to kiss each part of her body, and she matched each of his caresses with one of her own. Holly slid her hands over his muscles, learning every plane and contour. A sigh of longing mixed with pleasure escaped her when he brushed against the sensitive places on her body. She wanted him to linger but she needed more. His hands skimmed over her body, pausing only to remove her clothes. For the first time she knew what it meant to be loved, and cherished.
Later, after they’d raided the refrigerator and Dane’s extensive wine cellar, they were once again snuggled under the covers. The falling snow enveloped them in their own personal snow globe.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.
She smiled at the tenderness in his gaze. “I’m the best I’ve ever been.”
He nuzzled her neck, placing a tender kiss behind her ear, sending another shiver of desire through her. Nick propped himself up on one hand while he drew a line in the valley between her breasts.
“I hate that I have to leave you for the rest of the holidays.”
Shaking her head, she turned to face him and took his face in her hands. “You should never feel bad about spending time with your family, Nick.”
“I wish you could come with me.”
Holly’s stomach dipped. The idea of spending Christmas with a big family was something she’d always fantasized about, and yet it scared her.
“I don’t know if I could face all the Andersons at once. If I remember, your family can be…overwhelming.”
Nick chuckled. “We can be a bit much.”
“Besides, if you go away you get to come back. And you know what they say…” Her mouth curled into a shy smile. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
His eyes filled with a lustful gleam. “I think we’d better practice for our reunion.”
They talked and laughed and made love through the night and into the next day. When the weekend ended, Holly was sad to say good-bye to the cabin in the woods. She smiled softly, fingering the charms on the necklace Nick had given to her as they drove down the mountain and back to civilization and reality.
The days leading up to Nick’s departure flew by, and before she was ready, it was the night before Nick left to see his family.
She intertwined her fingers with his as they sat in front of the fireplace at her apartment. “I’m going to miss you,” she said.
“I’ll call and text every day.”
She got up and retrieved the holiday cards she’d made out and handed them to him. “These are for your family.”
He shuffled through all of them and looked at her. “This is really nice of you. Thank you.”
“Promise you won’t open yours until Christmas.”
“I promise. I have something for you, it won’t be ready until tomorrow morning before I leave.”
Holly gave him a kiss. “I don’t need presents. I just need you to have a safe trip and think of me when I’m away.”
“That I can do.”
He gave her one last lingering kiss before he left for the night.
Holly wrapped her arms around herself and wandered back over to sit in front of the fire. It had been a long time since she’d felt the sense of loss she felt now. She’d opened a door to her heart that she couldn’t close again—and she didn’t want to.
She’d fallen in love with Nick in three dates. They still had one more, and no matter what Nick had planned or what holiday they were going to share, she knew that the date would end with her telling Nick that she loved him.
“Earth to Holly,” Thanh called out, waving his hand in front of her face.
She blinked. “What?”
The buzz of the other conversations happening in the bar returned as Holly became aware of her surroundings again. Nick was busy doing some last-minute holiday shopping before his flight the next morning so she was on her own that evening. Her friends had convinced her to come out for a drink after work, but she knew what they really wanted to do was find out what was going on with Nick. She didn’t mind. In fact, having friends who cared about her warmed her heart.
Noelle gave her a knowing smile. “Sorry,” Holly muttered, her cheek warming.
“I remember being like that when I fell in love with Milo,” Thanh said with a smile.
“I didn’t say anything about love,” Holly exclaimed.
“But things are going well, right?” Noelle asked.
“They are.” Holly fingered the charms on her necklace. “I just wish… Nick is so generous, and I just hope he knows that I don’t expect to get gifts from him all the time. Spending time together is better than anything he could give me. I just wish…I knew if he felt the same way.”
Thanh gave her a nod. “That’s understandable. Have you said anything to him about it?”
“No, not yet. I need to. I just… We’ve been having so much fun, I don’t want to do anything to…”
“Break the spell?” Noelle asked.
Holly took a deep breath and nodded.
“You aren’t Cinderella, and this isn’t a fairy tale. Talk to him. If he cares about you, he’ll understand,” Thanh said.