Page 48

Turning back to look at the Christmas tree, I take a moment to just soak it all in. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday but these past couple years, I haven’t really felt up to celebrating and it may seem silly but it was a huge part of me that was missing.

“There’s more,” Nix whispers, a smile lighting up his voice and I turn back to him just as he presses another button on his phone and artificial snow starts raining down on me. With a squeal and a giggle, I hold my hand out, collecting a few pieces before looking up at him.

“I always wanted it to snow on Christmas when I was a kid but it never did.”

He nods, smiling wider. “I think that’s every kid in the south.”

“Nix,” I breathe out, taking another look around. Warmth radiates from my chest, filling me with a happiness that I thought I may never find again. “What is all this for?”

He takes a step toward me. “It’s for you, baby.”

“But, why? As you reminded me not so long ago, it’s a long way from Christmas.”

Closing the space between us, he grabs my hand and shrugs before reaching up and brushing his thumb over my cheek. “So? I would do anything in the world to see this smile on your face.”

“This must have taken you so much time,” I whisper, looking around the room again and imagining all the work that he’s put into this surprise as tears spring to my eyes again.

“You’re worth it.”

“Nix,” I whisper, shaking my head as I meet his eyes again.

“I mean it, Emma. When we went to the market, you said if it was up to you, the tree would be up already and all I could think was ‘why isn’t it up to you?’ It’s one of those moments where it really hits me just how much pain you’re hanging on to and how much he took from you. But this,” he says, gesturing to the apartment, “this is something that I can give you because it is your choice, Em. You want to make this place a winter freaking wonderland all year long, you can because it’s your choice. I just hope you’ll let me be here with you.”

I shake my head, desperately fighting back the tears. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done for me?”

For so long, I’ve felt empty because Ryan methodically chipped away at who I was, breaking off pieces of me, a little at a time until I was this thing I didn’t recognize. He stripped away everything I loved because there was only room for him in my life and his insecurity wouldn’t even allow me to love something as trivial as Christmas or my art. It was all competition to him because he had to be not only the center of my universe but the only thing in it.

Nix nods in response and I’m so glad that he doesn’t brush it off as nothing because it’s everything to me. My gaze travels to his arm, hanging loosely at his side and I bite my lip, imagining what it would feel like to have those arms wrapped around me, his brightly tattooed skin contrasting against my pale flesh. Fighting back a shiver, I sigh and open my eyes to find him staring at me. Fire blazes in those blue depths as he meets my gaze before his eyes slowly trail down my body.

My breath hitches when his eyes meet mine again and he takes a step toward me. He’s so close, close enough to touch, and I’m frozen, needing him to make the first move. He does just that and takes another step, pulling me into his arms at the same time. I lay my hands on his strong chest, his heart pounding furiously against my palm. I look down at it in wonder. I’ve never believed his words as much as I do right now, feeling the physical evidence against my skin. He really does feel the same way for me.

He reaches up with one hand and runs his fingers down my cheek as his eyes search mine, looking for something. Hesitance, maybe? He won’t find any. The usual fear isn’t there anymore. I’m nervous but I know that I want his mouth on mine more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.

“Can I kiss you, Emma?” he asks, his voice soft, wrapping me up like a warm blanket, and I relax into his arms completely.

“Yes.”

Victory and satisfaction flash in his eyes a second before he’s pressing his lips to mine. Every thought leaves my mind, every ounce of fear I felt, completely unfounded.

This feels so right. Nix kissing me, his lips moving against mine as his arms lock around my body, is the most perfect thing I have ever felt. Like two magnets finally coming together. It’s where I belong. Before this moment, I thought all those little kisses he planted on my forehead were hot but I was so, so wrong.

This.

This is hot. His arms tighten around my waist and he lifts me up, never taking his lips off mine. My hands slide into his hair and I nip at his bottom lip as I gain a little bit of confidence. His answering groan gives me another self-esteem boost and I slip my tongue past his parted lips, his arms tightening around me in response. His hand slides into my hair, cradling the back of my head, and I want to weep at just how amazingly right this feels. Why did I ever resist him? He pulls away, panting, his cheeks flushed, and I can feel his erection poking my lower belly.

“Let me clear up any confusion,” he says. His raspy, desire fueled voice is sending another shiver through me. “I’m crazy about you, baby.”

“Yeah, okay.” I’m crazy about you, too, I think, but the words get lodged in my throat so I lean forward and press my lips to his again in response.

I’m done fighting.

* * * *

“Nix, where are you taking me?”

He glances back at me and I can barely make out his grin in the darkness as he pulls me along behind him.

“All will be revealed soon,” he answers, annoying me with his cryptic answer.