Unexpectedly Yours

He tastes like sugar cookies and frosting, his lips as burning hot as the ice pressed against my back.

I fall into the kiss, and hope this magic weekend lasts forever.

12.

Austin

After ice skating, I take her to the cafe, Serendipity 3, from that movie she loves. Even with the streets deserted, there’s a line ten-deep waiting for a table.

Sophie’s face falls. “We can go to some other place,” she says, in a voice that tells me she’s got her heart set on this particular mug of frozen hot chocolate at this particular cafe.

“Wait here, let me see if they can squeeze us in.” I leave her standing in line and I make my way up to the hostess. “Hi,” I start, flashing her my best rock-star grin. For the first time all day, I’m glad someone recognizes me: the woman’s eyes widen, and she flushes with excitement.

“Hi… Um, hi.” She stutters. “Austin. Wow. I’m a big fan.”

Good.

I lean over the desk and drop my voice. “So, here’s the thing,” I tell her, “my friend and I are running kind of late, but we’d love to grab a table. Is there any way at all you could squeeze us in?”

She bites her lip. “I don’t know…” she checks the line behind us, full of eager tourists all jostling for a spot.

“For me?” I wink. She blushes again.

“OK, those guys are just leaving.” She nods to a table in the corner. “I can fit you in if you’re quick.”

“You’re an angel,” I smile. “Here, write down your details, and I’ll hook you up with some tickets when we’re next in town.”

“Really?” She brightens. “That would be so cool. I would just die if I got to meet Dex—” She catches herself. “I mean, I like you too, but—”

“That’s OK,” I laugh. “I’ll have him give you a call, how about that?”

She practically swoons right there behind the desk. Mission accomplished, I beckon Sophie over. “They found our reservation, sweetie,” I say loudly, when the middle-aged guy behind us starts to grumble. I feel guilty for a moment about skipping the line, but the glow on Sophie’s face as we head to our table makes it all worthwhile.

“Put his bill on my tab,” I tell the hostess quietly. “In fact, everyone we just skipped. I’ll take care of it all.”

“Of course,” she nods eagerly. “Anything else?”

“We’re set, thank you.”

I turn back to Sophie to find her smirking at me with a knowing expression.

“What?” I ask, sliding into the booth. For a moment, I wonder if my cover is blown and she’s figured out my real identity, but instead, she just grins.

“You charm the pants off everyone, don’t you?”

“There’s only one set of pants I want to get into.” I waggle my eyebrows.

She bursts out laughing. “Real smooth.”

I watch her across the table as she scans the menu, her pretty eyes darting over the page. I should come clean to her, I know, and tell her who I really am, but I’m enjoying this too much. It’s been years since I could relax, and be myself with a woman like this, and not wonder in the back of my brain if they’re really just here for the status and fame. I never minded it really— hell, what red-blooded guy doesn’t love the fact girls fall at his feet?—but being with Sophie is so refreshing that I realize I’ve been missing out.

She likes me. Not my record deal, or the VIP passes, being able to brag to her friends, or get her name in the gossip columns.

Just me.

Sophie glances up, and catches me staring. She raises her eyebrows. “What?”

“Nothing,” I lie.

I’ll tell her later, I promise myself. For now, I don’t want anything to ruin this day.

It’s afternoon by the time we head back to the hotel. Already, it’s getting dark out, the streetlights flickering to life over the quiet, snow-dusted streets.

“I’ve never seen the city so empty,” I say, looking around. “Everybody’s probably taking a nap in front of the TV right now, stuffed with Christmas dinner.”

“A nap sounds pretty good.,” Sophie snuggles closer against me. I wrap my arm around her and think of lying on the couch with her and watching old movies. Twenty-four hours ago it would have seemed like a drag, but now, I can’t wait to get back to the hotel and just relax.

“I can’t believe you ordered all that food to go.” Sophie nudges me, looking at the huge bag I’m carrying in my other hand. “We just ate a ton!”

“You’ll be thanking me later.” I draw her closer. “I plan on us working up an appetite.”

Sophie smirks. “You mean hitting the gym? Going for a run? You go right ahead,” she says sweetly. “I’ll be waiting in my pajamas when you get back.”

“Not so fast.” I spin her around suddenly, bringing her in against my chest. Her body is warm and soft through her padded coat, and her eyes sparkle with excitement as I graze my thumb slowly over her lips. “I’ve got plans for you,” I murmur, loving the heat that flares in her eyes, and the way her mouth falls open against my touch. “Hot, sweaty, scream-the-roof-down plans.”

Sophie shivers. “I think I could—”

But her reply is lost under my kiss. I claim her mouth, searching, teasing, licking gently at her lips to taste before I slide my tongue deep, gorging on her sweetness. She melts against me, clutching at my jacket and kissing me back with a fevered enthusiasm that makes my blood boil. God, her passion is incredible, the eagerness of her lips, her hands…