"Where are we going?" I asked, grabbing onto his arm as he lead us out to the car, opening the passenger door for me like always, giving me a wink before carefully shutting it behind me and making his way around to the driver's side.

"Remember when we were little, and our parents would take us driving around to look at Christmas lights?" He asked, placing his hand on the back of my seat as he turned around, backing out of the driveway. I nodded.

That was one of my favorite Christmas memories as a kid. All of us would cramp together as close as we could in the backseat, gathering around the windows as we passed the houses that spared no expense when it came to decorations.

How badly I wished our house could glow like all of theirs.

And as we got older, it would just give me an excuse to get closer to them without making it too obvious. But soon, the guys started dating and the car rides around the neighborhoods stopped because we eventually learned that driving around and looking at lights was just a way to get the kids out of the house so the other parents could wrap our presents in peace.

But even still, a little piece of the magic still lived within me, and I couldn't wait to get to do that again with someone. Now.. here we were. And I couldn't be happier.

I reached over, taking his hand, intertwining our fingers as he slowed down enough to appreciate every house along the way, pointing out how much he preferred the rainbow lights over the white, how tacky he found the giant blow up decorations to be, and how much he couldn't wait for it to snow.

The snow in Michigan was always so beautiful; the air became silent, as if frozen itself, allowing you to hear every snowflake that hit the icy ground. The night sky glowed a warm and hazy brown, it was truly like something out of a movie.

No wonder he grew up to be so cinematic.

"So, speaking of Christmas.." I finally said. I could see his smile growing as he kept his eyes focused outside.

"You don't have to get me anything, Jaime." He said simply. I couldn't help but laugh, especially considering our previous conversation.

"You know there's no way I'm not getting you anything." I sighed, rubbing my thumb over the top of his hand. "After everything you've done for me." He eventually peeked back at me with a shy smirk.

"That's not why I do it." He said softly. I felt my cheeks burn.

"So then.. why do you?" I asked. He hesitated for a moment, biting down on his lip as he now held his stare on me.

What I would give to know what he was thinking about.

"Because I love you." He finally said, the sureness in his voice so comforting and reassuring, knowing that everything he had ever done for me, was just out of pure love, and because of that he deserved nothing but that, and more, in return.

I then leaned over, gently grabbing his face and pulling him into a passionate kiss, my heart instantly jumping as I felt him lean further into me, kissing me back harder as his hand moved up to my neck, his every move coated in devotion and intensity, his kisses always intentional, for when words were no longer enough, and it sent my head spinning every time.

"I love you." I finally sighed, as we both came back up for air. He flashed me a giddy grin before letting me go, and continuing to drive through the neighborhood.

"So.. does that mean we're close enough for me to-"

"Jaime, you can get me whatever you want.. for the rest of our lives." He said softly, keeping his eyes forward.

And I would.

"Where are we going now?" I asked, noticing him leaving the development. He smirked back over at me, staying quiet as he drove into town where I eventually saw the glowing lights of red and green filling the sky. As we got closer, I could see it was the Christmas festival that our town put on every year, decorating the entire park, lighting the trees and setting up stands for sugary sweets and hot chocolate.

When he finally parked the car, he turned to me, motioning outside.

"In our pajamas?" I laughed. He nodded, giggling to himself.

"No one will care, it's Christmas time." He said, getting out of the car and quickly making his way around to my side.

As he opened the door, I reached up, grabbing onto his coat and pulled him into a kiss where I instantly felt his lips curl into a smile.

"Ready?" He sighed, holding out his hand for me. I nodded, taking it and following him closely as he lead us through town, browsing through each stall as we made our way down the sidewalk, eventually stopping where they were selling hot chocolate.

"Two please." He said, then turning around to face me as he leaned back against the counter. I couldn't help but smile, unable to remember the last time I had felt this happy, where it seemed like everything was finally.. perfect. But even still, something told me that even though he hadn't said anything, he hadn't even looked at me, at some point I would have to face Jake.

The last conversation we had had was me telling him that I really just didn't think I could be in a relationship right now, and yet here I was, doing the most "holiday relationship" type things that anyone could imagine.

"Thank you." I heard as he reached back over, taking both cups from the woman behind the counter, handing one over to me. It was delicious, tasting exactly how I remembered growing up. We'd all get a small cup if we were well behaved after meeting Santa and getting our photo taken for the family Christmas cards.

I couldn't help but picture what our card might look like one day. A simple photo in front of the fire place in our matching pajamas, and maybe further down the line.. a photo of three.

My heart jumped as I felt him slide his hand into mine, intertwining our fingers as he guided us down the sidewalk, the noise of the crowd eventually fading off into the distance as we walked further through town, getting closer to the water.

And then I saw that the gazebo had also been decorated, glowing from the white lights that hung inside, glistening garland that reflected so beautifully, and as we got closer, I could see, hanging from the ceiling was the once dreaded, but now oh so loved, familiar leaves and red berries, tied together with a bright red bow.

I thought back to that night he first brought me here, how nervous I was, not because of him, but because finally, it was my turn to be the girl that has her moment with the one she wanted more than anything. And he made it perfect. I remembered every second in such detail, feeling the memories engrain themselves within my mind as they happened, knowing that this was something I would hold on to for a lifetime, and here I was again.. hoping, praying for another chance.

He carefully guided us down to it, his eyes instantly drawn to the mistletoe above as we made our way inside, now fully engulfed in the radiance of the holiday glow.

"We always seem to find these, don't we?" He giggled, motioning up towards it. I nodded, biting down on my lip to contain my eager grin, wanting nothing more than for him to just kiss me already. He could tell, shaking his head as he mirrored that same lovesick grin that seemed to have consumed us both, but how thrilled we were to be drowning in such a yearning intensity that neither of us would dare to break it.

But we could both feel it; so close, and yet so far away, both of us wanting to jump, but still unsure of how ready the other was to actually catch us.

"Jaime.." He finally said, reaching up and caressing my face. I moved in, grabbing onto his coat and pulling him in closer as I stared up at him, completely mesmerized.

"Yeah?" He was quiet for a moment; I could see his mind racing behind his eyes, just searching for the right thing to say.

"Now.. I know where we are, and.. I'm sure.. well.. maybe there was.. some sort of expectation here, considering what happened here a few months ago.." He said. I nodded.

"But.. I kinda.. have my own idea of how I want to do this again. If.. if that's okay with you?"

So it wasn't happening tonight.

"I just.. I need to know if this.. if we're something that you would want again. Because.. I know that I do, but.. I just really need you to be.. sure." He muttered. I understood. And I never wanted to put him through that again.

"I'm sure." I said, now wrapping my arms around his neck. I could see his lips slowly start to curl into a smile, but he did his best to contain it.

"And.. maybe you're sure now, but.. I need you to be sure all the time, no matter who-"

"I'm sure." I assured him. He stopped, holding his stare on me, before eventually nodding, leaning his forehead against mine.

"Okay." He sighed. "So, until then.. obviously there's something that I want to ask you, but.. I want to do it right, and.. I know how I want to, but I guess I just.. I need to know if-"

"I'd say yes." His eyes instantly lit up as he flashed me a toothy grin, now peeking up at the mistletoe again.

I playfully rolled my eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck before pulling him into a passionate kiss.