Page 70 of It Must Be Love

"Yes, baby."

"This is the cutest place ever," she exclaimed.

We got out of the car and were immediately assailed by the crisp air, filled with scents of pine and the earthy musk of horses.

"What are we doing here?" she asked in wonder.

"We're going on a sleigh ride," I finally told her.

She giggled, and my heart felt lighter. "Sleigh ride? Oh my god, Amias." She hugged me then, a spontaneous, exuberant hug, and then she gave me a big close-mouthed kiss on my lips. "This is going to be so much fun."

I thought again about what my type was, and here she was. A woman who wanted to share an experience with me and didn't just expect me to give her a present that had financial value. When you lived without worrying about money and grew up as I did, you learned to buy emotions and feelings. You made gestures that were monetarily grand. But Naya was thrilled about a sleigh ride in the ass end of nowhere that usually retailed for a hundred bucks a sleigh for forty-five minutes.

Her lack of interest in my money and expecting me to spend it on her warmed me all the way inside. For a man who never took relationships seriously, for the first time in my life, I wondered if there was a possibility that I'd want more than a bedmate and a trophy on my arm.

An old-fashioned sleigh awaited us! Its red paint vibrant against the white snow, decorated with jingling bells that promised music with every step. The horses, majestic and calm, seemed as eager to begin the journey as we were.

Wrapped in thick blankets, we settled into the sleigh, my arm around Naya, pulling her close. With a gentle command from our guide, the sleigh lurched forward, and we were off, gliding over the snow. The only sounds were the soft crunch beneath the runners, the rhythmic breathing of the horses, and the distant call of winter birds. It was as if the world had paused, allowing us this moment of serene beauty.

The countryside was breathtaking, a pristine expanse of snow that sparkled under the midday sun. We passed through forests where snow-laden branches formed archways above us, across open fields that stretched toward the horizon, and beside frozen ponds that mirrored the clear blue sky. Time seemed to stand still, every moment a snapshot of winter's quiet majesty.

We spoke little during the ride, words unnecessary amidst the beauty surrounding us. Instead, we simply enjoyed the warmth of each other's company. When we finally circled back to the farm, it felt as though we were returning from a world apart, our spirits lifted and hearts full.

"That was amazing." Naya hugged Penelope who received us. "Thank you so much."

Penelope led us into a farm-style lounge where we were served hot cocoa. Families were now at the farm, and little children were running around. It was the kind of chaos that I never thought appealed to me, but Naya made it easy. Whenever a kid stopped by, she talked to them as she sat against me on a comfortable loveseat. I'd always thought easy meant the woman I was with didn't impose on my time. I never thought easy meant this—peace and comfort, warmth, and calm. I hadn't even known this was possible, that it was an option.

All my life, I'd been chasing the next step. Graduate from MIT. Start a company. Be successful. Make money. Make the family proud. When was the last time I'd done something as mundane as a sleigh ride? I couldn't remember. Sure, if I was in Switzerland we'd have gone skiing and then stayed in a chalet with a whole lot of people. There would be parties every night. Ann and I would maybe have sex a few of the nights when we weren't too tired, but all day, we'd be with other people. She preferred to be in a crowd—finding it too lonely when it was just the two of us. To be honest, it was what I thought I wanted as well.

I kissed the side of Naya's head, and she turned to flash me a smile.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I didn't think this was your kind of thing."

"What do you think is my kind of thing?" I nuzzled her cheek, inhaling that beautiful scent of hers combined with fresh snow and the warmth of this lounge heated with a crackling fireplace.

"I don't know…some fancy party where everyone is dressed up. Not here with kids running around screaming, talking to anyone and everyone."

She was right. A few days ago, if someone had suggested this, I'd have thought they were crazy. But as I'd thought about what to do with Naya on Christmas Day to make it special—I knew taking her to some fancy lunch would not cut it. How could we beat the dinner she'd made so lovingly? It hadn't even crossed my mind that I should buy her something, I think, because I instinctively knew she wouldn't care for that.

"Naya, I have news for you." And myself. I traced her cheek with my mouth and loved the shiver that ran through her. "My thing is being with you."

She didn't believe me. I could see that in the way her body stiffened. Could I blame her? I'd gone from keeping my distance to now being all over her. She had serious whiplash, and she was waiting for the asshole Amias she knew in the office to make an appearance.

"Do you want to go back to Boston, or do you have time for one more little surprise?" I asked, wanting very much to divert her mind from her insecurities and her worries that I was merely using her to entertain myself.

"Maybe we should go home," she said in a small voice.

"Why?" I rubbed her shoulder. Would she cut me off even before we had a chance to find out how good we could be? Because in just a short time I knew in my bones this relationship would be different and fulfilling for both of us.

"I just…"

"Won't you look at me, baby?"

She did after a long moment, and I saw the uncertainty in her eyes, in how forlorn she looked.

"Tell me what's going in that pretty head of yours?" I tried to keep my tone light.

"That…I should stop seeing you now, so I don't get attached, and I can avoid all the hurt that—."

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