Page 86 of My December Darling

She brushes a hand down my button-down shirt. “And you’d use the favor on me? Why?”

“If you’re still seriously asking me that, then we have an issue.”

Her eyes glimmer. “Is that right?”

“Yes, because that means I’ve done a terrible job making my intentions clear.”

Her smile expands. “The absolute worst.”

I shake my head while fighting a smile. “Obviously, I need to be clearer.”

“By all means, go ahead.”

I cradle her cheek, making her suck in a breath before leaning my head forward. “I want you any way I can have you.”

She tilts her head back to look me in the eyes. “Even if it means making long-distance work?”

“Don’t they say distance makes the heart grow fonder?”

“It also makes it sadder.” Her eyes soften at the corners.

“That’s true, but three months will be over with before you know it.”

“What about after?”

“No need to worry about that.” If things go my way, and I’m certain I won’t rest until they do, then Catalina will be coming straight home to me.

And I’ll be counting down the days until then.

The group surrounding us shouts as the projector screen shows Times Square and the countdown clock that is about to hit sixty seconds before midnight.

“Cata!” Gaby pushes through the crowd with Aiden on her heels.

“Over here!” Catalina waves at them.

Gaby pulls her sister into a quick hug before Aiden wraps his arms around his wife as the timer gets closer to midnight.

“Ten…nine…”

My heart pounds faster with each number that is being chanted throughout the room, and excitement courses through my body at the thought of celebrating the new year with the woman beside me.

I curl my arm around Catalina’s waist, and she looks up at me with a warm smile.

“Six…five…”

Her gaze drops to my mouth as she says, “Four…three…”

“Two…” I secure her in place by the back of her neck, and my thumb traces over her pulse point.

“Happy New Year!” The crowd goes wild, but I don’t pay them any attention as I kiss Catalina. I pour my everything into our kiss—every single ounce of yearning I’ve felt toward her, along with all the hopes I have about the following year.

A year I want to spend with her, so long as she wants the same.

The kiss morphs from sweet to desperate to lazy before we’re both forcing ourselves to pull away. I’m not sure I would’ve if it weren’t for Aiden clapping me on the back before dragging us out of the bar and onto Main Street, where he spent a pretty penny hiring some college kids to put on a fireworks show for Gaby.

Catalina and I both sip champagne while watching the sky light up with a thousand sparkling lights. Or more like she watches while I spend most of the show watching her.

I swear to myself in that moment that I’ll do everything in my power to keep that look of pure wonder on her face. That I’ll fight my hardest to show her that what we have can form into something great, even if it means overcoming every obstacle in our way.

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