Page 48 of Power

He adjusted himself on top of me, with his forearm resting on the mattress above my head to keep from crushing me under his big frame. His nose nuzzled the side of my neck as we caught our breaths. My fingers pressed into his back, holding him close to me.

He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, giving his body a chance to body recover.

I turned my head to look at him in the dark. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”

He didn’t look upset or withdrawn. “I liked it.”

“You did?” I asked in surprise. “I knowthisisn’t something serious between us, but it just came out.”

“Jaan,I said I liked it,” he said gently to get me to stop justifying it. After a beat, he asked, “Do you want to go home tonight?”

I don’t. “What do you want, Shyam?” The ball was in his court now.

“I’d rather you stay,” he said unapologetically.

Closing the distance between us, I snuggled into his side. “Then I’ll stay.”

Chapter XXVI

Amelia

Christmastime was my favorite time of the year. The air was light with cheer and the decorations always made me smile.

When I’d lived at home, my parents would take me to the tree farm so we could cut down our own tree and make the house smell woodsy, like a pine forest. I would always choose the burliest and most rounded tree. My mom would make an event out of it, dressing us up in red plaid shirts and rainboots. We would always sit near the firepit at the farm and sip some hot cocoa after strapping our tree to the top of the car.

Holiday festivities in the city were certainly different than in the Pacific Northwest. The decorations here were more elaborate and extravagant. The stores were decked out like Christmas playgrounds for the masses. It was a whole new level of holiday for me, and I loved it.

Nat and I decided to invite Blake to take part in our holiday excitement at the tree lighting in Rockefeller Center. It was my second year in attendance, and this year seemed more packed than the last, but we didn’t mind the crowds. It just added to the merriment.

I was bundled up in a red chunky-knit sweater and jeans paired with comfy over-the-knee boots as I waited in line for hot cocoa. I shoved my hands into my coat pockets even though they were covered by gloves because it was really cold out. I was glad I had remembered to put on my knitted cap for extra warmth.

I made my way back to my friends while trying to balance three steaming cups of cocoa in two hands. Blake came to my aid, grabbing two cups from me.

“Thanks, Amelia,” he said. He looked handsome in his black coat and jeans, with a charcoal scarf around his neck. He passed a cup to Nat.

“I fucking love cocoa!” she said as she warmed her hands around her cup. She had opted to be themed out instead of warm, wearing a dark-red corduroy skirt with leggings underneath and a white peacoat. Her bright-orange hair was styled into braids on either side of her head. She looked like a badass elf.

“Do you know how to ice skate?” Blake asked us.

“I do!” I shouted over the loud noise from the crowd surrounding us. I loved ice skating. I wasn’t amazing, but I could stay upright for more than a minute.

“Oh, hell no! I’m not going to bust my ass on that ice!” Nat exclaimed dramatically.

“You’re just scared to ruin your outfit when you crash,” I teased. Blake chuckled.

“Whatever. Don’t hate because you ain’t great,” she said, flashing us her middle finger, indifferent to any children who might have been watching.

“Come on!” Blake took my cup and set it down next to his. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me toward the rink. I turned back as he dragged me along and waved to Nat apologetically for abandoning her.

After renting our skates, we stepped onto the ice. The rink was full of different levels of skaters. The more seasoned ones zoomed past us. Blake seemed to be steadier on his feet than I was.

“Do you skate a lot?” I asked.

“I took lessons when I was a kid.” He crossed one foot over the other, following the curviest edge of the rink.

“Skating lessons in California?”

“Hockey,” he said as he glided gracefully alongside me.

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