Emma closed her eyes, breathing in the peppermint tea that was warming the palms of her hands through the ceramic mug. It was a smell that defined Christmas, wrapping its way around all her favorite holiday memories.
As a child it had been the peppermint candies her grandmother had made. She'd stand in front of the candy dish, mesmerized until her grandmother lifted the lid and tilted it towards her, a toothless grin stretching across her lips as she reached in and pulled out a piece, smelling it before she allowed herself to taste it.
In later years it was the coffee cozy's Sydney had scattered throughout the Jeremiah living room. The warmth of hot coffee or tea drawing out the fantastic smell as the two families gathered to decorate the Christmas tree. It would blanket the living room with comfort and love winding around them in an almost peaceful way.
But like most of her favorite memories, her favorite holiday one revolved around Sean. Their first Christmas together she invited him to Joey's and with a little help from Craig had persuaded him to go. They sat on the floor with Angie neatly tucked between them, candy canes in each of their hands watching as Snake and Joey tried to set up the tree.
But it was the end of the evening that stuck out the most. Once everyone had had their fill of the cookies and eggnog they made their way to the door, barely aware of the spring of mistletoe hanging above their heads until Craig had been polite enough to point it out. With a nervous glance up and then back at her parents, Sean had leaned in and kissed her...soft, sticky, sweet. The familiar scent and taste of peppermint, of candy cane kisses.
The chime of the doorbell pulled Emma out of here reverie as she sat the mug down on the end table and untangled her legs. She made her way to the door, opening it to reveal Sean standing on her doorstep. He smiled, garnishing a candy cane from behind his back and holding it out to her.
She smiled back, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue and savoring the left over taste of her peppermint tea. Instead of taking the candy cane she took a hold of Sean's hand pulling him closer, finding his lips with hers, giving him a candy cane kiss for old time sake, or maybe it was just the beginning of a million candy cane kisses they'd end up sharing.