Stuck With Me

"Lucas what are you doing?" Riley giggled as he held her hand tightly guiding her up a set of stairs with her eyes covered "I think you're trying to be sweet but I think the blindfold is probably a hazard, I am the super klutz."

"Not to me you aren't. Trust me Princess, this is worth it." He'd been planning this for weeks, especially since he'd missed Christmas, he knew that tonight had to be special; it couldn't be a disaster like the year before.

"I trust you" Riley bit her lower lip, still not sure she trusted herself to make it up these stairs, where were they?

Lucas took a nervous breath as they stood outside the roof door. "Okay just a minute," he opened the door and flipped the switch to turn on the lights he'd spent the afternoon setting up with Zay and Auggie. He took his phone out and pulled up the playlist he'd created for them, for tonight, for this moment.

Riley was tempted to remove the blindfold and sneak a peek but his voice was filled with a bubbly joy she couldn't do that to him. She heard the music start to float in the air, it wasn't a song she knew well but she knew she'd heard it before. She could feel the cool night air wrapping around her.

Lucas came up behind her, his hands gently on her shoulders, breathing in the scent, "Mmm, Mango, one of my favorites."

A chill shot through her body when she felt his breath against her neck and ear, "I know" she confessed as she felt the pressure of his touch disappear as he removed the blindfold. "Whoa."

Lucas watched as her mouth dropped open, her bottom lip quivering just a tiny bit, her eyes wide as she took in the site around her.

She turned to him, "What is this for?"

"I wanted us to have a New Year's Eve to remember." He took her hand leading her to the center of the roof. "Last year was awful, I thought I had lost you, and then Farkle said you still love me, this hope bubbled inside of me and it took everything for me not to pull you close to me and know we still had a chance, until I realized why everything happened."

Riley was silent, she didn't want to think about that anymore. It was behind them.

"A new year is about to start, I want to be here, looking up at what few stars we can see, together, you and me, dancing." He pulled her close; it was the closest they had ever been so far since they were moving at their own pace.

"They say who you're with at midnight is who you'll spend the year with." She smiled shyly.

"Then I hope this is the first of many midnights we spend together." They swayed to the music.

Riley let her head rest on his shoulder, "I hope so as well. Don't let go Lucas, please."

"I won't if you won't." He kissed the top of her head; trying to ignore the fire he felt spread through his body whenever he got to press his lips against her.

"I'm not letting go, you're stuck with me." She teased.

"I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else." He confessed as he pulled away, "You are everything I ever wanted, everything I need."

"Oh Lucas" Riley pushed herself up on her toes just enough so her lips fell upon his. This was different than the last time they'd kissed on the mouth, it was lasting longer, his arms were holding her tightly around the waist, she was off her feet as he held her in the air.

Lucas gently put her on the ground when the kiss ended, "One of these days Riley you're going to have to let me kiss you first."

Riley giggled, "What are you waiting for Friar?"

"Ten … Nine…Eight…" Lucas let his fingers slip into her hair as a smile crossed his lips, "Seven…Six…Five…Four…"

"Three…Two…" Riley was breathless when his lips took hers with a hunger she'd craved to feel, intensity she'd needed but part of her had honestly feared, but now feeling it, knew it was everything she needed.

Lucas let the tips of his fingers slowly move down her neck before his hands moved to cup her face as he pulled away and looked into her soulful chocolate eyes, "Riley?"

"Lucas" She searched the meadow green eyes she had memorized a long time ago seeing a fire inside of them she'd never been aware of.

"Was that okay?"

Her smile grew, "That was perfect Lucas," her phone vibrated and she glanced to make sure it wasn't an emergency only to see her timer for the New Year going off, "Happy New Year Lucas."

He returned her smile, "Happy New Year Riley."