***The next morning***
Jonathan and Jennifer had spent the night in her room. She woke up, nestled into his embrace.
She rolled over and kissed his chest.
"Merry Christmas, darling".
"Merry Christmas. Sleep well?"
"Absolutely".
"What do you want to do today?"
"Whatever you want. We can watch movies, or go riding, or whatever".
"A lazy day with you, just what I love most".
She kissed him a few times and then laid her head on his shoulder.
She looked at the clock. It was 8:29.
They went downstairs and had breakfast and then Jennifer went and took a shower. Jonathan took one after her, and they settled into the TV room.
He watched football while she read a book.
She got up and went to the kitchen for a bit, and started making them lunch.
"Honey, do you like mushrooms?", she called out from the kitchen.
"Yes".
She came back with a plate for him and a plate for her.
"Here honey, I made you a sandwich".
She had made him a turkey sandwich the same way she did while they were in Denver.
"Thanks, babe".
"And I made some stuffed mushrooms. Want one?"
"Sure".
She held one for him and he took a bite.
"Mmmm babe, those are great".
"Thank you".
She cleaned up the kitchen a little while later, and then came back and laid down with him He laid on the couch holding her and watching football, while she napped.
She woke up a couple hours later, and found he had fallen asleep. She laid there with him, thinking about how lucky she was that he hadn't given up on her.
She turned the tv down low, and turned it to a movie. About halfway through, he started kissing her neck.
"Have a nice nap?"
"Mmm hmmm. How about you?"
"Definitely".
He kept kissing her ear and her cheek and her neck.
"Darling…when we fly back to New York tomorrow, are you staying in New York, or do you have to fly back to California right away?"
"I hadn't thought about it. I can stay in New York, and then fly home after you leave for Italy. When do you leave?"
"I have the overnight flight, it leaves at 8. So, I have to be at the airport at 6".
"Totally doable."
She turned and grinned at him.
"Babe, have you ever thought about working for a paper or a magazine in California?"
"Years ago, when I was first out of college I did. But nobody would hire me, so I focused on the East Coast".
"Well now that you are established, I bet they would hire you in a heartbeat".
"I've thought about writing a book, compiling my favorite interviews, but I don't know…I would have to do a book tour, and that would be more time away from you…."
"We can get through whatever, Jennifer. I don't want to be the reason you don't go for something you want".
"You are what I want, Jonathan."
He kissed her cheek and held her close.
"Babe, can you plan out your life a month at a time? What if we spent one month in California and then one month in New York, and just went back and forth?"
"I'm willing to try it, if I can get hired in LA".
"I can probably help you with that".
"What? What do you mean?"
"I mean, I can be a financial backer for whomever hires you, if that's what it takes".
"No, Jonathan. I don't want you to do that. I don't want to get a job because you talked someone into it. I want to get it because I earned it through my own merits".
"That's a good point. I wasn't saying that you wouldn't get it on your own merits. I was saying if you get hired, I'm happy to partner with them".
"Why can't you just do Hart Industries, and I do my thing?"
"Well, we can, but if I can help you get where you want to be, I want to do that".
"I appreciate that. I do. But let me get the job first. If they need you to partner with them, then do it after I'm hired, and not part of it, ok?"
"Ok, I promise".
"Thank you".
She got up and got a blanket and came back to the couch and covered her legs with it.
The movie ended, and she let him turn the tv back to football.
"What do you want for dinner, honey?"
"Whatever you want".
"Well that doesn't really tell me anything".
"I'm not picky, honest".
She took his hand and pulled him off the couch and led him to the kitchen.
She leaned back against him as she opened the fridge.
"What do you see that you want?"
"You".
He started kissing her neck.
"You want me for dinner?"
"And breakfast, and lunch, and a midnight snack".
She turned around and kissed him.
He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
He kissed her as he carried her back to the TV room, and laid her down on the couch. He laid down on top of her and she wrapped her arms around him.
She pulled his shirt off him, and he ran his hands up under her t-shirt and grabbed her breasts.
She quickly took her shirt off, and tossed it on the floor. He took one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked on it for a minute before kissing his way down to her belly button. She ran her fingernails along his back and arched her back when he kissed that one spot on her neck. She reached down and undid the button on his jeans, and started pushing them off him.
He ran his fingers along the waistband of her pajama pants and tugged them off her hips. He held her face in his hands and kissed her, his tongue probing her mouth while she nibbled on his lower lip.
He stood up and took off his jeans and boxer briefs while she shimmied out of her panties.
He laid back down on top of her and pressed his erection against her while he kissed her neck.
"Baby…."
"I want you".
"I want you too".
He forcefully thrust into her, opening her up, joining them together.
"You feel so good". He thrust in and out of her, causing her to cry out.
"John….a….than…."
He kissed her as he brought them to mutual release.
They laid there together, just holding each other.
She lightly scratched his back as he laid his head on her chest.
"Oh, I have missed your back scratches".
"I missed your massages".
"I missed your sandwiches".
"I missed your hugs".
"I missed your orchid lotion".
"I missed our dances".
"I missed our kisses".
"I missed you".
He moved up her body and kissed her a few times.
"I don't care what I have to do, I am never letting you get away from me again".
"I'm not going anywhere, I promise".
He got up and put his pants back on, and she did the same. She put her t-shirt on, and headed to the kitchen. He went upstairs and changed into some pajama pants and one of the Henley's she had given him, and came back downstairs.
"Honey, we can heat up a frozen pizza or we can make tacos, whichever you want".
"What kind of pizza is it?"
"Olive oil base, with broccoli, fontina, and sweet potato, on a gluten free crust".
"Tacos sound great".
She grinned at him and put the pizza back in the freezer.
He cooked the meat while she chopped the tomato and shredded the lettuce.
"Are you a fan of guacamole?"
"Yes, absolutely".
"Ok, I'll make some".
She whipped up some of her famous guacamole, and before long, they were ready to eat.
She did the dishes after they were finished, and they went back to the TV room to watch a movie.
She laid down on the couch and patted her lap.
"You want me to sit in your lap?"
She started laughing and shaking her head.
He went to sit in her lap anyways, and she put her hands up to push him away. He grabbed her hands and pulled her up a little bit. He started tickling her and pinned her down. She was laughing so hard she was shrieking.
Finally, he stopped and leaned over and kissed her.
After she was able to speak again, she looked at him.
"I was telling you to put your head in my lap so that I could give you a back scratch."
"Oh yeah, we can definitely do that".
He grabbed a throw pillow and after she settled back against the arm of the couch, he put it in her lap and laid down on his stomach. He pulled his Henley off and left his t-shirt on. She ran her hands up under the collar of his t-shirt, and scratched his back for him for a long time.
"Oh, that feels so good".
After about 20 minutes, she patted him.
"My turn".
They switched places and he massaged her back for her.
After about 20 minutes, she sat up and moved to sit next to him.
"You know what sounds so good right now? Hot chocolate".
"It does sound good. Will you get me some? I've had a very busy day".
"You have?"
He leaned over and kissed her.
"Ok, I'll be right back. Marshmallows?"
"Yes please".
She went and made their hot chocolates and brought it back to him.
"Oh honey, look, it's snowing!"
"Well, so it is."
He got up and put on his slippers and then took her hand.
He led her outside.
"Honey, it's freezing. Why are we out here?"
"So we can do this".
He pulled her in for a long, slow kiss.
"Every woman deserves to be kissed in the rain, in the snow, and under fireworks."
"I've never been kissed in the rain before, or under fireworks."
"Stick with me, and you will".
He kissed her again and then they went back inside.
She sat next to him on the couch, and he put an arm around her.
"Darling, when is your birthday?"
"February 10. When is yours?"
"It was while we were in Denver. November 2".
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I wasn't being Jennifer Edwards, then. I was being Melanie Keaton".
"Jennifer, you still could have told me. We would have done something".
"It's fine, honest."
She leaned up and kissed him.
"What's your favorite color?"
"Blue. What's yours?"
"Purple".
"if I was going to make any meal for you at all, what would you pick?"
"Steak, probably. Or maybe fresh seafood. What about you?"
"Mexican".
"What's one thing you've always wanted to do but haven't done yet?"
"Well, I've always wanted to find someone that I could sweep off her feet and whisk her away for a romantic trip somewhere".
"Why haven't you?"
"Darling, the first woman besides my friend Nikki to get past the first date with me was you".
"You're sweet".
"You're adorable. What's something you always wanted to do but never did?"
"Have a hammock. When I was dating Elliott, he and I went on a trip to Australia, and we stayed at this little tiny bed and breakfast that was nestled way back in the jungle, and on the back porch, they had a hammock. I would get up each morning and sit out there enjoying the peacefulness and the quiet".
"Was it comfy?"
"It was absolutely perfect. Until Elliott would wake up and come find me, and would start yelling about how time was wasting and how much he wanted to be on the water".
He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"He is a jackass and you deserve much, much better".
"I found better, in you".
She kissed him.
"This has been the best Christmas ever, honey. I'm so glad you insisted on coming here with me and I'm so happy the fog settled in so you had to stay here with us and I'm so incredibly happy you made me see how wrong I had been".
"Me too. I was so afraid that I wouldn't see you at the courthouse."
"You were scared? I didn't think you ever got scared".
"I've been scared ever since you broke up with me that I would never get to see you again, never have a chance at winning your heart again. And if that guard hadn't been in that room with us, I know I would have tried right then and there".
"Honey, If I switch my flight to fly back to LA instead of New York after Italy, can we have a day like this?"
"We can do whatever your adorable little heart desires".
"Maybe when I get to Italy, I will be able to do all of it in 2 weeks instead of 4, and then I can come home sooner".
"Babe, promise me you will take as long as you need to, alright? This opportunity won't come around often, and I don't want you to do anything that will make you regret it later".
"I won't, I promise".
She took their mugs to the kitchen and rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher.
As soon as she did, the power went out.
"Honey-I'm getting a flashlight. Stay where you are, ok?"
"Ok".
She found two flashlights, and took one to him.
"We should probably drip the sinks, babe, so the pipes don't freeze".
They walked around doing that, and then went upstairs.
She got some extra quilts out and put one on the bed.
"Can you sleep in total darkness?"
"Yes. I prefer it, actually".
"Me too".
She changed into pajama shorts and then climbed into bed.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
"I love you, babe. Goodnight".
She kissed his chest.
"Honey, you aren't really tired, are you?"
"Babe, we can't see each other. I mean, I'm good, but I'm not that good".
She leaned up and turned on the flashlight and got up out of the bed.
"Be right back".
She came back with a vase she had gotten from the closet, and put the flashlight in it.
It illuminated the room just enough.
She climbed back in bed with him and kissed him.
They had the most explosive sex they had ever had, before collapsing together in each other's arms.
"Honey, that was incredible".
"Yeah, we will have to have flashlight sex again".
She kissed his chest and laced her fingers through his.
He kissed the top of her head.
"It's our last night here. I'm kind of sad".
"Yeah, but we have one more night before we have to leave each other".
"Thank goodness".
"I love you, babe. All my heart".
"I love you too, all my heart". She kissed him a few times, and then fell asleep in the crook of his shoulder.