As the evening started to spread its dark blue gown decorated with sparkling stars and pale Moon, Grace and Lucas left the Christmas market in order to arrive at, as Grace put it, their next destination.

She looked up at him, her smile warm as she held his palm in hers.

"Are you tired?", she asked "I thought we might walk, it is about 20 minutes far from here."

Lucas shook his head and brought her palm up to his lips for a kiss.

"I'm not tired", he replied with a smile as he pulled her closer to his side "I know it's a long shot, but I am gonna try anyway - where are you taking me?"

Grace laughed.

"You are right, it is a long shot!", she teased him and squealled as he tickled her side, making her burst to giggles "Lucas!"

He laughed as she squirmed away, pulling herself from him and walking backwards in front of him.

"HEY!", she playfully warned him, her index finger up "Is that any way to treat your fiancée?"

Lucas shrugged, his lips pressed together innocently…only to curl up in the most devilish grin Grace has ever saw on his face.

"Only when she's not listening", he quipped as he moved quickly toward her, making Grace yelp, laugh and break in the run!

She ran as fast as she could, laughing all the time. Unable to resist, she glanced at Lucas above her shoulder and laughed.

"Oh, come on, Governor!", she called out through giggles "You are moving like a snail on the crutches!", her eyes widened and she gasped through laughter as Lucas picked up on speed and in the next moment launched toward her, catching her around her waist! Grace squealed in surprise, trying to break free…and in the next moment, they slipped on the small piece of frozen puddle on the ground and fell down on the snow covered ground, laughing their hearts out!

"Are you hurt?", Lucas asked when he finally caught a breath from laughter.

Grace was still giggling, wiping tears of laughter.

"Only my dignity", she quipped, sending him into another fit of laughter "You?"

Lucas shook his head as he kissed the frozen tip of her nose.

"We got the same diagnosis", he quipped and they laughed again before Grace put her gloved palms on his cheeks and met him halfway for a kiss, both of them laying in the snow.

Lucas cupped her face, kissing her hurriedly, eagerly, passionately. She sighed into their kiss, her hand joining behind his neck as she kissed him back. His hands wrapped around her waist and Lucas smiled into their kiss. In the next moment he felt his breath being knocked out of his lungs as Grace pressed into him, only to gasp at the contact and unlatch her lips from his.

Both of them breathed heavily, their foreheads touching, their eyes sparkling into each other. Grace smiled in pure joy as Lucas' eyes looked from her eyes to her lips and he quickly stole another kiss. She felt butterflies exploding in her stomach as she kissed him back, lovingly, longingly.

Reluctantly, they pulled away and sat up. Brushing the snow off his coat, Lucas grimaced.

"I don't think we're presentable to go anywhere like this, angel", he chuckled as he showed the state of their clothes.

Grace frowned, acting hurt.

"Give me a bit of credit, Governor, please!", she quipped, her smile growing wide at his curious look "I had Gustave pack the change of clothes for you and I brought it to our next destination."

Lucas' eyes widened in surprise, his lips curling up a bit.

"You really think of everything, don't you?", he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotions. He got up and pulled her up, bringing her body close to him almost immediately.

Grace took his hand as she stepped closer to him and hovering her lips above his, she whispered:

"Only when it's concerning my handsome, loving fiancé", she gave him a sweet kiss, her heart warming up as she felt him inhale sharply.

When she pulled away, the look in his eyes made her heart melt.

"I love you, Grace", he whispered, his voice hoarse.

She took his palm in her fingers and pulled him along beside her as she said lovingly:

"I love you too, my Lucas. More than you know."

He smiled happily as he fell into a step with her and after a few moments, he looked around, trying to get a clue where was she taking him.

"So, Gustave rummaged through my things on your behalf?", quipped Lucas, trying to shake off snow from his dark hair. In his peripheral vision he could see Grace grinning and he shook his head as he chuckled "You know, my cousin's acceptance of you is turning into a real treason. I am starting to think that he likes you more than me!"

Grace stifled a laugh.

"Of course he does", at Lucas' gasp of mock hurt, she slightly snorted and shrugged innocently "What can I say? I am very loveable."

He squeezed his hand against her side and smiled widely.

"Oh, I know you are", as both of them grinned at each other, Lucas deadpanned "Still, it is not very nice of Gustave to take your side in everything", as Grace looked up at him, barely holding her laugh in, he winked "How would you feel if Lillian behave like that?!", he quipped, his smile growing as he felt Grace shaking from suppressed laughter "What?"

Grace shook her head.

"Lillian? Never. Not in a million years. In fact, you should always look behind your back. I am her baby sister and she is watching you like a hawk. One wrong movement and you're a dead man!", by now, Grace was laughing like mad, sending Lucas into fits of laughter as well.

"I can't win this, can't I?", he asked through laughter.

Grace giggled.

"No, I'm afraid not", she looked up at him and closed her eyes, sighing through her smile as Lucas leaned down and kissed her as they walked.

When they pulled apart, he looked around and slowed down his steps a bit as the surroundings became familiar.

Grace watched him with a happy smile and saw the moment recognition set in.

"Wait…are we going to a jazz club?", he silently asked, his lips curling up in a lazy smile.

Grace nodded happily and quickened her steps. As they reached the building she pushed the doors open and pulled Lucas' hand, taking him inside…

He silently gasped in surprise as he realized that, except for the waiters, they were the only people in there.. which was odd for this time of the evening and this time of year. Usually, you couldn't get a place anywhere.

He slowly looked down at Grace whose eyes sparkled with happiness at his reaction.

"I called Alfonso to make a reservation, but he wanted to make it up to us because of the mess with paparazzi last time", their eyes locked and Grace's heart skipped a beat as she remembered their passionate kisses between the buildings back then. Her eyes twinkled "Of course, he doesn't know how good it turned out to be at the end", she felt Lucas' hand tightening his hand around her waist and she let out a shaky breath "So…we have jazz club all for ourselves tonight. Including dinner and music wishes for the band."

Her heart soared as she noticed how moved he was.

"Grace.. ", Lucas tried to speak, but the lump in his throat wouldn't let him.

She watched as he swallowed hard and stepping onto her tiptoes, she gently kissed his cheek.

"You deserve all this. You deserve to be adored. Don't ever forget that", she whispered as she cupped his cheek "I know that yesterday's goodbye was hard for you, my Lucas. I just wanted you to relax today. To have fun. To feel how much you are loved and that you are not alone."

Lucas swallowed hard, moved beyond words.

He leaned his forehead against hers forehead and they closed their eyes, just breathing each other in.

"Thank you, my angel", Lucas whispered, his voice cracked from the emotions "Thank you so much."

Grace opened her eyes and gave him a tearful smile and a gentle kiss before she whispered:

"I am going to the ladies' room to change. Your clothes are in the bag at our table", she pointed to a table where they sat the first time they came here.

He smiled, amazed at all the details she paid attention to.

They walked away from each other, their hands letting go of each other only when the distance asked for it. Grace approached the bar and after a short talk, a waiter handed her a bag. Lucas went to pick up his bag and left for the men's room to change.

He put on a dry white dress shirt and his black suit. Looking back inside the bag, his lips curled up a bit.

No tie.

I just wanted you to relax today. To have fun.

Lucas was about to put his wet clothes in the bag when he noticed a small box and an envelope at the bottom of it. Slowly, he took it out, opened the envelope and pulled out a note.

"Don't waste your time trying to put them on your own. I will help you - today and for the rest of our lives."

Lucas felt a shaky breath escaping his lungs and he opened little dark blue box…only to feel his eyes fill with happy tears as he saw what was inside.

His new cufflinks with initials GB and LB.

My Grace. How I adore you.

Quickly, he put the box and a note in his suit pocket and put his wet clothes in the bag, yearning to be back with his love.

He left the men's room and looked up.

And his heart stopped for a moment, he was sure of it.

Grace stood a few steps from him, her long brown hair brushed and flowing down her shoulders and her back like the most beautiful brunette silk curtain, a perfect contrast to her red cocktail dress.

Lucas felt his breathing growing deeper and heavier. He put the bag on a table nearby and slowly started to walk toward Grace.

She walked slowly toward him as the band started to play a gentle ballad.

He stopped just two steps from her, never taking his eyes away from her beautiful face.

She slowly reached her hand out to him and silently asked:

"May I have this dance, Governor?"

Lucas' eyes darkened and he accepted her hand, his other arm wrapping itself around her waist.

"Absolutely", he whispered, brushing his fingers up and down her back "You look stunning", he murmured lovingly, his face a few inches away from hers.

Grace felt tingles all over her body, her skin exploding in goosebumps from his closeness. She put her palm on his shoulder and closing her eyes, she leaned her cheek on his cheek as he slowly began to move them across the dancefloor.

His lips hovered close to her ear and she trembled deliciously as she heard his husky whisper:

"Don't forget…you still have to help me put the cufflinks on."

Grace smiled, pulling back slightly to look at him.

"Now and every day for the rest of our lives", she replied silently and let out a sigh as Lucas slowly leaned down and kissed her slowly, sensually, stealing her breath away.

After a few moments, he broke the kiss and as Grace fought to take a proper breath in, she heard his velvety whisper:

"Later", she opened her eyes and her heart skipped a beat at the love shining in his dark eyes "For now… Just dance with me."