Author's note: Thanks to Helene and Donna Barr Krolewski for brainstorming about this chapter!
—--
Lucas sat in his office, trying to focus on reading some propositions from his cabinet members, but the words were dancing in front of his eyes, making no sense at all.
He slept restlessly last night and got up at dawn. Using the opportunity and the fact that nobody else was awake yet, he sneaked into Gustave's kitchen and made himself a cup of tea. He couldn't think of food. He just wanted to have some tea and try to relax.
After the breakfast Carson announced that he will be going to the hospital to meet the director and afterwards will spend a few hours at the New Hope orphanage, checking on the children.
Lucas was left alone with his thoughts. In order not to drown in them, he decided to check on some propositions and bills.
He was huffing out yet another breath of frustration when there was a knock at the doors.
"Come in!", he called out, not looking up from the paper in his hand, his fingers rubbing his forehead as he tried to concentrate on the words.
The doors opened and closed.
And just as he was about to look up, expecting to see Simon or some other staff member, a paper bag was placed on his table.
"Did you call for delivery, Governor?"
His head snapped up and Lucas felt his heart sending a happy smile to his lips.
"Grace!", in the next moment he sprung up from his chair and hurried to greet his beautiful fiancée.
She welcomed him in her arms, her smiling lips kissing him longingly and warmly.
"Good morning, my Lucas", she softly mumbled into their kiss.
His smile grew wider.
"It is now", he kissed her once again "Good morning, my angel."
Grace smiled happily.
"Can I steal you for the day?", she murmured into his lips. At his raised eyebrows, her eyes sparkled "I promise you will have a good time!"
Lucas smiled warmly.
"Oh, I don't doubt it! Just curious - what do you have in mind?", he asked, his fingers caressing her spine.
Grace sighed at the feeling of his fingertips on her back.
"Just spending a day with my handsome fiancé. Having fun", she gave his lips a short peck "Lots of hugging", another peck "Bit of kissing", she grinned, placing another sweet peck on his lips "Some hot chocolate", another peck "Delicious snacks", by now, he was trying to hold her lips longer on his as soon as she placed another teasing peck, but Grace giggled, pulling away "Holiday's spirit", her playful resistance started to crumble as his hands pulled her closer, more closer to him "And some good music", she trembled deliciously at seeing the heat rising in Lucas' dark eyes.
He gave her a smouldering look, accompanied with a smug smile.
"Your plan sounds almost perfect, my dear Miss Bennet", he whispered, his voice low and husky.
Grace felt her breathing racing up and she unconsciously moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, before asking breathlessly:
"Almost perfect, my dear Governor?"
Lucas' eyes darkened at the sight of her licking her lips. He hovered his lips above hers and he whispered his reply, his voice dropping for one octave:
"Just a 'bit of kissing'? That is unacceptable, Miss Bennet. And definitely something I am going to change."
Grace smiled, her heart thundering.
"Will you now?", at Lucas' slight nod she whispered "Well, then, Governor, what are you waiting for?", she barely finished her teasing question when Lucas' lips crashed into her lips in a heated, passionate kiss.
She gasped silently, opening up for him, whimpering in delight as he deepened the kiss, heating up a temperature between them on a volcanic level. She pulled him closer, her fingers on the nape of his neck, her head tilting to her right side, giving him better access to her loving mouth. A shuddering, silent moan escaped her lungs as their kiss grew deeper, more passionate, more heated.
More.
Her knees buckled and she grabbed onto his shoulders, holding onto him for a dear life. As he held her more tightly, he pulled her body flush against his, making her gasp in ecstasy as she felt him so close to her. Their kiss broke, but she arched into him, burying her face into his neck, making both of them gasp at the contact.
She tightened her hold on his shoulders, breathing heavily. He hid his face into her hair as he fought to breathe normally, slowly pulling away, making her silently whimper at the loss of feeling him so close.
"Grace…Sweetheart, don't tempt me", he murmured into her ear "I am barely holding myself back", he gently kissed her hair, feeling her nod and leaning her face on his shoulder, trying to calm down.
"You and me both", she whispered "And we still have 47 days until February 14th".
He slowly pulled away and gently picked up her head with his palm. Looking down at her sparkling eyes, he whispered:
"I adore you", he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, causing her to sigh in happiness, her eyes fluttering closed "You make me feel like I could move the mountains."
Grace's smile grew and she opened her sparkling eyes.
"Good. Because you make me feel that way too. But, if we are going to move the mountains, Governor, we need some nourishment", she quipped "We are way too skinny", as Lucas laughed in disbelief and pure joy, Grace giggled and grabbed a paper bag from the table "We'll start with these and then I am taking you to town", pulling out two blueberry cookies, she gave him one while she happily munched on the other one.
Lucas' eyes softened and his heart melted at seeing her offering.
Always his favourite dessert.
Looking back at his love, he bit on the cookie and asked curiously:
"To town?"
Grace's eyes twinkled.
"It is your first holiday season in Capitol City. And you said that you love Christmas market", she practically bounced on her feet from excitement "It lasts until New Year's Eve here. And it is amazing. Therefore", she took his hand and gently pulled him toward the doors "Let me introduce my beloved tumbleweed to the magic of Christmas in our fair city!"
Lucas' eyes widened in surprise, his smile widening.
"Oh, my dear Miss Bennet, please, lead the way!", he said as they both laughed, walking out from his office and rushing down the long corridor.
—--
The sound of Christmas carols, jingle bells, laughter and joyful voices came from every side as Grace led Lucas through the Christmas market, stopping every now and then to check the offerings on the Christmas stands that were surrounding them. Thousands and thousands of string lights were shimmering, big Christmas trees on every few steps, the snowflakes whirling in the air.
Grace shook her hair at the feeling of white snowflakes falling and melting in her brunette waves. She stopped in her steps, put up her index finger and turning around on her heels, she deadpanned:
"Wait. Hold on", she looked up at Lucas and smiled mischeviously "I need a cap."
Lucas raised his eyebrows, his lips curling up in smile.
"A cap?", he pointed to his and hers Santa hat "And what is this?"
Grace glared at him.
"That's for fun. I need something more serious to protect my hair from the snow. It will mess it up", as she turned to leave toward the stand with caps, gloves and scarves, she whispered in his ear "And nobody but you, my handsome Governor, is allowed to mess up my hair", and before Lucas was able to form a reasonable thought, she was off.
He smiled as he followed her. She was already at the stand, talking to a saleswoman and browsing through the woolen items.
"Ah, here it is!", she pulled out a cap with a huge fluffy ball on top if it and happily put it on her hair "How much?", as she pulled out her wallet, Lucas stopped her.
"Here, let me", he said with a warm smile and paid for the cap.
Grace smiled warmly at him.
"Alright. Thank you. But now let me buy something for you", she turned her head left and right to inspect the items on the stand, sending the fluffy ball on the top of her cap into a wild motion, causing Lucas to laugh. Grace grinned happily as she tossed her head back, her hair falling like a chocolate waterfall down her back, the fluffy ball vigorously flying in every direction.
She giggled as she looked back down at the stand and gasped:
"Christmas sweaters!", she quickly browsed through them and laughed as she took in the silliness of them. Suddenly, she pulled out a red one with Rudolph the red nosed reindeer and gasped "Lucas! This one!"
Lucas looked at the sweater and frowned.
"What?! No way!", he said through laughter.
Grace leaned a silly sweater on his chest and squealed:
"Oh, come on! It brings out your...your...eyebrows!", she deadpanned, stifling laughter.
Lucas raised his eyebrows, then frowned at the sweater one more time.
"Seriously, you want me to wear that?!", he asked incredulously.
Grace giggled.
"Oh, I would pay to see you wear it!", she quickly paid to the saleswoman and taking a bag with sweater, she led Lucas away from the stand.
Lucas grinned as he hugged her around her waist with one arm and pulling her to his side, he silently asked:
"What exactly would you pay?"
Grace bit her lower lip at hearing his velvety, husky whisper and snuggling into his side, she slowed down her steps and whispered:
"Would you like me to tell you or show you?"
Lucas stopped and turned toward her, his eyes clouded with love and passion.
"Show me", he whispered.
And in the next moment Grace kissed him, her lips immediately going wild on his, her tongue entering his mouth, causing him to lose every reasonable thought and he kissed her right back with everything he felt.
A need for air became desperate and made them break the kiss, their heavy breaths mingling as he leaned his forehead on her forehead.
She smiled lovingly.
"Are you hungry? I'm famished! Let's eat!", and she took his hand, pulling him further into the Christmas market.
They stopped at the stand with Bratwurst with sauerkraut and ordered two.
"I can't believe it that judge Avery wanted to eat it without sauerkraut!", Grace said through giggles as they waited for their order.
Lucas laughed.
"Yeah, and on the other side, Henry couldn't get enough of it!", he took two Bratwursts with sauerkraut and handing one to Grace, he asked "Where to now?"
Grace turned her head right and left, making Lucas almost choke on his Bratwurst with sauerkraut as he laughed at the fluffy ball on her cap flying wildly.
Grace looked at him and laughed, knowing what was the reason.
"You're just jealous you don't have a cap like this!", she quipped and sent them both into fits of laughter.
Lucas threw his head back as he laughed out loud and in the next moment, he hugged his Grace around her shoulders and continued their walk. He felt her arm wrapping around his waist and the warmth flew through his body and soul.
She was everything.
—--
As the snow started to fall harder, Grace suggested that they go to the cafe nearby to get away from the cold. Lucas agreed with it and they rushed toward the cafe, both exhilarated from the lovely time they had.
They quickly found free seats and sat down. The waiter brought them mulled wine and both of them sipped on it before Lucas leaned his forehead on Grace's forehead and warmly smiled.
"This was the best Christmas market I ever visited. Thank you", he whispered with a loving smile.
Grace smiled happily, her cheeks warming up from Lucas' love and mulled wine.
"Better than your favourite one in Münich?", as he slightly nodded, she gently nuzzled his nose with hers and whispered "What made it better?"
Lucas caressed her hair and back as he looked deeply in her eyes.
"You, Grace", he whispered "You made it better. You make everything better."
And as those words left his mouth, he leaned in and kissed his beautiful fiancée, feeling like the happiest man in this world.
She kissed him back with all the love she felt for him, her heart beating wildly at the feeling of his lips on hers.
And as they slowly pulled away, Grace looked at Lucas' eyes and smiled happily.
"Well in that case… I think we should have some germknödel before we leave", and as he chuckled and pulled her in for another kiss Grace giggled happily, surrendering to his love.
And as Lucas loved her with his lips and arms, Grace felt like the happiest woman alive.
—--
If I could be anywhere with anyone
You know exactly where'd I'd be
Under the covers waiting for the sun to rise
Your head on the pillow next to me.
Your feet propped up on that kitchen chair
Morning papers scattered all around you
Coffee brewing on the cast iron stove
And the pleasure of just knowing that you're mine.
Well, I love the way you look
Love the way you feel
And the way you roll your eyes
At the kisses that I steal.
Love the way you stare
When you're staring right at me
I just love your company.
Oh, yes, I do.
Arm in arm on some Spring sidewalk day
Laughing just because it feels so right
Wrapped up under the blankets all cozy by the fire
As long as you're here close enough to touch.
Well, I love the way you look
Love the way you feel
And the way you roll your eyes
At the kisses that I steal.
Love the way you stare
When you're staring right at me
I just love your company
Oh, yes, I do.
Well, I love the way you look
Love the way you smell
And I love your pretty eyes
And the lies they never tell.
Love the way you stare
When you're staring right at me
I just love your company
Oh, yes, I do.
("Tu compania" - Keith Urban)