We finished wrapping the boxes. Finally, right! It took a lot more than I expected buuut... it was so pleasant that I wouldn't mind for stolling just a little bit more. Or a lot more.

But oh, well, we did it. All the boxes were beautifully camouflaged like presents and arranged under the amazing Christmas tree. Honestly, whoever did it did an incredible job - it's like brought out of a picture, but still it brings the familly coziness which is lacking everywhere else in this house.

Oliver and I took our coats and with a last look around this magical room that make us bond even more, we left it and headed downstairs searching fo Mary. Luckily, she was just entering the hallway so we didn't need to call her.

"Are you ready?" She asked, nervously wringing her hands.

We nodded and answered simultaniously, "Yes."

She sighed in a relief and headed upstairs, "I'll check it. Thank you!"

"Mary, wait!"

She stopped hesitantly, looking first to us then upstairs and then back to us.

"You need to give us the cookie box first," I reminded her.

"Oh, yes! Sorry!" She replied and smiled apologetically, then ran down the stairs and into another hallway.

A couple of minutes later Mary came back with the box, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Here," she handed it to me and I took it with trembling hands. "Thank you for the help!" She repeated with a soft smile, and tried to run upstairs again. But I stopped her in her tracks once more.

"I'll send Harry with two more boxes on the house - one for Mrs Jones and one for you," I said, smiling playfully and waiting to see if she got what I wasn't saying but really meant.

She stopped abruptly and barely felt down, stumbling in one of the stairs. But when she turned around, her face said it all.

"Harry will come?" She asked and a nice pink colour painted her from neck to the roots of her hair, exposing her real age that the mask of earnesty and worry stubbornly tried to hide. Mary was young, really young, not more than 19-20.

I nodded. "Yes, and if you don't mind I may hint him that there's a lovely girl here who would like to share a cup of coffee with him, though he might prefer herbal tea." 

Mary blushed even more, and replied with bright and joyful smile, "I prefer tea as well, and..." She bit her lower lip and hesitated, but then shook her head like saying "So what!" silently, to herself, and finished her thought, "I'd love to share a cup or two with him!"

"I'll make sure he will get the message," I replied and gave her a conspiratorial wink.

She beamed, "Thank you... um?"

"Ashley," I said, then took Oliver's hand in mine and added, "and Oliver."

"Thank you Ashley and Oliver! All that you did means a lot to me! Thank you!" Mary replied and finally got upstairs.

After following Marie with my eyes, I turned to Oliver, who had already put on his coat. He took mine from the crook of your arm as well as the box of cookies, placed the box on the small table in the corner by the front door, and unfolded the coat to help me put it on. I gave him a grateful smile and turned my back. I shoved first my left and then my right arm into the sleeves and he placed it on my shoulders. His hands slid down my arms and his warm breath sent shivers down my body as he moved closer to my ear before whispering, "I guess you got inspired by our French friend and decided to play Cupid huh?"

I giggled and turned to face him. His lopsided smile and the playful twinkle in his eyes widened my grin, and my heart sang to me, "He's gorgeous!" Heat crept up my neck and into my face, no doubt turning my cheeks a dark pink.

A full smile stretched Oliver's full lips and he placed his warm hands on my waist, pulling me closer to him and sending shivers all over my body. My knees went weak and I placed my palms flat on his chest.

"Maybe," I answered his playful question, and tried to keep my voice steady, which was hard, his closeness was playing tricks with my heart and made it hard for me to breathe but in the most pleasant way possible. "Henry and Mary could be a great couple." And I added with a flirtatious smile as my fingers played with his coat collar, "And since they don't have our luck to go on a quest for a ring, well, then why not help them a little."

"Is that mean that our little adventure has made us... a couple?" He asked with a gleam in his eyes.

"I don't know you tell me," I teased, locking his eyes with mine. 

Oliver pulled me even closer to him, making me rise to my toes and my arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.

"I'd like to say we are," he said and his voice was breathy and hoarse.

"Me too," I replied and my eyes caressed his face before stopping on his lips.

My gaze lifted back to his eyes and then turned to his full enticing lips. Oliver got the hint and didn't keep me wondering if they'd taste as good as in my imagination. And when his mouth connected with mine... Mmm! He tasted even better! 

Oliver's lips softly touched mine before deepening the kiss and fireworks exploaded around us and in my stomach and I felt my skin all tingly and antsy and my whole body warmed up and my heart was singing a melody I never heard before and I-I felt...

It seemed like forever since I'd felt like this... In fact, I had never felt like this before! But now... I felt...

I felt truly happy!