The Christmas music continued to play, and Zara leaned against the car window dozing, lack of sleep pulled her under.  Between nods, it was clear that they went away from the city.  She watched the Big Apple fade into another location that she wasn't familiar with. Glancing back skyscrapers and multitudinous buildings covering the skyline sank into gray clouds and hovering smog from the city. Wide fields and smaller cities dotted the landscape and they headed up towards the mountains.  "Where are we going?" she yawned.

"I think that we should have a truce today. We've got a hell of a lot to talk about, but not now. You shot all my adrenaline getting you away from the airport."

"Sorry, Roe."

"Don't be sorry.  I know you very well, and you didn't do anything that I wouldn't have expected. We're going to Dyker Tree Farm in Brooklyn to pick out a Christmas tree.  They'll drop it off this afternoon, set up the lights and we'll finish the rest."

"I'd like that."

"Pick whatever you want – wreaths, bows, garland.  Then we'll stop off at the mall and let you do some Christmas shopping."

Zara shook her head, thinking about his ability to move past a problem.  He'd always been like that – never letting anything stick.  This admirable quality kept her anchored to him for years – with the exception of the year it nearly killed her to be apart. It soothed her life in so many ways.  How did I get so lucky having someone so calm? "You've got more patience than anyone that I know."

"Love is patient."

He glanced over watching her eyes soften.  That look of  'I hear you but,' was gone. Instead, the softness in her eyes, the way she touched his hand for a brief moment and the fact that she came back with him implied that she was open to possibilities. That was enough to keep him hopeful.

An hour later they pulled into the parking lot of the tree farm.  They walked through rows of trees until they found a heavy scented blue spruce. The tree was tall with wide-robust limbs.

"That's got to be about ten feet tall," Roman said.

"It's perfect."

"Just like you." Roman stepped in front of Zara.  He pushed Zara's parka hood back, leaned down and kissed her.  The soft kiss spread through his skin like a soothing mist. He inwardly sighed knowing that she wouldn't be running again.  No, they would have an enjoyable evening setting up the Christmas tree.  He drew her closer making sure not to get too close to her waistline.  It wasn't worth the risk of making her uncomfortable. During the blizzard he'd make sure that Zara knew that he loved every inch of her.  "That's the last time that I will kiss your forehead."

He chuckled seeing her cheeks bloom red as the poinsettias on the shelves.  Then he pulled the hood back over her head. Roman called the attendant to pack up the tree.  They went inside and finished the rest of their shopping. Zara followed Roman around the store in a haze, with her skin tingling, while stuffing the basket with decorations.

***

Zara held the beautiful angel that they'd purchased at the mall.  Its elaborate red and gold gown was the perfect top for the Christmas tree.  They had spent hours decorating the house and finishing out the multi-colored lit tree.  It glistened with red, green and gold bulbs, an assortment of gold ribbons. Glittery silver snowflakes threaded through the branches.

He kneeled down and patted his shoulders.  "Hop on."  Zara's eyes widened and he laughed. "How else are we going to get the angel up there, I don't have a ladder."

Heat swept down Zara's back and she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.  He'd been walking around shirtless in those peppermint pajamas all evening. One of the best things that she'd ever laid eyes upon. After his declarations at the tree yard, her nerves were on edge.  He grinned and it nearly made her topple over.

"Come on, Zara."

Slow strides and then hanging one leg cautiously over his shoulder, had her pulse ramp up. Feeling his hand firmly grip her waist as the other leg swung over stopped her heart. She wrapped one arm around his neck while holding the angel with the other.  Roman lifted, hearing nervous laughter fill the room.  When he reached full height Zara stuffed the angel on the tiptop branch of the tree.  Kneeling down again, he helped Zara off.

"Beautiful," she said, with eyes sweeping the expanse of the tree.  Gazing upon the rest of the room, she nodded approval.  Garlands covered the blazing fireplace, wreaths hung from the panes of glass and chandeliers.  Poinsettias gave elegance to tabletops and the kitchen island. "It looks great in here."

Roman pulled a plush red-fleece blanket from the sofa and laid it in front of the fireplace.  He tossed a few pillows on the floor, as well. He grabbed a sprig of mistletoe from the mantle, dangling it as he pointed to the blanket. Zara, with mind muddled and heat pooling in her stomach, eased over to where his finger rested.  Roman pulled the Santa hat from his head and tossed it on the sofa.

"I have three questions," he said, laying the mistletoe aside and pressing Zara back against the blanket.  "Did you ever mean it when you said that you only loved me as your brother?"  He kissed the side of her mouth.

There was a long pause as she decided whether to lie or give in to what her heart always wanted. While she paused, Roman busied himself with kissing her face. A firestorm spread through her body.

"No," she whispered.

"Is the relationship between you and Thomas over?"

Zara knew what Roman was doing – closing the net. Nerves danced on her skin. He was careful to remove any excuse she could have from moving the relationship forward. The lie, 'NO,' was on the tip of her tongue until he sank his mouth over her neck. She clutched the blanket as heat singed her skin. "Roman."

"Answer me."

"Yes, it's over," she breathed.

Legs of steel straddled Zara, she gasped. The sound filled his heart with fire.  "Are we together?"

"Yeah."

She curled her arms around Roman's neck, pulling him down.  Their lips fused, releasing ages of pent up passion. The hard thrust of his tongue invaded her mouth, drawing a guttural moan as Zara lost herself. Breaths hastened, they'd snatch for air only to demand more languishing kisses. Roman's hand slipped under her head, drawing closer – plundering deeper.  The world faded away as raw-hunger smoldered between them. 

***

Zara had gone to bed hours ago, but the realization of what had transpired between them kept Roman awake. The kisses played back in his head filling him with needed contentment. Winds picked up around the building and he walked over to the windows and laughed as he watched his prayer get answered.  "Yes!" he mouthed, though he burst on the inside.  This had to be the best night of  his life.  Any smidgen of doubt that she might leave vanished – stuck, snowed in, blizzard bound – perfect.

There were no dots of snow-plows on the road, it was a complete whiteout.  Rooftops had at least five feet of snow and looking down at the city exposed yellow taxicabs covered up to the windows.  No humans walked the streets and no cars drove to and fro.  Grabbing the remote, he clicked to the weather channel.  The weather report confirmed that New York City was under a severe blizzard, roadways closed as well as the airport.  Roman clapped his hands together, falling back onto the sofa, laughing hard on the inside.

Zara's cell phone bounced onto the floor and he picked it up placing it on the chrome end table.  As soon as he did, the phone flashed. There was a string of missed calls on the screen.  Two from their friend Ava and many calls from someone named Ethan G.  With the number of calls, he wondered if he should wake Zara, thinking that it might be an emergency.  After much deliberation, he decided not to. 

Zara had talked about all significant men. Though in her life she'd avoided him, Zara never lacked companionship.  She liked relationships that lasted long, because she hated the idea of being on 'the market.' The relationship between she and Thomas went on longer than most. He'd often envied that those men got her attention. But it relieved him to know that he'd envied in vain. Now he knew that she always wanted him but feared the relationship. If fear lived, he'd beat it to death.  So the conclusion was that Ethan must be of little value in her life since he didn't know him.  Roman flipped the phone over so that the flashes wouldn't disturb him.  Pulling his mind back into the present moment, he resumed his thoughts of his beautiful evening with Zara.