The freezing cold harshly bit at your tender skin, yet it didn’t stop you from standing there with Nicholas. He could see the sparkle in your eye as you stared at the count down, brimming with excitement. This was the fourth week of your stay with him in New York City, for the second time. Almost four years ago, you and Nicholas had met online during the Covid Lockdown. Since that fateful day, a sort of ache filled Nicholas’ heart when he couldn’t talk to you. Then when the two of you had met up, he felt lonely without you.

“FIVE!” The crowd shouted as the countdown appeared on the screen. Despite your eyes ahead, Nicholas couldn’t bring himself to face away from you. As the wind blew through your hair, he could smell your shampoo. He longed for you. To love you, hold you, and cherish you. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he stared at you, his hands trembling ever so slightly. Nicholas had always been a stoic, dry man and yet he yearned for you. “FOUR!” The cheers rang across the New York Times Square.

The raven-hair mechanics head spun as he stared at you. You were ethereal, standing there with the lights of billboards, flashlights, and whatever else highlighting your face. “THREE!” He couldn’t help himself. There was no way he could let you stand there another moment without slotting his lips against yours. The same lips he desperately imagined feeling graze over his skin at night, the lips he’d see smiling back at him when he looked at pictures of you. “TWO!”

His hand reached out, cupping your cheek in his rough palm. How was it you managed to worm your way into his heart so easily? Was it charm? Your wit? Was it your humor or your personality? He didn’t know. All Nicholas knew was he loved you. “ONE!” The moment the ball dropped, his lips pressed flush against yours as cheers of ‘Happy New Years’ and what not rang across the crowd. Yet he couldn’t hear any of it. His ears only picking up on the gasp that ripped from your throat.

“Happy New Year, Angel.” He hummed against your lips.