Whitney groaned against the voice pulling her from her dream.  Turning over she whimpered and let out a mumbled "no" as she kept her eyes closed tightly and tried to bring back the club, the music, the hazy atmosphere, the New Year's celebration, the beautiful man she'd been drinking and dancing with. The man who had been just about to kiss her...

"Wake up." The voice came again, this time right by her ear.  She shivered as she felt warm breath on her skin and strong, yet soft, lips press themselves to her neck. 

With another groan, Whitney rolled back over and felt the bed move as the owner of the voice put their hands down on either side of her.  She felt his body warmth and inhaled the familiar scent of his cologne.  That smell finally pulled the last vestiges of sleep from her and she opened her eyes.  She watched as a slow smile spread across his face as he hovered above her.

"Hi." He said, a beautiful smile on his handsome face.

"Hi." She replied, a smile coming to her face. 

"Must have been a good dream." He remarked, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.  "I was having quite a time trying to wake you up."

"Mmm..." Whitney hummed as she put her arms up above her head and stretched.  "Very good." She replied as she draped her arms around his neck.

"Should I be jealous?" He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked down at her.

"Nope." She shook her head as she slid her fingers into the dark hair at the nape of his neck.  She pulled him closer.  "It was about you." She said as she kissed him.

JC chuckled as he kissed her back and Whitney let out a groan as he lowered his weight down on top of her.  She missed him like crazy when they were apart but reuniting with him was always so deliciously sweet it was almost worth the separation.

Almost.

"White Chocolate Mocha?" She asked as his tongue traced along her bottom lip then tangled with hers and she tasted him fully.  He nodded as he continued kissing her.  "You better have brought me one." She said as he released her mouth and trailed his lips across her jaw and down her neck.

"I'm not stupid." He remarked with a chuckle, the sound vibrating from his chest to hers.  He pulled back and looked at her.  "I learned my lesson on that one a long time ago." He continued, gesturing with his head to the side.  Whitney turned and saw the pair of familiar Starbuck's cups on the bedside table.  "Did I do good?" He asked as he nipped at her collarbone. 

Whitney giggled and nodded as she turned back to look at him.  "Very." She replied.    

JC pulled back, pushing himself up on his forearms, and Whitney just laid there for a moment-soaking in the fact that he was really there.  She slid one hand sliding to cup his cheek.  He hadn't shaved in a day or two and the scruff of his whiskers tickled her.  He turned his head and closed his eyes as he pressed his lips to her palm.  He turned his eyes back to her and she felt her stomach quiver at the love and desire she saw there.  It was still amazing to her that this man loved her--had chosen her--and she thanked her lucky stars and all the powers in the Universe that they had been brought together the way they had three years ago. 

It had truly been a serendipitous meeting and one that still felt like a dream sometimes.

"What were you dreaming about me?" He asked, his head turning slightly as his lips pressed to the inside of her wrist. 

Whitney watched as his lips continued to tease the sensitive skin of her inner arm until he turned those blue eyes of his on her again.  "Our first Christmas." She replied, sliding her hand up-her fingers combing through his hair.  He grinned.

"Hard to believe that was three years ago." He mused.

"I know." She nodded.

"And you said it wouldn't last." He stated with a teasing sparkle in his eyes.

"I didn't say it wouldn't last." Whitney insisted.  "I only said it was going to be hard."

"But you thought it wasn't going to last." He continued.  "Admit it."

"Okay." She nodded in acceptance. "I was...hesitant at first."

"Why?" He questioned.

"Why was I hesitant?" Whitney asked.  He nodded.  "Because..." she laughed, the answer obvious to her.  He continued to look at her, waiting.  "You're a celebrity, for one." She said.

"And two?" JC asked.

"And two." She said dropping her arms.  JC moved from atop her as she sat up.  "We live on opposite coasts." She reminded him of the reason they were constantly saying hello and good-bye.

"But we've made it work." He said.

Whitney nodded.  "Yeah." She smiled, a warm feeling spreading through her.  "We've made it work." They had both racked up an enormous amount of frequent flyer miles crossing the country on a regular basis.  Whitney was now so familiar with the JKF and LAX airports she was pretty sure she could walk through them both blindfolded.  She hated it.  She hated being separated from him the majority of the time, but until she finished school in the spring, this was how it had to be. 

"I hate being on the opposite side of the country from you," JC said as if he were reading her thoughts.  "But you know I love you, right?" He asked.

She smiled.  "Yes." She replied.  If there was one thing she knew, it was how much this man loved her.  He was a reserved individual when it came to his emotions.  Their relationship had progressed slowly over the last three years but the love between them was strong and undeniable.  She leaned toward him where he sat on the bed and placed both hands on his face.  "I love you." She told him as she pressed her lips to his. 

Their kiss became long, slow, and deep--the kind that curled her toes and made her stomach and heart flip-flop in her chest and a tingling sensation to completely consume her.  When at last they parted, Whitney opened her eyes and looked at him.  His blue eyes met hers and she smiled.  "Are you going to tell me why you're here?" She asked and he gave her a questioning look.

"If you don't want me here, I'll leave." He said and began to move away from her.

"Wait a minute!"  Whitney laughed, reaching out to grab a hold of him and keep him from leaving.  "I don't want you to leave.  You're flight wasn't supposed to come in until tonight." She told him as he moved back to sit on the edge of the bed.  "How come you're here so early?"

"I couldn't wait any longer to see you." He replied and she smiled.  "Plus," he said, getting up and reaching down into his duffle bag on the floor.  "I couldn't wait any longer to give you one of your presents."

"Christmas isn't until tomorrow." She reminded him.

"I know." He said, tossing her a grin over his shoulder.

Whitney chuckled quietly as she reached over for the coffee he had brought her and took a sip.  "I'm good with you and this coffee." She told him as she savored the warmth and flavor of her favorite drink.  "I don't need anything else."

JC found what he had been searching for and turned to face her, his hands hidden behind his back.  She looked up at him expectantly, but the look on his face was suddenly making her made her nervous.  She set the coffee cup back on the nightstand-her eyes widening and her heart stopping as he knelt down by the side of the bed. 

"What--"

"December twenty-third, two thousand ten." He began, cutting her off.  "I was here in New York for friend's release party.  I was bemoaning the fact that I was stuck here, in a blizzard, while the rest of my family was on a cruise." He continued.  "But then I saw this beautiful woman from across the room and suddenly the Caribbean lost its appeal." 

Whitney smiled as he began telling her about the night he had first seen her.  It hadn't been until about a year into their relationship that he had finally confessed to having noticed her at the release party the day before he rescued her at the airport.  She hadn't believed him at first then had accused him of being a stalker but now they both just smiled about the memory. 

"I wanted to talk to her--to get her to notice me--but she disappeared on me that night.  I searched for her, but she never reappeared.  I began to think maybe I had just made her up; that she was just a dream--a figment of my imagination--but I found her again the next day." JC continued.  "I rescued that beautiful damsel in distress and whisked her away to sunny L.A.  She completely captivated me and I proceeded to work on charming her socks off in hopes that she would consent to allowing me to be a part of her life."

He pulled a black velvet ring box from behind his back at that point and Whitney felt her eyes go wide.  Her breath hitched and her heart skipped several beats as he opened the box, revealing a breathtaking, 2 carat, three-stone, platinum engagement ring. 

"Jace...?" She questioned, her eyes darting back and forth between the ring and his face.  She felt tears gather in her eyes unexpectantly as he continued.

"I love you, Whitney." He said, the power and conviction behind those four simple words never failed to leave her breathless and today was no different.   His tongue flicked out and wet his bottom lip.  He cleared his throat nervously then finally spit the words out.  "Will you marry me?"

"Yes." She replied without even having to think about it.  He let go a sigh of relief as she threw back the covers and flung her arms around him.  "Yes!" She exclaimed.  He rose up on his knees and hugged her tightly. 

"I was so afraid you'd say no." He confessed with a relieved chuckle. 

"After all that?" She said with a shaky laugh as she sniffed and blinked back the tears.  "How could I say no?"  He laughed as he tightened his arms around her.   She pulled back after a few moments and looked at him.  Placing her hands on either side of his face she pressed her lips to his, kissing him deeply.  Their kiss continued-each taking their time in tasting the other one and savoring this moment.  Finally, she pulled back and rested her forehead against his.  Her eyes remained closed for another moment but then she opened them and met his sapphire gaze.

He loosened his arms from around her and Whitney pulled back-watching as he removed the engagement ring from its box.  Taking her left hand in his, he slid the ring into place on her third finger.  "It's beautiful, Jace." She told him, taking in the way the diamond sparkled as she moved her hand from side to side.  Their eyes met and she had to blink back the tears that wanted to fall.  He placed his hands on her face as he leaned forward and kissed her softly, sweetly.  "This is the second best Christmas present I've ever gotten." She told him as his thumbs brushed away the tears that fell down her cheeks. 

"What's the best present you've ever received?" He asked. 

"You." She replied, putting a hand to his face.  She leaned forwarded and pressed her lips against his warmly.  "You."