"Let's take a five minute break guys," Kevin Antunes said as he pulled the in-ear monitor out. "Great job on that new arrangement." 

JC was all grins as he ran to the water bottles, taking a long sip of his. He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Almost done boo," he texted with a smiley face. 

Justin walked up next to him and laughed, chugging his water. "I love watching you like this," he grinned. 

JC looked at him and made a face that softened the moment he looked down at his phone. Sam had texted him a picture of her in the kitchen making dinner. "Look bro," he laughed, "We're almost done with this rehearsal then we're having dinner. My girl is in the kitchen looking fine as hell. Ashley is flying home from London tonight and all will be right in the world again."

Justin made a little face. "It's been a hard few weeks okay? Lots of stress." 

JC pursed his lips for a moment considering his own few weeks that had just passed him by. "I understand your wifey being away but you're about to see her. Don't be a grinch."

"It's not that I'm a grinch!" Justin got up, walking back to the stage to rehearse their final number. "This is just different... Ashley is... she's..." He stopped himself for a moment and shook his head. "We're married. You'll get it someday."

"Ew. Don't play that married bullshit with me. I'm basically the same kind of married you are, just without the damn papers. Fuck that." JC snatched his microphone from the stand. 

Justin smirked, watching JC get angsty. "Okay, let's break this one down boys." 

***

JC stood in front of the sink, watching the snow begin to fall outside of the windows of the condo in Soho. He smiled softly, feeling at home in New York. Justin and Ashley had just left for their hotel and he was absentmindedly drying the last of the dishes as Sam sipped her whiskey and cider. At a quick glance, she was watching the snow with a dreamy look. It made his heart feel at ease. 

Sam looked up after flipping on the lightswitch to the rooftop. "You want to come upstairs with me and have another Chasez special drink and watch the city and snow in the hot tub?"

His eyes lit up and he nodded. "Have I ever said no to the hot tub and looking at stars or the city with you?" He dropped the dish towel on the counter and walked up to her, sliding an arm around her waist to pull her into his side with a sloppy kiss on the corner of her lips. "Let me refill our drinks."

She smiled and nodded. "I'll meet you on the rooftop in a few minutes baby. I love you." She leaned and kissed once more softly before she walked to the bedroom where she slipped into a simple black two piece, pulling her hair in a messy high bun. Her jewelry came off and she smiled slightly as she placed the rose gold heart JC had just given her earlier in the week on the dresser. She let out a soft sigh of contentment as she climbed the stairs from her room to the rooftop. JC was climbing the opposite stairs holding their drinks. They both arrived at the same time and it made her smile. The snow began to fall a little bit harder. 

JC walked to the ledge and pulled the cover off of the hot tub and turned on the outdoor heaters. He looked around, up at the New York skyline and then over at Sam. There was something about the glow of the moon, the faded stars and the city that held pure magic for him. He slipped off his t-shirt, leaving it on the chair next to the hot tub. He was left in grey sweatpants with his boxer briefs showing. He walked to her and took her hand, grinning at the snow. "I didn't think this was going to start until tomorrow." 

"Specially ordered just for you," She grinned, taking the two towels she brought from their room and sticking them inside the towel warmer. When she closed it, she took his other hand.

He smiled softly, pulling her against his body. The heaters were warm and the light flakes melted the moment they touched their bodies. "You wished for snow, didn't you sweetheart? Your wishes always come true."

She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a big hug. There was no feeling she loved more than his warm embrace. "Mmm. Didn't wish for them tonight. That wasn't me." she peeked up at him playfully and the lights dancing in his eyes made her smile."

He hummed softly, kissing her temple before smiling against it. "Oh, maybe that was me... I wanted the snow." He kissed down the side of her face until he arrived at her lips. His arms were draped nicely around her waist, firmly but not too tight. 

"Mmm, you seem to have a habit of making your wishes come true, Josh." She smiled against his lips, kissing a few times with a soft lock and letting her nose rub against his.

"Oh yeah? Is that right? Like what wishes have I asked for that have come true baby?" He rubbed his nose to hers, taking a moment to step out of his sweatpants, then stepping into the hot tub and lifting her inside with him. 

"Oh, I don't know. Snow. Maybe a good imported beer. Some sex?" She leaned against one of the jets and closed her eyes with a playful grin. 

"My biggest wish got answered this year in Paris," His voice was soft but steady as he reached for his drink, settling down against a jet next to her. He leaned his head back on the ledge as he took a sip.

Her eyes fluttered open with a smile. "I don't suppose that you're talking about my birthday and the sex in the car back to the hotel." She rested her head on his shoulder, sighing thoughtfully. "You made every wish I never even knew I had come true in Paris, Joshua Scott."

He grinned proudly. "All of those little things were wishes that I didn't know I wanted to come true either baby. I mean the sex, yes of course. We always have had amazing sex and I'll never stop wishing for that for the rest of time. But you saying yes to forever with me is probably the best. Aside from it being your birthday."

"And here we are... back to the place where we first watched the snow fall together." She let out a soft hum. 

He took another sip and put his drink down to pull his arm around her and place his lips against her head. He knew he needed to say nothing in that moment as he looked at her, then over at the snow falling. It took him back to the previous December, wrapped under a blanket. He was so out of his element at first with her, but so intoxicated with her aura that he couldn't make himself stay away.

She looked up at him, smiling at how thoughtful he was. "Kind of makes me want to look at that picture of the two of us all wrapped up in my blanket." She rubbed his leg slightly, "Though I can picture it so clearly right now. So many little details."

"What are some of the details you're talking about?" He pushed back a flyaway hair from her eyes into her bun to smooth it down. "I want to know what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours baby."

She closed her eyes and smiled, "You rubbed the back of your neck a lot. I don't even think you realized you were doing it, but you did. And I remember your cologne. I don't know that you ever wore that one again after you wore it on Halloween and the Gala. You switched to Gucci later." She made a soft hum as she was thinking, "And I remember your eyes. They were very blue. Bluer than any other man I think I'd ever seen before. And sometimes about them... it was scary but not at the same time. I got butterflies from you right away which was a little scary, but exciting too. Something about you was familiar though I had never had it before." Her eyes fluttered open as she peered up at him from his shoulder. 

He couldn't help but smile down at her, then he glanced up at the sky again. The lights of the Chrysler Building twinkled in front of him. He paused for a few moments before he spoke. "I was so nervous around you. I remember touching my neck when I felt something that I thought was nerves. Later on I figured out that you were giving me the damn butterflies too. I had never had them before you..."

She nodded, returning his gaze. "I was nervous too. I liked you on Halloween as much as I didn't want to admit it, and I definitely liked the attention you gave to me all of November. I didn't realize just how much until I got so nervous when you told me that the gala was a music video. We sat at that table and I almost cried because I told myself he's too amazing to actually want to spend time with me and not because his record label told him to."

He looked down at her again, reaching to pull her closer to him as the water began to drift her away. "You actually thought that the label was originally telling me to be with you? Like you doubted my attention for you?" His hand came down and gently touched her face. Though she had become comfortable with his movements again, he continued to be deliberately gentle and patient with his girl. 

"When you told me that you were filming a music video, I immediately went there in my mind. That this was all business for you and my head told me that was why this was all happening to me."

"Yeah, well," He locked his arms around her while he looked down intently into her eyes, "I hope that once you actually got on the real set and saw the way I was looking at you and the way I kissed you, you knew that it was more than just a business thing for me." He smiled thoughtfully, "Even if I wasn't sure just how bad I had it for you, I couldn't lie about how I was feeling."

She laughed softly. "I figured it out." Her hands came up out of the water and she looked down at her ring with a grin. "I mean you kinda locked this down and all."

"Hell yeah I did! Once I actually stopped lying to myself about what it really was, I wasn't about to ruin it for myself or let you get away. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me in my whole life. My body and mind were letting me know REAL quick. You were different and I wasn't going to be the same dude I had always been with other women. You were what I needed. You are absolutely everything to me baby... seriously." His voice had a low and rushed quality. 

She looked up at him thoughtfully. "Were you lying to yourself because you were embarrassed that it was me that made you feel that way? Or just that you weren't sure about what was happening?"

He put his hand under her chin to make sure she was looking up at him. "I was never embarrassed for one single second with you. I never second guessed you, it was me that I was questioning. My heart had feelings for you instantly, and I don't get feelings." His thumb rubbed along her cheek. "I should say I didn't ever before." 

She smiled, leaning into his touch. "Well you don't ever need to get them again, cause you're mine. And I'm making no plans on sharing you with anyone else in the foreseeable future."

"Ummm, you'll never have to share me with anyone because I'm all yours forever, Until death remember?" He grinned, taking her hand to look at the way the diamond sparkled in the moonlight. "I'm yours and you're mine."

"Mmm, this is true. May will be here before you know it." She smiled, and her voice became soft and thoughtful. "Hey Josh?"

He was playing with her ring just a little as she looked to her eyes with a smile on his face. "Yes baby?"

"When we get home, can we buy a tree for the living room? I want a real Christmas tree." She smiled. 

He pursed his lips as he thought about the layout of their home. "Of course we can get a real tree baby, we have to have a tree. Do you want more than one? Whatever you want honey, you can have it."

"I mean I definitely want one in our living room. We can get a big one since the house has high ceilings. If you want one in the guest house we can too but it's probably not as important. Our folks will have the tree in the house. Maybe just one for our first Christmas will be just fine." She looked up at him and smiled, "Unless you envision one somewhere else."

He let out a cute laugh. "I guess I hadn't really thought about it yet baby. I haven't ever had more than one tree but when we get home let's see how the house looks with some decorations. I've also never really bought too much in the Christmas department. I've been a single man with a job that usually keeps me away, so Christmas is spent at home with my folks."

She grinned. "I know that. I happened to put up a tree from Target for you last year." She leaned up and kissed him softly. "I think one tree will be just fine. Our house doesn't need to be a Christmas overload the first year."

He began to laugh. "But what you're SAYING isssss that by the third year, it's going to look like Christmas originated in the Chasez house?" He reached for both of their drinks, handing hers off as he toasted their glasses together. 

"Yes," she laughed, "You'll be like Santa by then." She grinned, looking back up at him. "We'll collect a few more things every year for Christmas."

"Maybe by then I'll have a white beard and I can grow it out every December for you." He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows as he sipped his drink. "Would you like me to play Santa for you every year? Slip you my package from time to time?"

She smirked, letting out a low giggle. "You will NOT have a white beard... because Santa will NOT be leaving any packages with a beard."

"Santa shaves now?" He grinned, thinking he was so clever, "Santa is hipster now mama? Why did I just imagine Santa being like 40 and smelling like Old Spice." 

"UGH!" She laughed, pushing him playfully. "NO! Leave your Old Spice Man Bun Hipster Santa out of my house!"

He started belly laughing, dipping down in the water a bit to avoid her. "Okay, baby, no Santa jokes."

She smirked, laughing softly. "Better. What does Joshua Chasez want Santa to bring him this year?" She sat up on the edge of the hot tub, taking a sip of her drink needing a moment to cool down before she hopped back in.

"Mmm, let's see. I don't know what I want this year considering I already have everything I could ever want." He tilted his head slightly to look at her on the ledge. "Maybe the very best wedding outcome anyone could ask for. I want my bride to be happy."

She smiled softly. "Josh, you make me the happiest woman in the world every single day." She leaned down to touch his face softly, "You know I'd be okay with calling the wedding and our homes our gifts."

"Mmm, I'd be happy with that but I've already got a couple gifts for you baby." He grinned as he reached up to rub her back softly.

"Why am I not surprised?" She grinned, "And you know that I can't help myself either soooo..." She looked up at him with a smile. 

He started to laugh, squeezing her thighs. "Whatchaaaaa buy me?"

"Always gotta get those squeezes in, don't you?" She giggled. 

He gave them another squeeze with a grin. "Hell yes I do mama. Do you want me to stop squeezing you? I just love feeling on you. You're all mine!"

"I'd never ask you to stop squeezing." She leaned in to rest her forehead against his and snuck a few soft kisses. "I love that you love my body as much as I do. You make me feel very desired all the time. That in itself is a gift." 

"Mmm," he snuck his arms around her, bringing her into the water again on his lap as he snuck a few more kisses. His voice was just above a mumble on her lips. "You'll always be desired."

She grinned playfully on his lips. "We seriously must have had the best willpower ever for those first few weeks." She nipped on his lower lip lightly. 

He smirked so hard, pulling back enough to look at her with sparkling eyes. "WAIT. Are you telling me that you have wanted to do me since Halloween?"

She started to laugh so hard at the way he was smirking and eagerly looking back at her. "Joshua Scott Chasez! I did not want to do you on Halloween." She shook her head and giggled. 

"I was gonna SAY!" His grin was wide, "Because I didn't think about having sex with you until later." 

"Yeahhhh? When was that?" she smirked in return, sliding her hands all over his flexed arms. The steam was coming up all around them as the snow fell in little flurries to the ground. 

"Mmm, honestly? At your apartment after the Gala. The morning that we had woken up and we were making breakfast together." He looked down at her hands on him and smiled back up at her. "That exact moment."

She smiled softly, "I remember that." She reached up to play with his hair. "You were so handsome in your dress pants."

"You were so beautiful to me. I mean, you were beautiful before that morning but I completely saw you differently after the evening we had. And you weren't trying to be fake around me for attention. You could have cared less who I was as JC Chasez from *NSYNC but you cared about who Josh was."

She smirked slightly, touching his face. "Okay, so you like a girl that's not into you and it makes you want to get in bed with her. Noted." She took her free hand and poked his side playfully. 

He made a face in return. "You KNOW that's not what I meant Samantha Bentley!" He growled.

"Joshua Chasez," she touched his face again for a long moment before she brushed her lips against his cheek. "I know exactly what you meant. When I woke up and you were holding me that morning I knew I was in trouble. Just the feeling of your body against mine under the cover in the fluff bed you made. I remember laying there thinking I really wanted to know what you were like as a lover, in all aspects of the meaning."

His grin grew wide again. "I don't think you realize how badly I wanted to love on you. But I didn't want to come on strong because I knew you already knew about my past with women." he nudged her face with his to get her lips in a lock.

"Mmm, my little playboy. I didn't care. I knew you'd never find another woman like me." She grinned on his lips before letting him take over with his kisses.

He let out a low groan with her statement and grabbed the back of her bun to push her face into his harder as he stole another kiss. Her little impish grin disappeared when he went in for a harder kiss, making her gasp. She was helpless to him.

He grabbed her bun, pulling her head back a little so he could look her in the eyes before letting his lips crash into hers again, sucking on them hard. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned a bit into his kiss, capturing his rough kiss and taking over, then relinquishing the control back to him. There was something always sexy about their give and take that she loved so much. 

JC gladly played along with her, one hand still in her hair, his other cupping her ass over the bikini bottoms, getting a good grab on her. He opened and closed his mouth on hers, this time slipping the slightest bit of tongue. He was hungry for her and he made a soft hum. 

She pulled away from him the tiniest bit, making a low, satisfied hum. "Mmm, Josh, you are...." Her forehead went to his against where she needed a moment to breathe against his lips. There was something about being in the moment. 

He licked his lips slowly and rubbed his nose to hers with a satisfied moan. "I'm in love with the sexiest woman in the world. That's what I am."

"She's lucky enough to be in love with one sexy man. His body is on point. He seduces me with those kisses." She grinned a bit, rubbing on his nose too. 

He smiled softly before snagging another soft kiss. The snowflakes were getting heavier and landing on their faces. "Mmm. I love you." 

She smiled, nodding against his face. "I love you Mr. Chasez. Forever." She sucked in his lip just a little bit, leaving a kiss. "Should we head inside?"

"Mmm," he looked at her and then up at the sky. "As much as I don't wanna stop and get out, I don't want either of us to get sick. We're supposed to have a little winter wonderland tonight baby."

"Ohhh, YOU have an *NSYNC Christmas concert coming up later this week! And if those fangirls can't hear their daddy sing..." She grinned so cute. 

He laughed, shaking his head and moved her aside. "I'm not their daddy. I'm yours." He got up and reached in the warmer to grab a towel to wrap around himself. "Now c'mere mami." He held a second towel open for her. 

"That's right. My daddy." She got out of the hot tub and let him wrap her up in the warm towel. "We can watch the winter wonderland from our bedroom. Snuggle in and watch the snow fall out the beautiful windows."

He wrapped her up tight and lifted her right up into his arms to carry her inside to the bedroom. "You go ahead and get changed and I'll go close up the hot tub and get the lights turned off baby."

"I love when you've got this all on lock daddy." She grinned cutely as he placed her at the foot of their bed. "Thank you. In case I don't remind you of that enough."

"Remind me of what enough?" He dropped the towel and his wet boxer briefs, drying himself off before slipping on a pair of sweats. 

"How I love the way you're such a provider. And you take care of things so well." She walked over to his suitcase with a little grin, rummaging through his things until she found a pair of grey PJ bottoms and a t-shirt of his. 

"That's my job. To take care of you the way a man should. You're my princess, remember?" He smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek before he walked outside slowly, his hands shoved in the pockets of his sweatpants.

He lifted the cover back on the hot tub after turning off the jets and one by one turned down all the heaters. The tiny brick bar was no longer illuminated and the small fairy lights were turned off one string at a time. He paused against the railing, looking up at the falling snow. Only one year earlier had he stood in this very spot, feeling his entire universe shift under his feet. As a large, wet snowflake fell on his cheek, he smiled, wiping it away. The next few months were bound to be the best ones of his life, of this he was certain. And there was no one, or nothing that was going to stand in the way of that.