| Chapter 5: Hot Chocolate "Nick, how do you like this one?" Cordelia held up the ninth coat in a row; hoping with all her might that Nick wouldn't say it was the ugliest thing he had ever seen in his life, this time. Every single coat they had tried for her was nixed by one of them. Either, she loved it and he absolutely hated it, or he totally loved it and she hated it. They obviously didn't agree on winter jackets very much. "Oh my god, want to hear something totally amazing?" Nick's head popped up from over her shoulder; she jumped, she hadn't know he was there. "Oh, what now?" she glanced sideways at him as he placed his chin on her shoulder, she saw a frown of concentration on his face. She did a quick double take and giggled quietly at the hat he was wearing. He had a tie up cap on that looked like an elf hat. The funny part was it had fake elf ears sewed onto it. It looked absolutely and utterly adorably. "I love it," he grinned at her and she let out a joyous shout. "Finally, we can leave this store, Hallelujah," she laughed, walking off to pick out matching gloves and a hat. Four minutes later they stepped out of the store fully dressed for the snow that had begun to fall lightly, coating everything in a blanket of white. Nick had a red and black coat with red gloves (he absolutely refused to them wear until his finger became numb and were about to fall off). And Cordelia had a lavender puffy coat with black lining, a black hat with a dark purple stripe, and black suede gloves (which, she argues with Nick, might not provide any warmth, but they looked stylish). "So, where do you want to go now?" she asked as he put his arm out and she took it gracefully. "I don't know, let's go look at Christmas lights. Since it's dark out and they'll be turning them on any time now," he started walking with her down the sidewalk, gazing every once in awhile into a store window as they passed. "It's such a lovely night out tonight, except for the cold and all, I'm like freezing to death; even with this huge jacket on," Cordelia sighed looking up at the snow falling softly around them. "Yeah, it's really beautiful," Nick looked at her, then his face broke into a small grin, "let's go get some hot chocolate, since you're so cold, and anyway, I'm wasting away from thirst." "Alright, there's a caf� like down the street from here," she stood on her tip toes to try and see over people's heads, "they serve some of the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted." "Lead the way then, I have no clue where I'm going," he told her as she started to direct him through the crowd of people. It took them five minutes to get halfway down the block and another fifteen to get their drinks, but when Nick took his first sip he knew it was worth it. He agreed with her, it was the best hot chocolate he had ever tasted. "Where to next?" he asked as they exited the crowded coffee shop and stepped onto the street. "I don't- oh my gosh, I need to get back to the hotel, it's really late," she looked down at her watch and gasped, "and they guys must be wondering where you are, we've been gone for almost four hours!" "Oh, yeah," Nick looked down at the ground shuffling his feet, "so I suppose you want me to walk you to your hotel?" "If you don't mind," she smiled slightly at him, and they started to walk in the direction of their hotels. "So, I guess this is goodbye," Cordelia faced Nick as they got to the entranceway of her hotel ten minutes later. "Um, I was wondering if I could maybe see you again sometime, if it's not a big problem or anything like that," Nick looked at her sheepishly, she got an apprehensive look on her face and bit her lip. "I uh. . . I don't know, I don't think it would be a very good ide-" she started to say but she was cut off by Nick. Nick had moved a lot closer to her as she was speaking. He had placed on hand on her chin and tilted her head up so she was looking into his eyes. Then he had gently kissed her on the lips. They stayed that way for a couple of seconds, the snow swirling down around them silently, then he pulled his head back a few inches. "Well in that case, then maybe we might be able to arrange something," she whispered breathlessly after a minute. He just smiled. "I'll come by tomorrow at about lunch-time?" he tilted his head slightly. "Room 792," Cordelia took a big breath of air, "well, I better get inside, have some stuff to go over." "Till tomorrow," Nick grinned ruefully as she walked off, he stared at her back until it disappeared in the crowded lobby. He was absolutly ecstatic. |