Christmas when you were mine

chapter 11: Jingle bell rock

I can't believe I let Jude talk me into this. My teeth chattered as the frosty wind nipped at my skin. The bells on the sleigh made a sweet sound as the horses moved gracefully over the snow covered ground. I rubbed my hands together in attempts to get my blood circulating. This time I wore mittens they unfortunately were not much help.

"You know I would rather be sitting in front of the fire reading a good book," I whispered quietly to Jude.

"You know most girls would love this kind of thing," he replied.

"I guess if it was a more romantic situation," I answered. We went quiet for a few moments before he swung his arm around my shoulders pulling me close to his side. My heart thumped against my rib cage viciously.

"Like this?" He asked in a low husky voice.  I swallowed hard as his warm breath traced the skin on my cheek.

"Yeah, that would be a little better," I answered nervously. I'm sure my face was bright red by now.

"What else?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know Jude," I sighed. My heart was about to burst and I am almost positive he had no clue. I also didn't know how much more I could take.

Jude slipped his hands around mine giving them a little well needed heat. His smile reached all the way to his eyes making my heart beat race a little more.

"Lighten up a bit Lila," he breathed. Sure he could say that. After all he wasn't the one who's heart felt like it could sink to the bottom of the ocean. I just smiled back at him before dropping my eyes to the driver. My mind was all jumbled up in a mixture of everything from did I like Jude like that to holy moly its cold out here. I leaned my head against his shoulder and just went with it. I just shut off my mind and closed my eyes.

The sound of Jude's heart was a soothing beat calming me down almost instantly. This was Jude. All of my doubts just seemed to wash away. No matter how much time we spent apart he was still Jude. There were just new parts that I would get to learn. I felt his chest move slightly with each breath he took. The feeling of wanting to stay like this forever was overwhelming.

***

After about an hour of driving around on the sleigh we were let off downtown. I reluctantly moved away from Jude letting him help me out of the sleigh. Snow had begun to fall once again in a dance of glittery white snowflakes. The Christmas lights had been turned on filling the area with rays of colourful light. The town had grown quiet making the square feel almost magical.

"Told you it would be fun," Jude smiled down at me making my heart practically beat out of my chest.

"Yeah," I answered quietly. "Cold, but fun."

"I have an idea," he replied softly as we turned onto the road close to his car.

"That's never a good thing," I giggled.

"Trust me?" He asked holding out his hand to me. I thought for a second before giving in. It was Jude surely he wouldn't make me do anything illegal.

"Always," I breathed taking his hand. Excitement filled my heart threatening to make it rip at the seams.

"Good," he smiled before tugging me after him. Five minutes later I found myself inside Jude's families bakery. The smell of fresh baked goods filled the entire store making my mouth water slightly. It was just like I remembered it from years ago. 

"We shouldn't be in here," I breathed as he locked the door behind us.

"It's fine," he waved off my remark. "Besides it's going to be mine soon. That and you're cold," he added. I felt my stomach twist into knots as he moved closer to me. "Let's go to the back before someone thinks we are open though," he stated with a sly smirk on his face.

I followed him to the back part of the store where they kept a lot of their dry ingredients. I've been back here plenty of times but this time was different. The air held a nervous feeling to it. I sat on a stool rubbing my hands together.

"So what brought you back home?" Jude asked leaning up against the wall across from me.

"I don't know. I guess I just felt like it was time," I shrugged.

"Where you planning on working?" He asked taking a step towards me.

"Guess that's the beauty with what I do. I can work from home if I really wanted to," I answered.

"Web designing right?" he asked softly. I just nodded. He knew what I had gone to school for. So I knew he already knew the answers to these questions. Especially since we both discussed this topic to death back in grade twelve. "Maybe you could do something for the bakery?"

"Thinking of branching out to the internet?" I smiled.

"A website could be helpful to move the business out of the dark ages," he smiled making me laugh.

"Fair enough, but I'm sure you didn't drag me in here to talk about business," I added looking at anything but him.

"You caught me red handed," he laughed sitting on a prep table.

"I don't think that's sanitary," I breathed my eyes meeting his gaze.

"Probably not. But the store is closed for the holidays now so it will get wiped down when we come back to get rid of any dust particles," he explained.

"Yeah, yeah," I murmured rolling my eyes at him. He hopped off the table and picked me up laughing the entire time.

"You know what you're mood is really bringing me down," he whispered huskily setting me down where he was sitting a few moments before. "You need something sweet to chase away that bitter attitude." Before I could respond he had disappeared through the doorway returning with his hands behind his back. "Close your eyes," he demanded.

"What? No," I scoffed shaking my head.

"Delilah just close your damn eyes," he sighed. This time I did as he asked shutting my eyes tight. I heard him move towards me making my heart skip a beat. "Now open your mouth," he breathed into my ear.

"Jude come on this is silly," I answered.

"Trust me," he pleaded. Once again I gave into him and opened my mouth. I knew I'd be sitting there all night if I didn't at least humor him for a few minutes. A few seconds later I felt Jude pop something into my mouth. I instantly recognized the taste of sugar cookie. It was one of their best sellers here at the bakery and  was my favorite. A smiled snuck across my face as I chewed the cookie swallowing it happily. "All better?" he asked.

"It will be if you brought the rest of that cookie," I laughed opening my eyes. Jude was sitting in front of me his face inches from mine.

"Of course," he winked handing me the rest of the snowflake shaped cookie.