Lexi's Love & War

Chapter 31

Once again, the gesture left Lexi's heart racing in her chest. She didn't try to calm down; she allowed the butterflies to fill her stomach. This made her suddenly giggle— the whole situation was nice, even if it was a little ridiculous.

Isaac noticed her small laugh with a newfound bemused expression. "What's so funny?"

"I'm not laughing at you, babe. It's just...I feel so...happy? Yeah, happy. I haven't felt this good in so long. No matter what else is going on in my life, I know that I have at least one small source of happiness. God, I sound like I've gone completely insane."

Lexi's cheeks were quite red just as she concluded her tangent. The cold may have played a part in it, but she knew that her embarrassment only contributed to her flushed face.

It was Isaac's turn to laugh a little. He placed a hand on her cheek, noting just how warm it was compared to his cold hand. Lexi shivered slightly at the contact but didn't fight it whatsoever. She managed to keep a smile on her face as she looked into his dark brown eyes.

"I don't think you sound insane."

"You don't?"

"No," Isaac confirmed while shaking his head. "I'm extremely happy, and I want to keep you as happy as possible, too. If that means showing you every damn tourist spot in New York City, I'll do it!"

"You don't need to go that far," Lexi laughed.

"I don't care. If it'll make you happy, I'll friggin' do it."

"Well...thank you, Isaac. You're very sweet. Happy Valentine's Day, babe."

"Happy Valentine's Day."

Isaac's other hand went to her face before he pulled her in for a passionate kiss. Both their eyes closed while the kiss deepened ever so slightly. They eventually broke apart and exchanged loving gazes.

"Thank you for showing me around here," Lexi said.

"You're welcome, babe," Isaac replied. "I think we should go inside for a little while."

Lexi nodded "More like a long while, please."

"That's fine with me," Isaac chuckled. "How about we walk to The Bean's Knees and grab some hot chocolate or something?"

"That's a great idea."

As they began to walk to their favourite spot, they resumed holding hands once again. Even though they were both fairly cold, they took their time walking to The Bean's Knees. It also didn't help that traffic was consistently heavy. The snowy weather made it worse, but neither of them complained. They made small talk about school, their friends, and even Lexi's life in California. It made the walk bearable and even a little fun.

Half an hour later, the couple had arrived at The Bean's Knees. The bad weather left the independent coffee shop sparse for a change. Only one other patron sat inside near the front of the building. A few baristas milled about and the bar or the register, trying to look busy despite how dead it was.

"We came in at a great time," Lexi remarked.

"Tell me about it," Isaac said with an amused smirk. "Do you wanna find a good seat while I get you something?"

"Oh...sure. I don't mind paying for myself, you know."

"I know, but I wanna do this."

Sensing that she wasn't going to convince him otherwise, Lexi relented with an amused smirk of her own. "Okay, you win. I'll have a medium-sized hot chocolate, please. I'll see you shortly. Thanks, Isaac."