A/N: Just a little self-indulgent fic for New Years. Enjoy!
(absolutely no edits with this - ignore the mistakes please)
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Snow swirled from the sky in giant white flakes, coating the ground in sparkling white. I let out a sigh, my breath dancing in the night sky as snow fell around me.
"C'mon, it's cold out here." I ignored the velvet voice drifting my way as I spun in a circle, closing my eyes and sticking out my tongue so the flakes would fall on them. "You're acting like it doesn't snow in North Carolina, c'mon, we're late." I opened my eyes and was met with blue ones, staring at me in awe that it took my breath away. "We're late." Blush rose to my cheeks as the man standing in front of me smiled in wonder, not a trace of annoyance in his voice when usually it's there when I'm running late to any event he drags me to.
I suddenly felt hot as a glove-covered hand reached out for mine and didn't let go until we reached the front door of his family's home. I was shy all of a sudden when the door opened, revealing an older version of the man's hand I'm holding.
Ty Gibbs, my best friend since childhood. We grew up together, both of our families in the racing community and since then, we've been inseparable. We had that type of friendship where if we needed a plus one to any event or party, it was without question that the other got invited. Even though I am a family friend, it was still nice to see that Ty invited me to his get togethers.
It beats sitting home alone on New Years Eve on my couch, eating ice cream and watching the ball drop on TV though. Sometimes I wonder if he's doing it out of convenience or if he really wants me here. Like when he asked me to come tonight, I was a bit shocked that he did. I was under the impression he was talking to some girl because he kept mentioning how nervous he was to ask her out for this party. So when I got the invite, I was extremely confused.
I never did ask him what happened to her because deep down I was happy to have Ty to myself a little bit longer before the evitable happened.
Someday the girl of his dreams was going to knock him off his feet and our time together would be non-existent.
"Claire, honey, I'm so glad you could make it." Ty's mom gave me a bright smile as she hugged me and then gave Ty a knowing smile as she looked down at our intertwined hands. I went to let go but Ty held onto me stronger and pulled me inside the door.
"Sorry we're late, Clarie here just had to play in the snow before we got here."
"Hey! You know how much I love the snow, it's so pretty and romantic. Especially around the holidays."
"Sure sure." Ty teased me, rolling his eyes as he dragged me further into his parent's house, ignoring everyone who said hello to him until we got to the washroom where we ditched our coats.
When I turned around to face Ty after hanging up my purse and coat, I was a little taken back. His eyes were cast down until they slowly rose up my body. With every second that passed by, my skin grew hotter and hotter under his stare until it was too hard to breathe.
Ty took a step closer to me, reaching up to touch the soft velvet material of the dress I was wearing and then to the necklace he got me for Christmas that hung around my neck.
"You look beautiful tonight," he whispered, his cold fingers leaving a trail of goosebumps behind as he gently moved the little race car charm with his birthstone to the center of my chest. My response got lost in my throat when Ty licked his lips and then moved back from me, disappearing quickly before I could even take my neck breath.
A shiver went up my spine that had nothing to do with the cold and yet, I felt warm all over my body.
Ty left me speechless, his actions unusual for his charming and friendly self. His touches and lingering gazes meant something, right?
No, couldn't be. I was just his best friend.
He's just being nice.
Like always.
**
"Ty was worried you wouldn't be able to come tonight. He's been talking nonstop about it since Christmas when you mentioned you might have had other plans." I stood in shock as I looked at his mother as she smiled at Ty across the room. I followed her eyesight to see him in an intense game of darts with his cousin.
"He was worried?" Her eyes found mine then, that smile was back on her lips and it was she was in on a secret I didn't know about. "I thought he was going to ask out that girl he's been talking to?" I was so confused, why would Ty be worried?
"Oh, Claire, he only has eyes for you." I looked over to where Ty was standing, his posture relaxed as he looked over at me. He smiled when our eyes met and it was impossible to believe the words I was hearing.
And yet, maybe I haven't been seeing things like I should have.
"That charm around your necklace was mine when his father first asked me out." I reached up for it blindly, my heart pounding in my chest like crazy. I just thought it was a cute little charm to remember him by. He was going to be busy here in the new year soon, moving to Cup with an even busier schedule than before.
I left Ty's mom without a word, moving across the room to grab a drink and then walked out onto the terrace that overlooked Lake Norman. Heaters were in place to where the chilly night wouldn't make things so harsh and yet, I wrapped my arms around me tightly as I took a sip of Champagne.
I closed my eyes, tilting my head back to allow the fresh arctic air clear my mind, that was until I felt hands snake around my center, pulling me into a tight embrace.
"Ty," I whispered, leaning my head back against his shoulder. I knew it was him, no other person at this party would dare to brush their nose against my exposed neck, placing a feather light kiss that caused me to shake against their body. Ty has never embraced me like this before, like a lover holding on for dear life so they won't slip away. And yet, his embrace was familiar, like it was something we've always done.
"Ty," I whispered again, his fingertips digging into me harder as he let out a shaky breath. "Why did you invite me here tonight?"
"Isn't it obvious by now?" I closed my eyes, allowing his words to swirl around me. They gave me so much hope but I needed to hear it.
"Tell me..." I felt Ty sigh as he let me go, only to spin me around to look me in the eyes. I held my breath as he reached out, pushing a strand of my curly hair behind my ear and then he brushed my cheek with the back of his finger.
Ty took the glass of champagne from my hand, placing it on a table nearby and then tilted my chin up and began to play with the little charm around my neck that meant more than I even realized.
"It's always been you, Claire. It took me way too long to realize that though. Mom always teased me how we were inseparable, best friends since the day we could walk. I thought she was just saying it as something hopeful because I know how much she loves and adores you." I held my breath as his fingertips traced where the necklace lay, the shimmering gold shining brightly under the Christmas lights hanging up.
A small smile played at the corner of his lips and he let out a little chuckle. "It wasn't until I saw you at my championship party, dancing with Drew Dollar that I realized I could lose you one day to someone else. Drew was going to ask you out that night, I even encouraged him to, but when he walked away I felt like my heart was breaking because I was going to lose you. And I can't lose you, Claire."
"You won't," I reassured, reaching for the lapel of his jacket to pull him down, his forehead meeting mine. "I'm not going anywhere."
I was suddenly flushed against his body, Ty's nose brushing against mine as a countdown began somewhere in the background. His cool breath reached my lips as I gasped, tilting my head on instinct and then suddenly my heart gave out.
"I love you."
I pulled back from Ty as fireworks burst into the night sky. His blue eyes reflected the dancing colors as a grandfather clock struck midnight. Time stopped between us as those three little words swirled around me.
Suddenly, lips were crashing into mine, the softest lips imaginable moving against my own with such passion and love. I gasped for air and Ty took that opportunity to tilt my head to the side to deepen the kiss, a soft moan escaping from the back of my throat as I held onto him tightly.
A loud boom broke our kiss as I jumped backwards. All I could do was stare up at Ty with a smile as I bit my lower lip bashfully.
"You love me?" Ty wordlessly grabbed me by the hip, pulling me into his warm embrace and placed a hand on my cheek. He leaned in, gently nipping at my lips, once, twice, until I couldn't hold back anymore and opened my mouth to him.
Ty tasted like champagne until he didn't and it was a taste that I never wanted to forget. He whimpered, licking and sucking on my bottom lip until he pulled back, gasping for air.
"Be mine," he pleaded and I shook my head yes, kissing him as I grabbed his hand to interlocked our fingers. We began to sway back and forth to the music that seeped out into the night. I was warm in his embrace as he kissed the top of my head, my heart fluttering out of my chest.
Ty Gibbs was finally mine just as much as I was his.