Alexis stared at the gift, dumbfounded. "You bought me a present?"
"It is Christmas Eve and I've brought you back to high school. I owe you something for that, right?" He winked and held out the box.
As she reached out to accept it, she realized her hands were shaking. "Tyler, I'm touched and completely mortified. I didn't get you anything."
"You're with me tonight. That's all I wanted."
Alexis carefully undid the paper and ribbon so as not to rip it. The box was plain white with no hint as to its contents. She opened the lid of the box and saw the unmistakable top of a champagne bottle.
"Tyler! Dom Perignon," she said, pulling out the elegant bottle. "You shouldn't have spent so much."
"Okay, before you feel too guilty, let's not forget I have connections. I don't exactly pay full price, if that helps."
"Should I open it now?"
He placed a hand over the top and shook his head. "Absolutely not. This is for your future." She gave him a quizzical look and he continued. "As much as I like that you don't indulge in overcomplicated cocktails, my Christmas wish is to see you branch out from the whiskey. You know who drinks whiskey in regular rotation? Sad people. Believe me, I've tended enough bar to know it's a fact. And I don't want you to be sad anymore, Alexis. I want to see you drinking champagne and laughing when the fizz hits your nose."
Alexis hugged the bottle of champagne to her body. "Thank you, Tyler. You seem to know what I need better than I do."
"I just want to lay the foundation for you to move on to happier drinks, whenever you feel ready."
Alexis gazed into his devoted blue eyes and an intense desire for him overcame her. She carefully placed the bottle on the floor beside her.
"So what kind of music do you have on that iPhone?" she asked.
"The good kind, obviously."
"Why don't we dance? Josh was a terrible dancer. I'd like to see how you measure up."
He wasted no time in hustling over to his phone to scroll through his playlist. He hit play and spun around to see Alexis right behind him. She stepped into his embrace as the first notes of Bittersweet Symphony bounced off the gym walls.
"The Verve, right?" she asked.
He nodded and she saw that familiar longing in his eyes. She couldn't resist his pull as he leaned down to kiss her tenderly on the lips. Her stomach fluttered in response and she pressed herself against his broad chest. She felt proof of his arousal as his kisses intensified. As his tongue probed her mouth, she felt herself relaxing, opening herself to