Choosing Happiness Read Online Free PDF Page A

her shiver, he put his jacket over her light, short dress and wrapped one arm around her to help keep her warm for the walk up to his second floor apartment. Carefully, because ice was a real hazard on the stairs and her heels would have little to no traction, they made their way up the two flights. He kept one arm around her all the way up, ready to catch her should she slip and start to fall.
    Once they made it safely to the top and inside his apartment he let her go so he could turn up the heat. He’d turned it low when he left that afternoon.
    "It'll warm up in here soon." He moved back to her as the furnace kicked on. "You want something to drink?"
    "What do you have?"
    "Um..." He opened the refrigerator. "Milk, orange juice, beer... Oh. And tequila."
    "Where's the tequila?" she asked.
    "I keep it in the freezer."
    "That's typically how I prefer it but it's too cold for that tonight." She was still shivering slightly.
    "I think I have some hot cocoa, if you like that?"
    "Oh, that sounds perfect."
    "Good. Go sit down in the living room, kick those shoes off and relax. I'll be right out."
    "All right." She ventured farther into the apartment.
    "There's a blanket on the back of the recliner you can pull onto your lap until it warms up in here." He called after her.
    "Do you mind if I use the restroom real quick?" she called back.
    "Go right ahead." He directed her where to find it.
    He quickly fixed two cups of hot cocoa, but before serving he ducked around the corner. She was sitting on the couch with the blanket pulled over her lap. "Have you ever tried Bailey’s in your cocoa?"
    "No. Is it good?"
    "I like it, want me to bring you mine and let you try it before you decide?"
    "If you don't mind, please?"
    "If I minded I wouldn't have offered." He carried his cup of cocoa to the sofa and let her take a sip.
    "Oooh, that’s good."
    "Want me to add some to yours, too?"
    "Please, that would be great." She kept his warm cup cradled in her hands, her shivering had stopped.
    Jake quickly doctored the second cup of cocoa and returned, sitting down on the sofa near Andrea. He was careful not to jar her enough to spill the cocoa. "Do you want to trade? Or do you want to keep that one?"
    "I already have this one and it’s almost half gone so I might as well keep it."
    Jake held his arm out. "Do you want to come over here and let me help warm you up?"
    She scooted over and slid under his arm, lifting the blanket to cover his lap too, so he could help the heat build underneath. He pulled her close against his side and curled his arm around her. They sat quietly, drinking their cocoa for a few minutes, until Andrea started laughing.
    "What?" Jake frowned down at her, confused.
    "We’ve got to be crazy. Sitting here, still dressed for the wedding, sipping cocoa at nearly three am."
    "Well, I considered getting you out of the dress, but thought I'd be a gentleman and let it warm up in here first," Jake quipped, causing Andrea to laugh harder. "I love your laugh," Jake squeezed her against him in a quick, one-armed hug. "It makes me feel good."
    "What a sweet thing to say." She stretched up to kiss him on the cheek. Draining the last of her cocoa, she set the empty cup on the coffee table in front of them. Pulling the blanket up to her shoulders, she curled into him, resting her head against his chest. "You smell nice." She wiggled a little, trying to get comfortable.
    "Make yourself comfortable." He looked down at her, amused.
    "I'm working on it. You're warm, like Ben."
    "You do this to Ben?"
    "Not anymore, but I did when I was younger. I was always cold and he was always so warm. I would curl up against him and steal some warmth. He never really knew what to make of it." She admitted reflectively.
    "I imagine not." He wasn’t sure what to make of it himself. Not knowing what else to do, he slipped the arm that had been around her under the blanket and started rubbing up and down her side. He didn't know why he did it, just that it