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Alexis took CeCe’s hand and stepped out of the elevator. They walked down the hall to a stairway that led to the roof.

CeCe’s eyes widened. “We’re going to the roof?”

Alexis nodded and pulled a key card from her pocket and waved it across the lock on the door. After they made the short climb up the stairs, she opened a door. “After you,” she said to CeCe.

18

Alexis watched as CeCe walked further onto the roof and spun around taking in the three hundred and sixty degree view.

“Oh, Lex, this is incredible,” she exclaimed, settling her gaze on Alexis.

“It’s not the tallest building, but there’s something I want you to see a little later. For now, let me show you around.”

Alexis guided CeCe to each side of the roof and pointed out the different buildings that surrounded them and explained what the lights were in the distance. Then she led them to a small table with two chairs. On the table sat a cooler.

“I didn’t even see this,” CeCe said with a huge smile.

“You had a lot of other things to notice first,” Alexis said, opening the cooler.

She brought out a bottle of wine and two glasses. There were also several containers filled with crackers, olives, cheese, and other finger foods.

After she poured the wine she looked up at CeCe and handed her a glass. “I hope this is okay,” she said tentatively.

“Okay?” Laughter bubbled out of CeCe’s throat. “Oh, Lex. This is more than okay.”

“There’s nothing fancy here, but as I said, in a little while you’ll see why I brought you here. In the meantime a toast… To swooning,” Alexis said, holding up her glass.

CeCe laughed. “Swooning?”

“Yes. You’ve said more than once that I’ve made you swoon. I wasn’t exactly sure what that felt like, but I do now.”

“You do?” CeCe asked, holding her glass next to Alexis's.

Alexis nodded. “When we took our clothes off that night at Lovers Landing, you said you like to look at me.”

“I did.” CeCe smiled. “I do.”

“The feeling I had when you looked at me must be what it feels like to swoon.” Alexis hurriedly swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat.

“To swooning,” CeCe said, clinking their glasses together.

Alexis took a sip of her wine and the gaze she shared with CeCe was both intense and enlightening at the same time.

In the past, Alexis may have taken a woman to dinner before having sex, but it was just meant as nourishment, nothing more. She hadn’t done something for someone because she cared about them in ages. But right now, she felt an overwhelming sense of joy at the look she’d put on CeCe’s face.

Alexis had planned this night because she wanted to do something special for CeCe. She wanted to give her a little happiness. Yes, she wanted to spend time with CeCe but they could have done that anywhere. This was an adventure for them, a surprise for CeCe. They were making a memory. The poignancy of that thought caused the lump in Alexis's throat to return.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she gushed. “I just realized we’re making a memory tonight. I haven’t done that, nor wanted to, with anyone in years.”

CeCe set her wine glass down and cupped Alexis's face. “We’re taking some of the seriousness away, Lex, and letting the joy come through.”

CeCe pressed her lips to Alexis's in a soft sweet kiss. Then she reached for her glass.

Alexis smiled and clinked her glass to CeCe’s. “To joy.”

“To memories,” CeCe replied with a grin.