Chapter Text
It had been a cold, fall afternoon when Chris had walked into the perfect opportunity to finally meet you. The leaves in Central Park had already changed and had almost all fallen to blanket the grasses in a beautiful golden hue as the city prepared for the days that felt a little more like winter than autumn. Even he had thrown on a few extra layers when he had gone out for a jog in the early evening, hoping to catch even a glimpse of you on the street - and fate had gifted him more than an opportune movement. It was golden hour, the amber light cutting through the towering buildings of the city and illuminating you so perfectly as you struggled down the sidewalk. You must have been coming home from work, as you were dressed confidently in an outfit that was a little more business casual than he had grown used to seeing you in through your window. As he jagged along the busy street behind you, his eyes wandered over the length of your legs, and the curves of your hips before your body was lost under the warmth of your jacket. Chris wasn’t quite sure if it was your heels or the tight skirt you wore that limited your stride - but whatever it was, you were struggling to carry your groceries down the block and he was going to be the one to help you with it.
He had done so, so casually. The speed of his stride increased just enough that it made it look like it was a last-minute decision, and his smile was so sweet that you surely wouldn’t reject him as he spoke to you, “looks like you could use an extra pair of hands.”
You had surrendered one of your bags to him with a smile, your eyes scanned over his face before they went wide with recognition and he knew that he had a shot at you the moment you looked away. Chris walked you all the way home, and you played coy the whole time, never once giving up that you knew exactly who he was with more than the look in your eyes. He had never intended for more to happen beyond finally knowing your name, but when he had come to your door, and reluctantly put the bag of groceries back into your arms, he couldn’t help himself. “I’m sorry if this is a bit forward,” he had apologized, his form leaning back against the cold glass door, “but did you want to grab dinner with me tomorrow night?” and you had said yes, just like he knew you would.
It was a dangerous game he was playing when he picked you up the following evening. The little black dress you wore beneath your wool coat, he had seen it before. You had worn it in the summer, and it had hugged your body impeccably - at least, as far as he could tell through the window - and from the moment he saw you in it, he couldn’t stop thinking about just how good you looked taking it off.
While his mind was consumed by the vivid memories of the black fabric sliding off his body, he hid it well as he entertained you with pleasant conversation. Chris focused on small talk as you went over the menus at the fancy restaurant that you would have never set foot in on your own - all the while he thought of how you surely weren’t wearing a bra beneath that dress. And when dinner was served, and he craved to learn everything he could about you, his mind faltered further as he wondered just what pair of underwear you may be wearing - Had he had the pleasure of seeing you wear them before? Would he be so lucky enough to know by the end of the night?
It was only as dessert was served, that Chris finally indulged you in just who he was. Not that you didn’t already know he was one of the star forwards of the New York Rangers, but he appreciated your coy modesty. He eased you into each detail with a smile but was sure to leave out one very important detail: That he was your neighbor. That was not a detail he was willing to risk just yet.
Not even when he suggested he’d walk you home, and you assured him that he didn’t have to go out of his way to drop you off, did he decide to tell you. Instead of telling you, he lived in the high-rise across the street from yours, Chris fixed his coat to fight the night’s chill and offered you his arm. You had taken it with a smile, bringing one to Chris’ face as well. The walk home was slow and casual, with shared words and subtle glances and you walked down the busy New York city street. You were forced close to him as you pushed through the crowds, his hand leaving your arm to slip down to the small of your back. His hand lingered there, guiding you carefully until you stood still in the center of the sidewalk.
Your eyes gazed up at the sky, your jaw slacked at the sight of the city’s glow and how it illuminated each flake of the first winter’s snow as it cascaded down from the night’s sky. It fell in soft flakes that melted as they hit your cheeks, leaving a gentle shimmer behind, while others became lots in your hair. You let out an awed breath, your exhale becoming a soft cloud in the cold night. “It’s so beautiful…”
“Yeah, you are-”
Chris had come to stand in front of you, and you could feel the warmth of his body radiating through his coat and the warmth of his breath against your cheeks. It rendered you breathless as his hand left your waist and found your cheek. He watched as your eyes fluttered shut, and he couldn’t help himself. He needed to know what it felt like to kiss you - and you were going to let him. You melted like a snowflake against the warmth of his kiss, your hands coming up to rest against the wool fabric of his coat.
He had to shut his own eyes in a desperate attempt to control himself as he finally got to taste you. To feel your sweet lips against your own and to stroke the skin of your cheeks. Chris had only dreamt of this moment since spotting you in the window of your apartment months ago - and for a time he thought it was an impossible desire, one that he would never have the pleasure of experiencing- but as he held you, and felt you lean in so much closer as you enjoyed it as much as he, everyone one of his fantasies felt like they could be a reality.