I wrap the silk robe I got her for our one month dating anniversary around her shoulders, and she threads her arms through it one at a time.

“Did she decide on a name?” I ask.

“She’s going to run them by Preston, but I think she likes Maisy and Ronnie the best.”

“Maisy,” we both say in agreement, then laugh.

I grab her hand and lead the way out of our bedroom.

“Where are we going?”

“Kitchen,” I say, rubbing my thumb into her palm, feeling her silky skin. “We’ve been like passing ships lately. With me and Hayden working longer hours after my father’s retirement, you taking on more at work, and helping Sondra with the nursery… We see each other, but we don’t have moments. I miss our moments.”

“Mmm,” she hums. “I do too.”

We exit the hallway into our open concept living room, overlooking the dining room and kitchen. The light from the candles I’ve lit and placed throughout the common area gives the open space a warm glow of flickering orange and dark shadows.

“Aww, Aleck, what is this?”

“I want to eat ice cream with you at midnight, Grimm.”

She smiles and even in this dimly lit room, her gaze shines brightly and glitters for me. No one has ever looked at me the way Winter does and since we’ve reunited, I’ve made it my life’s mission to let her know how much I appreciate that, how much of a lifeblood that look in her eyes has become to me.

I walk her to the island and lift her, setting her beautiful ass on the white and gold marble countertop and she yelps when the cold surface hits her bare thighs.

She picked this counter out herself. After Winter moved in with me, I presented her with the idea of finding a place that we could choose together. I loved my old condo, but it was cold, detached, minimal—the place I pined for her and sunk under the weight of losing her.

I needed a completely new start with my girl. And it was only a month before we found this place. A few miles from my parents’ home. It’s still a condo, but the building is older and not so haughty. It has old LA charm and eccentric neighbors. The minute we walked into the building, I cringed at the smell of burning incense and grumbled at the sounds of acoustic guitars playing beyond the closed doors we passed, but one look at Winter told me we had found our home. She sparkled that day. I couldn’t start the paperwork fast enough to give my girl what she wanted.

Let’s face it, I could buy out this entire block if I wanted to, but Winter is teaching me to live more simply and only take what I need when I need it. Right now—and I suspect through the duration of my life—all I need is her. So, a small condo with exposed brick and gaggle of eccentric neighbors it is.