Lee didn’t seem to think Matt’s anger was much of an obstacle to them leaving the bar and she was probably right. In fact, Matt probably wouldn’t even be all that upset that they’d left considering just how busy the bar was shaping up to be on that particular night. So, after returning the light kiss she gave him, Tarin followed Lee from the bar after quick eye contact and a wave to Matt, who did look slightly miffed but turned away almost immediately when someone called from the bar.

Out into the streets they went and Tarin entwined his fingers with Lee’s as they walked. It was nice to do this, walk down the streets like couples everywhere did to grab some dessert on a celebrated holiday. It was chilly though and Lee seemed to notice it much more quickly than Tarin had, after about a block and a half. “About another block and a half.” Tarin answered, shaking his hand free of Lee’s and moving his arm to wrap it around her shoulders, pulling her closer as she moved into him. “It is a little chilly out, isn’t it? It was so warm this afternoon that the thought hadn’t even occurred to me.”

New York spring was deceptive like that and Tarin nearly grinned at the fact that he could comment on exactly what New York summers were like. Since his childhood in Texas, this was the longest he’d stayed in any single place since he’d turned 17 years old. Commenting on weather patterns was still a novelty.

It didn’t take them too much longer, though, and Tarin was pulling the door open to let Lee into the little bakery he’d taken her to once before, then completely forgotten about. It was still one of his favorite things, New York Cheesecake, and the women behind the counter looked up as they walked in. “Can I help you?” she asked with a friendly smile and Tarin nodded, “In just a few minutes. We need to pick our poison still and warm up a little bit.”

The woman nodded and went back to the clipboard she had in her hand and Tarin made his way to the display cases, trying to decide what he wanted.

“Hmmmm. The blueberry looks good Lee…what are you thinking?”

Although Tarin didn't have a jacket on that he could have given to her, the moment that she started huddling against him, Tarin let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to help keep her as warm as he could out there.

Luckily, from what Tarin said, the cheese cake shop was only about another block and a half ahead of them. Not too long before they'd get there, and she'd have the chance to warm up inside. And maybe then when they left, Lee would suggest getting a cab back to the apartment, though to keep her warm this time rather than because of her concern about Tarin's health.

Finally! Into the shop Lee walked ahead of Tarin as he held the door for her, and she glanced around. Though she had been here before, Lee couldn't help the slight sigh from escaping her lips as she gazed at all the display cases, at all that delicious cheese cake just sitting there.

But Tarin was moving forward, toward the display case to look at the selection after telling the woman that they still needed a few minutes to decide, so Lee scurried forward, curling into Tarin's side as much as she could while standing in the hopes that he would wrap his arm around her again. He just felt so much warmer than she did. Despite all the times that Tarin had teased her about having antifreeze in her veins or something, Lee hadn't exactly adjusted to the cold again after getting back from Texas.

"Blueberry," Lee mused after Tarin told her what he thought he would get. That did sound rather good, actually, and Lee's eyes stared at the blueberry cake that was sitting in the fridge for a few moments before she started looking again. So many of them looked good, but her eye kept drifting back to the simple strawberry cheese cake.

Finally, she looked over at Tarin. "Can we share?" She asked, giving him slightly begging eyes to help make him give in. "I'd love to have some of that blueberry, but I don't think I'll be able to walk out of here without getting the strawberry cheese cake."

Lee was studying the different cheesecakes with every bit as much relish as Tarin had a few minutes earlier. Obviously she remembered just how good this place had been the first time they tried it. Why hadn’t he brought her back here again? Tarin couldn’t remember, especially not when she turned and looked at him.

She wanted to share. Tarin couldn’t help but laugh when she turned those eyes on him and almost begged him to share his blueberry with her if she got the strawberry. Adorable. A good word for his wife. She scooted closer to him and Tarin’s arm automatically wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her tight against him. He grinned at her choice, too. “Strawberry?” he said, an eyebrow raising, “What is it with you and strawberries all of a sudden?” he added, mind drifting back to the last time Lee had eaten strawberries. She’d been wearing nothing but a sheet…and he’d gotten the strawberries from the never ending kitchen at the mansion…and then…

“Yup. I’ll share…” Tarin said, deciding and stepping up to the counter where the woman was already getting a slice of each and putting them into take-out boxes. He paid, another perk of being married. Lee never bothered him about paying for things anymore. Though…if he was honest with himself, Tarin knew that Lee hadn’t done that for quite some while. Once he had his change, Tarin took the boxes and looked at Lee. “You want to eat standing up here or call a cab to get home. I’m a little tired, and I don’t want you to freeze to death on the long walk home.”

Lee smiled; the moment that she had stepped close enough to Tarin, he had wrapped his arm around her and held her close to his warm body. That definitely helped. Not quite as much as it would if they were this close, sitting at home on the couch, where Lee could pull a blanket over her if needed, but the arm and Tarin's side was certainly helping her to warm up.

Once she had told Tarin what she was thinking of having, she saw his eye brow raise as he asked what it was with her and strawberries. Oh....their wedding night, that first evening he had spent with her in her room at the mansion...there had been a fair amount of strawberries recently, hadn't there? Lee hadn't even really noticed until Tarin had brought it up.

"They're good..." Lee said slowly with a slight shrug as she looked at Tarin. Well, they were. The fact that when she ate them, it seemed to make Tarin want to pounce on her had nothing to do with it. This time.

And apparently the woman who worked at the shop was listening in to their conversation, because as soon as Tarin agreed that he would share his blueberry cheese cake with her, the woman was moving, starting to pack up a slice of blueberry and a slice of strawberry.

A couple moments later, Tarin was paying for the desserts, then returning to her side. "A cab," she told him without hesitation. "Definitely. I just want to get home with you, and sit on the couch to eat this with a blanket and cup of coffee to warm up." Oh yeah, sitting on the couch with Tarin, under a blanket, as they ate the cheese cake sounded like a really good idea, so Lee wrapped her arms around Tarin's free arm (that was such a better way to try and stay warm than simply holding his hand), and walked from the shop with him. Hopefully they would be able to get a cab quickly.

“Very good.” Tarin replied easily as Lee pointed out the main reason she liked the strawberries. Tarin had feeling that there was a little more to do with it than that though. Despite the fact that she’d always been borderline shy about being a sexual aggressor, she liked to provoke him. For some reason, the strawberries were a good prop. God…now he wasn’t going to be able to eat the cheesecake without his mind wandering.

The cheesecake slices were boxed up soon enough and they were out on the curb, Tarin holding a small plastic bag by its handles as he used his hand to whistle for the cab. As he lowered his arm, Lee wrapped hers around it and commented how she wanted to be home, on the couch with a blanket and coffee…and him. Tarin closed his eyes and smiled, yeah, that sounded really…really great.

The thought almost made him laugh and Tarin couldn’t help but remember how sitting at home and cuddling would have been the last thing on his mind…even three years ago. The cab whistle worked, as it always did and Tarin once more congratulated himself on learning how to do that when he was eight years old. Even if at the time it had been more for whistling at horses, he’d had a Lone Ranger complex and had been bound and determined to teach a horse to come at a whistle.

The cab stopped and Tarin pulled the door open for Lee and waited for her to climb in before he followed, giving the cabby their address and pulling the door shut. There was something to be said for the cab, he thought as it took off down the street. Not only was it way warmer in there than it was on the street, but they’d be back at the apartment and on their way to that dessert on the couch in much better time than they would have been otherwise.

“So. Have I managed to make up for ruining the original plans?” Tarin said as the cab stopped at a stoplight in a fairly long line of traffic. “Or are you going to need more convincing before the night is over?”

Tarin now holding both slices of cheese cake in a small bag, they made their way back outside, and Lee started shivering slightly. They hadn't been inside the shop nearly long enough for her to have properly warmed up, and now they were back outside.

Tarin's whistle was loud, almost hurting her ears loud as she stood beside him, but it was effective, and a few moments later a cab was pulling up to the curb beside them, Tarin opening the door for her.

Without hesitation, Lee slipped into the cab and scooted over a bit so Tarin had some room to get in. The faster that Tarin was in the cab, the sooner the door would be closed, the sooner the vehicle would start moving, and the sooner they would be home.

Sure enough, just moments later after Tarin had climbed into the cab, they were moving, but there was a fair bit of traffic for that time of night and so they were going slower than Lee would have liked. But it was still faster than if they had walked. And quite a bit warmer.

Hearing Tarin's question as they came to a stop at a light, Lee smiled as she looked over at him. "I have to say, you have done a good job," she told him softly. "But I can't say I'd be opposed if you wanted to try some other way to make things up to me."

Lee left it at that, not really saying much of anything until she saw that they were just about at their apartment. "Did you want coffee, or something else to drink?" Lee asked as she glanced over at her husband. "I was thinking of just running up to get out of the cold and throwing the coffee machine on so we can curl up sooner."

Why did this cab ride feel like it was taking so long? Tarin was restless. Again he thought that it probably had something to do with the fact that until very recently he’d been cloistered in the mansion. Even if he’d been able to float around the city with Lee, he’d been so out of touch with people that being out and moving around, being able to feel things felt so good. What else felt good was Lee, snuggled up against him in the back of the cab. It was almost funny, Tarin wasn’t too uncomfortable and Lee was freezing. He could remember a time when she’d laughed at him for being cold in shorts when the temperature was ins the fifties.

Tarin really was a New Yorker now, wasn’t he? No matter how at home he felt in Texas, there was something special about this city that made it the place where he truly belonged.

Lee was responding to his question now about whether or not he’d given his wife a proper, albeit belated, Valentines Day excursion. Her answer made him grin and chuckle and he squeezed her with the arm he’d wrapped around her shoulders. “I already told you in the bar…I’ve got a few things up my sleeve.”

The Taxi pulled up to their building just as Lee asked if coffee was good enough for Tarin or if he wanted something else. He just shook his head, “Coffee and cheesecake are great together. I think that would be perfect.”

Tarin paid the cab fare, remembering exactly why he and Lee didn’t use that particular form of transportation very often and then they were inside. The warmer air of the building suggested that the day had been warmer than the night was cool and Tarin again marvelled at how he’d adjusted to northern weather.

It didn’t take them long to get into their apartment and while Lee put on the coffee he unbuttoned the first couple buttons on his shirt and the sleeves and rolled them up. Then he went to grab a blanket and made his way to the couch to get comfortable and wait for Lee.

While he waited, Tarin pulled out the two slices of cheesecake and opened the boxes, staring at the delightfulness that was inside. “Hurry up Lee!” he called, “Or instead of sharing mine, you’re going to have to settle for whatever crumbs are left when I eat both pieces.”

Good. Lee smiled when Tarin said that he still had some things up his sleeve for that night. That was good news, even if it did mean that she wouldn't be sleeping that night. Most of her best days resulted in Lee having a sleepless night, it's just the way things seemed to be for her.

But they got to their apartment and Tarin agreed that coffee would go well with the cheese cake, so giving him a very quick kiss, Lee slipped out of the cab and started making her way upstairs while Tarin was paying.

Once she was in the apartment, Lee only paused long enough to turn the light on and slip her shoes off before heading off to the kitchen to start the coffee. A moment later, Lee heard Tarin entering the apartment behind her. But he didn't have as much he needed to do, so just as she was finishing getting the coffee maker going, she heard his voice calling from the living room, warning her that if she wasn't fast, he would eat both pieces of cheese cake.

"Don't you even think of doing that," Lee replied as she strode out of the kitchen and toward the couch. The coffee was going to take a little while to brew, so she may as well spend that time with Tarin, warming up beside him, rather than standing in the kitchen.

And he already had a blanket there! Despite Tarin's threat to eat both pieces of cake, Lee was smiling as she sat down beside him, as close as she could possibly get without actually sitting on his lap, and pulled the blanket over her.

"I must not have readjusted after Texas yet or something," Lee commented as she reached for her slice of cake. "I know it's not that cold out, but I'm freezing..."

Lee didn’t seem to think that Tarin eating both their cheesecake slices was a good idea. She was probably right. He’d lost a fair amount of weight during the time he’d been in the coma and he was kind of bound and determined to keep it off. A slightly slimmer physique was something Tarin had kind of wanted for years, but never put the work into getting. It seemed he’d found the perfect diet, though, and wasn’t about to ruin it by eating everything not glued down. Even if food did taste so much better now.

Lee came back anyway, apparently worried that he actually meant the threat he’d made to eat all of the food himself. Tarin didn’t mind though as she climbed up onto the couch and snuggled under the blanket and into him. Tarin reflexively wrapped his arms around her, under the blanket, and pulled her close, into perfect snuggle position.

Lee commented on almost the exact same thing Tarin had been thinking when Lee was so cold outside and he actually laughed out loud. “Aren’t role-reversals hilarious?” he asked after a moment, still chuckling, “I was a little chilled by the time we got to the bakery…but I really hadn’t noticed any cold.”

That said, Tarin tightened his arms and ran his hands up and down Lee’s arms and leaned his head on her shoulder, “I guess I’ll just have to warm you up then, huh? You know, they say body heat works wonders.”

Tarin was getting distracted, and there was perfectly good cheesecake sitting just a few feet away on the table. There would be plenty of time for warming, getting downright hot in fact, later. Right now, though, there was cheesecake, and if they kept playing around it was going to get warm…and warm cheesecake just wasn’t very good. “Lee….” He said, reaching feebly towards where he’d sat the food, “The cheesecake is suddenly so far away….”

Oh, this was so much better, sitting there under a blanket with Tarin's arms around her. Lee was still feeling chilled, but was definitely feeling the heat coming off Tarin's body, trapped by the blanket, as they sat there.

Tarin seemed to think it was humourous that she was feeling so cold, yet apparently he had barely noticed the chill in the air outside. That made Lee frown slightly as she snuggled against Tarin. "Maybe I'm getting sick..." she said slowly. Though, other than feeling much colder than she would have expected outside, she wasn't feeling off at all.

"Or maybe," Lee continued as she felt Tarin's arms tightening around her. "It has something to do with the fact that my shirt doesn't have any sleeves, in case you hadn't noticed." Lee was sure that Tarin had noticed that fact, she'd seen him looking at her intently enough over the course of the night for him to not have noticed, but maybe he hadn't made the connection between how the lack of fabric had looked and the fact that that meant she had less protection against the cold.

Tarin seemed all about warming her up, commenting on how well body heat worked. And with how his arms were wrapped against him, and how she was snuggled up against his side, Lee was in danger of forgetting about the slices of cheese cake. And might have slightly until Tarin commented about how far away it was now while he pretended to try and reach for the slices of cake.

"You're unbelievable," Lee said as she rolled her eyes at Tarin. But she was smiling as she spoke, and a moment later Lee reluctantly pushed herself away from Tarin slightly, just enough that she could reach the containers on the table.

"There, happy now?" Lee asked as she also handed Tarin one of the plastic forks they had gotten with their desserts. But rather than digging into her slice, Lee stabbed a chunk of the blueberry cake Tarin was holding and popped it into her mouth before Tarin could really react. Well, she had been the one to move and get the cakes off the table, so it was only fair, right?

Lee pointed out that maybe the sleeveless state of her shirt had something to do with the fact that she was so cold and Tarin nodded his head. It made sense, and he hadn’t thought of it before this point. In case he hadn’t noticed, though? Tarin chuckled at that and bent his head to kiss one of those exposed shoulders, “And Lee…I noticed, probably a couple hundred times tonight…and as cold as you’ve been, it would have been a crime to cover you up looking the way you do.”

Turning on the charm. Probably not something absolutely expected of a man when speaking to his wife, but Tarin had said that he had a few more small surprises up his sleeve for the evening. One of those things wasn’t really a surprise. They were newlyweds still. Tarin refused to count the time he’d been in the coma. Turning on the charm was another.

Tarin knew the roll of Lee’s eyes was cursory and teasing, mostly because of the smile, but he really didn’t want her to move away to pick up the cheesecake. It was like an internal battle was waging inside of him, Lee moving away meant that he had to stop his mind from the direction it was heading, at least of the time being and that was a crying shame. There was cheesecake though, an d as Lee leaned forward to pick the pieces up, Tarin leaned back and sighed slightly into the couch cushions and looked at her back and shoulders.

Up Lee sat and handed Tarin his cheesecake and a fork, but before he knew it, she’d taken a bite. “Hey!” Tarin exclaimed, “I said I’d share! You didn’t have to snag the first bite!” that said, he snagged her first bite and shot her a slightly triumphant grin before taking the second bite of his. The cheesecake melted in his mouth and he sighed happily as his eyes slipped shut for a moment, “Mmmm…yeah…the strawberry is good…but I really wanted this blueberry.”