c h a p t e r t w e n t y s i x .

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The clock on the wall in the living room ticked in the same monotonous yet comforting pace that it always did while the hour hand crept towards the height of its face. Midnight neared, casting moonlight down onto the thin layer of snow that covered the North Carolina ground, illuminating the earth in its silvery blue glow. There was something about the middle of the night that was ethereal. Dreamlike, even. The light dusting of snow softened the sounds outdoors and swallowed the world in silence.

Freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air. Winter closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar fragrance. The bold scent paired with the pure delicate nature of the outdoors was a beautiful juxtaposition that mirrored her multitude of emotions over the past week. Warm light from the windows spilled out onto the yard, casting long shadows that danced when she and Joe walked by. She watched with drowsy eyes as the glass in the panes frosted over.

In the center of the room, a tripod holding Joe's cell phone faced the fireplace. Soon, he would livestream on his social media with his brothers to celebrate their album release. The band had managed to keep the album a secret, only sharing bits and pieces here and there. The Jonas Brothers had been trending on Twitter for almost a week as the fans were keeping the hype at an all time high. Even Winter, who was more of an insider than most of the population, was kept in the dark. Of course she was familiar with a couple songs that she had been part of, but even then, she hadn't yet heard the final recordings.

Bright eyed, Joe sat in front of his phone - his laptop opened to his left and a notebook, his iPad, and several other items tossed in a bag to his right. He looked like a kid in a candy store. As the social butterfly of the family, Joe admitted to the fact that he had a difficult time keeping secrets. This surprised no one, but even Winter had to admit that she was impressed with his willpower. It demonstrated his loyalty in regards to things that he genuinely cared about.

"I'm nervous." Running his hand through his hair, he gave a sheepish grin.

"You? Joe Jonas? Nervous? No way." Winter teased in a facetious tone.

"Ha ha, very funny. But I'm serious."

With a single glance, it was hard to tell that anything was bothering the attractive man, but Winter had gotten to know him and his quirks. A trace of sweat had formed on his brow and he looked a little queasy. Winter frowned and felt at his forehead, concern clouding her gaze. "Do you feel okay? What's making you nervous?"

"It's really nothing." Joe shrugged his shoulders, eager to change the subject.

"Talk to me, JJ Jonas." She knew that using that ridiculous nickname would get him to crack a smile. And she was right.

"All these years, I thought I left JJ Jonas in middle school, but you just won't let it die." Joe said through a soft smile. "But truth be told, I'm nervous about how our new music will be received. It's...different than all of our old stuff. It's the most real and personal music we've ever made and I'm so proud of it. I just hope that our fans feel the same way."

Winter rested her hand on his forearm and met his gaze evenly. "They will. The passion you all poured into this album will shine through - I'm sure of it. And if all else fails and the world hates it, you'll always have at least one fan - me."

"That's kind of endearing...in a backhanded kind of way." He threw his head back and laughed. "But thank you. It means a lot to me."

At that moment, an alarm sounded from Joe's phone.

One minute until midnight.

Their eyes met and Winter blinked encouragingly. Joe grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap, covering her face and neck with kiss after kiss after kiss. She giggled at the adorable action that displayed his affection. Out of nowhere, something came over her. In a swift motion, Winter threw one leg over Joe and straddled him, pressing her body up against him in the process. He inhaled sharply as she rocked herself against the zipper on his jeans.

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