The little donut shop was exactly as Theo had rendered it.

The long wooden counter, the Formica tables and chairs, the lounge area... Even the blond cashier was there, the only difference with her virtual version being her bright red Santa hat. She greeted me with a melodious giggle. "Hello. Would you like to hear the Christmas specials?"

"No, thank you. I'm looking for a boy. Comes here often. Very tall, blond, and whose hair hasn't seen a comb in years. Shy, but not awkwardly-shy, more like cutely-shy."

"Oh, yes. Theo? He's behind the glass shelves."

"Thanks." I beamed and started towards the back of the restaurant.

"Wait, I have something for you." She dived under the counter, and rose back with a tray. And two dozen chocolate glazed donuts.

Oh, sweet heavens.

"He told me to give them to the pretty Asian girl that would come looking for him." The cashier chuckled, making the bells on her hat jingle merrily.

I grinned, both from the tasty attention and from the "pretty", then pranced to Theo's table with my precious loot.

"Hi."

He put down his coffee and got up to help me. "Hello."

I tsk-tsked him away from the tray as I put it down.

With a scoff, he sat back, and watched me remove my earmuffs, gloves, scarf, and woolen beanie. "I find it difficult to believe that you love winter, with all the layers you're wearing against the cold. What's so great about this season?" he asked, as I untied my down jacket.

I shrugged it off and hooked it on the coat hanger behind him. Snow fell from my hoodie to his hair without his noticing. "Two words: no bugs."

Theo snorted. "Right. Well, I see you've found my surprise."

I blew on my palms to warm them, then wrapped my fingers around his steaming mug. "Yes, but I don't understand."

His brows furrowed in answer.

With a sly smile, I went on, "I don't understand what you are gonna eat."

Unabashed by my statement, he outstretched a hand, picked a donut, and wolfed down half of it. "One month being grounded at home and your first outing is a Tim Hortons. From a gal who's positively obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, I expected you to text me a more romantic location for this date."

I ogled the chocolate smudge on the corner of his mouth.

"Feeling warmer?"

"Uh?" I blinked at his question, guilt spreading along with the flush on my face.

His gaze pointed towards the cup. "I asked if you were feeling warmer."

"Sure, thanks." I pushed the mug back to him, and sank my teeth in a glazed ring. Oh, boy, that was good.

"How's Amy?" he inquired, attacking his second pastry.

"She's good. She's spending the afternoon with friends. Ax throwing, I think."

"Chainsaw fencing was yesterday?"

"You'll be very glad she familiarised herself with axes, should a zombie apocalypse happen."

"I'll be sure to look for her the moment I spot undead people. How are your parents?"

"They're still mad at me for using the Bridge while I had promised to refrain from playing. But kinda proud that their daughters saved the world from a supervillain."

A shadow of sadness crossed Theo's countenance. I put my hand on his forearm. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said supervillain. I know you care about Victoria."

He shrugged, sorrow lingering in his eyes. "I read that she will benefit from psychotherapy during her jail time. I hope she'll get closure." He paused, then added, "I hope everyone in the world and especially at InfiCorp will get closure."

"Have you left the company yet?"

"Yes, most the DigHandling teams were let go last week due to shortage of players."

"How will you handle your university tuition without a job?"

His eyes sparkled. "I found a new one."

"Good for you," I replied while he rummaged in his messenger bag.

"Can you guess where?" He placed on the table a Santa hat similar to the cashier's.

"No way."

"Leah, meet the newest addition to Tim Hortons Incorporated." He put the hat on and pushed on a button, lighting the pompom up. It blinked to a faint All I Want for Christmas Is You.

"Oh, my God. You're so lucky. Are there benefits in kind? Please tell me there are."

With a seductive wink, he whispered, "I have an employee discount." Lowering his voice even more, "50 percent off anything."

I pretended to wheeze, marveling at the way his mouth tugged up when he smirked.

"Will you miss it? Working for InfiCorp, I mean."

He removed his hat and switched it off, eyeing me with mock disdain. "Will I miss running away from Janeites drooling and prowling around Darcy?"

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Will you miss the Bridge world?"

I pondered the question while I gulped down my donut. "I regret not having reached the end of the novel, and Darcy's second love confession."

"If that's all there is..." Theo kneeled down before me, attracting curious glances from the people in the restaurant.

His eyes bored into mine, as intense and hopeful as what I had imagined. "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever."

Swoon.

I stammered, "That's nice to hear, but I meant his recounting of falling in love with Lizzy."

Not missing a beat, Theo recited, "I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."

Double swoon.

Slipping out of character, he beamed at me. "This confession?"

I swallowed with difficulty. "Wow. You know his part by heart..." Nudging him playfully, I teased, "Are you sure you're not wearing a Bridge and a DigHandler is backing you up?"

He leant closer, his lips hovering my ear. "Shall I remove my clothes for you to inspect every inch of my skin?"

Triple swoon.

"Err, I'm sure there are other ways to prove that you're not possessed." Ways that wouldn't imply me fainting.

Theo got up. "You asked for it."

I gaped, incredulous yet wishing he had indeed planned to strip in the middle of a Tim Hortons.

But, holy biscuits, this was even worse.

He somehow managed to hit a new low with his terrible chicken dance.

Three tables further, a group of guys grabbed their phones, and started snickering and filming.

With a snort, I clasped Theo's wrists and brought him down to his seat.

He guffawed at his audience, and joked, "No way the Bridge engine can handle that level of unskilfulness." With appetite, he picked another donut and took a generous bite off of it. "Now, it's your turn to prove you're not possessed."

I eyed his silly grin, the carmine his performance had brought to his skin, and that ridiculous smear next to his mouth.

Taking my time, I bent over the table, then cupped his cheeks, and kissed him, savouring the dilatation of his pupils and the hitching of his breath.

Was it the chocolate glazing that made this caress beyond compare with the virtual kiss we had shared? Or maybe the scent of his passion fruit shampoo? Unless it was the softness of his ever-tousled hair under my hungry fingers?

I stopped musing about the factors differentiating the two experiences when Theo tilted my head and deepened the kiss. A moan rumbled in my throat as I surrendered to his demanding tongue. Passion succeeded to shyness, earning us whooping and wolf whistles from the onlookers.

"The Bridge is stupid."

"Beg your pardon?" I whispered against his lips, unsettled by his comment.

"You're perfect, from head to toes. I apologise on its behalf."

"Apologies accepted."

And with this second, tender kiss, he erased everything. The donut shop, Victoria, the Parsonage, the Netherfield ball, Wickham, the Meryton assembly and my bruised ego.

I smiled and sat back, my mouth still tingling from his touch--and probably from the lack of oxygen. "I'll have to introduce you to my aunt and uncle. The Darcys and the Gardiners become intimately acquainted at the very end of the novel."

"Why are you talking about the end?"

Theo planted a soft kiss in my palm. Then, he got up and circled our table while still holding my hand. He sat back on the chair by my side, interlacing his fingers with mine, and the warmth of his presence somehow managed to make me shiver.

"Leah, this is just the beginning."