Lukas(65)

“Oh . . . okay then,” I say, startled by his plan. I didn’t see that coming at all.

“Why do you look so surprised?” He looks at me with that smile on his face that makes my insides go to jelly.

I shake my head as we sit on the loveseat and he lays the blanket over us. It’s cold out, but I don’t feel it at all with the heat from the fireplace and the blanket covering us, not to mention the warmth coming off his body being so close to mine.

“This . . .” I say, looking around. “It’s just so . . . romantic and thoughtful. You do things that most men don’t.”

“I wanted to be under the stars with you.”

He makes my heart clench. Is this real? Is he real? I want to believe he is. I need to believe he is.

“I have something for you,” he says, reaching behind the couch and coming back with a tiny box.

“What? For me?” I stammer, surprised. Is he really giving me a gift?

“Open it.”

I hold the small box in my hands, afraid to open it. I can’t remember the last time someone gave me a surprise gift.

“Why did you get me a present? You shouldn’t be buying me things.”

“Why not? I wanted to give you something, so I made something for you.”

“You gave me a drawing.” There’s no way there’s another drawing in this tiny box. This is like a jewelry box.

“And now, I’m giving you something else. Just open it.”

I open the little red box and push the tissue paper away. Inside, I find a silver necklace with a little tiny fork charm hanging off it.

“Lukas! Oh my God, I love it!” I lift it out of the box, smiling. “You made this?”

He takes it from me and gently puts it around my neck, lifting my hair and clasping the chain.

“I made the little metal fork,” he answers.

I hug him. “Thank you. I love it.” I want to never take this little tiny fork off. His sweetness just gets better and better.

He turns his body toward me, resting his back against a big pillow that’s leaning against the arm of the love seat, and finds my hand under the blanket, lacing his fingers between mine.