Gone with the Wolf - By Kristin Miller Page 0,73
his voice. “You can look.”
Emelia yanked the blindfold down and gasped. He’d turned the wine cellar into a romantic sanctuary, with a plush red blanket strewn on the floor, pillows leaning against the wine racks, and tea light candles flickering in the dark. There had to be hundreds of tiny lights scattered on the marble-topped tables, the hardwood floor, and the wooden ledge of the rack.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, leaning her head back on Drake’s chest. “Thank you.”
“Merry Christmas.” He spun her around, keeping her tucked against his body, and caught her mouth. He embraced her full-bodied, hip to hip, mouth to mouth, dizzying her as his tongue swept past her lips. The kiss buzzed down to Emelia’s toes—she’d never tire of the feelings Drake gave her.
She pulled back, gazing deep into her husband’s eyes. He was her greatest wish…one she didn’t think she’d ever receive. He was everything she never knew she wanted. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”
“I thought we could exchange presents down here, before dinner.”
“Okay,” she said, unsure how Drake would respond when she gave him his gift. Luckily, she’d brought his gift with her.
“I’ve wanted to give this to you for a while.” He dug around in the pocket of his blazer and pulled out a small box wrapped in sparkly silver wrapping, tied with a fluffy red bow. “But I thought tonight would be perfect. Do you realize we met almost two months ago today?”
Her insides tingled as she took the box and twirled it in her hand. “Drake…”
“Open it.”
She untied the bow and let it fall, then tore through the wrapping. A black velvet box remained in the palm of her hand. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but Emelia knew what came in tiny black velvety boxes. Hands shaking, Emelia unhinged the lid and opened it. Her eyes met Drake’s as tears began to fall.
“Drake, it’s…it’s beautiful.” Her throat constricted. She couldn’t speak.
“Do you really like it?”
The ring was big and sparkling and the exact opposite of what she would’ve picked for herself. A two-carat round diamond rose from the center of the ring and was surrounded by brilliant diamond clusters that wrapped around the band. It was breathtaking. The fact that he’d picked it for her, that he’d envisioned this ring on her finger when he perused hundreds of other rings, made Emelia’s heart skip a beat.
When her eyes met Drake’s again, he was kneeling in front of her. The sight almost buckled her.
“I know it’s not something you would normally wear,” he said, “but I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, just like I couldn’t take my eyes off of you the first time we met. From the first moment I met you, I’ve been completely, insanely captivated by your radiance.”
Stomach in her throat, Emelia gazed at the ring. It was elaborate, and greater than her wildest dreams. It was Drake.
Holding her hand, Drake took the ring and poised it at the tip of her finger. “This ring is a promise of my love to you, Emelia. It’s a symbol of my unending love, and my desire to make you happy until the end of your days.”
As he slipped the ring on her finger, Emelia choked back tears. The ring fit snugly. Perfectly. When she held up her hand to see the diamond sparkle, she saw Drake. A part of him fitting perfectly on her finger, as he fit perfectly in her heart and in her life.
“It’s perfect. I love it,” she breathed, coiling her arms around his neck. “I love you.”
“I love you ten times more.” He stood and enveloped her in a heart-tingling embrace. “And I have one more surprise for you.”
“More?” She couldn’t handle more. Drake had already given her everything she’d ever wanted.
Picking up an opened bottle of Château Lafite from the wine barrel beside them, Drake poured two glasses. “A toast…using the wine that started it all.”
Emelia laughed, eyeing the bottle, remembering how bitter she’d been that night at the party. “That’s so sweet.”
Drake offered Emelia the fuller of the two glasses. She took it, tasting the wine’s mint aroma before a drop of it passed her lips. Its aroma was robust without being overpowering. She swirled the dark liquid around the bottom and wondered how she’d tell Drake that she didn’t want a single drink of it.
“To the past, present, and future,” he said, clinking his glass against hers.
“To our future,” Emelia said, and watched him tip back the glass.
When he noticed