flips open the cover, reading what I wrote for him. “Sometimes all it takes to fall in love is Just One Kiss. With all my heart, I love you. – London.” He closes it, his eyes glassy and mine are already starting to water. “Jesus, London. This is incredible. My present isn’t half as thoughtful.”
I choke out a watery laugh. “I don’t care. This is us, Miles. You’re all I need.” He leans in and gives me a sweet kiss. “Open the next.”
This one is bigger, softer, and the moment he opens it, I see his eyes rolling. “Red?”
I nod.
“It’ll clash with your eyes.”
“You only have to wear it today.”
He frowns, staring down at the red Christmas sweater I got him more as a joke than anything else. “I’ll put it on when we get to your parents’ house. Not a second before.”
I grin like a stupid girl in love because only a guy who really loves you would dare to wear a bright red sweater that has fucking Santa and green glittery ornaments on it. Still, it’s a terrible holiday tradition in my family. Ugly Christmas sweaters for the men, and last year, Miles didn’t have one.
“I love the first present.”
I laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him. “I’m glad. There’s more, but they’re already at my parents’ place. I had them shipped there.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “Just so we can bring them back home after?”
“You have to have something to open under the tree, Miles. Don’t be such a spoilsport.”
“Yes ma’am.” He gives me another kiss and then places a large white box on my lap, tied together with a lavender bow.
So simple. So pretty. So Miles.
I tug on the ribbon, releasing the bow and setting it aside. Then I remove the lid and stare down inside the box for a solid minute, trying to understand just what the hell I’m looking at.
“Careful,” he warns. “It’s delicate.”
“Ummmm.” I glance up at him, my eyebrows pinched, and then back down to the box. “This is my present?”
“Yes.”
“Miles.”
I reach in, touching the black cashmere.
“Like I said, it’s delicate.”
“It’s my sweater. The one I was just searching all over the goddamn house for.”
“I know. Do you like it?”
My eyebrows hit my hairline, and an incredulous pinch of my lips takes over. I’m honestly not sure what to do in this situation. The man re-gifted my sweater back to me.
My hands wrap around the soft material, lifting it out and it’s only then that I realize there’s more to it than that. The sweater is wrapped around something that does, in fact, feel delicate. Fragile even.
Shifting on the sofa, I set the sweater down carefully, folding back the layers of fabric to find a beautiful blue heart-shaped ornament inside. A smile hits my lips.
“I gave you the purple one last year and I thought maybe it would be our new tradition.”
Wow, he’s cute. And nervous if his expression is anything to go by. He was worried I wouldn’t like it, but I love it.
“Miles,” I whisper, my voice thick. “It’s gorgeous.”
I pick it up, twirling the heart in my hand only to discover that when I turn it over, it’s got a large hole in the front. And sitting inside is a pretty red box. I stare at it, stunned, unable to move or breathe.
Miles helps me by taking the ornament from my hands and removing the box. Then he’s down on one knee in front of me, his hands in my lap and his face directly before mine.
“London Amelia Canterbury, I don’t know how to thank you. All my life I never felt like I deserved much. And anything I had, well, it never lasted long. But then you blew back into my life and everything changed. You’ve given me so much this past year. Your heart. Your smiles. Your warmth. Your life. Your love. All of them I cherish. All of them I cannot live without. Will you marry me, London?”
He opens the box to reveal a large, stunning oval diamond set on a band of diamonds.
He takes the ring from the box and slips it onto my finger, his eyes bright and earnest and so full of love. Without thinking, I throw my arms around his neck and kiss the hell out of him. He laughs, kissing me back with equal ardor.
“Is that a yes?” he asks against my lips.
“Yes.” I laugh in return. “Didn’t I say that already?”
“Um. No. I would have remembered you saying