room. Butterflies descended on my stomach. I thought about asking him to sleep on the couch tonight, but if I was honest with myself, I really didn’t want him to.
I opened his bedroom door and found him stretched out on the bed in plaid pajama pants and shirtless. His arms were crossed behind his head, leaving his chest completely open to my view.
My eyes roamed over every dip and curve, marveling at how smooth his skin was. My eyes stopped when the reached the light dusting of brown hair below his belly button.
Bring your eyes up, Katy. Up!
Jared chuckled and my eyes immediately darted up to meet his.
“Like what you see?” He grinned crookedly.
“What’s not to like?”
Did I seriously just say that? Who am I?
He chuckled and patted the empty space next to him that had become mine. “Bedtime, kittycat.”
With my heart racing, I got in the bed.
Jared stood, rummaging through his dresser door.
“What are you looking for?” I asked, sitting up.
“Aha! Found it!” he declared, turning back around with a bag from one of the stores we’d gone in.
He rummaged around in the bag and pulled out the dream catcher. He deposited it on the dresser and then climbed in bed, with the bag still in his hand.
“I got you something,” he grinned like a little boy, holding out the plastic white bag that said ‘Thank you’, in teal and pink letters.
“What’s the special occasion?” I asked, taking it from him.
He smiled at me, the smile that reached his eyes and made them crinkle at the corners. “Katy, I don’t need a special occasion to give you a gift, because every day with you is special.”
I gasped a little at his words. No one had ever said something so sweet to me.
“I- Jared-”
“Katy, please don’t sit here and stutter for five minutes,” he grinned. “Just open the present.”
I nodded, and turned the bag upside down. A small white box fell out, onto my lap.
I picked it up, turning it around, and gave it a small shake. It was small, and fit in the palm of my hand.
“For the love all that’s holy, open it!” Jared was about ready to jump out of his skin. Somebody liked to give gifts.
With a small smile, I lifted the lid off the box.
Inside, nestled between tissue paper, was a bracelet.
It was wine colored, made of some kind of cord, with a gold clasp. A single charm dangled from the clasp and said, ‘Made with Love.’ There was a twisted knot on top, which I ran my thumb over.
“I love it. It’s beautiful,” I looked up at Jared, with awe in my eyes. Would this man ever cease to amaze me?
“It’s called a Forget Me Knot, bracelet, at least that’s what the lady at the store, said,” he shrugged. “But I want you to look at it every day, and when you do, I want you to think about how much I love you and never forget it.”
I swallowed thickly and glanced over at Jared, my lashes sticking together with moisture.
“I will,” I rubbed the material of the bracelet, “this is the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
“It’s just a bracelet,” He whispered, like if he spoke any louder I might crack.
“I know,” I said, “but the meaning behind it? That’s priceless. You are priceless,” I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
I undid the clasp and began to struggle to get it on.
“Here, let me help you,” Jared breathed. His long fingers flicked out and in no time he had the bracelet secured to my wrist. He stared at my wrist for a long moment, a determined gleam in his eye. He bent his head down, his warm breath caressing the sensitive skin of my arm. “You are mine,” he declared, before pressing his lips to my wrist, right next to the bracelet. A shiver ran up my spine as he brushed his nose along my arm. “I really want to kiss you,” his voice was husky.
“Then kiss me,” I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper.
He cupped the back of my head.
“Are you sure?” he questioned, looking my face over for any indication that I was about to flee.
“Yes,” I said, breathlessly. If he didn’t put his lips on mine in ten seconds, I was going to attack him and cling to him like a spider monkey. “Kiss me, Jared.”
With a growl, his lips met mine.
Heat exploded across my body.
He pushed me back, so that I was lying flat on the