I sniff back my tears. “I love it. So much, Rex, I love it. And I love you.”
“It’s unconventional, but um, usually when a man gives the woman he loves a diamond, it represents his intention to marry her.” He tilts his head and rubs the back of his neck then brings his eyes to mine. “That’s what this is, Gia. It’s my promise to you. When you’re ready, we’ll take that necklace to have it made into a ring, but until then, every time you feel that against your chest, you’ll know I’m yours and your mine. You have that as my vow.” He clasps my face between his hands. “I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life exploring you and loving you.”
That’s all I’ve ever wanted, to be his. “Yes, Rex. I say yes. I’ll marry you.”
He drops his head and blows out a long breath. “Thank you, God.”
I throw myself into his arms and he holds me to him.
How can I top this? “You should know you totally out-gifted me. My present to you is really lame compared to this.”
He laughs and his arms convulse around me. “Impossible, baby.”
I reach over and grab the box that’s wrapped in blue paper with white snowflakes printed on it. “Here. I actually wrapped it myself, so no laughing.” I sit up a little but stay in his lap as he rips through the paper.
Pulling out the present by the single ribbon it’s attached to, he dangles the silver ornament before his eyes, reading the inscription.
“Rex and Gia. First Christmas. Let this be our beginning.” He hugs me and kisses the top of my head. “It’s perfect.” He eyes our crooked tree. “Where should we hang it?”
We stand, walk around our tree to scope out the perfect spot, and decide on front and center.
He throws his arm over my shoulder. “Our beginning. I like that.”
He pulls something out of his pocket and points it at his stereo system. A remote clicks the music on and Nat King Cole’s voice fills the room singing “The Christmas Song.”
He drops the remote on the couch and turns to me, holding out a hand. “May I have this dance?”
A trickle of anxiety warms my stomach. “I um . . . I don’t know how to dance.”
He smiles but pulls me to him. “Me neither.”
I giggle and bury my face into his bare chest. The spicy smell of his skin soothes my nerves.
“I figure we just hold on to each other and sway.”
“Seems like everything always starts with that.” I peer up at him and he dips his chin. “Us, holding on to each other.”
“That’s the way we started; in the dark, you were humming Christmas music while we held on tight.”
“And here’s our new beginning.”
“But this time, we’re never letting go.”
The End
Coming October 2014
The next book in the series is Fighting the Fall, Eve’s story.
A man’s greatest enemy is failure.
No one has been defeated more than Cameron Kyle. With his fighting career ripped from his grasp at the height of success, a child he wasn’t strong enough to save, and a marriage that even the brawn of a heavyweight couldn’t hold together, he’s locked inside the body and life of the loser he never saw himself to be. Angry, bitter, and frustrated, he takes on the position of CEO of the UFL, intent on righting wrongs, earning back his self-respect, and making sure he never makes the same mistakes again.
Finished with being used by men, Eve Dawson swears she’ll never fall again. Every relationship from her past has been a feeble attempt to gain approval—unconditional love—all to fill the void left by the only man she ever wanted it from: her Dad. Swearing off men forever, she repels advances, making herself a challenge to even the most persistent suitors.
Until she meets the one man who refuses to lose.
But life has set them at odds. The fragile bond that they have is quickly shattered when the man who ended Cameron’s UFL career comes out of retirement for a rematch.
A second chance. One fight. The outcome, ultimate success or possible death.
Will he sacrifice her love, his life, all to gain back a lost reputation?
Can she handle being cast aside again?
Or will they continue Fighting the Fall?
Acknowledgments
First, I want to thank God who helped me through the difficult subject of this story.
Thank you to my husband and daughters who are my biggest inspiration and the first loves of my life.
Thank you to my mom, child and family therapist Gale West, who was an endless source for research, encouragement, and support. The topics we had to discuss only increased my admiration for you and all that you do. I love you, Mom.
Heartfelt thanks to my brother, Bo Davis, for always believing in me and reading all my books, even though they’re romance. I love you, bro.
Thank you to my dad, Rob Davis, for pimping my books to everyone who’ll stop long enough to listen. And thank you for being proud of me. I love you, Dad.