Then he sat me up so quickly; my eyes lingered closed and my lips remained pursed as though I was still kissing him. “Your turn.” His grin turned wicked as he reached under the bed and stopped. “Put out your hands and close your eyes.”
I squished my eyes tight and reached my hands out in a grabby motion. He wasn’t the only one who liked surprises. “Gimme, gimme.”
Something smooth met my palm.
“Open.” Blake’s voice sounded full of anticipation and excitement.
I opened my eyes with a huge smile on my face and looked down at a leather bound book, wrapped in a red bow. My eyebrows knitted together as I peeled the bow open with two fingers.
The leather was soft as butter in a rich chocolate color. I opened the cover and my hand came up to my mouth. Inscribed on the front was Blake’s handwritten scribe:
A place for all your Forget-Me-Nots
A dried out flower was fastened below it, along with the selfie we’d taken our first date on the rooftop.
“I want you to make happy memories. I don’t want our moments mixed with all the bad memories in your old journal. A new journal for a new life. Nothing should taint what we have, and I never want you to confuse the two.”
A tear fell, wetting the petal. “Better and better. God, I love you, Blake. Nothing could be more perfect than this.”
Blake smirked. “Come on now. Give me some credit. You’re not done yet.” He swiped the moisture from my bottom lashes with the pad of his thumb. “Turn the page.”
I bit my lip and turned. The next few pages were all the words Blake ever wrote me. I laughed through tears, seeing his candid photos of me, his forget-me-not poem, and each note he’d left me the day of our date. He’d even written out the playlist he’d downloaded on my iPod. I turned one more page, and my breath caught in my throat.
A delicate gold chain was draped down the page. Different charms hung from scattered points. With a shaky hand, I examined each one. The first was a tree, and I smiled, thinking of Bertha. Next was a camera, followed by a microphone, a rose, a horse and carriage, angel wings, a music note, a unicorn, and a feather pen. My fingers grazed the gold back and forth, amazed at the thought he’d put into this gift.
“Blake, I’m speechless.”
“Your face said enough. I’m happy you like it.” He plucked the chain from the page and sat behind me. I lifted my hair, and he clasped it around my neck. Putting his hands on my shoulders, he kissed the soft skin, letting his lips linger there as he breathed me in. His nose traveled up my jaw, toward my ear, and his whispered breath sent a chill down my spine. “I love you so much, Angel. So much it hurts sometimes. I hope you know how important you are to me. You’re my life now. Nothing makes sense without you anymore.”
“I love you, too. More than I think you realize. You gave me my life back, and I could never repay you for that.” I turned and placed each leg around his hips. “I feel like I’ve been with you forever. It’s weird it’s only been a couple of months. You’re a piece of me now. I almost feel like you always were.”
Blake knotted his fingers in my hair and brushed his nose against mine. I breathed in a slow breath, dragging in his scent, closing my eyes. He pressed a soft kiss to my lips before licking the seam. I parted them, inviting him in. My head buzzed with the overwhelming sense of what could only be classified as Blake racing through my system. It couldn’t be confused with anything else. I wanted to pull him inside my skin but at the same time I already felt him there, living inside me.
I looked into his eyes that were full of so much love. “Can we make this quick today? I want to go back to your place and cuddle. Alone.”
“Sounds perfect.” Blake fingered the necklace so it sat just right, a soft smile on his lips as he admired it. “I plan on filling this with memories for the rest of your life.”
I smiled. “I’m sure you do.”
A loud knock sounded at the door, and I hurried off Blake’s lap, smoothing down my hair. “Come in.”
Abby stuck her head in. “Breakfast is ready. Come eat. I want my gift.” She bounced from the door, excited, and Blake and I followed.
The smell of fresh brewed coffee floated up the stairs. Breakfast Christmas morning was enough to make anyone’s mouth water. Bacon, eggs, French toast and, of course, leftover Christmas cookies were laid out buffet-style on the dining room table. Damon was practically perched on the edge of his seat as though he was waiting for something, and I wondered faintly what that could be. Though I was used to ignoring him at my mother’s table, that night terror was enough to bring back the vilest of memories, making me acutely aware of his presence. I choked them down and focused on the delicious assortment before me, so not to tip anyone off.