“Why didn’t you just say you were going shopping?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, because I’m a dumb guy?” I walk us over to the couch and set her down, kissing her nose before letting her go. “Stay here.” I walk around the half wall and grab one of the two boxes I picked up for her today. Neither are Christmas gifts, those are all under the tree, professionally wrapped by the amazing women in the department stores.
Her eyes widen when she sees how big the box is. I have a feeling she knows what this is, even though I had it wrapped.
“This is a ‘just because’ gift.” I sit down next to her and hold the box on my lap. “I think you’re amazing and love you so much. I can’t wait for you to succeed in your career and this is to help you along.”
I slide the box over to her lap, watching her eyes light up as she tears into the paper. I know for a fact that her Christmases have been so different since her grandmother passed away and with this one being her first without her grandpa, I’m trying to make it special - which is one of the reasons why my parents are coming. My mom plans to show her how the Davenports celebrate.
“Oh my god, Ethan… this is too much. I can’t.” She tries to hand me the Mac Book Air, but I push it back toward her.
“You’re going to need it when you start working and I’m tired of hearing you complain about that crappy Acer you bought.” I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Besides, I’ve seen how much you love mine. Now we can be twins.”
When Daisy looks at me, her eyes are full of tears. “I love you so much, Ethan.”
“I love you, too. Meeting you has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
She looks at me quizzically. “Really? What about being drafted?”
I take her laptop from her and put it on the floor, pulling her in to me so we’re prone on the couch. I reach for the remote, and turn down the lights before turning on some soft music. The white lights from our first Christmas tree twinkle, casting a luminous glow over the living room.
“I told you before, meeting you was kismet. I meant it then and I mean it now. We were destined to be together.”
Daisy wraps her arm around mine and presses her back into my chest. I love lying with her like this, where neither of us can move away from each other.
“Sometimes you sound like a girl.”
“I know. I can’t help it. You bring out my girly side.”
Trailing my fingers up and down her arms, I know I have to be careful or she’ll fall asleep here. It’s happened so many times, and while I don’t care, I have another present for her.
“Daisy?”
“Hmm?” she says, close to sleep. I sit up slightly and roll her over to face me. I can’t resist the small pout on her lips and lean down to kiss it away. She deepens the kiss, but I pull away, leaving both of us breathless.
My fingers ghost down the side of her face as she looks at me with her vibrant green eyes. “You’re so beautiful.” I tell her this every day. I never want her to think that I don’t find her the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life. I think we need to make this permanent.”
“We live together, Ethan.”
“I want to share everything with you, Daisy.” She sits up, matching my position. “I know I’m not doing this right and it’s not how I planned this out in my head, but some things are best left unplanned, right?”
She nods, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.