I rolled over in his arms, kissing his lips.
“Merry Christmas,” I murmured.
He let out a small sigh as he woke up. “Merry Christmas, baby.” His voice was so sexy when it was all scratchy and tired.
I smiled at him in the darkness, feeling like this was the gift—just him and me, being together for a holiday. But then he murmured, “I think Santa paid us a visit.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “Are you calling morning wood a present?”
He barked out a surprised laugh. “No, silly. There’s a present for you on the desk.”
Snuggling into his chest, I asked, “How did Santa get in this room without a chimney?”
He chuckled. “Best not ask questions.”
Feeling giddy to open a present, I got up and flipped the light switch.
“Aggie!” he moaned. “You’re gonna blind me.”
I laughed. “I had to see my presents, old man!” To be fair, my eyes were stinging too, but I wouldn’t tell him that.
He sat up on the bed as both of our eyes adjusted. I laid my eyes on a stocking hung on the mirror with a hook attached to a suction cup, and below it was a square, wrapped box.
I stared back at him in amazement. He must have set this all up after I went to sleep. “Thank you. It’s so pretty, I almost don’t want to open it.”
“Well then, I guess we can go back to bed then,” he retorted, leaning over to switch the light back off.
“Hey, hey, hey!” I said, laughing. “Almosttoo pretty to open!”
“Ah, I see.” He lowered his hands, still giving me a smile that could melt chocolate.
Still smiling myself, I pulled down the stocking and started taking out the items. I remembered my mom giving me a stocking each Christmas up until I was about twelve or thirteen—close to when she married my stepdad. She never had money for much besides that, but it was fun to get an orange and a few little trinkets each year. I missed it when she stopped.
So getting a stocking from Gray, at my age, felt even more special. Inside was a candy cane-shaped container filled with candy, a pack of silk hair scrunchies, several different brands of lipstick I’d been wanting to try, and even a contouring palette I’d told Gray was just a little too expensive for me to purchase a month or two ago.
As I pulled out the items, it was hard to keep from crying with joy. The fact that Gray had listened to all the little things throughout the year and made them come true for me made me feel so loved. I just wished I could make him feel the same way.
“Gray, I’m sorry I didn’t get a stocking for you.”
He shook his head, smiling. “I unwrapped my present last night, remember?”
I shook my head at him, going to kiss him. “I thought that present was for me.”
“I’m sure it was,” he replied.
I smiled, going back to the little desk in the room to look at my other present. I opened the box, and inside there was a ring and a matching bracelet. They were shining silver with diamonds attached and looked awfully expensive.
I stared at him in shock. “What is this?”
He said, “I know we’ve haven’t been married all that long, but I’ve been in love with you for a long time, even when I was scared to admit it. And in a couple of weeks, it’ll be the anniversary of the day we first met—the 25th anniversary, which is silver. So I know you were talking about cutting your right ring finger off to come on this cruise, but maybe you could put this ring on there instead—as a reminder of how much I love you.”
Now the tears were really falling. It was early in the morning. I’m sure I looked a mess, with no makeup on and my hair still in its silken bonnet, now with tears in the mix—but I went to him and hugged him, his arms wrapping tight around me.
“You have no idea how special this is to me,” I mumbled into his strong chest.
He kissed the top of my head. “I just want you to know how much I love you. Always, Aggie.”
“I know,” I told him as I pulled back to look at him. Since he’d committed to me, he’d never given me reason to doubt his feelings. “Now it’s time for your present.”
