Page 54 of Pretty

“Mild enough that we’ll take a gondola lift to the mountaintop for dinner at Ice21. On the way, we’ll get to see some stunning panoramic views of the mountains, and after dinner, we can watch the sun set from up there.”

Her eyes lit up at my answer. “I would love that, Drew. It sounds so lovely and peaceful.”

“All right. Well, let’s head up to our room, shower, and get ready for dinner. The next lift leaves in about an hour,” I announced, glancing at my watch.

I had one more gift to give to her for Christmas, and I wanted to do it with a beautiful backdrop over dinner.

“That was just what I needed, baby,” Pretty declared, leaning into me. We had just finished dinner and dessert, and we were sitting outside on the restaurant’s patio bundled in blankets we were able to purchase. There were large outdoor fireplaces on two sides and one in front of us.

I squeezed her thigh underneath her blanket. “Are you cold?” I asked when I leaned into her and kissed her temple.

“No. It’s actually cozy enough that I’m starting to get a little hot, my feet and hands anyway.”

She removed her gloves, and I took them and stuffed them in my coat pocket.

“You’d better keep those boots on. If your ass gets frostbite on this mountain, I’m not carrying you back to our room.”

She laughed. “Why not? We’ll take the gondola back down, and you’d just have to carry me into the lodge and up to our room.”

“Did you see how much pasta and dessert you ate?”

Her mouth dropped open, and she elbowed me in the side. “Really, Drew? That’s what we’re doing now?”

I gripped her in my embrace and pulled her closer, laughing at her. I kissed the side of her head. “Girl, quit getting in your feelings. You know that I’m just teasing you.”

“Baby, look,” she declared, pointing at the mountains across from us. We sat higher up than the mountains on the other side. When I looked in the direction she was pointing, it looked as if the sky exploded with an array of colors.

The sun’s beams radiated in an assortment of red and gold hues across the sky’s horizon. It looked eerily beautiful and peaceful as it lit up the valley below and cast shadows across the trees.

“I am always amazed at Almighty God’s blessings and His glory. The works of His hands are stunning and not to be compared with anything man creates.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I muttered, giving her a little squeeze.

I reached inside of my jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope that I had been carrying around all day. I was looking for the perfect time to give it to her, but I hadn’t found the right time. Now seemed like the right time. I had gifted her a Birkin bag, a platinum watch with diamond numerals from Tiffany, a Van Cleef motif bracelet, a silk pajama set, some fluffy house shoes, and a couple of sets of lingerie.

She had gifted me a beautiful diamond tie clip, since I wore a lot of suits now that I was a sportscaster, a thick, cotton, luxury monogrammed robe in black and gold, and a white-gold Rolex to add to my Air-King collection, in addition to this trip.

“This is my final gift to you tonight.”

“Drew, I told you that you’d done more than enough. You didn’t have to give me another gift. This is bananas.”

“I wanted to give it to you, baby. It’s something that I overheard you and your mother speaking about.”

She opened the envelope, and her jaw dropped. She slapped her hand against her mouth, and tears welled in her eyes. “Drew, baby.”

It was two airline tickets and a detailed itinerary for an all-expense paid trip to Alsace, France, her father’s hometown.

“Is that good?”

“It’s more than good. You overheard my conversation with Maman?”

“Yes, I did. Rather than you spending a grip on taking him over there for his mother’s birthday, I figured I would.”

“I could afford it, you know?”

“I know. I just wanted to do this for you.”

She wiped at the tears on her face and threw her arms around me. Her kiss was slow, but passionate and seductive.