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The front door closed, and a minute later Travis made an appearance in the doorway to the den. He caught Hank’s eye as Veronica rushed over to him and hugged him, nodding at him over her head.
“Ready?” Hank asked as he climbed down from the ladder and moved it out of the way.
“Yes,” Veronica said as Travis turned out the lights, casting the room in the light and shadows created by the fireplace. Hank tapped the switch on the floor by the Christmas tree and then went to stand with Veronica and Travis. The big evergreen was festooned with decorations, some brand new, many old, and all of it was lit up with multicolored lights. Veronica sighed with pleasure as she looked at the result of her work.
“Nika, it looks beautiful in here,” Travis said.
“The whole house looks more festive than it ever has, thanks to all of your Christmas decorating skills.”
Veronica giggled. “I know I kind of went overboard. I guess I was making up for so many years of not really observing the holidays. And your mom had a great collection of Christmas decorations. I couldn’t pick and choose so I put out everything.”
“Nika, we have something for you,” Hank began, butterflies making nervous fluttering in his gut as Travis took off his coat and hung it in the hall.
“You do?”
“Yes,” Travis said and then pulled the thickly padded throw rug before the fire.
They crowded on either side of her and Travis brushed the long locks of auburn hair off of her right shoulder before gently stroking her nipple, which drew up into a tight peak in response. She hissed softly and bit her lip as she looked up at him, the light from the fire flickering in her cinnamon-colored eyes, which sparkled from the multicolored lights of the Christmas tree.
On her left side, Hank gently slipped her eyeglasses off and laid them with care on the mantel and slid his fingertips along the silky smooth skin of her neck and cupped the back of her head. She turned eyes filled with love up to him and the nerves settled as she smiled at him. Travis bent his head and kissed her shoulder.
Hank nodded at the rug and she settled into a comfortable position kneeling, looking up at them, waiting. Hank and Travis went to her and knelt down on one knee, side by side in front of her.
Her jaw dropped a little, and she licked her lower lip, making it glisten in the low light. Her eyes skipped back and forth between the two of them and she gulped as Travis revealed the little white velvet box he held in his hand and handed to Hank. She gasped and Hank could see the quiver that ran through her body as she leaned toward them almost imperceptibly. Her hands fidgeted together in her lap before Travis lifted one into his.
Stroking the delicate bones and tendons of her hand, Travis said, “Nika, that day I looked across the gathering at the rose garden, I hoped there was a reason we were brought together again after so many years. In the time we’ve had together, I’ve fallen so deeply in love with you, I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Will you marry me?” He ended on a soft note and Hank smiled when he heard the way Travis gulped before he bent and kissed the top of her hand and put it to his cheek. “Please say yes,” he added and then looked at Hank, gratitude in his eyes. He’d wanted to propose first, sure that his mind would go blank when it was his turn.
Hank lifted her other hand and held it between his rough hands, aware of how delicate and yet powerful the creative instrument in his grip was as he kissed it. “Nika, my life was changed the day I laid eyes on you for the first time. The way you stood there, battling your nerves in order to take full advantage of what you called the opportunity of a lifetime, to record the events of Maizy’s wedding. I’ve watched you confront your fears and I’ve been helpless as you’ve stolen my heart. I can’t imagine life without you, either. I want to take care of you and love you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”
She looked up at him for long seconds, and then at Travis for an equal time. “Yes. Yes, I will. I would love to marry you.”
She looked between them, licked her lips again, and then giggled. “I’m not making the first move. Whoever gets here first gets a kiss.”
A chuckle burst from Hank and he swooped in and took her lips before Travis could make a move.
