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“I’ll help.”
We unloaded the car,and he joined me on the back deck.
“I wish Muriella were here. She’s not spending Christmas alone, is she?” I asked.
His answering smile was secretive. “She’ll be here tomorrow. I couldn’t leave her alone for the holidays, but she insisted we have time to ourselves before she arrives.”
“M’s coming here?” I shrieked, relieved she wasn’t going to be by herself.
“I take it you’re okay with that,” he said wryly.
I shoved at him. “Better than okay.”
He pulled me into his arms. “This lake brings out the aquamarine flecks in your eyes. They’re beautiful.”
I didn’t think he’d noticed, but clearly I was wrong. “Thank you. This place is perfect.” The scenery was incredible, but it was Daniel that made it perfect.
“We’re going to stay a few days.”
My face lit up. “I already don’t want to leave.”
“Neither do I.”
I pecked him on the cheek. “Do you think we could have a fire later? I know it’s not that cold, but it would be nice to have hot chocolate while we sit by a fire and wait for Santa.”
“How is he going to find us?” Daniel asked, eyes dancing with mirth.
“He’s Santa. Heknows.”
After he’d goneto take a shower, I scurried to the kitchen, digging through our haul. There were three stockings hung by the fireplace, and I dumped half a bag of miniature Mars bars into one of them. Then I searched through my purse for the gift I had for Daniel and put it under the tree. A box was there that most definitely hadn’t been before. I wrapped up one more thing for him, using the circulars from the grocery store and some twine I found in the kitchen.
After dinner, we sat in front of the fire and drank hot chocolate, snuggling.
Daniel broke the reverie. “I think we’ve had a visitor. Better go check and see what he left.” I looked up at him suspiciously. “Go on.” He indicated toward the tree.
I scampered over, finding a package to me from Santa. I glanced at Daniel, my stomach jittery. He watched me carefully, and I finally blew out a breath, tearing open the paper to reveal a black velvet box. “What is it?” I whispered, frozen.
“Open it and see.” His eyes brightened as that little upward curve of his lips I loved so much appeared.
I opened the lid. A choker of large black diamonds surrounded by smaller aquamarine stones glittered up at me. I gasped. This was no doubt the most exquisite piece of jewelry I’d ever laid eyes on.
“Daniel,” I breathed. “It’s too much. I-I can’t.” My eyes glassed over, and I blinked the moisture away.
“You don’t like it?” he asked.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I love it. But I can’t accept it.”
His eyes were sweet as they stared at me. “You can,” he encouraged.
My gaze dropped back down to the necklace, and I filled with longing. I didn’t want it because I loved the jewelry. I wanted it because it was from him. I knew if I put it on, it would be like him touching me, even if we weren’t in the same place.
I noticed a key in the center of the box with ‘Yale’ stamped on it. I was pretty sure that was just a generic brand. It appeared ordinary enough, strikingly similar to the gold one that went to my apartment.
“What’s this for?” I asked, still refusing to touch the contents of the box. If I did, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to let it go.
“One day you’ll find out,” he said, taking the box out of my hand.
“You’re not going to give me a clue?” There were a billion locks in the world this key could fit.
