AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I couldn’t stop smiling. This was the best Christmas ever.
Chapter 15
2010
Livvie
Iflewacross the carpetto answer the door. Flinging it open, I didn't even give Gareth any warning before I jumped into his arms and wrapped myself tightly around him. My ankles locked behind his back, and I peppered him with kisses.
"Whoa. Why don't you greet me like this every time I come over?" he laughed, carrying me inside and closing the door behind him with his foot.
I pulled back and stared at his gorgeous face. "Because it's not every day we celebrate our three-year anniversary."
Gareth's eyes opened wide in surprise, and a guilty expression crossed his face. He glanced away, and I smacked him on the shoulder. "Gareth Eugene Brown, you better not have forgotten it's our anniversary today."
He met my gaze and his whole face transformed. The wide, sneaky smile he reserved for special occasions appeared, and he squeezed my butt. "Of course I didn't forget it. Lord, woman, do you not know me by now? How many birthdays and anniversaries have I missed?"
"Well, there's only been two of them. Maybe this year it slipped your mind."
Gareth sent me an affronted glare. "Not a chance. In fact, you need to go get changed. I have a special evening planned."
I slid down his length, eliciting a small groan from his throat. "How special? Like, how fancy should I dress?"
"Just wear something nice, but that you're comfortable in." He shrugged.
I threw my hands up,mumbling beneath my breath, "Men," before disappearing into the bedroom. Gareth didn't care what I wore.
After five minutes of scouring my closet, I finally picked out a pair of dress pants and the blue cashmere sweater his mom gave me for Christmas last year. Gareth always told me it made my eyes stand out. I hurried back out to the living room to find him sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine Jackie had left out on the coffee table.
"I didn't knowVanity Fairwas your thing."
He lifted his head and drank me in. Tossing the magazine back where he found it, he rose and closed the distance between us. "Are you kidding? I have to stay up to date on all things fashion. Speaking of, you look amazing."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned up to kiss him. "Thank you. You don't look too shabby yourself. So, what's this special evening you have planned?"
Gareth's smile was big, his laugh even bigger. "You know good and well that no matter how many times you ask me that question my answer is always the same. You'll just have to wait and see."
I answered with a grin of my own. "It never hurts to ask, you know. Maybe you'll surprise me one day and actually tell me."
"Don't get your hopes up," he said, and kissed the corner of my down-turned mouth to smooth his rejection. "You ready?"
"I just need to grab my purse and jacket." He released his hold on me, and I picked up my pocketbook from the kitchen table and grabbed my coat from the closet by the door. Gareth reached for my hand and led me out to his car.
We traveled through the city and out of town onto a familiar road. My excitement grew. I turned my head to look at Gareth in the driver's seat, and I couldn’t hold back my smile. He flashed me a quick grin before turning onto the dirt drive of 1870 Farm.
"I can't believe you brought me back here. I loved this place. It was the best first date I ever had." That night had held all of our firsts. First date. The first time we'd made love. The first time it hit me that Gareth was special, and I could see myself with him for the long haul.
"This was the place where I started falling in love with you."
I hugged him tightly and refused to let go of his arm while we strode across the yard and through the front door.
"Welcome, how may I help you?" a different woman than the one from three years ago greeted us.
"I have a reservation for a private dining area for Brown, please."
The woman looked over her paperback and her gaze returned to us. "Yes, follow me, right this way."
My gaze took in the farmhouse as she led us to a separate area. The last time Gareth and I had been here, we'd eaten a buffet style dinner outside with the rest of the visitors. He really did go all out tonight. I didn't even know they offered private dining. The hostess opened a set of wood and glass French doors with white curtains to display an intimate room with a single table.A large bouquet of red roses stood proudly in the middle of the table erupting out of a beautiful frosted glass vase.
