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Placing my hands on her face, I shook my head. “No. That’s not it at all. It was more about the fact I know that you can go out and buy whatever you want where I can’t.”
“I don’t care about how much you can give me in terms of money, Noah.”
“I know that. I just wish I could give you more.”
“All I wanted was you.”
I knew what she said was the truth, and she wasn’t just trying to stroke my ego. I felt the same way. When my birthday rolled around, the greatest present I could possibly receive was Gaby by my side loving me. But at the same time, I worried I’d be enough.
Staring intently at me, Gaby asked, “Noah, what aren’t you saying?”
Fuck, I’d forgotten how well she could see right through me. There was no hiding my emotions with Gaby. “Maybe you deserve more.”
Her dark eyes widened. “How could you ever think that? If anything, you deserve better than me.”
I shook my head. “I can’t give you everything you deserve monetarily. Hell, I can’t even give you all of myself because of my fucking swimming.”
I fought the urge to try and run away from the emotions that were suffocating me. In the past, I’d never worried that I wasn’t enough for a girl. My ego wouldn’t have allowed it. I was Noah Fucking Fitzgerald. Instead of looking within myself to find something lacking, I always managed to find fault with a girl.
Gaby placed a hand on my cheek. “But you’re giving me everything you can. You flew all this way just to be with me. You’re trying and that’s all that matters.”
“It isn’t enough.”
“I promise that it is.”
I jerked a hand through my hair. “I don’t want to ever disappoint you again, Gaby. More than anything, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I know you don’t. And you’ve given me your word, and I believe it.” She paused, perhaps wrestling with her words. “Noah, hear me when I say, there is nothing I could possibly want more than you. You are the greatest present I’ll ever receive.”
With the heaviness of the conversation weighing on me, I knew we desperately needed some levity. Giving her my cockiest grin, I said, “If I’d known that, I could’ve saved myself a lot of money by just showing up with a giant red bow wrapped around my dick.”
She rolled her eyes but laughed in spite of herself. “That’s not what I wanted.”
“I know. But he’s the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to orgasms.”
“I don’t know.” She flashed me a wicked grin. “Your fingers and tongue are pretty amazing.”
I laughed. “That is true.” Pulling her against me, I thrust my left hip against hers. “Hmm, speaking of presents, is that a gift box in my pocket, or am I just happy to see you?” I teased.
Gaby playfully shoved me back. “Seriously?”
“Reach in my pocket and see.”
Keeping her eyes on mine, Gaby’s hand darted into my pocket. “Lucky you. It’s a presentandmy hard-on.”
Gaby huffed out a breath as she took the box. “Way to ruin a moment, Fitzgerald.”
Ignoring her, I said, “Happy Birthday, beautiful.”
My breath hitched as she tore into the wrapping paper. Part of me wondered what the hell I thought I was doing. It wasn’t a big step—it was more of a colossal-sized step for me. Regardless of all the arguments of why I shouldn’t be giving it to her this soon, there was nothing more I wanted to do.
When she cracked open the box, Gaby gasped. Even in the weak lighting, the diamond chips encircling the small ruby sparkled. “You bought me a ring?”
“Actually, my cheap ass didn’t even buy it.”
Her brows furrowed. “You stole it?”
I threw my head back with a laugh. “Seriously, Gaby?”
