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“When the time is right, you’ll know,” he replied enigmatically.
“It’s not to your apartment, is it?” I asked, sounding appalled, even though I didn’t mean it that way.
Daniel frowned, appearing wounded. “No.”
“What else could it be?”
Daniel patted the sofa beside him. Once I sat, he positioned my back to him and gently pulled my hair to one side before placing the choker around my neck. Then he turned my shoulders so he could see the jewelry. “Perfect,” he said.
“When? How?” I asked, still unable to touch the cool stones resting against my skin.
“I saw a similar design in the window of a jewelry shop a few days after we met. It reminded me of your eyes, so I went inside and asked if they could make something like it with aquamarine surrounding the black stones instead of plain old diamonds. Turns out the shop specializes in rare custom-made jewelry. I picked out the stones myself.”
“A few days after we met?” I asked incredulously, and he nodded.
“I was in Paris. I can’t really explain it, I just felt compelled, like I had to go in that shop.”
“Daniel…” I searched his face, trying to come up with adequate words. “I love it, but I can’t keep it. It’s too expensive. And you’ve already done all ofthis.” I reached for the clasp to take off the necklace.
“Don’t,” Daniel said. “Wear it. What’s the harm?” His tone was indifferent, but his eyes were not. I couldn’t say no to him.
Daniel put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned my head on his and let out a contented sigh. Then I turned my head so my chin rested on his shoulder and gazed up at him.
He looked back at me with an expression I could only interpret as love. “Keep the necklace please. For me.”
“I don’t want you to buy me expensive things,” I said quietly. “All I want is right here.”
He swallowed thickly, but held me close. “Me too.”
I glanced past him at the twinkling lights. “Can we sleep by the tree?” I asked. “I always wanted to do that.”
Daniel tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “I’ll make us a pallet.”
I grinned at him. “I’m going to change into my pajamas.”
I raced to the bedroom and put on Daniel’s old T-shirt and pajama bottoms. I took off my socks, but put the ballet slippers back on.
The kitchen,living, and dining area were open plan, and when I arrived back, the only light was from the fire and the glow of the Christmas tree. Daniel had made a bed on the floor beside the tree and was sitting on top of the blankets in his lounge pants and a gray T-shirt. His eyes went straight to my feet, rounding when he looked up at me. He’d said on the subway how sweet it would be when he finally got to take them off. It was time.
He held out his hand, and when I took it, warmth surged through me. I sat beside him, tucking my legs under me, making sure my feet were on the hardwood floors, not our covers, so that I didn’t get them dirty.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because you listened to me. You never gave up. You’ve proved that getting to know me is more important than sleeping with me.” I touched his face, because I couldn’t not touch him. “You’re in this with me, even if it isn’t easy or comfortable for you. I have never felt more wanted in my life. You are more than worthy, D.”
He drank in my words, though they didn’t seem easy for him to believe. “I have never wanted anything as much as I want you. And that’s a problem. It gives you the upper hand.”
“I already have the upper hand.” Daniel could only laugh. “You walked right into that one, Princess.”
“I did.” His expression sobered. He sat up and took my chin in his strong hand, his eyes flashing as he spoke. “I want you, Vivian. All of you. Not just that gorgeous body, but your heart and your mind.”
“Then it’s yours.” He looked stunned when I said this, like he wasn’t expecting that I would offer it so easily.
“When you walked away from me at that charity auction, I should have let you go. I couldn’t. It was a selfish thing to do, chasing after you like a goddamn puppy.” He stopped and shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe his behavior. “No matter how much I want to keep you, I’m afraid I won’t be able to.”
I searched his face for any kind of clue as to where this was coming from, what the hell he even meant. “I’ll take however long we have then.” Mentally, I crossed my fingers. There was no way in hell I was ever giving him up.
“You never do what I think you will,” he said.
