Page 30 of One More Gift
“No, neither would I.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re not in relationships now,” I tell him, burrowing my face in the crook of his neck, not caring if my damp hair soaks his t-shirt.
His chest rumbles as he laughs softly and shakes his head.
“What’s so funny?”
His grip on my hip tightens, and he pulls me into his lap. “You deluded little thing. We are very much in a relationship now.”
“We are?”
“If you think I’m going back to New York as a single man, you’re fucking nuts.”
His words pierce through the walls I’ve constructed around my heart, the cage I’ve trapped my feelings in, in case he didn’t feel the same way too. It’s too much to even look at him right now, so I hide my face in his neck again.
“I mean it, Saskia. It’s you and me now. I know this week isn’t exactly giving us the time we both need to talk and figure things out, but I’m beginning to wonder how much of that we need, anyway. It’s clear as day I’m absolutely crazy about you.”
His fingers tip my chin up so he can look me in the eye and make sure I understand him. My lips are a little sore from kissing so intensely downstairs, but I let him take them gently. Soft and slow, in a way we haven’t been with each other so far.
“I have a gift for you,” he whispers against my mouth.
“Henry, you didn’t have to.”
“Do you really think I was going to come all the way from New York empty-handed?”
He climbs off the bed and returns with a box I recognise from a luxury lingerie boutique in Manhattan.
“I had planned to give it to you on Christmas morning, but I rather like the idea of you having it early.”
“And why is that?”
“Open it and you’ll see.”
There, nestled amongst delicate sheets of tissue paper, is the most exquisite lace lingerie set. A forest green thong with double straps on the sides, and a matching bra so sheer my nipples tighten, already knowing how easy it will be to see them when it’s on.
“This is gorgeous. Should I put it on now?”
“Tomorrow,” he says, slipping the lid back on the box. “I think we should give your body a rest for tonight, and I’ve told Casper the same.”
“Oh, so you’ve been talking about me, have you?” Henry pulls me closer and kisses my bare shoulder.
“Maybe a little bit.”
“Let me guess. He wants revenge?”
“How did you know?”
My pulse races at the thought of the two of them plotting. There won’t be enough hours left in the day to get into all the ways I’ve been reprimanded for misbehaving in the past.
“Because I don’t do things like that and get away with it.”
“And you’re OK with that?” he asks, dipping his head to look me straight in the eyes. “A little payback?”
“Very little is off limits with Casper and I. Orwas,” I correct myself. “It would be the same with you.”
“I’d hoped I’d be able to figure your limits out myself,” he says, kissing his way along the slope of my neck.
On the one hand, Casper’s antics have robbed us of a chance to take our time, but on the other, we’ve been thrown in at the deep end, and when it feels this good, it can’t be a bad thing.