Chapter Ten
Ihad expectedRyder to fall asleep on the drive back to his place. Well, our place, Iguess.
His cabin on the lake had been feeling less like home over the last couple months he’d been gone, and me more like a stranger drifting throughit.
But not tonight. Tonight, it was the only place I wanted tobe.
I didn’t know how we went forward from here. Maybe we would drift like this, sometimes together, sometimes at adistance.
Maybe our relationship would be caught in the pause between right now and forever and that wasokay.
Maybe it didn’t matter that he’d never told me he loved me, never said those threewords.
I knew what I saw in his eyes when he looked at me, I knew what I heard when he laughed with me, I knew what I felt when he touchedme.
It waslove.
I parked the Jeep, and we sat there in the dark for a moment, the porch light glowing warm and yellow, inviting,waiting.
“So, it’s officially Christmas morning,” Rydersaid.
I glanced at the dash clock. Twenty minutes after midnight. “Yes.”
“That means I can give you your present.” He pushed open the door, grunting as he carefully slid out of theseat.
It was probably time for him to take morepainkillers.
I followed him to the porch. It was cold out, like the thermometer had suddenly dropped tendegrees.
I shivered and my breath came out inclouds.
Ryder worked the lock, but turned around before opening the door, his body blocking the threshold. “Close youreyes.”
“Didn’t have time to buy wrappingpaper?”
He grinned. “Close youreyes.”
It was late, and we were both tired, but there was a feeling in the air, a kind of timelessness and peace that made warmth bloom insideme.
I didn’t care what gift he had gotten me. Would be just as happy with nothing but his arms around me. He was what I wanted in my life. He was mygift.
I smiled and closed my eyes. “Don’t run me into awall.”
I felt him step closer, then his arms wrapped around my waist, his mouth so close to mine, I could feel his breath on mycheek.
“Promise.” He kissed me gently, once on the center of my lips, then took hold of both of my hands in one ofhis.
I heard the door open, heard Spud and the dragon gallop toward us, felt them both nosing around like we’d hidden treats or welcome mats in ourpockets.
Ryder drew me deeper into the house. I had pretty good spatial awareness, knew we were standing in the middle of the living room, facing thetree.
He must have left my gift under thetree.
“Now?” Iasked.
“Hold on.” He let go of my hands. “Don’tpeek.”
He moved away, and I heard him reach for something with a slightgrunt.
