Pressing a kiss to her temple, I rush past her to get back upstairs, gift in hand. It is not an engagement ring, though now I kind of wish it was. In time. It is just something I saw that made me think of her. Figured it was safe enough not to scare her off on Christmas morning.
“This is for you, little flower. Open it for me up here. Just us.”
Glancing at the blue box, she hesitates. In that Mrs. Clause shirt, she is fucking adorable, and I have to remind myself we’ve got visitors downstairs. Holding it out, I am not ashamed by the tremble in my hand. I am sure she thinks it is something much grander than it is.
“I said no gifts,” she parrots the same thing she has said a dozen times before. “But the truth is…I want this one from you. Whatever it is…oh…”
Watching her open the box to find the bracelet inside, I hold my breath. It is a sparkling wreath of amaryllis; the first flowers I sent her after we met. I had to go to two counties over to get those delivered to her flower shop. Once I saw the bracelet in Sutton’s jewelry shop, I knew I had to have it for my girl. For my sweet flower girl.
“Do you like it, honey?” I wonder as I take it out, drawing her wrist up so I can fit it on her.
“Niko…I love it. It is…it is perfect. Beautiful. I will never take it off.”
“Well, now that I know you will accept my gifts, I will get you a dozen more things to wear. It suits you, honey.”
Nova beams up at me as she falls against my chest, nodding. “It does. You suit me. This all suits me. I love you, Niko.”
“I love you more, honey. Now, we’ve got two lost boys down there waiting for their Peter Pan and Wendy Darling.”
Watching her rush to pull on some sweats and toss herpurple hair up in a messy bun, I smile. There is a lot of pain tied to Christmas for her. Pain I will do my best to make up for. I will show her so much love, so much joy, she will remember why we celebrate the holiday. Why we have parties and try to create memories with the people we love.
I am doing my best to give her reasons to celebrate, starting here and now. With this first Christmas with Sutton and the kids. I hope this time soon she will be talking with Orion, her brother, and Oaklin, her best friend. I might have made a call to invite them to our New Year’s Eve party next week.
“Nova,” I pull her back to me once we’re dressed. Brushing some hair from her brow, I sigh as I stare into her sparkling, shimmering eyes. “I love you so much. I am so damn lucky we’re spending Christmas together. Your gifts were perfect but…I never need another gift, honey. Not as long as I have you. You’re all I need, Nova. I love you, Wendy Darling.”
“Well, I am warming up to getting gifts,” she teases, wiggling her wrist as she beams up at me.
“Good because I am just getting started honey. Let’s godoChristmas.”
Epilogue
Nova
One Year Later...
I will still argue what the best Christmas song is.
“All I Want for Christmas,” Hudson repeats, shaking his head at me.
“Wrong. It will always be White Christmas. Fight me,” I shoot back.
Hudson laughs and turns to head out with his deliveries, singing the Mariah Carey tune he has been arguing about as he goes. Laughing, I watch him go before I get back to the bouquet I am working on. My shop plays the holiday station, and I find myself singing along withthe classicWhite Christmas. I just wish Hudson stayed long enough for me to embarrass myself.
Smiling down at the bright white and gleaming red flowers and ornaments I am weaving into a tree shape, I hum happily. It’s been a long time since the shop was full of holiday music, but now it doesn’t seem right without it. The holiday season has become my favorite time of year once again.
The lights catch the shimmering bracelet on my wrist, and I smile even wider. I told Niko I would never take it off, and I meant it. He has given me a few other gifts, some earrings, and a beautiful necklace that Sutton designed for our one-year anniversary, but the bracelet is my favorite.
“Morning, beautiful,” his warm voice calls above the music.
My heart begins to gallop in my chest, just the way it did the first day he walked into my flower shop. Turning, I see him sauntering in with his hands full of bags. Christmas shopping is his favorite thing to do. He starts shopping the day afterChristmas, I swear.
“Morning, handsome,” I call back, grinning ear-to-ear as I give up on my creations, my attention shifting to him.
Niko grins at me, setting the bags aside. Rounding the counter, he advances on me fast, pinning me in. His head bends and I push up on my toes, our mouths meeting. Sighing into his lips, I let him lift me, setting me atop the counter as he pushes between my thighs.
“Hmm, you taste like cocoa,” I tease, licking playfully at his sweet lips.
“You taste like home,” he replies, kissing me again.
