“Great. I did pack a swimsuit for you. Courtesy of Erica.”
She rolls her eyes. “I should have known.”
CHAPTER 19
Gift Exchange
Zahirah
I stepout of the cabin we’ll be staying at for the night and find Bentley already sitting in the Jacuzzi. The space is built to look like it’s outdoors, but it’s an enclosed space that’s heated.
I pad over in the yellow bikini he handed to me while upstairs. It fits, but boy does it leave little to the imagination. Bentley drinks me in with his gaze as I place my towel and his gift down, then climb into the hot tub and sit across from him.
“Did you find everything you needed?”
“Yeah, I found a hair tie in my bag, and I had this scarf in there too,” I say and finger the wrap on my head. “Do you want to exchange gifts now?”
He gives me a smile and reaches beneath the water to grab my ankle and lifts my foot to his chest. He then runs his palm up my leg and back down to my ankle. I smile at him as his touch brings a shiver with it.
“We can do whatever you like,” he murmurs against my toes as he brings my foot to his lips.
“Okay, dry your hands. You can open your gift first since you already gave me my birthday gift,” I say excitedly.
He laughs and reaches to dry his hands on his towel. I do note he doesn’t lift it all the way to use it. However, I’m too excited to try to figure out why.
I hand him the gift envelope his present is in and hold my breath as he opens it. He tears it open and looks back at me with a bright smile on his face. I chew on my lip, waiting for him to say something, anything.
“Tickets to a hockey game,” he says excitedly.
“Yeah, I know how much you love going to them. I thought you would like them. You and your dad can go,” I ramble.
“I love them and you’re coming with me. No question about that one. Do you remember that time our dads took us? You and Erica were so annoyed, but then you guys had a blast.”
“Only because you and Garret made it fun.”
“Garret is the best. I miss him,” he says wistfully.
Garret is the third youngest in the Coswell family. Instead of starting college this year, he’s off traveling and might join the military after he returns. When Garret and Bentley are together it’s always a good time.
“Are you concerned about what he’ll decide to do when he returns?”
He swallows hard and shakes his head. “No, he’ll do what’s right for him. I’m glad Dad talked him into waiting to make the decision. I’ll be proud of him either way.”
“Our dads have always been like the wise men on the block. Have you ever noticed how all the other kids would come to talk to them?”
“Yes, but I don’t really want to talk about our dads right now. Come here, baby. You’re too far away from me,” he croons.
He turns to reach for his towel again. This time, his big body is blocking my view of what he’s doing. When he does turn back to me, he lifts a brow as if to ask what I’m waiting for.
Leaning in and then reaching for my waist, he tugs me until I’m straddling his lap. I laugh and look down into his face as he runs his hands up my back. Suddenly, I feel something cold around my neck.
I look down as he’s arranging a chain around my neck before he releases the chain to settle into place. I lift the necklace and smile. There are already three charms hanging from it.
A pair of track shoes, a football, and a teddy bear. I look up at him and smile. My heart is so full of love for him.
“The first time you said you loved me?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t sure you would get it. I should have known you would.”
