He rolled his eyes, though she saw the amusement in his gaze. “I never got to give you your gift,” he said. She grinned.
“So you’re obsessed with me,” she repeated, being obnoxious on purpose.
“Shut up,” he said, laughing.
“Make me,” she replied. His eyes darkened. He grabbed her waist, pulling her towards him, and her stomach lurched.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he asked, voice low.
Honestly? She would. He smiled like he knew, a smug look coming across his face.
Taking the invitation, he pulled her in for a kiss, mouth pressing hotly against hers. She rested her hands against his chest, moving to play with the chains around his neck, twisting them around her fingers.
She tugged, pulling him closer, and he kissed her harder. His fingers pressed into her skin, and she broke away with a gasp, catching her breath. He pressed his lips to the tender space beneath her jaw, his teeth skimming across her bare skin in a way that sent sparks shooting through every one of her nerves.
She inhaled the sweet smell of him, cypress and spruce, winter on his skin. Pulling away, she met his dark gaze with an amused smile.
“So was that my gift?” she asked, his chains still wrapped around her fingers. “Not bad.”
He laughed again, shaking his head. “No, but noted.” He gave her cheek a quick kiss, then let go of her to pull something out of his pocket. Excitement spread through her, and she held out both of her hands. He deposited the gift into her palms. It was something small wrapped in one of his black pocket squares.
“I didn’t have a box,” he explained, looking nervous as sheundid the knot on top. “I just picked it up this morning. If you don’t like it—”
She ignored him, pushing the fabric back to reveal a pair of gold chandbali earrings. She gasped, touching her finger to them. They were round with an intricate design, about two inches big; beautiful but understated, something she could wear all the time.
“Oh my god, I love them!” she said. They were so pretty, and she was touched he had gotten her something at all. “Where did you get them?” she asked. “I haven’t seen a design like this at the gold store in town.”
He looked sheepish. “Well, funny story...” He ran a hand through his hair. “I called my mom this morning to ask her for help, since I couldn’t figure out what to get you so last-minute.”
“You didn’t need to get me anything,” she reminded him.
He furrowed his brows. “Sh.” She pressed her lips together. “So she told me to go to the drawer in her bedroom’s dresser and take out this pair from her jewelry box.”
Emmeline’s mouth jutted open. “These are your mom’s?” she asked. “I can’t take these.” She held them out for him to take back, and he frowned at her.
“Hush. Of course you can. I swear, she already likes you better than me, anyways.” She didn’t know what to say, and his face softened. “So you like them?”
“I love them,” she said. “It’s—They’re... I...” She blinked. “Thank you, Luke. Really.”
“’Course,” he said easily, giving her a sweet smile.
“And tell your mom I said thank you, too,” she said. “It really means a lot to me.”
Emmeline owned a good deal of gold jewelry, but these earrings would be one of her most prized pieces, for sure.
Her heart swelled with emotion, and she put the earrings on. Pushing her hair behind her ear, she showed Luke.
“How do they look?” she asked.
He smiled. “Pretty.” Leaning forward, he kissed her ear. Then, he cupped her face, turning her head to kiss her other ear. She smiled, throwing her arms around him in a hug.
“I love them,” she told him again, hoping he could feel just how much the gift meant to her. He held her close, lifting her feet off the ground and spinning her around. She laughed, not caring as people walked past them on the sidewalk.
He breathed her in, and she felt anchored, like as long as she could hold onto him, she would never have to worry again.
Eventually, they pulled apart, but didn’t let go of each other entirely. She played with the ends of his hair while he held onto her waist.
“So what are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked.
