Tomorrow we’d go out to Connecticut to see his parents and brother. Since we spent Christmas with my family last year, this time it was his turn to be with his family. We’d be taking Nonna back with us when we went home to San Diego.
“Do you like it?” he asked, holding me close, my back to his chest. His arms encircled me and held me tight.
I laughed. “No, I love it. It reminds me of the room we stayed in last year. But I still don’t understand why you bought it.”
He placed kisses down the side of my neck, under my ear. “I told you why. It’s an early Christmas gift. I’d planned to just book a room for us, but when Theresa told me this one was for sale on the residence side, I had to do it. We love it here, and our money is just sitting in a bank doing nothing, so why not? We have a place to stay when we come here, and we don’t have to pack a bag. We can go shopping and buy the things we need to leave here. Then all we have to do is get on a flight.”
Like I said, more money than sense is the theme here.
“How often are you planning to come here? And for the record, the money is yours, not ours, and certainly not mine.”
He chuckled as we swayed to the music playing over the sound system. That was a nice addition. “As often as we can. I figured it was also a good place to honeymoon.”
My brow furrowed as I turned my head to look at him. “Honeymoon? What are you talking about?”
Just the thought of it had my pulse beating a new rhythm.
Preston gave me that sexy smile that never failed to do things to me. “The way I see it,” he said, letting go of me, “it’s time we make this thing official.”
He looked into my eyes and took my hand in his. Without taking his eyes off me, Preston got down on one knee in front of the window with the falling snow and Christmas tree as a backdrop.
“I fell in love with you the first time I walked into the bar. You’ve been the object of my desire and the love of my life for almost two years, and I want to travel the world with you, have kids with you, and grow old with you. I want to spend every waking moment making you happy. I almost lost you, and I never want you to doubt my love for you again. So would you please do me the honor of becoming my husband?”
Tears filled my eyes as I dropped to my knees to join him on the floor. “Yes, Preston James, I would love to be your husband.”
His smile was blinding as he cupped my face and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around him and he held me tight.
“I love you so much,” he whispered, “but we need to go.”
I pulled back and looked at him. “Why? We still have twenty-five minutes.”
“Yes, I know,” he said, rising back to his feet, “but there’s somewhere we need to be before dinner.”
He took my hand in his and pulled me up. “You’re full of surprises tonight. Next you’ll be telling me we’re getting married today.”
The smile on his face gave him away. “Are we…”
He shrugged. “Would you like that? To elope right here in our favorite city? The place we officially fell in love?”
I was speechless. I let out a weird little laugh and followed him out of our apartment.
Preston ushered me into the elevator and down to the Plaza Shops. When the doors opened, he took my hand and led me to the Fine Jeweler.
“Good evening, Mr. James. Your purchase is ready.”
I looked at the man behind the counter and then to my fiancé, and wondered how he’d done all this without me noticing. But with Preston James, I’d learned just to go with the flow.
When the man brought out the box containing two beautiful platinum bands, Preston opened it and took out the one I supposed was mine.
“Try it on, sweetheart.”
I held out my hand, and he slipped it on the third finger of my left hand. I looked down at it as my stupid eyes filled again. “It’s absolutely perfect, babe.”
“Do you like the color? You’re going to be wearing it for the next fifty years or so.”
I nodded, too choked up to say much.
He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Good. Now take it off.”
