Page 141 of River & Rue

Her head tilts, brows drawing together. “Wait for what?”

“This.”

Reaching under the cushion I’m sitting on, I retrieve the gift I stashed earlier today and place it on her knees.

She looks down at the present wrapped in toilet paper with shoelaces for ribbon. A smile wars with her confusion.

“Christmas isn’t for two days…” She trails off, her eyes widening. “Are these my shoelaces?”

I chuckle, and she smacks my arm.

“I’ll rethread them for you. Open it, Princess.”

She searches my eyes for a long moment, then unties the shoelace-bow and tears through the toilet paper.

When she sees what it is, her head whips up. I laugh and scoot back so she can’t reach my nipples.

“You told me you lost it!”

“I told you I didn’t know where it was, which isn’t the same as losing it. And it was the truth—I left it with my parents after PAC and told them to hide it. So technically, I didn’t lie.”

Laughter sparks in her eyes. “Clever man.”

I relax and nod toward her gift. “Are you going to look?”

Her fingers trail reverently over my old sketchbook, and my pulse speeds as she lifts the cover.

Halfway through the pages filled with every conceivable angle of her, she starts to tremble. By the time she reaches the section with the sketches I did to prep for the painting, she’s sniffing back tears. And when she finds the preserved flower crown between the last two pages, she sobs.

Taking the sketchbook, I put it on the coffee table. Then I lift her into my lap and hold her while her tears run their course. More from overwhelm than sadness, they don’t last too long.

“You’re so obsessed with me.”

I plant a kiss on her head. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“You drew my boobs and butt at least twenty times.”

“Because they’re spectacular.”

She giggles, but it cuts off with a gasp. Her hands twist in my shirt. “Oh god. Please tell me your parents didn’t look inside.” Her voice lowers to a hiss. “You drew my vagina.”

My eyes water with the strain of holding back a laugh.

“Don’t worry. Before I gave it to them, I put it in a bag and wrapped an entire roll of duct tape around it.”

She sighs against my neck. “Which means they probably know what’s in it.”

My laugh breaks free. “Probably. I’m not sorry though.”

Rue lifts her head and smiles her magic smile. “You shouldn’t be. I’m obsessed with you too, by the way.”

“Oh, I know. I’ve read your new book.”

Knowing she can’t defend herself—her male main character is my clone—she kisses me instead.

I murmur against her mouth. “Merry early Christmas, my love.”

She draws back just enough to show me another one of my favorite smiles.