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Sage didn’t look away from him.

The last box was the guitar.

She’d been aware of it all morning—impossible not to notice. The unmistakable shape leaned against the wall like a promise, wrapped in matte black paper and crowned with one of Isabelle’s ridiculous, enormous silver bows.

“Ready?” Izzy asked, trembling with excitement as she held it out.

Sage crossed the room on quiet bare feet, the hem of her cream sweater brushing her thighs. She took the package with careful hands, her pulse already racing. Her eyes found Cal’s across the space. He was smiling—wild, boyish, almost nervous.

She began to unwrap it slowly, the paper tearing away in long, deliberate strips.

Holy. Fucking… shit.

The guitar beneath stole the breath from her lungs.

It was deep emerald green. Light was shining off the silver chrome.. The body shimmered with subtle, swirling patterns that caught the firelight like liquid gemstone—black and emerald flames dancing just beneath the surface. Sleek black hardware gleamed against the finish, and the neck settled into her hand as if it had been waiting for her fingers her whole life. It curved perfectly against her hip, light but solid, like it belonged there.

She had seen guitars like this on social media. This was the kind of instrument that cost more than most people’s cars. The kind rock stars and collectors fought over.

This can’t be happening…

Sage let out a shaky breath and brushed her fingertips lightly over the strings—unplugged, just feeling them vibrate under her touch, alive and perfect. She could already imagine how it would sound through an amp, dark, rich, and hers.

“There’s an amp too,” Cal said quietly, his voice carrying the tone of a man who knew he’d gone gloriously overboard and had zero regrets. Mary Sue and Annie were smiling, and Izzy and the kids were clapping.

A wet, surprised laugh burst out of her. She set the guitar down with reverent care and crossed to Cal in three quick strides, climbing straight into his lap. Her hands framed his face as she kissed him—deep, grateful, a little desperate. He caught her jaw in one big hand, thumb stroking her cheek, and kissed her back like the rest of the room had simply ceased to exist.

“Umm, okay people, let’s give these two some privacy,” Isabelle said, corralling everyone toward the kitchen for a quick cookie snack.

The sounds of the kids laughing became muffled as the heavy carved oak doors closed, leaving Sage and Cal alone in the large living room. The only noises left were the soft snow falling outside, Brutus’s snoring, and the fire crackling in the hearth.

“It’s too much, Cal… all of it,” she whispered against his mouth, forehead pressed to his. “The party… the clothes… the Jeep… I… I don’t have anything close to give you, baby.”

He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes saying things that made her heart both sing and ache at the same time.

“honey,” he said softly, gently stroking her back, his warm hands slipping under the sweater. Her bare skin shivered deliciously at his touch.

“When I first met you… all I could think about was how much I wanted to protect you. To make you feel safe. But then… you…” Cal closed his eyes, searching for words.

“It’s okay, Cal, I⁠—”

He shook his head. Then, slowly and with raw earnestness, he continued, “The first time you smiled and laughed… because of me… it made me feel whole. For the first time in my whole life.”

Sage covered her mouth as hot tears fell freely. Cal frowned and looked at her chest, whispering, “I knew then I wanted to do that for the rest of my life. Make you smile. Laugh… Feel safe and loved. And know that maybe I had a hand in it.”

He looked up at her, his own eyes bright, reminding her of that first fevered night she lay sick and dreamed of him watching over her like a protective bear until morning.

He doesn’t think he deserves me…

“No,” Cal said simply, his voice low and certain as he interrupted her thoughts. “No, sweetheart… every day I get to see you is a gift. Every time you smile or look at me like I’m worth it.”

She pulled back just enough to look at him—those dark eyes, that quiet love, the absolute devotion.

“I love you, Sage Thompson. I love you. And I’ll keep loving you… forever.”

Sage swallowed. “You… Cal… I love you. I love you more than I know what to do with. I need you and I want…”

Their lips met again, and Sage felt her thighs tremble as heat bloomed low in her belly.