“You’ll meet your person one day.”
“Yeah?” He chuckles, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. “Maybe she’ll meet me in Paris.”
“She’ll meet you somewhere. When the time is right,” I add.
The timing wasn’t exactly ‘right’ for Dani and I, but it was still perfect in its own way.
As the evening wears on, the house gradually clears out until it’s only Dani and I left.
The house is mostly back in order, but I’m too tired to finish with the last few things.
Dani and I trudge up the steps, our bodies exhausted now that the high from being with everyone is wearing off.
“I can’t wait to get in bed.” She scoops Tally up in her arms, kissing the top of the cat’s head before placing her on the comforter.
“Shower first.”
I tug her to the bathroom and she smiles, her eyes looking me up and down.
We undress each other slowly before stepping into the shower, the warm water cascading around us. We hold onto each other, our bodies wrapped so tightly it’s nearly impossible to tell where I end and she begins.
Eventually we break apart, washing our hair and bodies, before we climb out and change into our pajamas for the night.
Tally is already fast asleep on the bed snoring softly and Zeppelin watches from his cushion.
Dani and I burrow beneath the covers, scooting to meet in the middle.
“Hi.” She smiles, tracing the shape of my nose with her index finger.
“Hi.” I laugh at her simple word choice even as I repeat it back. “How was your Christmas?”
“Perfect. Better than I could’ve asked for. Having my brother and Sasha here, Ansel, his parents, Seth … it was everything.”
I take her hand in mine, entwining our fingers. Her hand looks small and delicate wrapped within my grasp.
My heart thunders in my chest, the beat erratic.
“Dani?”
“Mhmm?” She blinks her big hazel eyes at me.
“Marry me?”
I didn’t plan to blurt it out like that. Hell, I didn’t plan to ask her today anyway. She just said she wanted to move in, and though I bought a ring months ago I wanted to wait longer. But lying in bed looking at her, I know I want every night for the rest of my life to be like this. I want to go to sleep beside her, wake up in the morning to her. I want us to chat over morning coffee and breakfast. I want the good days, the bad, the easy ones, the hard ones.
I want her.
“What?” She looks stunned, her pale pink lips parted in shock.
“Marry me,” I repeat. “I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
“Are you serious?”
I chuckle, not at all fazed by her not answering yet. “Yes.”
Climbing out of bed I cross the room to my dresser, digging around in the top drawer until my hand closes around the small pale pink box.
Walking back to the side of her bed, I kneel on one knee.
I’m dressed in my sweatpants, no shirt. She’s in her holey pajama shirt and a pair of boy short underwear. There’s nothing fancy about this at all, but I think the simplicity is what makes it perfect.
Opening the box, she gasps when she sees the ring. The center stone is a bright canary yellow—dandelion yellow. Diamonds fan around the center stone creating the shape of a flower—again, a dandelion.
“Lachlan,” she breathes. Shaky fingers reach up to her lips.
“It’s okay if you want to wait. You don’t have to say—”
“Yes!” she cries, cutting me off. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”
She jumps from the bed into my arms.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She kisses my cheeks. “Yes.” My chin. “God, yes.” Finally, my lips. I can’t stop kissing her back, the salty tang of her tears clinging to my mouth. “Put it on me,” she demands, holding out her left hand.
I pull the ring from the box and slip it onto her finger. As soon as it settles in place, the antique ring the perfect fit, I know I’ve witnessed the last time I’ll see that finger bare ever again.
“You really want to marry me, Dani?”
She takes my face between her hands. “More than anything.”
I pull back from her just enough to offer my pinky. “Pinky promise?”
She grins, her cheeks flushed, and loops her finger around mine. The ring sparkles in the dim light of our bedroom.
“Pinky promise.”
And then we seal that promise with a kiss.
Books by Micalea Smeltzer
Fallen Series
Outsider Series
Second Chances Standalone Series
Trace + Olivia Series
Willow Creek Series
Light in the Dark Series
The Us Series
The Wild Series
The Enchanted Series
Standalones:
Beauty in the Ashes
Bring Me Back
Temptation
A Love Like Ours
The Other Side of Tomorrow
Desperately Seeking Roommate
Desperately Seeking Landlord
Whatever Happens
Sweet Dandelion
About the Author
Micalea Smeltzer is a twenty-something author from Northern Virginia. She has four dogs, which is as crazy as it sounds. As a recent kidney transplant recipient she's dedicated to raising awareness around the effects of kidney disease, dialysis, and transplant as well as educating people on living donation. When she's not writing you can catch her with her nose buried in a book.
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My Favorite Gift
A Close To Me Holiday Story
Monica Murphy
Chapter One
Autumn
The rain is coming down extra hard as I drive down the familiar road that leads to my neighborhood. The sky above is heavy and dark. It is coming down in sheets. The temperature hovers around thirty-eight degrees, which tells me as we draw closer to evening, the chance for snow is highly probable.
Can’t help but feel giddy about that. It’s almost Christmas. I don’t think we’ve ever had a white Christmas since we’ve lived here in the mountains.
Ever.
I turn onto our street and pass the same old houses, though they’re spruced up for the holidays thanks to gigantic wreaths hanging on their doors or towering Christmas trees standing tall in front of their windows. Some of the houses already have their lights on, and it makes me feel festive.
Wow, do I need this. Now more than ever. This semester at college was really tough for me, and I crave the break. Plus, it’ll be nice to spend time with my family. I’ve missed them. I always miss them. And then there’s my boyfriend…
I especially miss him. Having a long distance relationship for the past two and a half years has been tough. Ash and I don’t see each other nearly as much as we want to.
But we’ll make up for not seeing each other over the next few weeks. I have nowhere to go but here. Same with him. It’s going to be amazing.
Pulling into the driveway, I hurriedly climb out of the car and make my way to the front door, surprised the garage isn’t open. We rarely use the front door. We always walk in through the garage door that enters into the kitchen.