Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
I suddenly felt shy and awkward, looking down at the gift. Brody’s fingers were at my chin, tilting it upward in seconds.
“You’ll never lower those stunning eyes to me,” he murmured.
My heart melting, I cleared my throat. “Well, one of our family traditions is that we each get to open one Christmas gift on Christmas Eve.”
I handed him the box.
He looked from me to the box. His eyes were soft. The deadly man from this afternoon was nowhere to be seen.
His large fingers gently worked at the wrapping, opening the velvet box to reveal the hammered silver ring inside.
“I know you aren’t really a jewelry kind of guy,” I shrugged, “but I thought you may make an exception. It’s the first thing I made in my father’s forge. Wearing your jacket, the night after Thanksgiving.”
I’d been up almost all night making it. I hadn’t let myself say it was for him until yesterday.
The ring was simple, rough but elegant at the same time. The band was wide, hammered silver with an incredibly thin gold band running through the center. It was undoubtedly masculine but not entirely what it appeared at first.
Like Brody.
“You don’t have to wear it—”
Brody’s hand curled behind my neck, then he drew me forward until our mouths met, kissing me brutally.
I returned the kiss enthusiastically until he broke it off.
Brody kept me close, our noses almost touching as his eyes seared into mine. “Besides what I’m holding right now,” he squeezed my neck meaningfully, “this is the most precious thing I’ve ever had.”
My breath turned shallow. Even though he shared his feelings freely, I never got used to the intensity of them. And how they felt right when they shouldn’t. Not after this short of a time.
Brody leaned back so he could slip on the ring.
On his left hand.
Fourth finger.
I opened my mouth. Closed it again. Opened it again. To say what, I didn’t know, but Brody didn’t give me the opportunity.
“Since we’re doing gifts…” He let me go only to reach into the pocket of his jeans.
“This was incredibly hard to find, but your friend, Avery, is a force of nature.” He peered up from beneath his lashes, presenting a box.
I didn’t know what to say first. “How did you know about Avery?” I asked, deciding that was the most sensible question, and that it would help me recover from the ring episode.
He grinned, showing off his white smile. “I’m the sheriff, remember?”
I thought about that. Even a great sheriff couldn’t connect those dots.
“That and she called the station demanding to speak to me, then threatened to disembowel me if I hurt you again,” he added with twinkling eyes.
I let out a chuckle. “Yeah, that sounds like Avery.”
“Like that for you, baby,” he murmured softly, running his thumb along my bottom lip. “That you’ve got a friend like that.”
“Yeah, me too.” I missed my friend. I was so looking forward to her coming here, showing off New Hope. Showing off Brody.
A weird thought. I’d also limited the exchanges she had with Geoff, knowing she didn’t like him. I’d never been proud of my fiancé, a part of me knew he was the wrong one. That’s why I’d never brought him home.
“Anyway, now that I’m seeing what you’ve got me, I’m second-guessing this.” Brody’s words jerked me out of my thoughts, finding him gesturing with the box.
He moved to put it back in his pocket, but I snatched it off him with a grin. “Uh-uh, no take-backs,” I waggled my finger. “Plus, if Avery was involved, it can’t be bad.”
I realized my hands were shaking as I unwrapped the box. It was small. Jewelry for sure. Jewelry was not a first holiday together kind of gift, especially when your relationship started at the beginning of the holidays.
My hands shook even more as I ran my fingers over the glossy emblem against the velvet box.
WWW was stitched into the fabric.
I looked up at him.
For the first time in his life, Brody looked unsure, rubbing the back of his neck. “See, now I’m questioning this. Giving you something you made seems so fucking stupid, but—”
I held my finger up to silence him before opening the box. Inside it was a silver necklace. The interlocking chain was chunky, deliberately inconsistent sizes and textures. The WWW in the middle of the necklace was delicate and fine compared to the links around it. A tiny diamond was set into the peak of the last W.
It was the first piece I ever sold. I recognized it immediately because it was one of a kind. I knew that people scrambled after this particular piece, its scarcity making it all the more popular. And valuable.
My eyes were misty as I looked up at Brody.
“You hate it,” his expression was structured in worry. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you something new. I, just…” He dragged his palms down his face. “I wanted to remind you where you started. I want you to remember who you are.”