life, Krista. I needed to get the business of the ranch out in the open before I spoke to you. I wasn’t going to speak to you about us tonight, but I can’t seem to stop myself from doing just that. Ten years ago, I bought you this.” He held out a silver ring with a tiny diamond chip in it. “I’d planned to give it to you when I came home from Vancouver. I’ve hung onto it all these years. Now, you’ve finally come back to Seven Oaks. Will you come back to me, too? Will you be my girl? I love you as much now as I did at twenty-three. I never stopped believing we belonged together here at Seven Oaks.”
Krista looked up at him tears still running down her cheeks, but these tears were tears of happiness. “Ethan, I’ve always loved you. I’d love to be your girl.”
She held up her hand, and he slipped the ring onto her finger, before bending to capture her lips in the kiss she’d dreamed of for ten years. His lips were soft against hers, and his tongue flitted against her mouth sending sensations pouring through her. She gasped and her kips parted admitting him and all of the yearning she’d suppressed for so long flooded her. The kiss made her feel alive for the first time in ten years.
Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled his lips away from hers.
“I came in and saw you reading the letters. I’m glad you changed your mind.”
“I couldn’t stop myself. It was as if I was under a compulsion to do so.” She glanced up at the angel on the tree whose wings seemed to be fluttering more quickly than ever. “Did you ever get around to making your wish?”
“I did. I wished for the words to show you how much I loved you and wanted you to be my partner, my wife, and Leah’s new mommy. Come to think of it, that kid has damn good instincts inviting you up to tuck her in, and look at this.” He held up a small package. Printed in Leah’s erratic letters were the words ‘for my new mommy.’
Tears filled her eyes again. “She’s one crafty little girl. How can I turn down a proposal like that one?” She looked down at the open letters on the coffee table. “You had the words, I just needed to open my heart and read them.”
He sat on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap.
“I’m so glad I came home for Christmas,” she said.
“So am I,” he answered before capturing her lips once more.
When she came up for air, she smiled. “We need to finish Santa’s milk and cookies and get to bed. We’ve got our work cut out for us. Leah’s expecting her new mommy to bring her a baby so she won’t be an ‘only’ anymore.”
He chuckled. “Well, we can get that job started anytime you like. Milk and cookies are done.”
She picked up the letters, put them back in the box and turned to him. “I’m ready whenever you are. I’ve waited ten years for this.” She looked over at the small tree, as the lights went it. It seemed as if the angel’s grin was broader than ever. “We should name our first baby Angela.”
Ethan picked her up as if she weighed no more than Leah and carried her up the stairs. Downstairs, the grandfather clock rang once. It was going to be a very merry Christmas at Seven Oaks, and for the first time in a long time, Krista was looking forward to the New Year.
THE END
Krista looked up at him tears still running down her cheeks, but these tears were tears of happiness. “Ethan, I’ve always loved you. I’d love to be your girl.”
She held up her hand, and he slipped the ring onto her finger, before bending to capture her lips in the kiss she’d dreamed of for ten years. His lips were soft against hers, and his tongue flitted against her mouth sending sensations pouring through her. She gasped and her kips parted admitting him and all of the yearning she’d suppressed for so long flooded her. The kiss made her feel alive for the first time in ten years.
Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled his lips away from hers.
“I came in and saw you reading the letters. I’m glad you changed your mind.”
“I couldn’t stop myself. It was as if I was under a compulsion to do so.” She glanced up at the angel on the tree whose wings seemed to be fluttering more quickly than ever. “Did you ever get around to making your wish?”
“I did. I wished for the words to show you how much I loved you and wanted you to be my partner, my wife, and Leah’s new mommy. Come to think of it, that kid has damn good instincts inviting you up to tuck her in, and look at this.” He held up a small package. Printed in Leah’s erratic letters were the words ‘for my new mommy.’
Tears filled her eyes again. “She’s one crafty little girl. How can I turn down a proposal like that one?” She looked down at the open letters on the coffee table. “You had the words, I just needed to open my heart and read them.”
He sat on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap.
“I’m so glad I came home for Christmas,” she said.
“So am I,” he answered before capturing her lips once more.
When she came up for air, she smiled. “We need to finish Santa’s milk and cookies and get to bed. We’ve got our work cut out for us. Leah’s expecting her new mommy to bring her a baby so she won’t be an ‘only’ anymore.”
He chuckled. “Well, we can get that job started anytime you like. Milk and cookies are done.”
She picked up the letters, put them back in the box and turned to him. “I’m ready whenever you are. I’ve waited ten years for this.” She looked over at the small tree, as the lights went it. It seemed as if the angel’s grin was broader than ever. “We should name our first baby Angela.”
Ethan picked her up as if she weighed no more than Leah and carried her up the stairs. Downstairs, the grandfather clock rang once. It was going to be a very merry Christmas at Seven Oaks, and for the first time in a long time, Krista was looking forward to the New Year.
THE END
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