“That was beautiful.” She lowered her mouth to his, and he poured his heart into the kiss, wanting her to know that he belonged to her, heart, body, and soul. When she lifted her head and smiled down at him, her beautiful eyes shimmering with tears, he knew he’d love her to his dying day.
“Is it time for number five on your list?” At her blank look, he said, “Make love under the Christmas tree. I’ve been waiting for that one all night.”
She laughed as she sat up, straddled his hips, and held out her hand. “I’m sure you have, but not yet. You still have to get your present, but first, I want you to put my engagement ring on my finger.”
He took it from her and removed the ring from the ribbon. With her hand in his, he slipped it on. “With this ring I pledge my love, my loyalty, and my protection.”
“I swear you’re going to make me cry yet.” She held out her hand and admired the white gold two-carat emerald-cut diamond ring. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Yes,” he said, looking at her. “Beautiful.”
“My pledge to you is to always love you, to always be your friend, and to always stand by your side no matter what.”
“Now you’re going to make me cry,” he teased.
“That might happen before the night ends,” she mysteriously said, pushing off him. “Time for your present.” She showed each of the animals her new ring. “What do you think, guys? We’re going to be a family.” She did a little dance, twirling around the room, waving her hand in the air.
He could have eaten her up right then, she was so damn cute. On one of her spins, she scooped up the present she’d taken from under the tree earlier and handed it to him. He took it and moved to the sofa. It hardly weighed anything, and he shook it as a delaying tactic simply because he knew it would drive her crazy.
“Is it an empty box?” Did she just growl?
“You’ll never know if you don’t open it, will you? And stop laughing.”
“Can’t help it. Your happy is contagious.” Before she climbed out of her skin, he unwrapped the present and opened the lid. Sitting on silver tissue paper were three brown-leather dog collars with ID tags, and he picked one up. Tooled on the collar was the name “Pretty Girl.”
Riley grabbed the box out of his hands, eyed the remaining two, and picked one up, handing it to him. That one said “Sally.” His heart ached, knowing what the third one said. It was thoughtful of her to include a collar for Layla, but he wished she hadn’t. This wasn’t a night for a reminder of the dog he’d lost.
“I don’t . . .” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
Her eyes softened as if she understood his pain, and she picked up her phone, turned the screen away so that he couldn’t see it, and texted someone. He waited for her to explain, but she only held out her hand, palm out as if telling him to stay. Confused, he watched her walk to the door.
“Be right back,” she said.
“What’s going on?” he asked his dogs, not bothering to include the cats as all three were batting ornaments under the tree.
Five minutes passed, but he stayed where he was as he held the collar for Layla in his hand, staring at it. It wasn’t possible, was it? Yet, he couldn’t imagine that Riley would be so cruel—even unintentionally—by giving him such a gift. Hope tried to blossom, but he crushed it. He would know if Layla had been found because Wizard would have e-mailed him.
Another thought occurred to him, and he hoped to God he was wrong. Had she gotten him a new dog, thinking to replace Layla? Would she believe that would make him happy? Sally tilted her head, her gaze focused on the door, and then Pretty Girl did the same, giving a whine.
Cody’s fingers tightened on the collar. What he did know based on their reactions was that there was definitely a dog on the other side of that closed door. His heart thumped a stomach-lurching beat as he waited for it to open. It finally did, and Sally and Pretty Girl went wild at seeing Layla pressed against Riley’s leg. They ran to their long-lost friend, barking wild greetings. Layla left Riley’s side, meeting them halfway across the room, and the three dogs yelped and jumped around each other, tails wagging like crazy.
Blood rushed to Cody’s head as he stood. There had never been a time in his life when he thought he might faint, but he supposed there was a first for everything. “H-how?” He swallowed the lump in his throat. At hearing his voice, Layla’s ears perked up, and her eyes zeroed onto him.
“Layla,” he managed to say past the lump in his throat. He knelt and about sixty pounds of dog landed on him. Laughing at the furious licks to his face, he wrapped his arms around her, and looked up to see Riley watching with tears running down her cheeks.