Redeeming You(64)
“Do you like it?” Cam asked, watching her face.
So much so she could scarcely breathe. Nobody had ever done anything like this for her before. She threw her arms around him and kissed his forehead, the tip of his nose and then his lips before she leaned back. “I love it.”
His lips curled up at the corners. “Good.” He pulled out her chair. “Sit.” Lifting the champagne bottle, he wrapped a white towel around the top, opened the cork and poured them each a glass without spilling a drop.
“You’re pretty good at that. I’m impressed. I would’ve spilled half the bottle on the floor or injured someone.”
He moved his chair so he was next to her rather than across the table and sat down. “I used to bartend.” He shrugged. “It’s all about towel placement and holding the bottle at a forty-five degree angle.”
“Ah…that makes sense.”
“So,” he said, a little nervously. “What do you want to eat?”
“A little of everything.”
He filled both of their plates.
“When did you have time to do this?”
“I’ve been working on it for a week, so today I just had to coordinate a few details, but the idea came to me when you told me that you wanted to go to Paris.”
“Really?” she asked, a few tears threatening to spill.
“Hey,” he said, cupping her face with his hands. “No crying. I still have a couple more surprises. Don’t fall apart yet.”
“You do?” Her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe there was more.
Cam leaned over and grabbed an envelope and a small rectangular box from the floor under the long tablecloth. “First open this,” he said holding out the envelope to her.
She tore the corner of the envelope and slid her finger along the seam. Inside she found a couple sheets of paper. She opened the papers and quickly scanned over the information. A huge smile spread across her face. “A trip to Paris. Is this real?”
“Yes,” he said laughing.
“I don’t have a passport.”
“That’s why it’s not for a month. I researched it and you can get a rush on the passport. You should be fine if we get the paperwork together right after the tour ends.”
“Wow.” She didn’t know what to say. “This is the best present ever. I still can’t believe you remembered me telling you about Paris.”
He leaned his forward against hers. “I remember everything about you, everything you say, every smile in your arsenal. I remember it all because you’re important to me.”
Everything fell quiet for a few moments, even the accordion background music and his hands trailed under the hem of her shirt and along her ribcage. Times like this made her believe in love, and most importantly, in them. “I remember everything about you too.”
Smiling, he lifted his forehead from hers. “One more present.” He handed her the rectangular box wrapped in glossy white paper with a navy ribbon.
Her hands shook as the slipped the ribbon off the box and gently pried the corners of the paper open. She didn’t get many gifts as a kid. Her mom remembered her birthday on occasion, but more often than not, the gifts were something she received for free with the purchase of perfume or makeup for herself. One time she made the mistake of trying to switch it out for something else only to have the salesperson gently explain that it was part of a free gift with purchase promotion. She’d never made that mistake again.
Inside the box was a long silver necklace. She lifted it, dangling the chain from the tips of her fingers as she inspected each of the three charms on the chain—a star, a cursive T and a guitar. She slipped it over her head. “I love it.”
“The T is obviously for Taylor. The guitar is for me.” He lifted the charm turning it between his thumb and his index finger. “And the star is because I’m kind of hoping you won’t need to tattoo another one on your wrist.” He looked up at her and his smile stole her breath. “Don’t get me wrong. I think they’re sexy as hell, just like everything about you, but in the future I’m hoping all your stars come from happiness rather than from overcoming heartbreak.”
“It’s amazing, Cam, in so many ways.”
He kissed her, slowly, exploring her as if it were the first time he felt his lips against hers. Every motion and curl of his tongue was deliberate and intensely satisfying. When he pulled away from her a couple minutes later, her lips tingled in the best possible way. “I’m glad. I love it when you’re happy because that’s all I want.” He pushed her hair away from her face and bent toward her, his mouth hovering near her earlobe. “Truly. I’d do anything to make your dreams come true.”