Serenity (Inevitable #5)(66)

Sasha wasn't certain how long they remained in exactly that position, either half-asleep or lost in a haze. But it was the sound of fireworks in the distance, and the multi-colored glow that suddenly lit up the room, that eventually roused them. Groaning, Matthew eased himself off of her, rolling onto his side, and ran a hand soothingly down the length of her spine.

"Guess we missed midnight," he joked, his voice hoarse.

She snickered. "We were too busy setting off our own fireworks, I guess. But, come on. The fireworks show probably just got started. And since we have practically a front row seat out on your balcony, I don't want to miss this."

They quickly bundled themselves up into robes, with Sasha grabbing the brand new one of dark green cashmere that had been one of Matthew's many Christmas gifts, and hurried out onto the balcony. She shivered despite the warmth of her new robe, and he promptly cuddled her close against him to ward off the chill of the night air. 

"Happy New Year, Sasha," he murmured against her curls as they watched another glorious burst of color fill the sky.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. "And a very Happy New Year to you, too," she replied. "I hope that this next year is a much happier one for you, Matthew."

"Well, it's definitely starting off a hell of a lot better than last year's did," he declared with a grin. "And I'm not even referring to the sex. Which, by the way, was awe inspiring. I'm not sure if those are the right words to use to describe it, but, hey, I write computer code not poetry, after all."

Sasha laughed. "Those are the exact right words," she assured him. "And it was the same for me."

They stood together quietly for several more minutes, content to watch the fireworks display being held along the San Francisco waterfront, until Sasha began to shiver from the cold.

"Inside with you," he insisted. "Besides, we've still got half a bottle of champagne to finish and dessert."

"And you have presents to open," she reminded him. "Though I'm a little reluctant to give them to you after everything you just lavished on me. It's nowhere near on the same scale, you know, not even close."

"Hey," scolded Matthew gently. "I already told you, Sasha. Having you in my life is all the Christmas present I need. What you've done for me in these past months can't be measured in terms of material things or monetary value. You didn't need to buy me a gift of any sort."

She retrieved two small packages from the living room where she'd left her bag earlier. They were simply wrapped in sage green paper and tied with a bit of burlap ribbon.

He lifted the larger of the two packages to his nose and took a sniff. "This smells like you," he told her with a smile. "I've never quite figured out what scent this is, or if it's soap or shampoo or just your skin. But it's a combination of lemon and maybe a bit of rosemary or sage, and to me it's way, way more appealing than any perfume I've ever smelled."

He carefully removed the paper from the first package, which turned out to be a collector's edition of The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. Matthew had a vague recollection of having read the book at some point during his college years, but was unable to recall any specific quotes or passages. Reverently, because he already knew that Sasha had chosen this gift for him with great care, he opened the book to a random page. The first quote that jumped out at him seemed unusually timely under the circumstances - "the greatest of wealth is the richness of the soul."

"It's one of my very favorite books," ventured Sasha as he continued to flip through the pages. "When I was training to be a yoga teacher, I had to read a number of books, some of them sacred texts, others handbooks on anatomy. And while The Prophet wasn't required reading, one of my teachers suggested it. I pick up my copy almost every day to read a particular passage. I hope that you can find some inspiration from it, Matthew. I know that I have many times."

Matthew set the book down carefully, and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Thank you, Sasha. I already know that I'll treasure it. Now, what do we have here?"

The second package revealed a small black velveteen drawstring bag, and from its depths he drew out a tubular shaped piece of what looked like onyx suspended from a long suede cord.

"It's actually black tourmaline," clarified Sasha before he could ask. "I'm sure you aren't familiar with all of the healing properties of crystals, and most people think all of that is just a bunch of nonsense. But this particular crystal is known for its grounding properties, and is used to combat stress and fatigue. I thought, well, that you might like to keep it with you at your office or when you travel. I know most men aren't really into jewelry so you don't have to actually wear it. You can just hold it in your palm for a few minutes, and keep it in your pocket or a desk drawer the rest of the time."