Stephan got out of the shower before me and I was grateful because I needed a moment to gather myself. He’d washed my hair and I was thankful for the running water because I cried. I had trouble with the cast washing my hair and it didn’t feel like it was done properly, but with Stephan it was done thoroughly how I liked it and I felt fresh.
I heard him at the sink and he opened the screen again to wet his toothbrush then he shut it. Sighing, I turned the water off and heard the sink tap turn on. I knew he wouldn’t have turned it on unless I turned the shower off. Ringing my hair out, I opened the door and stepped out of the shower. Stephan wrapped a towel around me and kissed my forehead then left the bathroom. I went to the sink, brushed my teeth, and put my moisturizer on my body before leaving the bathroom to go down to my room to get some clothes.
As I left the bathroom I stepped on something squishy. I looked down to see red rose petals on the floor making a path to the bed were a bunch on perfectly wrapped presents sat on top of the now made bed. Gazing around the room for Stephan, I frowned when I didn’t see him.
“Stephan. Stephan, where are you.”
He peeked out of the walk-in-wardrobe. “You called.”
Ignoring the presents, I ran to him and threw myself at him. I plastered myself against him and feathered him with kisses. No one had ever done anything like this for me. “How? When?”
“Before I woke you I messaged my mum and she helped.”
“Oh God, your mum knew I was in the shower with you…naked”
The wanker laughed. “Little bit, mum knows we sleep together, so she knows you’ve seen me naked and I you. We are both old enough, she knows the drill.”
I was still horrified, thinking something and seeing it was totally different. “Still…”
“Jade, don’t worry about it. Go open your presents.”
“I have to get dressed first.”
He raised his eyebrow. “I didn’t know you needed clothes to unwrap presents.” He held me against him as he walked back over to the bed filled with presents. That was when I saw it, on the pillow was a black dry cleaning bag.
“Open the bag, Jade.” He gently placed me on the soft petals and I leaned down and undid the dry cleaning bag revealing a shimmering sky blue formal dress. Carefully I slid the dress out of the bag and turned around to see Stephan missing again.
“Stephan.”
Stephan appeared with white underwear. “Here.” He handed me the underwear.
I raised my eyebrow. “You even brought underwear.”
“Oh yeah, it was the funniest thing to shop for. I bought quite a bit I can’t wait to see you in.”
I rolled my eyes. “Uh-huh I just bet you can’t.” Putting on the panties and strapless bra, I couldn’t wait to get back to the dress. Stepping in to it, I asked, “Can you do me up?”
“Sure.”
The zipper slipped up and I leaned back into him as his fingers lingered on my bare shoulders. The dress was a perfect fit. He leaned down under the bed, brought out a shoebox, and opened it, showing me the black strappy high heels. Stephan knelt putting the shoes on and doing up the straps. His hands ran up and down my legs stopping at my upper thigh before he moaned and stood up.
“Presents now.” He sat on the bed and gently placed me on his lap. He reached across and handed me the biggest present. “Open it.”
“I looked at the package searching for a card. “Who is it from? I can’t see a tag.” I glanced at the other presents and couldn’t see tags on any of them. “None have a card or a tag.”
“They’re all from me.”
“What. I didn’t need this many presents. I didn’t expect anything from you.”
“Why wouldn’t you expect anything from me? It’s your birthday. Of course I would get you something. I wanted to spoil you.”
Closing my eyes to stop the tears, I choked out, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Now open them.”
I did. The first was a pink snuggle blanket. It was so soft and was covered with the words: warm, snuggle, and love. The next was a box filled with eight different designer bags. Another held three different purses. Opening my next present I nibbled on my lip, surely he wouldn’t get me…it was a laptop bag and the next was a laptop lap pad. “Stephan, you didn’t.”
He just grinned and handed me a heavy rectangle box.
I was nervous to open it. I didn’t have a laptop. I could never afford one. I’d been using the library computers. Taking a deep breath I opened the heavy present, inside it was a brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro. “Stephan, I can’t accept this.”