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The morning dawned. Too early, too bright. I opened one eye a crack and sighed.
There was a hot, handsome man lying beside me. He was taking up too much space in my bed and snoring lightly, but I didn’t mind. I suspected this man could even convert me into a morning person.
Christos shifted, rubbing his hand over his face, then he grinned. “Merry Christmas, Lily.”
My voice was husky. “Merry Christmas to you.”
He leaned over and kissed my lips. It only lasted a few seconds, but it made my heart thud, my blood pump wildly. What a way to wake up, on a day brimming with new beginnings.
Christos raised one eyebrow, while toying with the edge of the sheet pulled up over my breasts. “Can I ask a dumb question?”
“Uh-huh.”
He hesitated. “What have you got planned today? I thought we could do something. Together.”
“You mean like an actual date?” It was a good idea. I approved. There was only one catch. “I already said I’d do Christmas dinner with KC.”
He shrugged, circling one maddening fingertip round and round the point of my right nipple, covered only by the sheet. “She could come along.”
I sat up, my eyes widening with surprise. “I don’t know what kind of thing you’re into, but a two-for-one special on sister-girlfriends is not on offer.”
He shook with laughter, until the whole bed vibrated. Then he rolled to his side and spoke close to my ear. “You’re a crack-up. I’m not interested in a two-for-one. But you could both come along to my family’s Christmas lunch at my yia-yia’s house.”
“Your grandmother? Christmas lunch? Meet the whole family?”
He smiled, in the twinkly way I adored. “Yeah, I think you should meet them.” He shrugged again, but I wasn’t fooled by his casualness. There was something serious in his darkening eyes. “I want to introduce you to my family. I love you, Lily Lucas. They’re going to love you too.”
Well, if hearts could leap right out of chests, I’d have been scraping mine off the ceiling. Instead, I leapt on Christos. I straddled his waist, throwing all pretence of covering my nakedness out the proverbial window. “I love you too!” I smooshed down and crushed my body against his.
He groaned, reached for my face and his mouth covered mine in lingering, delicious kiss.
“You smell so good,” I whispered against his cheek.
He rolled so I was flat on my back. “I almost forgot. I’ve got a present for you.”
I tried to stop him, but he got up, out of the bed. He grabbed his sports bag sitting on the floor. When he pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift in a tiny little shopping bag, I nearly squealed. He handed it to me without speaking.
I opened the bag and pulled out a golden embossed box. An exquisite, miniature cut-crystal bottle shaped like a heart was inside. I released the old-fashioned stopper and inhaled the heavenly scent within. The fragrance wound around me, the perfect, simple essence of my favourite flower in the whole world.
“It’s a concentrate from Paris. Lily of the Valley, for my Lily. The manager of the perfume store said it was the best quality.”
“Oh, I love it. It’s just like the ones used to blend perfumes in France.”
I sat up and gasped, smacking my hand over my mouth. I let it drop to my lap and took Christos’s hand. I carefully placed my perfume on the bedside table.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you. I have the most amazing news.” In all the action and mayhem, I’d forgotten about yesterday’s letter. “I received a letter from a solicitor. My boss back in Sydney passed away earlier this year. Well, Judith was my mentor, like family. It turns out she left me quite a large sum of money in her will. More than one hundred thousand dollars.”
Christos let out a low whistle. “Seriously? Great news. It’s not my business, but that’s going to help pay for KC’s college, right?”
I nodded. It was exactly what I’d been planning. But there was more. “I also want to rent a shop for my own perfumery. I have to find the right place, and consult a lawyer friend, but I think I can do it.”
“Of course you can. I’m so happy for you.” He kissed me again and this time I pulled him closer.
I broke the kiss only when I remembered I had a present for Christos too. I pressed a finger to his mouth. “Wait a second.” Reaching into the drawer of the bedside table, I grabbed the smaller gift box.
I passed it to Christos and waited until he lifted the lid and saw the item enclosed.
He lifted the red satin ribbon, a metallic shape attached. “A key?” His eyebrow arched in question.
“It’s a symbol, a key to my heart. Also it’s actually a key to this house. Because I want you to feel welcome here, with me.”
This time Christos wrapped his strong arms right around me and pulled me into a bear hug. He was so sweet, tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
“Thank you.”
I sighed against his shoulder, kissing the spot at the base of his throat that made him shiver. I pulled away, only for a minute. “One more present.”
The larger gift box was navy blue and manly. Which was tricky of me, considering the contents.
I pulled the gift out of the box and held it up in mid-air. The glow-in-the-dark handcuffs with the fluffy pink fur lining were a work of art. “I really do want you to cuff me.”
He chuckled against my side, then pressed his lips to the upper swell of my breast. I couldn’t breathe for a second. He snatched the cuffs from my hand. “You asked for it.”
I did. I asked for it over and over.
What more could a girl ask for? Only many, many more blissful, sweetly scented Christmases with the man I loved.
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THE END
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