Page 76 of A Little Light

“Thank you.” Rachel tried to keep her voice in check, but it betrayed her just a little. “Today has really been perfect.”

“It has. So, thank you.” Andi smiled against the side of Rachel’s neck, tightening her arms around her. The way she held Rachel told her everything she needed to know. This woman wasn’t playing around when it came to this relationship. It simply wasn’t possible to fake her embrace or the way she looked at Rachel. “And…I know you probably have things to do, but if you’re able to stay again tonight, it would mean the world to me.”

Rachel settled entirely at that. “I’m not going anywhere.” She swallowed as she slipped her hand beneath the couch, unsure as to how the next few minutes would work out. They had both agreed that this year’s Christmas gift to one another would be simply spending the day together, but Rachel had come across something when she was searching online a few days ago. She couldn’t let it go, and so now here she was, wanting to give it to Andi. “I know we said we wouldn’t do gifts.” She sat up and turned around to face Andi. “And please don’t hate me for going ahead and doing the opposite, but—”

“Rachel.”

“I’m sorry, but I had to. I couldn’t not.” Rachel brought the box up between them and placed it in Andi’s palm. “Just…take it. For me, please?”

Andi looked down at the Clogau box, her brows drawn together. “Not only did you go back on your word, but you chose something expensive.”

Rachel placed her hands on Andi’s knees and dipped her head. “When you open it, you’ll understand.”

Andi exhaled a breath, tears sitting on her eyelids. She lifted the sprung lid, inspecting the bracelet placed inside. “Rachel, this is so beautiful.” Andi trailed a fingertip over the white gold bracelet, stopping at the small, detailed pendant hanging from it. “This is…”

“It’s a forget-me-not flower. And I hope I haven’t overstepped, but it’s—”

“For Jane.” Andi’s voice broke, tears slipping down her cheeks. She nodded slowly, taking it from the box and holding it close to her chest. “Thank you.”

“I saw it, and I knew I had to get it.”

“I had no idea what to expect when we met. I knew I was interested in you the day you came to view the loft. I knew I was enamoured by your eyes and your smile. But I had no idea what was to come. All I knew when I saw you was that I was ready to move on with my life. That I could remember Jane while potentially giving my heart to someone else.”

Rachel regarded Andi with a soft smile.

“You are that someone else, Rachel. I’ve spent time recently imagining my life without you in it. I’ve wondered how I’d feel if I was spending my second Christmas alone. But you? God, you’ve made everything so much easier for me. You’ve been there, even when you thought you shouldn’t be. You’ve supported me without knowing it.” Andi got to her knees and drew Rachel into a gentle kiss. Her tears had subsided, but that emotion remained in her voice. “You have such a beautiful heart.”

“You may think that I’ve been the one supporting you, but you’ve given just as much in return, Andi. Just last night, you defended me to your closest friends. Nobody has ever done that for me. Nobody has ever looked at me the way you do. When I wasn’t searching, you came out of nowhere. I…believe I was waiting for you. That my past is my past for a reason, and I wasn’t supposed to find you until now.” Rachel’s bottom lip quivered as she brushed a tear from her cheek. “You take me as I am. You trust me with your heart. You…you’ve never once questioned who I am. When I’m wary about how fast this is moving, I remind myself that I’m happy and that it’s all I’ve ever wanted. To be happy. You make me so happy that I sometimes can’t believe this is real.”

“I’ve had those same doubts. But really, you can know someone for years and never open up…then someone unexpected comes into your life, and you show your vulnerability right off the bat. You open up, and you connect, and it’s all about the soul feeling right. My soul, when I’m with you, feels at peace.”

Rachel got to her knees, mirroring Andi’s position. She took the bracelet and fixed it onto Andi’s wrist, then brought Andi’s hand to her lips and kissed her skin. “So long as you’re happy, it’s all I want. You are all I want, Andi.”

Andi smiled as she placed the jewellery box down and shifted closer, pulling Rachel into her lap. She wrapped her arms around Rachel’s waist while Rachel draped her arms over Andi’s shoulders. “Jane would like you. She…would trust you.”

“You think?”

“No. I know it. We always had this thing about people’s eyes. How we could tell from the moment we met someone if they were genuine. She would see exactly what I see when I look into yours.”

Rachel, wearing a shy smile, dipped her head. “And what is it that you see?”

“So many things.” Andi lifted Rachel’s chin, her delicate touch sending a shiver down Rachel’s spine. “Life. Excitement. Spontaneity. But most of all, I see hope. For a better future. For love. For something that means so much to you.”

Rachel touched her forehead to Andi’s, knowing no matter what she said next…she was safe. “Andi, I know this may be unexpected, and I don’t expect you to feel even a hint of what I do just yet, but…I’m completely in. I think you know what I’m saying deep down, but I am so in.”

Andi didn’t flinch. She didn’t pull away. She simply stared into Rachel’s eyes, unwavering with every breath they took. “How can anyone know when something is too soon? If something feels right, surely that’s the important thing.”

“You’re right. I just…had to say it out loud. I needed you to know that you mean far more to me than you probably realise.”

“Then I appreciate your honesty. It’s one of the things I’ve been fond of from the beginning.”

Rachel grinned, capturing Andi’s lips. She moaned when Andi slipped her tongue into her mouth, their hands roaming. Andi shifted, guiding Rachel down onto her back. When her body came to rest on Rachel, anchoring her, she looked into Andi’s eyes and smiled. “This is my favourite part.”

“I wonder why,” Andi whispered, trailing her lips along Rachel’s jawline.

“I know exactly why. It’s those divine hands of yours.”

“Then I guess they should get to work since you enjoy them so much.”

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