Page 52 of Endless Love

TWENTY-FOUR

Willow

Istretched my legs and pulled the heavenly covers up over my chest.

Mmm.Just five more minutes.

The sound of a soft raspy voice drifted into my ears.

“Hey, sleepy head.”

I blinked my eyes open. Hovering over me was the epitome of virile perfection. The man who’d made incredible love to me last night. The man who’d whispered sweet nothings to me all night long. The man who’d spooned me with his spectacular body. The man whose beautiful bed I’d shared.

Ryan.

“Hi,” I murmured, my voice groggy. Pulling the covers up higher, I sat up and smiled at him. Dressed in sweats and a V-neck tee, he was holding a tray with a blueberry muffin and a container of coffee. The muffin had a pink candle in it. Also on the tray was a small trick or treat bag with a pumpkin face.

“You went out?” I asked, my voice growing stronger.

“Yeah. I went to the Coffee Bean around the corner. Breakfast in bed. Happy Birthday, my beautiful butterfly.”

“You remembered my birthday?”

“How could I not? There were pumpkins all over town, Miss Pumpkinhead.”

Embarrassed, I tried to fix my wild mane of hair. It was futile. I was a bedhead, plain and simple, so I giggled. How sweet of him to remember. Sitting down on the bed, he planted a soft kiss on my lips and then handed me the tray.

“Make a wish,” he said, after lighting the candle with his gold lighter.

I knew what I wanted. I wanted this moment to never end. I wanted more of him in the worst way. Pursing my lips, I blew out the candle.

I drank the coffee and ate the muffin. Ryan then set the tray on his nightstand after handing me the trick or treat bag. Taking off his shoes, he repositioned himself so that he was sitting cross-legged and facing me.

“What’s inside this bag?” I asked.

“A treat.” A mischievous smile curled on his lips. “Go ahead. Take a look.”

Some candy?

Hesitantly, I reached inside, and to my surprise, the touch of velvet met my fingertips. A small rectangular box. I slipped it out.

“What is this?”

“Your birthday present.”

“Ry-man, I don’t need a present. Waking up to you is the best present I could ask for.”

“Open it,” he ordered, jutting out his chin. It was an order. A dominant side of Ryan I’d never seen before. I more than liked it.

Doing as I was told, I snapped open the lid. My breath hitched and my eyes grew wide. Inside was a magnificent necklace with a sparkling diamond-encrusted pendant. A pair of pink enameled pointe shoes.

“Oh my God, Ryan!”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it, but you shouldn’t have. It must have cost a fortune.”

“Just a small fortune. But you had to have it. It belonged to the ballerina who owned this bed.”

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