Page 116 of One Unexpected Gift

Skylar threaded her fingers through his hair—a reminder he was overdue for a haircut—and snaked her hands behind his neck. “My request for an early separation was approved. Open your last gift.”

She dropped one hand and fumbled with the bag, taking out an envelope. Nick opened it and pulled out two plane tickets.

“I’m not following. These tickets are to Virginia.”

“I was sort of hoping you’d come down to help me pack and then be my co-pilot, or I could be yours as we drive my car and some of my belongings back to Maine.”

“Are you serious?” He studied the tickets and then lifted his hopeful gaze to Skylar’s smiling eyes.

“I’m as serious as a carotid artery dissection.”

“Your sense of humor sucks but your surprise is fucking amazing. You’re really moving to Maine?” His heart hammered in his chest.

“Yes.”

Nick clutched her cheeks between his hands and tugged her face to his, covering her mouth in a wet kiss. “I love you.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

“Shit.” He kissed her again, then drew back to study her face to make sure this was all real. “You’re moving here? To Maine? For real?”

“When you say here what exactly do you mean?”

Nick curled his lip in confusion. “With me. Move in with me, Skylar. You and Gabriella. This is just as much your home as it is mine.”

“I was hoping you’d say that too. Hence the baby monitor.”

“You’re a sly one.” Nick grinned, pushing her to the mattress and covering her body with his.

“So, do I win?”

“Win?”

“Yeah. I mean, you totally won when it came to Valentine’s Day, and we were pretty even with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, but Gabriella’s birthday, I don’t see how you could one-up this.”

“I have a lot of questions. About the military and how they let you go four months before your time is up, and what you’re going to do for work. If you want to work. You don’t have to. I can support you and Gabriella.”

“They approved my leave, and I’ve applied at the local hospital. They’re short on nurses so I’m hoping it won’t take long to get a job.”

“Wow. I have more questions, but I want to make love to you, and I have a gift for you as well. I don’t know what to do first.”

“Since you’re a talker anyway, the first two we could multitask. Unless the gift will help with the second part?”

“Darlin’. I don’t need any bells and whistles to help me with the second part.”

“Not even chocolate sauce?”

“Do you think I need chocolate sauce?”

“I think you’re doing too much talking and not enough touching.”

“Baby.” Nick dropped a line of kisses between her breasts, circling one nipple with his fingers while circling the other with his tongue.

“I’m going to simultaneously combust, Nicolas. I don’t have the patience for a lot of foreplay tonight.”

Needy and greedy Skylar was a major turn on. He could appease her and take her hard and fast, and then the rest of the night to explore the rest of her body, or he could tease and taunt her by making her wait. Maybe give her the gift that had been burning a hole in his pocket. Not that he had any pockets in his birthday suit.

“Nick,” she begged.

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