Chapter 2
She would always have sweet memories of this time of year, Yvette Wright decided. So many good things had occurred in her life during December, a lot of them focused on the man currently pretending not to watch her.
The amused expression Alex was trying to hide was the only reason she wasn’t actively threatening him.
She opened another cupboard and glanced inside. Just the dishes that were supposed to be there.
Where was it?
Yvette stood in the middle of the room and did a slow pivot. Not in the kitchen, not in the living room. Nothing new had arrived in their cabin over the past week, other than the key. Which meant somewhere a lock waited for her to open.
She twirled the necklace around her finger, the small gold key at the end of it whirling with a low, whistling sound.
“I hear the ugly sweater contest is shaping up to be a doozy this year.” Alex said. “Mack warned me that his family’s theme is going to wow the judges.”
His attempt at distraction failed miserably. She kept looking around even as she answered. “They’re going as Sesame Street characters,” Yvette informed him even as she poked into another drawer.
Alex blinked in surprise. “Um. Really?”
“Gaudy ones to fit the master theme of the event, but yeah. I helped Brooke source a can to place over his sweater so they could turn little Landon into Oscar the Grouch.”
A loud snort echoed instantly as a wide smile bloomed. “Please tell me you suggested that a garbage can should be Mack’s costume.”
Too funny. Yvette turned to fully face Alex and offered her best straight face. “Well…”
His eyes widened. “You did? You did.”
It was her turn to snicker. “A full-sized one was right there by the door,” she explained, giving up on the key for a minute because this was more important.
She slid onto Alex’s lap, draping her arms around his neck.
“They got a good laugh out of it, but they decided you and the other guys would show no mercy if Mack went that route.”
“He knows us too well,” Alex complained. “Still, that’s an awesome theme. Too bad we’re going to beat them.”
She met his gaze straight on. “I agree our gaudy aquarium sweaters are the best. More on the awesomeness of us later, though, Alex. Darling…”
He raised a brow, hands landing firmly on her waist as he nestled her closer. “Sweetheart?”
Inch by inch, she leaned in until their lips nearly touched. “You have a present for me.”
“I always have a present for you,” he agreed. Mischief sparkled in his eyes.
He was such a brat. “Are you really going to make me ask?”
He nodded slowly. “Definitely. That’s the perfect way to phrase it.”
Confusion slipped in as Yvette considered his words. “Ummm…” She straightened slightly. “What?”
His lips were still curled, but his smile was softer now. Gentle, as if waiting instead of preparing for her to get excited. “What, what?”
She considered. Nope. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation she’d totally lost any kind of control or focus. Straight to the point, then.
Yvette leaned back and dangled the chain between them. The small key twisted slowly on the end of the long silver cord. “This belongs to something.”
He nodded.
“Because as a person who is very experienced in dealing with keys, I know they’re not much use without being connected to something.
” Yvette drifted a finger down the side of Alex’s face.
“And as a proof of my extensive knowledge, I present the past three years of wonderful fun and caring that you have shown by constantly providing me with new moments of anticipation in keeping with the theme of my original Christmas present.”
Alex caught her fingers in his and brought them up to his lips. He pressed a kiss to them then kept holding on. “It has been three years, hasn’t it?”
“Three amazing years,” Yvette told him. “I’ve loved spending them with you. I love you.”
He tipped his head slowly. “I feel the same, but there is one teeny, tiny thing that would make me even happier. And considering it has been three years, I think it’s time…”
Yvette fell silent again, but this time she had more clues. She glanced down at the key draped over their linked hands.
Oh. Oh boy. He’d always said that the next step in their relationship was up to her.
Maybe this time the key wasn’t a physical object that went with a physical lock.
She swallowed hard, but warmth bloomed in her chest. Was she ready?
She was. She met his gaze straight on. “Is this the key to your heart?”
He answered instantly. “Damn straight.”
Yvette took a deep breath. “What do I need to do to open it?”
“Only if you’re ready, but it is something I’d really like.” Alex let go of her hand, lean back slightly, but when she would’ve wiggled off his lap, he held her in place. “Stay.”
When he reached for the top buttons of his shirt, she snickered. “Is this going to be another one of these strip each other naked situations?”
“Eventually, I hope so, but not this instant. Trust me, sweetheart.”
She watched with amusement as he undid a few more buttons then pulled back the sides of his flannel shirt.
Amusement rushed in. “Alex Thorne. You have a ring taped to the middle of your chest.”
“Kind of looks that way, doesn’t it?” Alex snorted.
“Although, please, dear God, do not grab hold and pull. I set this up a while ago, and since you didn’t arrive until later than expected, I have a sneaky suspicion that the tape has turned to superglue.
You’ll rip off a bunch of chest hair with it, and as excited as I am to give you a ring, I don’t want that to happen. ”
Which meant she was laughing as she attempted to delicately peel the ring free.
“Ouch.” He covered her fingers with his, trying to help. “Slow down. Wait, hang on a second…”
Alex’s continuing monologue included some choice swear words as they both tried to loosen what had become a firmly matted piece of tape. The entire situation turned into something halfway perfectly romantic and a perfect farce.
Whatever else it was, the messed up, wild situation was perfectly them.
In the end they had to resort to a wet, warm facecloth, because Yvette refused to allow Alex to get into the shower to loosen the glue for fear that her ring would fall and go down the drain.
Eventually, when they met back at the table, both of them grinning far too hard, Alex took her hand in his and firmly slid the ring into position. “Thank you for being mine.”
“I’m glad to be doing the next thing with you,” Yvette said softly. “It is time, because you really are the one who holds the key to my heart as well.”
Alex wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in, pressing their bodies close as his lips covered hers and they sealed their engagement with a kiss.