A Thousand Words–1
I’m so tired at this point.
The warmth from dinner still lingers in the air, and I can smell the scent of roasted meat and cinnamon. My half–eaten slice of pie sits on the coffee table and I lean closer into Aiden’s side.
We ate too much, and now the four of us have all settled in the living room. The chaos of cooking and eating has finally died down and now we’re watching the lights on the Christmas tree in silence.
They twinkle and light music plays in the background.
Zaid is on my other side, so I am perfectly tucked between the two of them. The heat of their bodies keeps me warm despite the way my short red dress barely covers my legs.
I’m still reeling from the fact that Zaid bought it for me, that he thought of me when he saw it. And judging by the way his thigh presses against mine, the subtle way his fingers trace absentminded patterns on the couch near my hand, he’s been admiring it all night.
I grab onto the hem of my dress, imagining that it is Zaid’s fingers that brush my skin.
Aiden has an arm draped over my shoulders, his fingers brushing against my collarbone as he leans in and presses a kiss to the side of my head. “You look so damn sexy,” he murmurs against my ear, his lips barely brushing my skin. “And I can’t wait to get you out of this dress tonight.”
Heat floods my cheeks, spreading down my neck.
Across from me, Jake clears his throat and takes a slow sip of his whiskey. I glance at him, my stomach flipping at the way his gaze flickers over my legs, dark and intense. He’s been watching me all night. Hungry. And god, am I hungry for him, too.
He sets his glass down and leans forward, stretching to grab a small box from under the tree. “Time to open presents.”
I smile, still basking in the warmth of the moment, until Jake turns and hands the small box directly to me.
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A Thousand Words–1
I blink, my smile faltering. “Wait, what?”
He looks down at the box, then at me.
“This is for me?” I stammer.
Jake nods, his expression unreadable.
Aiden lets out a low whistle. “Damn, Dad. That’s nice of you.”
My mouth is still slightly open in shock as I carefully unwrap the box. The moment I lift the lid, my breath catches.
A pair of stunning, glistening diamond earrings sit nestled in black velvet, catching the glow of the Christmas tree lights. My fingers shake as I touch them, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Jake–this is too much,” I whisper, shaking my head. “I can’t accept this.”
Jake takes another slow sip of his whiskey before setting it down, leveling me with a firm gaze. “As long as you’re a Matthews girl, you’ll have whatever you want and need.”
The weight of his words sinks deep into my bones. He isn’t just talking about the earrings. He isn’t talking about me as his son’s girlfriend; his meaning is so much more.
I swallow hard, nodding slightly, though I can feel the heat crawling up my neck. Before I can say anything else, Aiden gets up and grabs another present from under the tree, grinning as he hands it to me.
“Here you go, baby.”
I take it with trembling fingers, carefully unwrapping the box. My stomach tightens as I pull out a delicate gold necklace, and a piece of silky, barely there lingerie.
My cheeks flame as I quickly shove the lingerie back into the box, my pulse roaring in my
ears.
