Mid Life Love (Mid Life Love #1)(100)

I didn’t know what to say so I simply opened the other present—much faster this time.

I laughed once I tore the last sheet of paper off. “I didn’t know they made a Harry Potter version of Monopoly...”

“They don’t...” She took the box from my hands. “I did some pretty intense work for Parker Brothers years ago and they owed me one, so I asked them to make a one of kind game just for you. I know that neither of these gifts is a new car or a–”

I leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers, wrapping my arms around her tightly, not wanting to let her go. I pulled her down to the carpet and ran my hands across her hips, still exploring her mouth with my tongue—saying everything with kisses that I couldn’t say with words.

“Thank you very much,” I whispered once I had to take a breath. “Everything you did today means a lot to me...”

I’d never had a birthday party, birthday gifts, anything. My real parents never gave a shit about birthdays and my foster parents only gave me one present per year—on Christmas, and it was usually a used electronic device or a book. After growing up so long without a birthday, I never saw a point in celebrating.

I slowly let her go and reached into my back pocket. “I bought something for you too.” I handed her a small jewelry box.

“This isn’t an engagement ring is it?” She paled. “I can’t accept or agree to—”

“What?” I sat up and laughed. “No. I think I know you much better than that. Open it.”

“Can it wait until tomorrow? It’s your birthday and I don’t want to—”

“Open. The. Box.”

“But—”

“Now.”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “I really don’t want to...”

Chapter 22

Claire

“Open the damn box, Claire.” His voice was stern. “I don’t feel like threatening you on my birthday.”

“You’re acknowledging that it’s your birthday now?”

“Five seconds.”

“No.”

“No?” He raised his eyebrow.

“Are you a parrot?” I tossed the box back to him. “You heard me.”

He narrowed his eyes and reached out to grab me, but I jumped up and stepped backwards. He jumped up with ease and smiled his wicked grin. “You always have to do things the hard way, don’t you?” He lunged towards me, but I slipped away.

I ran out of the room with him on my heels, dashing down the grand staircase. I rushed through the double corridors, past the parlor, and into the kitchen—hoping to hide in the two-roomed pantry. Before I could slip inside, I felt myself being lifted into the air and tossed over his shoulder.

“Next time I won’t give you a head start.” He playfully smacked my ass. He carried me outside to the pool deck and set me down on a plush lounge chair. He reached into his pocket and handed me the ring box again. “Now.”

I sighed. I flipped the box open and saw a folded sheet of paper sitting in the ring slot. “A note?”

“Read it.”

I unfolded it and cleared my throat. “Dear Ms. Gracen, on behalf of Vintage Consolidated Loan Company, we are writing to inform you that the balance on your outstanding mortgage and student loan accounts is officially zero. We are enclosing the history of payments that were recently...” I stopped reading aloud and read the rest to myself.

I felt tears forming at the corners of my eyes. “You paid off my house? And my student loans?” I felt like I needed to say it out loud to confirm it.

“I should’ve done it sooner,” he said softly.

“I—” I was speechless. “Thank you so much...I don’t even know what to—I can’t believe you—”

“Now you don’t need to work overtime and you can spend all your extra time with me. This was more so a gift for me than you.” He smiled. “Wasn’t that way better than a proposal?”

I laughed and let a few tears fall. “Thank you so much...”

“You’re more than welcome, but the next time I give you a gift and you even think about not opening it when I tell you to—”

I pressed my lips against his and bit down on his tongue. “If you’ve fulfilled your ‘I-must-make-Claire-do-whatever-I-say’ quota for the day, I would like to end your birthday properly. And by properly, I mean f**king you against this chair until you can’t walk...”

I slid a pair of shades over my eyes and lay back on a fluffy yellow blanket. I held my e-reader in front of my face and continued to read through one of my favorite books—Fahrenheit 451.

When I’d woken up this morning—exhausted from everything Jonathan and I had done last night, he’d suggested that we have a breakfast picnic at the park. I thought we were going to cook the food ourselves and bring it along, but we drove to the park.

Shortly after we arrived, trays of Belgian waffles, organic strawberries, bacon, eggs, and toast were delivered from an exclusive restaurant.

“Are you planning on reading all day?” He kissed my cheek.

“Will that be a problem?”

“Not until tonight.” He lay down next to me and took the e-reader from my hands. “You haven’t said much to me all morning. Are you okay?”