Light Me Up by Cherrie Lynn

peacefully sleeping face. Ordinarily she’d let him snooze, but there were more pressing matters this morning. “Baby?”
    His head turned toward her on the pillow, but his eyes didn’t open. “Hmm?”
    “Can I open my present now?” 
    Both of his arms came around her and he tugged her back down, snuggling her close. “Impatient.”
    “That’s easy for you to say, I let you open yours last night. Please?” It had been a week since her parents’ Christmas party, and he hadn’t dropped one hint about what her present might be. She was about to explode.
    “In a minute!”
    She giggled at his mock-angry tone as he pulled her even closer, so that she could hardly breathe. And how could she complain? Best way to spend Christmas morning ever. But she hadn’t been this excited about something since she was a kid. Even so, she managed to doze off again wrapped in his cozy arms. When she woke again, he lay facing her, smiling as he played gently with her hair.
    Glancing at her watch, she saw another hour had slipped by. “Now?”
    He gave an adorable scoff. “Good morning and merry Christmas to you too.”
    “I’m sorry.” She scooted forward and gave him a kiss. “I’m just excited.”
    “I’ll show you excited.” Brian grabbed her hand and attempted to pull it under the covers while she squealed and fought him. Because if they got started, it would be well after noon before they stopped. Laughing, he gave in and sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. “All right, all right. I’m up. In more ways than one, thank you very fuckin’ much.”
    “Oh, you’re always up,” she teased, springing up after him. “Where is it?”
    He cocked an eyebrow at her while he adjusted himself in his pajama pants, and she gave him an exasperated look. “Not your dick. I know where that is.”
    “Can’t help it. You in those silky pink PJs. Does it to me every time.”
    “I could wear ratty flannel footie jammies and it would do it to you.”
    “True.” He gave a cursory glance around. “Let’s see. Where did I hide it again? Hmm.”
    “Oh, stop. I’ve waited long enough!”
    “Okay, but go in the kitchen or something. I don’t want to give up my hiding place.”
    Candace couldn’t scramble out of the room fast enough, but stopped to give him a kiss along the way. In the living room, she turned on the Christmas tree lights and then headed to the kitchen to make coffee and start breakfast. Her heart pounded the entire time, and though she tried not to get her hopes up, to tell herself it didn’t matter what her present was, she couldn’t help herself. She’d be the happiest girl in the entire world if she had his ring on her finger.
    Checking her cell as she waited for the coffee to brew, she saw Macy and Samantha had both texted her merry Christmas messages and asked what Brian had given her. I don’t know yet, still waiting on him , she told them both.
    Ghost says he knows what it is ! , Macy sent back. The evil bitch. Why’d she ask, then? The central heat kicked on, and Candace almost went to turn it off. She was burning up. By the time Brian took his dear, sweet time strolling into the kitchen with something hidden behind his back, she struggled not to combust.
    “I hope you like it,” he said, looking somber.
    Now that the moment was here, panic filled her chest. Oh, God! What if this was it? But it probably wasn’t. But what if it was? If so, it was a lifetime commitment. She wanted it, she wanted it more than anything, but to know everything you wanted in life was within your grasp… oh, she needed a moment.
    “Coffee?” she asked, hearing the high-pitched edge in her own voice as she turned and reached for the cups she’d already pulled down from the cabinet.
    Brian caught her hand, halting her. “Later.” From behind his back, he brought out a flat package wrapped in shiny gold paper. Her breath caught. It wasn’t a little box, but…she would love whatever he gave her. Smiling