Page 51 of Four Calling Birds
He was on his back. Our legs entwined, as I rested my chin on his broad chest.
“Who? The kids?” he said, his large arm behind his head, as he traced his hand over my bare back.
“Yes,” I said sleepily. “Can we keep them here forever?”
He chuckled, and I bounced on his chest with the movement.
“The property is so big,” he yawned, stretching his legs, “that if they wanted to live here, we’d never need to see them.”
I laughed, my fingers tracing over the hairs on his chest, grazing them down to his navel.
“I have a present for you,” I finally confessed, suddenly feeling the flutter of anxiety take over my chest.
“Oh?” he gave a pointed look south to his satisfied cock. “You just gave me one.”
“Shut up!” I slapped his pec. Then I groaned, feeling the soreness in my thighs and core as I moved to the nightstand. I pulled out a small box with a single red ribbon and presented it to him.
He lifted a brow and tugged on the little bow. I opened the box to reveal two gold rings. They were simple, matching bands. One in his size, and one in mine.
“It’s customary for the man to propose, you know,” he grumbled, pulling the smaller one and inspecting it in his hand.
“You’ve already proposed. I figured it was my turn.”
He took my hand and placed the ring on that special finger, sliding it on to the dent that had never quite disappeared from the last time I had worn his ring. I took the larger one and placed it on his.
“I thought it was time we wore rings again,” I explained, feebly. “It was feeling… strange, that we weren’t.”
“I agree,” he chuckled, rolling over to his nightstand and opening a drawer. “Which is why I got you this.”
He presented me a blue velvet box.
“It’s not what you had before,” he explained, before I could touch the soft fabric. “But I think you’ll like it.”
He was right. We had sold the rings, and split the money. It was only fair, we thought.
I opened the box, and what stared back at me was so extraordinary, I almost dropped the thing. It was a huge sapphire with a crown of white diamonds on an ornate band with milgrain detailing on the shoulder.
“I’ve actually had it for a while. It came with the house, actually. I guess, I figured there was a chance you’d… we’d… you know,” he gave a little shrug. “They said it was Victorian. I know how much you like that.”
“No way!” I said, reaching in with a hand to pluck up the ring.
He slapped my fingers away, and tsked. “Bad girl. That’s my job.”
He pulled the ring out, and slowly slid it on my hand above where the wedding band sat. The two rings looked perfect together.
“It comes with papers of authenticity and everything,” he said with a small smile. “I guess the old lady who sold me this house had it passed down through her family, and now it belongs to you.”
He leaned back again on the bed, a smug smile on his lips.
“So now you’re tied to this property, and you can’t possibly leave.”
I rolled my eyes. “As if I would do that… again.”
He chuckled, pulling me down on top of him. “Whatever. New rings. New House. New marriage.”
“Old rings. Old House. Old Marriage,” I corrected him, leaning down to plant a kiss on his lips. “I love you.”
