Unexpected Gifts Read Online Free PDF

course, that was before
everything changed last night.
    And, she wondered, for what was surely the
five hundredth time, if they’d ruined everything by falling into
bed together. She stared at him and shoved that thought right out
of her head. They hadn’t ruined anything. This was where they were
supposed to be. Together.
    Her fingertips traced the edge of the package before
untying the red ribbon he’d used to decorate it. Peeling away the
tape and paper, she revealed a plain cardboard box. She lifted the
lid, and tears filled her eyes.
    “I know I don’t have all of them. And I’m not sure
if the ones I found are even the right editions, but… Hey. Are you
crying?”
    Cassie swiped at the tears that
slipped down her cheeks. In the box were books. Copies of books
that had been part of the collection that had been destroyed when
the firefighters had put out the blaze in the garage below her
bedroom all those years ago. She flipped through the
pages—gilt-edged volumes of fairy tales, an illustrated version
of The Hobbit , The Witch of Blackbird
Pond , Anne of Green
Gables —they were all here. He’d actually
taken the time to find the older editions she’d had as a
kid.
    “I wasn’t sure if you’d replaced them, but I
figured, if you had, you could always use these at the
library.”
    “Where did you find these?” she asked, stunned by
the gesture.
    “Mostly eBay, but I hit a few used bookstores, too.
I’ve been looking for them for a while.”
    She couldn’t believe he’d gone to all that trouble
for her. It hit her, then. She was stupid for mourning the loss of
Tyler for months. He’d never cared enough to do something like
this. Hell, she was fairly certain he had no idea what her current
favorite books were.
    But, Sam? Sam remembered the books she’d loved as a
kid. He’d come over here in a blizzard to check on her. He’d loved
her and wanted her to be happy—even if it wasn’t with him. Her
heart ached with the fullness of love and the realization that
she’d almost sent it packing into the worst storm of the year.
Well, she had. But fate and a crappy driveway had intervened. She
set the box aside and shifted to her knees in front of him, keeping
the afghan wrapped around her.
    “You’re about ruin our chances for a bed, aren’t
you?” he asked, tracing a callused fingertip down her chest, along
the edge of the blanket.
    “You can handle it.” She grinned then sobered and
leaned forward, cupping his face in her hands. “Thank you. This is
the best gift I’ve ever been given.” Still holding his face, his
stubble tickling her palms, she closed the distance between them
and kissed him. Long and slow. Pulling back, she shook her head. “I
take that back. It’s not the best gift.”
    He raised a dark eyebrow at her. “Oh, really? Then,
what is?”
    “I’ll give you a hint. It showed up covered in snow
and was completely unexpected.”
    He grinned and grabbed her around the waist, laying
her back against the floor and pulling the covering from her body.
The cooler air tightened her nipples as the lights from the
makeshift Christmas tree cast a warm glow over their skin. “The
best presents always are.”
    “Hmm…this gift does seem a little cocky,
though.”
    He nuzzled her neck. “You’d better not be thinking
about exchanging it.”
    She stroked her hands over his shoulders. “No way.
No exchanges. No returns.” Despite everything they’d shared, her
cheeks flushed at her admission.
    Sam stared into her eyes. “No refunds, either.” He
dropped a tender kiss on her lips. “And definitely no more holidays
alone,” he murmured against her mouth.
    She shook her head slightly, her lips brushing
across his. “I love you, Sam.”
    He lifted his head, something that looked like
relief shimmering in his eyes. “Say it again.”
    “What?”
    “Indulge me.” He brushed his thumb
across her cheekbone. “I’ve been waiting a really long time to hear you say
it.”
    “I love