His Golden Cuffs: Christmas (4 page)

"Wait, are we forgetting something?"

Anya looked a bit tentative and finally nodded
.
"Yes, there is one thing we don't have
.
A tree topper
.
The family topper disappeared
.
It probably would have gone with Vicky and Robb to Montana
.
It felt wrong to get one without you
.
"

"Does it have to be perfect?"

"Well, no
.
We had a slightly rusty star
.
Mom was pretty firm on using the same one
.
"

"Hold on, I know just the thing
.
" Leo raced out of the room and Anya paced, waiting for him
.
She just wanted everything to be perfect when she gave him his gift
.
Anya found herself feeling a little breathless and anxious about his response
.
He loped back into the room, tearing open a package and said, "I know I buy you way too much jewelry
.
But I just like how pretty everything looks on you, and what is the point of being stupidly wealthy if you can't shower the woman you love with beautiful things? I know the big New Year's bash is going to be crazy, so I got you this
.
" He handed her the box and said, "Mind you, this isn't your gift
.
It was just really sparkly and I wanted to see you be the fanciest girl at the ball
.
"

"You are ridiculous, but I do like pretty things
.
" She opened the box the rest of the way and gasped
.
"Oh my God, Leo, this is magnificent
.
" In her hands was an intricate tiara with a delicate star pattern
.

"I just thought, that would look amazing on the tree we made
.
"

"I'm kind of scared to think about having this many diamonds and sapphires just sitting out on a tree
.
"

Leo led Anya over to the tree and lifted her up
.
She placed the tiara at the top of the tree
.
Leo let her slid down his body until her feet rested on the ground
.
He wrapped his arms around her and they just watched the impossible sparkle at the top of the tree
.

Anya whispered, "You know, I was a little scared it would make the rest of our decorations look cheap and tawdry
.
"

Leo said, "They all look so beautiful together
.
Thank you for this
.
I could thank you a million times and still never express just how grateful and happy I am
.
"

Anya reveled in the warmth of his arms and said, "Let's turn the lights off and sit in front of the fire to exchange gifts
.
"

Leo dimmed the room's lights and settled next to Anya on the fluffy sheepskin rug
.

She said, "I want you to go first, okay?"

He handed her a thin envelope and felt a quiver of nerves
.
His throat was suddenly very dry and his voice was raspy to his ears
.
He said, "I'm not good at heartfelt gift giving
.
Another thing I've never had to do
.
And it turns out I'm not very good at waiting for special occasions to get you something
.
I picked this to give to you tonight because it's something you believe passionately in and I wanted you to know I notice the work you do and that I think it's important too
.
"

Anya flicked the envelope open and pulled out a letter
.
It took her a moment to read it, then she gasped
.
"Leo, you fully funded 'Together We Rise' for the next year?"

He nodded shyly and finally said, "Is that okay? It felt like something that you would really like
.
And I really identified with the kids
.
It made me angry to think of them having to haul everything they own around in trash bags
.
I just, I didn't want them to have to wait until after the holidays when your fundraisers get rolling
.
"

"Oh Leo, it's wonderful
.
I'm still going to hit up all your friends for the fundraisers anyway
.
"

"I wouldn't have it any other way
.
"

Anya took a deep breath and handed Leo the slender box
.
She said, "So technically, this is kind of a big gift
.
I decided I needed to break the rules
.
I wanted it to just be us for this
.
"

"Ohhh, naughty, I like it
.
"

Anya held her breathe while he ripped the wrapping paper off and opened the box
.
He parted the tissue paper and stared at the box in confusion
.
He looked up at Anya and she couldn't help but let some tears slip down her face
.
She sent an urgent plea to the heavens,
please let him be okay with this
.
He pulled the slender white plastic test out of the box, his hand shaking slightly
.

"Anya, is this
...
" His voice trailed off as he tried to wrap his brain around what the stripe on the device meant
.
She burst into tears and he pulled her into his arms
.

"Oh Anya, does this mean we're going to have a baby?"

She nodded against his chest and sobbed
.
"Are you okay with it?"

He pulled her away from him and tilted her chin, so her eyes would meet his
.
"Anya, no one has ever given me such a precious gift
.
I am absolutely terrified I will be a terrible father
.
And I will do everything in my power to prove to you over and over again that I'm worth every bit of the faith you've had in me
.
"

Anya couldn't stop crying as she said, "I just found out a few days ago
.
I couldn't figure out why I was so tired and my random nausea
.
But I was looking at the calendar and realized I was really late for my period
.
"

"You really left it till late to get me a gift, huh
.
"

Anya laughed at his gentle teasing and said, "Seriously, you have no idea how hard it is to shop for a billionaire who has literally everything
.
"

"I'd like to give you my big gift tonight then, please?"

"Okay
.
"

Leo handed Anya a larger, thicker envelope
.
She opened it and slid out a folder
.
"Shapiro and MacKey Real Estate? Did you buy me a house?" Leo could hear the reserve in her voice and sent a mental thank you to Bryan for pointing out she'd want to be involved in such an important purchase
.

"No, not yet, I mean
.
I don't know how to say this
.
"

"Oh my God, are you leaving me?"

"Anya, God, no
.
I know I work too much and at stuff I don't need to be doing
.
It's why my assistant now has assistants
.
I know you hate this apartment
.
And being here tonight, it just makes me realize even more how much I want a home, not just a place to store stuff
.
I thought we could find a house, well, more likely an estate, but something we could have a family and a real life in, together
.
"

"What happens when something goes wrong at the office, and you aren't nearby?"

"That's what the internet is for
.
And phones
.
And why I have all those executives earning fat salaries
.
All these places are about an hour, maybe two, away
.
Far enough for space, close enough that we can easily go back and forth as needed
.

Leo reached out and pulled Anya back against his chest
.
He kissed the top of her head and just held her for a moment
.
A year ago he thought he held her destruction and he'd craved it, wanting to see her utterly broken
.
His misplaced rage had almost destroyed both of them
.
He didn't have the words to express how much it scared him that his stupidity had almost lost her forever
.
He knew he had to try and let her know, especially now
.

"The house, the money, the time
...
it's because I want to
.
Because I want us
.
I want our family
.
I don't want my life to be a blur of late nights at the office, regretted on my death bed
.
I want to be surrounded by a million children and know that I was loved by the most amazing woman in the world
.
The universe
.
"

"A million? We're gonna have to negotiate that a bit
.
"

"One hundred thousand and that's my final offer
.
" He pulled Anya down onto the sofa with him and said, "I still can't believe how lucky I am
.
That after everything, you came back to me
.
I want to make sure I do everything in my power to make you happy
.
I don't want to fuck this up again
.
"

"Being with you makes me happy
.
Beyond happy
.
"

"Which shocks me to my core
.
But I love you so much
.
I would buy you the sky if I could
.
I just want to see your face light up
.
"

"Then kiss me already, you idiot
.
"

Leo lowered his lips to Anya's mouth and she gave herself over to the moment
.
Her lips parted to his probing tongue and she melted against him
.
She felt her hands tighten on his arms, and enjoyed the flex of the muscles under his shirt
.
He moved a hand, cupping behind her head, his thumbs grazing her neck
.
Anya sighed into his touch
.
She loved the way he made her feel so cherished, like she was made of glass
.
But she liked to remind him she wasn't breakable
.
If she was glass, then she was practically unbreakable Pyrex She growled and nipped his lip
.

He laughed and her insides melted
.

"Does my kitten need a bit more?"

He let his thumb brush over her lips and she caught it in between her teeth, then blushed
.
Anya still struggled telling him exactly what she wanted, but they were working on it
.

He growled against her ear, nibbling it until she squirmed
.
He said, "I should really make you beg for it
.
Because you know, if you want something from me, all you have to do is ask
.
"

She writhed against him and finally whispered, "Please Leo, don't be gentle tonight
.
"

He smiled, then paused a long agonizing moment for Anya
.
"Your wish, my command
.
But being so early in your pregnancy, I have no idea what is appropriate
.
"

Anya blushed again and then sighed
.
"Actually, I talked to my doctor
.
We are good to go on our normal play
.
"

"Well then, I think there is a bottom in need of a very thorough spanking
.
"

Leo slid his hand over Anya's hips
.
The slick fabric of her skirt bunched around her waist and the cool air against her skin made her shiver
.