burst with love.
“Here … let me help you.” Phoenix stands and takes the necklace from my hands, walking around behind me. I scoot my chair back and stand to meet him.
I sweep my long, dark hair over my shoulder and he clasps the necklace around my neck, then hugs me from behind. I close my eyes and lean back into him as we sway gently to a silent tune. His breath is hot as he leans down and leaves a trail of kisses on my skin, starting behind my ear and slowly moving down my neck.
But as wonderful as his gifts are, I don’t need the concrete things to feel his love. I need the intangible. The hummingbird wings in my heart … the delicate somersaults in my stomach … the tingle that travels from my chest all the way down to my toes each time he looks at me through hooded eyes. He gives me all of this and more.
I feel Phoenix take a deep breath and lower his lips down to my ear. His voice is low and sincere and tender. “My mother would have loved you, Ivy. So much. Arguably more than I do.” He laughs softly into my neck and it sends chills down my body. “If you had the chance to meet her she would, no doubt, already be harassing us about giving her grandbabies. And one day we will give them to her, even though she’s not here with us. I hate that you’ll never get to know her.”
My heart breaks a little, knowing that I’ll never have the opportunity to sit down and look through Phoenix’s childhood photos with her. Hear stories about how much of a handful he was as a little boy. Or secretly plan surprise parties with her for her son. But even through all that sorrow, knowing he’s sure that she would have loved me brings some resolution. And hearing him talk about having babies … well, that just sends me heart aflutter.
I nuzzle into his body a little more, taking in his warmth. Phoenix spins me around in his arms and presses his forehead to mine.
“This necklace,” he pauses, choking up as he thumbs the metal bird around my neck. His voice is barely a whisper. “This necklace … It was hers. I just … I wanted to give you a way to be close to her. To know that she would have loved you as if you were her own daughter. And I know that, one day, you will be. For more than twenty years, my mother was the most important woman in my life. And for the longest time, I never thought anyone could take her place. But you, Ivy … you’ve shown me how to love someone wholeheartedly. You’ve shown me how to surrender myself to this crazy emotion and just exist with no one in the world but you. Just like my mother loved my father, screw ups and all—you’ve managed to find a way to love me. And ever since I met you, you’ve become the most important woman in my life. You’re beautiful. And phenomenal. And resilient. And I love that you chose me. Thank you for choosing me.”
I look up at Phoenix with tears pooling my eyes. This man has given me everything. More than I’ve ever wanted. More than I thought I needed. And more than I probably deserve. I know I should feel inadequate in his presence, but he lifts me in ways I never dreamed possible.
Tears of love and happiness start to spill down my cheeks. I reach my hands up, holding his face in my fingertips. In his eyes, I see years of pain, repaired by what we have. We’re both broken in so many ways, and yet we’ve found a way to mend ourselves together. And through that healing, his pieces and my pieces changed to our pieces and we’re forever mixed. He’s now as much a part of me as I am him. The way he looks at me tells a tale of love. I know that he’s a good man. An incredible one, in fact. And he makes me a better person.
But the best part about him? He’s mine!
And I know that it’s forever.
I roll up onto my tiptoes and press my lips to his, pouring every last ounce of love I have into this kiss. His body molds to mine, fitting perfectly together. It feels like it’s our first kiss and last kiss and every kiss in between all