Love // Hyland & Camila

Valentine's Day

Hyland

I hadn't expected to come home to a heart attack. Literally. Unable to stop my grin from spreading, I couldn't believe how long this must've taken her. Paper hearts were strewn across the floor, stuck to the wall, and even some that appeared to have writing in them hanging on strings from the ceiling. Shifting the bouquet of roses under my arm, I moved closer so I could read them.

Follow the hearts.

Wondering what surprises Cami had in store for me, I followed the paper trail through the kitchen, down the hall, to the French doors leading out onto the backyard patio. Twine was strung back and forth like clothesline with more of the paper hearts pinned to it. In the center of the patio, the outdoor table had been draped in a red and white-checkered tablecloth with lit white taper candles next to white place settings and glasses. An empty vase stood in the middle, filled with a small amount of water.

Chuckling, I realized she'd anticipated my Valentine's Day flowers. I removed them from the plastic wrap and placed them in the vase, carefully hiding the small box with the diamond earrings I'd purchased for her amongst the blooms.

"Cami?" I called.

Seeing no sign of her anywhere, I glanced around the yard noting there were even rose petals in the pool. She had really gone all out. Soft music suddenly clicked over on the speaker system and I turned to her standing in the doorway.

She never ceases to take my breath away. I couldn't believe how much my love for her had grown in the time we'd been together — every day more than the last — something I'd assumed would never be possible. I loved her with every single part of me.

Her hair was pulled up in a loose knot with several tendrils escaping to brush the skin of her neck. The white slip of a dress clung to her, hugging every one of her luscious curves. Suddenly I had the urge to skip the fancy dinner and sweep her off to the bedroom.

"Don't you even think about it," she said with a light laugh.

"What?" I asked, instantly defending myself.

She stepped through the door and I noticed, for the first time, a small rectangular black box with a bow in her hands. "I recognize that look. Heaven knows I've seen it often enough before you drag me off to bed, or anywhere you can manage to get me."

"Drag you?" I folded my arms. "I can't think of one time that you haven't been a perfectly willing partner. In fact, there have been plenty of times when you've done the dragging."

Setting the small gift on the table next to one of the plates, she turned to me with a smile. "And I intend to drag you again tonight, but later. Dinner first."

Moving closer, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her right against me. "Happy Valentine's Day, Goody."

"To you, too." Her eyes were twinkling.

Bending to kiss her, I gave myself over to the shock that always zinged through my lips whenever we touched, instantly igniting a fire inside me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, holding me closer as she opened her mouth to accept my invasion. Kissing her was like drowning, but in a good way. This was my favorite — coming home and letting her kiss me into oblivion, a place where only she and I existed and we were all that mattered. My hands drifted down over the silky fabric to her hips, anchoring them to mine as she moaned.