Chapter 39

When we got home, Ruby and I both collapsed on my living room couch. Even though it was still the afternoon, it felt like we had stayed up all night.

She was curled up next to me with a fluffy purple blanket covering us. I had the remote in my hand and was scrolling through the channels on T.V.

"What to watch..." I trailed on and kept looking.

"What do you see in me?" Ruby asked quietly, unexpectedly.

I set down the remote and looked down at her. I loved the way she looked up at me with those brown eyes and her perfect face.

"I see a beautiful, gorgeous, funny, and charismatic girl. One with intelligence, but modesty. Tender, but also a fighter," I bent his head to place a kiss on her forehead. It was tempting to actually kiss her on the mouth, since it had been a month since the last time I'd kissed her fully, but she seemed heart warmed at what I said.

"You're pretty cool." She said.

She looked at me and I placed a hand over my heart in fake hurt. "I don't think I can be around you anymore, Ruby." We laughed.

She got up to go get a drink from the kitchen. "Do you have tea?" She asked, looking through my fridge.

I got up from the couch and quietly snuck up behind her where she was rummaging through the fridge. "Right there." She jumped a little in surprise.

"No need to sneak up on me..." Ruby said jokingly and poured two glasses of tea. Handing one to me, she leaned on the granite island and I watched her from where she was standing.

She looked up at me from the rim of her glass. "What?" she asked, giggling.

"I have something for you." I said and told her to wait while I ran up to my room. When I got there, I found the tiny rectangular blue box on my desk.

Running down, I stopped in front of Ruby and shakily handed the box to her. "Here."

She smiled up at me and then the box. When she opened it, I saw her face light up and a wave of relief flooded over me.

"Ryder..." she whispered and held up the necklace. On the tiny chain that had cost a fortune itself, was a miniature crystal boxing glove pendant.

"Do you like it?" I asked, nervously.

She looked up at me with a breathtaking smile. "I love it."

I love you.

The realization flooded over me like a wave. It was as if my whole life was waiting for this moment; this one spectacular moment where I felt like my world was complete. It felt...amazing.

"Here," I said and told her to turn around so I could put the necklace on her. She held up her hair and I gazed down at her soft skin.

I fastened the clip and she dropped her hair. I let my fingers linger on her skin for a moment too long before letting go and turning her around.

"It's beautiful, Ryder." She said. "Please tell me this did not cost you a fortune." She worried.

I chuckled. "Don't worry about it." Even though it had cost a lot, it was definitely worth it. And if I could buy her a million more to see her light up like that again from something I did, then I would do it.

She leaned back against the island counter and looked up at me, smiling. She was so beautiful, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I admired the necklace that was now dangling around her neck. She was so amazingly special to me, and it was the most spectacular feeling in the world.

"God damn, I love you so much."

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