Page 70 of The Man Next Door
Our gazes fixed each other’s for a long beat. Was that what we were? Friends? Or were we more?
“Speaking of which, as your friend, I’ve got something for you.”
I sat up straighter, excited. “You do?”
He rose and headed to the kitchen, and pulled out a red box from the cabinet. “Okay, you close your eyes until I tell you to open them.”
I smiled and obliged. “Sure.”
I was pretty sure a birthday cake was coming, as it had the previous year. I pictured another store-bought cake, perhaps a vanilla one this time. My stomach was as eager as I was.
“Okay… you can open your eyes.”
I was surprised to see a box of eight donuts, topped with sixteen candles. Sprinkles, Boston Cream, powdered sugar, honey glaze… all my favorites. It was so sweet, in more ways than one.
“I love it!”
“Make a wish,” he urged.
Another kiss from Gavin.I blew out the candles, and smiled up at him. “Can you guess what I wished for?”
“You can’t tell me or it won’t happen,” he pointed out. “Help yourself.”
I reached for a pink sprinkled one, similar to the one on my necklace, and closed my eyes as I indulged.
I opened my eyes, expecting him to have a mouth full of donut too. But he was just sitting there, watching me. His expression lit me ablaze. It held such love, such desire, such pain. I wanted to reach out to him right then, but I was frozen. I didn’t have the courage to throw myself at him, fearing that he would reject me again. I didn’t want to ruin what we had — this beautiful friendship.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.
I was motionless, speechless. He’d never told me I was beautiful before.No onehad ever told me I was beautiful before.
“You’ve always been pretty,” he went on. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were the most adorable thing. You were sweet. Still are…”
Still no words from me. His revelation had robbed me of the ability to speak.
“But now… you’ve grown into a beautiful young woman, Abigail.”
I blushed. My heart was beating a mile a minute, but I finally managed a, “Thank you,” offered in a soft whisper.
Kiss me,I wanted to scream.
I leaned in ever so slightly, not able to help myself. The pull was just so strong, so powerful. I desperately needed to taste his lips again, and touch his skin.
He turned from me just as I leaned in. “I have something else for you.”
He walked to the living room, and reached into the side table where he kept an old Reader’s Digest, a few remotes and a hodgepodge of useless things — I’d peeked in there before. He pulled out a small blue velvet box.
He handed it to me with a sweet smile. My heart pounded as I took it from his hands. He watched me in anticipation and my pulse raced at the excitement of it all. My breath hitched as I flipped open the lid and saw the sparkling silver chain and pendant. The heart pendant was etched with a pretty design and held my birthstone, amethyst.
“It’s beautiful.” I had no other words. I was too stunned. No one had ever given me anything so special.
He smiled. “I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure… the lady at the store helped me pick it out.” My heart swelled at the thought of him picking this out for me. “I see you’re already wearing a necklace. That’s cute.”
I glanced down at the donutFriendspendant. “Yeah, Izzie gave it to me earlier today.”
“She’s a good friend, isn’t she?”
I nodded.
