Chapter Five

Caitlin

A n hour later, Lachlan scoops me up from the seat of his truck to carry me inside his house, determined to show me something else. My stomach flutters with nerves as I cling to him, slightly terrified what other secrets this man has been keeping. And more than a little excited to find out.

“Your house is beautiful, Lachlan,” I whisper, gaping around as he carries me over the threshold. Unlike my place, it looks like Christmas exploded in here. Everything is decorated for the holiday in soft pinks, creams, and gold. The massive tree dominates the living room, with presents piled beneath. An entire Christmas village is spread across every surface in the living room between Christmas greenery. It’s gorgeous.

“Lyric fucking loves Christmas,” he murmurs, carrying me toward the plush sofa. “She goes all out every year. It’s the one day of the year Sinclair and I are forbidden from working.”

“And of course the two of you give her what she wants,” I say, smiling. Sinclair is a certified grump. He’s in the process of selling his half of the company to Lachlan but refuses to say why. I have a feeling it’s because of a woman. And I have an even stronger feeling the woman in question is Lyric.

I’ve heard the way he talks about her. There’s a softness in his voice that isn’t there when he speaks about anyone else. Only her. Lachlan hasn’t figured it out yet, but I have a feeling he will soon enough.

His best friend is in love with his baby sister. I don’t think he’ll mind, though. Lachlan genuinely cares about the people in his life. He adores his sister. If Sinclair makes her happy, I think Lachlan will root for them.

“Who us?” Lachlan laughs. “Never, pretty baby.”

“Liar.” I run my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. “You’re a good man, Lachlan. Lyric is lucky she has you.”

He tips his head down to look at me, his brows furrowed. “You don’t have siblings.”

“No,” I whisper. “My parents realized they didn’t want kids. They just realized one kid too late, so they dropped me off at boarding school as soon as I was old enough. I grew up there.”

“Jesus,” he rumbles. “That’s fucked up, Caitlin.”

“I know.” I shrug one shoulder. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. They are who they are, and I turned out okay despite them.”

“No.” He shakes his head, his expression somber as he settles me on the sofa. “You turned out fucking amazing despite them.”

A blush heats my cheeks, staining them pink. “You turned out pretty amazing yourself.”

He leans down, claiming my mouth in a deep kiss. Heat rushes through me as soon as his tongue touches mine, sending my temperature soaring. “Glad you think so because I have something for you,” he breathes against my lips. “Stay right here.”

My eyes flutter open in time to see him squatting in front of the tree. I watch as he rummages through the gifts piled underneath, looking for something.

“Lachlan,” I protest. “You weren’t supposed to buy me anything. The whole point of giving you the list I gave you was because…never mind.”

He pauses what he’s doing to look at me. “No. Finish that sentence.”

“I didn’t want you spending money on me,” I mumble. “I thought if I gave you an impossible list, I’d still meet your demand to give you a list without obligating you to get me anything on it.”

“Clever girl,” he says even as his lips pull down into a frown. “You need to learn to let me spoil you, pretty baby. I have more fucking money than I know what to do with. If I want to spend it on you, let me.”

“I don’t want you to spend it on me. It’s your money.”

“Precisely.” He smirks, grabbing a small box and then rising to his feet. “It’s my money. That means I can spend it however the hell I want. So if I want to buy you a goddamn diamond encrusted tiara every fucking day, then that’s my prerogative.”

My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “You better not have bought me a diamond encrusted anything.”

“I didn’t buy this.” He strides across the room toward me, looking far too beautiful with that proud smile on his face. The small box drops onto my lap. “Open it, baby.”

I stare at the box for a long moment, too anxious to open it. “I don’t have your present,” I whisper.

“This isn’t your present.”

“It was under the tree.”

“Wishful thinking on my part.”

“It’s wrapped in Christmas paper.”

His lips tip up into an amused grin. “Do I need to spank your perfect little pussy to get you to open the box, Caitlin?”

“No?” I gulp, practically bursting into flames at the thought. And then I squirm. “Is now a bad time to tell you that I’m a virgin?”

“Jesus Christ.” He palms his cock. Pinches the bridge of his nose. Looks like he’s contemplating throwing me over his shoulder and storming for the stairs. His gaze actually flickers in that direction a few times as he clenches and unclenches his fists. “Open the box, Caitlin. Now.”

I quickly rip through the paper, setting it aside. My freaking heart stops beating when I see the box nestled inside.

I flick my gaze up to him…only to find him on his knees in front of me.

Holy crap.

“Lachlan,” I wheeze, my hands shaking.

“I put it under the tree because this was my Christmas wish for myself, pretty baby,” he murmurs, sliding the box out of my hands. He flips it open, and I know what’s inside before he ever holds it out to me between two fingers.

The ring is a gorgeous princess cut diamond on a platinum band. There’s an antique flair to it, as if it’s old. It's stunning.

“I didn’t think I stood a chance in hell of putting this on your finger anytime soon, but I’m a hopeful motherfucker. As soon as I saw your list, every plan I made went up in flames. I’ve got two days to make your dreams come true, but I can’t do that unless this is on your finger first,” he says. “When I’m in you for the first time, I need it to be with you wearing my ring, pretty baby.” He swallows hard. “I need to know that you’re going to be mine forever.”

“Y-you want to marry me?” I whisper.

“Want it? Sweetheart, if you don’t marry me, I’m going to lose my mind,” he growls, the truth blazing like twin suns in his eyes. “I’m so goddamn in love with you that I haven’t gotten a fucking thing done since you came to work for me. I sit in my office all day, every day, watching you on the cameras, trying to think up reasons to keep you late. I go where you go. You’re it for me.”

My heart threatens to pound out of my chest. Holy crap. He just said he’s in love with me. Lachlan is in love with me.

My mind spins as I try to process this reality—the one where my gorgeous boss is on his knees in front of me with a ring clutched between his fingers, practically begging me to marry him. The one where he wants me to be his Christmas gift.

“When I made my list, I was thinking about you. I wanted everything on it with you.” I lick my lips. “I just wasn’t brave enough to tell you that.”

“Tell me now, Caitlin,” he rasps.

“I love you. I’m so freaking in love with you, Lachlan,” I cry. “I want you for Christmas. Just you.” I pause, rethinking that statement. "Just you and your baby."

“Fuck.” His eyes flutter closed as he slips his ring on my finger with shaking hands. And then they spring open again as if he has to see it there. He stares like he can’t look away, the intense look on his face searing me. It’s so damn beautiful.

“I’ve been holding onto this ring since my parents died, waiting for the woman meant to wear it,” he admits. “It looks like it was made for you, pretty baby.”

“It’s your mom’s ring?” I ask, my voice soft.

“Our mom’s ring belongs to Lyric, but this was my grandmother’s ring…my dad's mom.”

“It’s stunning, Lachlan.”

“Nah, baby. You’re stunning.” He shakes his head, staring at me like he’s in awe. “And I’m the lucky motherfucker who gets to unwrap you.”