I watched as she frowned and turned to look over at the tree. There was a pile of gifts under the tree that I'd had Ainsley personally wrap for Nikki at the office one night because Nikki had been staying with me and had been on a kick to find what Santa had gotten her.
I stood up and walked over to the tree, pulling a box out from under it. Then I walked back over, sat down, and pulled at the paper.
"I was going to give you this Christmas morning, but now is as good a time as any."
She lay there propped up on her elbow watching as I opened the package, dropping the gold paper on the table.
"Close your eyes."
She did as I asked, and I opened the box, holding it in my hand. "Go ahead, open them."
Her eyes met mine and then fell to my hand where inside that box sat an engagement ring. I couldn’t help but chuckle as shock lined her face. I could tell she had no clue that this was coming, and so I took the ring I'd purchased two months earlier from the box, grabbed her hand, and slowly slid the ring onto her finger.
"Ainsley, I've known for a long time how I've felt about you. I also know what it’s like not to have you, and I can say that I would rather have you at my side forever than not have you at all. Ainsley, will you be my forever?"
I watched as a tear slipped from her eye and ran down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and looked at me, her eyes full of tears, and nodded. She wrapped her arms tightly around me. "Yes. Yes," she whispered.
She looked into my eyes. "Now we need to plan the wedding and tell my father," she said, looking a little worried.
I smiled and shook my head. "One thing at a time. I promise we will tell your father together, and we will hire someone to do all the wedding arrangements. However, first, we need to go and celebrate."
"What?"
I said nothing more. I stood up, slipped my arms under her body, picking her up off the couch, and kissed her as I carried her on down the hall. I could not wait to start this new chapter in my life with my soon to be wife.