Melt My Heart Read online

  “Dinner was amazing, Mom,” I say as I stack dishes in the skink.

  “It really was, Mrs. Phillips.” Cole wraps his arms around me from behind and plants a kiss on the top of my head. “Leave all those right there and I’ll do them after we open gifts.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Mom wipes her hands on the red-and-green dish towel hanging on the stove. “But thank you for offering.” She reaches up and pinches Cole’s cheek as she walks past us.

  “Suck up,” I mumble loud enough for him to hear.

  His grip on me tightens, fingers digging playfully into my ribs. “Careful or I won’t give you your present.”

  I spin in his grip, leaning against his broad chest. “Please. You’ve been practically bursting out of your skin since you spilled the beans at the lodge.”

  His eyebrows jump as he leans forward and rests his forehead on mine. “I’ve been bursting out of my skin since the day you said you’d be my girlfriend.”

  “What?” I laugh.

  “Nothing. Come on.” He grabs my hand, dragging me into the living room where everyone else has gathered.

  Tonight we’ll open presents from our extended families—aka Cole and Eva. Tomorrow will be the big show. It’s like having two Christmases.

  “Who wants to be Santa?” My mom asks from her spot on the couch next to my dad. She’s grinning like a Cheshire cat and for the first time in my life is allowing someone else to be Santa.

  Someone spiked her eggnog or something.

  I shrug and glance around the room, but no ones volunteering.

  Geez. Where’s the holiday spirit?

  “I’ll do it.” I smack a kiss on Cole’s neck before dropping to my knees in front of the tree. “Okay. Let’s see what we have.” I reach for the first present on the pile and stand.

  My mom has always had this weird thing where she will only let one person open a present at a time. She says she wants people to savor the moment. Personally, I think she likes to bask in it for as long as possible.

  “This is for—” The name dies on my lips when I glance up and see Cole kneeling before me.

  “Sammy,” he whispers, a brilliant smile lighting up his own face as he reaches into his pocket and comes out with a little velvet box.

  “Oh my God.” The present I’m holding drops to the ground at my feet as I cup my shaky hands over my mouth.

  “If you would have asked me a few years ago what love is or what it looks like I wouldn’t have been able to answer. But now I know for certain it looks like you. It’s the highlight of this journey we’ve had together since we were five. I wake up every morning regretting the time we missed out on and thankful for all the years to come. And I want all of them. Every year. Every fight. Every laugh. Every crazy twist and turn life throws at us. And I want them with you.”

  Cole opens the box and between the tears streaming down my face and the glow of the Christmas tree, I barely make out the ring. But I don’t care. It could be a braided piece of twine and I would wear it proudly.

  “Sammy Joy Phillips, will you marry me?”

  “Yes!” I launch at him, almost knocking him over as I plant sloppy kisses all over his face.

  Everything blurs into a frenzy of movement and noise.

  Our families join in on the cheer, whooping and clapping. Cole’s smile is about to rip his face in two and I can’t stop happy tears from flowing down my face. Somehow he manages to slip the ring on my finger and lift us up seconds before we’re swarmed by hugs.

  Eva tackles me to the ground, her black eyeliner smudged and her eyes glistening. “Holy crap. Cole should be a writer or something ‘cause that was straight up gushy gold right there.”

  “I only gush for one person,” Cole says as he helps us both up.

  “Well, you better save some of it for the wedding.” My mom pats his cheek before grabbing my hands to have a peek at the ring I haven’t looked at yet. A single diamond in the center of the band catches the light. “Beautiful.”

  “It’s perfect.”

  I grin at him over the coffee table where he’s chatting with my dad, who’s already moved on to talking about sports. Our eyes catch. He makes a cross over his heart, mouthing the words I love you, and I know right then and there, I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.

  I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life loving this man.

  About the Author

  A.R. Perry is an American-born author who has lived all over the US due to her wanderlust husband. She has a degree in photography and massage therapy yet somehow works in human resources.

  When she's not working, reading, or writing she can be found sleeping because the day is practically done. Thank goodness for coffee, chocolate, and Panic! At The Disco or nothing would ever get done.

  Also by A.R. Perry

  The Dating Dare

  Heartbreak Café

  One of the Guys