The Girlfriend (The Boss 2)

Neil leaned down to kiss her on the head. “Now the rest you’ll get after dinner—”

“And not a moment before, I know, I know.” She popped up from her seat and gestured to me. “I hope you have something for Sophie.”

“I think being here is my present,” I told her. “Oh, and some earrings that he already gave me.”

“Do I have anything else?” He pretended to think. “Yes, I think I do.”

I gave him a very suspicious arched brow as he left the room again.

“Get used to it, Sophie. He’s going to spoil the hell out of you.” She snorted. “The first Christmas Elizabeth spent with us, he— “

She quickly stopped herself and flushed bright red.

“Don’t worry about it.” I waved my hand. “I’m not egotistical enough to ban the mention of his ex’s name. You guys liked her for a reason.”

“She liked my father for a reason, as well,” Emma muttered.

“Who likes me?” Neil asked as he returned, looking between the two of us.

“I do,” I chirped sweetly.

He had a small, flat box in his hands, and he passed it over to me, leaning down to whisper, “Merry Christmas,” in my ear.

I unwrapped it warily. “Why do I feel like you’re using the anniversary of our Lord and savior’s birth to satisfy your need to buy me things? Not that I’m complaining.”

“Sophie, complain? Never,” he chided.

Under the paper was an instantly recognizable flat, navy blue box with the initials H and W printed on the flocked velvet. I looked up at Neil with wide eyes. “What is this?”

“It’s me, using the anniversary of our Lord and savior’s birth to satisfy my need to buy you things. You wouldn’t be so churlish as to turn down a Christmas gift, would you?” he asked me innocently.

“Oh my god, open it!” Emma squealed.

I lifted the lid and almost choked on my own spit. Nestled inside, attached to a delicate chain, was an enormous round brilliant cut diamond surrounded by a scalloped square platinum setting and more tiny diamonds. It was delicate and opulent and so, so shiny.

“Wow,” Emma breathed. “It’s very pretty. Men probably died for those diamonds, but very pretty.”

It took all my force of will not to roll my eyes at her. “Harry Winston diamonds come from Canada.”

“Oh?” she sounded surprised. “Good job, Dad.”

“Thank you, Emma.” He glanced nervously to me. “It’s too much, isn’t it?”

Emma rose, taking her present with her. “I’ll give you guys a minute. Michael and I are having breakfast in the morning room in half an hour, if you’d like to join us?”

“Thank you, perhaps we will,” Neil told her. But he still looked nervously at me.

Emma closed the door behind her, and I looked up, unsure of what to say. The necklace I held in my hands probably cost as much as a car. Money was already a huge sticking point in our relationship. But now that I had more of an idea about the kind of world he lived in, the kind of fortune he actually had and the privileges of his upbringing, I understood why it was so difficult for him to grasp why expensive presents wigged me out.

“Please, don’t be angry.” His voice was soft and uncertain. “You don’t have to keep it if it offends you.”

It was hard to figure out a response. “It’s lovely. It really is, Neil. And I think I’m starting to get it. It would be one thing if you only showed your love by buying things. But you make me feel so cherished and protected every day, not because you spend money on me, but because you do things like... like spot me so I can nap in the bathtub without drowning.”

He laughed gently at that. “Well, why wouldn’t I? I don’t want you to drown.”

“The point is... maybe I’ve been a little bossy about the way you spend your money. After all, you know better than I do what’s in your bank account. And I don’t want to know, just like you don’t want to know what’s in mine. We are from two very different worlds, and I have to respect our differences, too.” I tilted the box in my hand, admiring the way the light glinted and sparkled through the heart of the diamond. “And it’s so fucking shiny.”

We both laughed then, and he took the box from my hands, unclasping the chain and leaning with one knee on the bed. I lifted my messy, unbrushed hair and let him fasten the necklace. The platinum was cold against the hollow of my throat. It was a ridiculous thing to pair with sleepwear, but it was worth it when I saw the happiness on Neil’s face.

“I don’t buy you things to change you,” he said softly. “Please, don’t ever believe that of me. I treasure you. In a completely non-objectifying way. And I suppose I still subscribe to the outdated patriarchal notion of showering a woman with gifts to woo her.”