The office had been completely remodeled. There were floor to ceiling bookshelves on two of the walls. In the center of the room two desks faced each another. His held his computer and his usual stack of papers and receipts he could never quite get filed. Hers held an unopened box with a brand-new laptop in it. The books behind her desk were mostly reference, books on the rain forest and various countries. Books he’d chosen because he thought she’d like them. On the floor beside the chair were the all-important boots. Soft, gray leather, lace up with ruffles made of leather on either side of the lace. He’d chosen them because they reminded him of the ones he’d seen her wear. He’d paid a fortune for them, but he hoped they would make up for the ones he’d left behind.

She stood uncertainly in the doorway, her gaze sweeping the room. She looked stunned. Eli cleared his throat of the lump that had formed for no apparent reason.

“The laptop has never been used. I wanted you to take it out of the box yourself, set it up with your own password so you know you have complete privacy and the ability to go anywhere on the Internet and learn about anything you would like. We’ll set up accounts at a couple of the bookstores online so you can order any books you’d like.”

She didn’t take a single step into the room. Her hand clung to the doorjamb as if it was the only thing holding her up. She had tears in her eyes and she shook her head, her teeth tugging at her lower lip.

He dipped his head again, this time to brush the top of hers with another reassuring kiss. She was killing him with her reaction. Never in her life had anyone given her anything. He hadn’t considered the enormity of that.

Catarina pressed her hand to her mouth. “Eli, I can’t ever do anything like this for you. I don’t have anything to give you. There’s nothing I could ever think of that would even begin to compare with such a gift.” She gestured toward the boots and then up to the laptop. A soft sound of distress emerged.

He used his thumbs to try to erase the tears streaming down her face. “Baby, this is supposed to make you happy, not sad. You give me far more than I could ever repay.” His hand moved through her hair.

“Not like this. Never like this.”