He came back with her guitar. “Let’s go light a fire in my room.”

“Bring that.” She nodded to the guitar. “Part of that gift I mentioned.”

“I’m intrigued,” he said with a smile as he held out a hand to her.

Kate loved Reid’s bedroom. He’d knocked out a wall to make two bedrooms into one large room. The walls were painted a rich chocolate brown that matched the leather furniture arranged in front of the fire. His laptop and briefcase sat on a small desk where he sometimes worked at night. His bed was on the other side of the room, which was connected to a master bathroom.

He took off his suit coat and tie, released his top button, and rolled up his sleeves. After he lit the fire, he joined her on the sofa.

“Are you ready for your gift?”

“I’m dying of curiosity.”

“Well, it’s nothing spectacular, so don’t get too excited. I wanted to get you something special, but since you already have an airplane, I thought, what else can I get the man who has everything?”

“I only have everything now that I have you,” he said, drawing her into a kiss.

She put her hands on his chest in a halfhearted attempt to push him away. “You’re making me lose my train of thought.”

“Sorry.”

“So, anyway,” she said with a stern look that made him laugh, “I thought of the one thing I could give you that you couldn’t get anywhere else. This is where the guitar comes in. I wrote a song for you.”

His face lit up with surprise and delight. “You did?”

She nodded, tuning her guitar and taking a deep calming breath. “I think this is the first time I’ve ever been nervous about singing.”

“You’ve never had a more appreciative audience. Ever.”

His smile of encouragement put her at ease. “Here goes.” She launched into a complicated guitar intro that had his eyes widening with amazement.

I thought I knew

what love was,

but then there was you…

I thought I knew

how it would be,

but now I see,

And now it’s true…

I didn’t know

until there was you…

Until there was you…

Until there was you…

I thought I knew

And now it’s true…

I thought I knew

what peace was,

then there was you…

I thought I knew

what dreams were,

then there was you…

I thought I knew

how it would be,

but now I see…

I thought I knew

what love was,

but then there was you

Then there was you…

She played the final notes of the song and propped her guitar against the sofa.

“Kate,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion as he brought her into his arms. “That was the most amazing gift anyone has ever given me.”

“Anytime you hear me sing that song, I’ll be singing it for you.”