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the tension that had infused his lover ease, replaced by a spark of joy that lit Spence’s deep blue eyes. “There’s nothing I want more than to stay with you forever.”
    “Forever sounds perfect to me,” Spence agreed readily, claiming Connell’s lips in a possessive kiss that lasted until they both had to come up for air. He slid the ring onto Connell’s finger and kissed the palm before interlacing their hands. “Not that I want to say anything to dissuade you, but will it be a problem for you to give up your job? And what about your family?”
    “As Kate reminded me, I’m a web designer—I do ninety percent of my work online anyway, so it really doesn’t matter whether I’m in England or here. Half my clients are based in the U.S. anyway. And as much as I love Mum and Kate, you’re the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. We’ll just have to take turns going to see them and having them come here to visit us.”
    “I’d love to meet them. It sounds like Kate is on our side already, but what about your mother? Will she be okay with your moving here to live with me?”
    “Mum never thinks anyone is good enough for either of her babies, but I know as soon as she meets you, you’ll win her over.” Connell’s brown eyes shone as he kissed Spence gently. “Once she sees how happy you make me, she’ll be fine. What about your family?” he asked in turn.
    “My family’s pretty much given up hope of my ever finding anyone,” Spence chuckled. “My mother will be so glad I’ve finally found someone to meet my exacting standards, she’ll be fawning all over you.”
    “I’m glad you have such exacting standards, since it meant you were still available when we met,” Connell rejoined.
    “I’m easy to please,” Spence insisted. “I just demand perfection. Luckily for me, I met you.” Connell’s protest that he was far from perfect was swallowed in another slow, thorough kiss.
    “It’s too bad you didn’t open the card before you left, though—you could have saved yourself the cost of another ticket,” Spence observed when Connell leaned back to rest against his chest.
    “I’d have to go back anyway to pack up the things I want to bring back here,” Connell answered. “Maybe you could fly back with me—that way you’d get to meet Mum and Kate right away.”
    “Good idea,” Spence agreed. “If you’d like, we could fly back to London right after the holiday. With both of us to help you pack, it shouldn’t take too long. We could spend a few days visiting your mother and sister, and be back here in time for the fireworks over the river on New Year’s Eve.”
    “Sounds good to me.” Anything that didn’t require him going back to England without Spence was fine with Connell.
    “My mother’s birthday is in February,” Spence went on thoughtfully. “I can’t think of anything that would please her more as a birthday gift than for me to bring you to New York to meet her.”
    “Let’s do it, then. And speaking of gifts,” Connell said, “I have something for you too.” He burrowed into his backpack again, handing Spence the bag from the Christmas store. Spence undid the cushioned wrappings to extract a finely detailed, hand-blown glass saxophone.
    “I thought it would be the perfect first ornament for our Christmas tree, since it’s what brought us together in the first place,” Connell explained.
    “I love it.” Spence hung the ornament with care in pride of place at the top of the tree. “Love you,” he added, turning to Connell and taking him into his arms.
    “Love you too.” Connell’s fingers played with Spence’s tawny hair, brushing it behind his ears with a gentle kiss. “I don’t have a ring to offer you, but I came here meaning to ask if I could stay. So I guess in a way I’m your Christmas present too.”
    “Just what I always wanted.” Spence’s hands slid under Connell’s sweater, guiding him between his legs as their mouths met again,