“Where’d the plates come from?”

“I bought ‘em. I didn’t like the white ones. With the blue and silver in the kitchen, I thought these went better. Do you not like them?”

“No, they’re nice. I was just wondering.”

He picked up the plate and made a face at it. They were very girly.

“If you don’t like them, I’ll take them back.”

“It's just that they are kinda girly,” he said honestly. She smiled, before taking the plate from him and picking up the other one, and returning to the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” he asked, following her back into the kitchen.

“You don’t like them, so I’m gonna take them back. I’ll bring you a gift card and you can go pick out some different ones.”

“No, it’s okay. I like my white ones.”

“Oh, okay then,” she said, putting the plates next to the box that he hadn’t noticed earlier.

She turned with two white plates and a bottle of wine, smiling.

“Shall we?”

“Yeah,” he agreed as he followed her into the living room. He pulled out her chair, and she smiled her thanks as she sat down. He sat across from her, and they dug in. He took a bite of the chicken and moaned loudly.

“God, this is good.” She smiled before looking back down at her plate.

“I’m glad you like it, since my gift was a bust.”

He looked up at her. Her face was scrunched up between her eyebrows, she seemed mad.

“You’re not mad are you?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “No, I just wanted to get you something nice, and I apparently suck.”

“No, you don’t. I just like my white plates, always have.”

“I shouldn’t have. I just wanted you to have something that when you saw it you would think of me. Since you love to eat, it seemed like the perfect gift.”

“Baby, it is, thank you,” he took her hand in his, kissing her knuckles. “I got you something, too.”

Her face lit up, “You didn’t have to.”

“I saw it and thought of you. I’ll give it to you after dinner.”

She nodded and then smiled as they started eating dinner. The food was amazing, just as the conversation was. Elli had some crazy things happen to her during the week. With every crazy story, he fell for her more. He missed her a lot when he was gone, but being in front of her and listening to her story about a woman that went into labor at her baby shower, and how the soon-to-be father was freaking out, made him feel complete.

Dinner was amazing, even though the plates were a bust. Shea loved the food Elli cooked, and he held her hand through most of dinner, which she thought was so damn sweet. After getting everything cleaned up, they went into the living room, where Shea started going through his bag. When he pulled out a little blue box, her breath caught. Elli knew that box color. It was Tiffany & Co. Justin had gotten her God awful engagement ring from there.

Shea smiled over at her, before sitting down beside her, and handing it to her.

“I saw it in Dallas when Jakob and I went shopping, and I had to get it for you.”

Elli’s hands were shaking uncontrollably as she pulled the white ribbon, letting it fall to her lap, before pulling the top open. Inside, on a little white pillow, was a diamond encrusted hockey stick on a platinum chain. Her hand went over her mouth as she gasped.

“Oh, Shea,” Elli lifted it out the box and held it up, watching it sparkle in the light. It was beautiful. She unclasped it and put it around her neck, trying to clasp it back.

“Do you like it?” he asked. She just grinned at him.

“Oh, gosh, do I? This is the best gift anyone has ever given me!” She gushed, turning so he could clasp it for her. He took it from her and clasped it together before leaving a trail of kisses along her shoulder.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it,” she turned and kissed his lips, “but you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to, so hush,” he teased with a smile, as he pulled her against him.

They leaned back on the couch, cuddling in silence, just basking in the fact that they were together. He kissed her hair, nuzzling his nose in it as she fingered the hockey stick that hung from her neck.

“That Tampa Bay game was intense,” she said.

“Intense isn’t the half of it. I can’t believe we lost.”

“Can't win ‘em all.”

“Be nice, though.” She giggled and he squeezed her tighter against him. “That ass**le, Ohlund, messed my collarbone up, though.”

Elli sat up, turning so she could look at him. Worry filled her face as she looked closely at his collarbone; she hated the thought that someone had hurt him! She wanted to rip that man apart. If she ever saw that ass**le, she would.

“Let me see,” she said as her eyes went him over, “did he get you anywhere else?”

“Nah,” Shea lifted his shirt over his head, causing Elli’s eyes to about fall out of her head. She didn’t even look at his collarbone as he talked about the injury. She was too busy staring at his naked arms; they were perfect. Not too big and bulky, not at all spindly. They were sexy. The way his thick, strong shoulders led into his arms was mouthwatering. Then the hollow of his neck, she had kissed there hundreds of times, but never really looked at it, and, boy, was it a sight to see. As her eyes traveled down his neck to his chest, she was getting hot all over. His pecs were well defined and toned, and his abs, Jesus, they were jaw dropping. Each ab finely defined, toned, sexy, oh, God, she couldn’t breathe.