Light Me Up [H.S]

46

I was gently kissed awake on the day of my 30th birthday. Small, soft kisses on my cheeks, forehead, chin, lips, eyelids. I smiled at the sensation before I even opened my eyes. When I finally did, Peyton started singing 'Happy Birthday'. I lifted myself up to sit, leaning against the headboard of her bed. She shifted to sit straddling my lap, while she sang silly additional verses I hadn't heard since school.

"...you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too," she made her grand finish and chuckled as I shook my head at her. "Happy birthday, baby," she said and kissed me. She tousled my curls and studied my face. "You don't look older, or... Is that a gray hair?" She pointed to my temple, and I grabbed her by the arms and pulled her closer.

"I may be thirty, but I'm stronger than you and that won't change, little one," I kissed her and she melted into me, welcoming my passionate kiss. "You smell like vanilla," I sniffed her hair and she giggled when the stubble on my chin tickled her face. "Why do you smell like vanilla?"

"Because Alli and I made the two of you birthday waffles. The table is set and ready whenever you are," she cupped my cheek with her hand and looked at me with such an adoring expression, I nearly couldn't contain it.

"You're too good to me," I whispered and kissed her cheek. It felt like an 'I love you'-moment, but I got stuck on the words. I felt it and I wanted to say it, but it was stuck in my throat. She chuckled softly at me, as I sat and stared at her like I was going to say something, but nothing came out. 

She laced her arms around my neck. "When do you want your birthday presents? Now or tonight at the party?" 

"Now please," I could tell she wanted me to open her presents and I knew it had been a struggle for her to find something. She slid off my lap, making me groan at the lack of closeness to her. A quick look over her shoulder with a smile that went straight to my heart and she placed a gift bag in my lap. I lifted it and patted my lap for her to come back to her spot. She shook her head with an eye roll, but obediently crawled back into my lap, leaving space for the gift bag between us. There were several wrapped presents in the bag, and I looked to her for guidance as to what to start with. She picked one and bit her lip nervously while I unwrapped it. I carefully unwrapped it and nearly died laughing when I got the wrapping paper off. It was two pairs of socks with her face on them. 

"You said you just wanted me, so..." she said with a proud smirk on her face. 

"They're perfect, thank you," I chuckled as I leaned in and kissed her. She winked at me and picked the next present from the bag; a slightly bigger gift. I gave her a questioning look, but she kept her poker face and gestured for me to open it. 

She had had a t-shirt made with her face on it too. She bit her lip not to laugh, but in the end she cracked up and I joined her. I imagined she had found it extremely funny when she had them made, and I loved her for being so silly and goofy.