In this scene from Sinful Rewards 4, Hawke gives Bee a gift.
“You’re gloriously stubborn, love.” Hawke sucks air through his teeth, holds the breath for four heart-pounding moments, and exhales. “Come here.” He slides his right hand into the front pocket of his faded blue jeans.
I step closer to him, curious.
“I want you to keep these for me.” Hawke holds out his fist. A silver ball chain is wrapped around his scarred fingers.
I extend my palm. His massive hand hovers above mine.
I wait and wait and wait. Hawke doesn’t release the chain. I survey his savage countenance. His lips are flat. His jaw juts. He doesn’t want to do this.
“This isn’t necessary,” I tell him.
“It is. You need this.” He opens his fist, dropping the ball chain and two dog tags into the palm of my hand, the metal warmed by his skin. Information—a Social Security number, the words “no preference,” USMC, and other letters—is embossed on the oval forms. I don’t recognize the first or last name.
“Are these yours?” I ask. He shared that Hawke wasn’t his first name. Is Masters, the last name he gave me, not real either?
“No, they’re not mine.” Hawke rubs the barbed wire tattoo encircling his right bicep, the vigorous motion reddening his arm.
I tilt my head, studying him. Why would he give me someone else’s dog tags? Our gazes meet and lock and I inhale sharply, reading the answer in his pain-ravaged eyes. “They belonged to Rock, didn’t they?”
“Yeah.” Hawke turns his head and stares unseeingly into the distance, his fingers clenching and unclenching, as though he’s trying to contain his grief using pure force. He kept his best friend’s dog tags, carrying them with him everywhere, and now he wants me to hold them for him.
He has a reason for this gift (to ensure her he’ll return) and this gift has a special meaning to him (the dog tags belonged to his best friend). In Sinful Rewards 3, Hawke’s rival Nicolas gives Bee ice cream. Again, there’s a reason (to make her feel better after a certain unhappy event) and it has special meaning to them (Bee sent him an article about being a good friend which he read and committed to memory).
These gifts have more emotional meaning than financial significance. They are items that only make sense to Bee. They’re not the standard red roses or box of chocolates. These gifts require thought from the heroes, a knowledge of the recipient.
The sinful rewards Friendly gives Bee also have significance. She gazed at her beloved purse in the store window every day before going to work. She received limo chits after being late for work due to the fight on the bus. Friendly sent her designer shoes when her one good pair of heels breaks. All of these rewards communicate that her mysterious texter is paying attention.
In addition, they give us clues as to who Friendly is. (grins)
Do you like it when heroes give heroines gifts? What makes a great gift?
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Four years ago, Bee Carter left her tiny hometown, escaping her tormenters. She concealed her tarnished reputation under a good-girl persona, hiding her history from Nicolas, her strong and silent billionaire; Hawke, her tattooed bad-boy biker; and Cyndi, her man-crazy best friend.
Today, she’s returning home … and she’s not alone. Some of her deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed. Trust will be tested. Clothing and inhibitions will be discarded. Bee and her hometown will never be the same.
When her past and her present collide, will any of Bee’s relationships survive?
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