Worship Him

30. Destiny

30

DESTINY

I stand in the doorway of Avery's nursery, watching Adam rock our daughter to sleep. The sight of them together still takes my breath away, even after a week of what I can only describe as domestic bliss.

"Hey, you," he whispers, his dark blue eyes meeting mine. "She's almost out."

I nod, leaning against the doorframe. "I can't believe how quickly she's growing."

He gently places her in the crib, then joins me at the door. His arm slides around my waist, pulling me close. "Speaking of growing, when are you planning on bringing the rest of your stuff over?"

I tense slightly, caught off guard by the question. "I... I'm not sure. I guess I haven't really thought about it."

His brow furrows. "You're here every night. It just seems natural that you'd want to move everything back in."

"I know, I know," I sigh, running a hand through my curls. "It's just... I don't know. Maybe I'm scared?"

"Scared of what?" His voice is low, concerned.

I bite my lip, struggling to find the right words. "Of it not being enough? Of us falling back into old patterns? I don't want to lose this again, Adam."

He lifts my face to look at him, his hands cupping my face. "Destiny, listen to me. We're not the same people we were before. We've grown, we've learned. And now we have Avery. This isn't just about us anymore."

I nod, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "You're right. I'm being silly."

"No, you're being cautious," he says, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. "And that's okay. But I want you to know that I'm all in. This is it for me, Des. You, me, Avery."

His words wash over me, soothing my fears. I lean into him, breathing in his familiar scent. "Okay," I whisper.

We spend the day taking care of our various work-related tasks until the sun starts to set. I take a warm bath and get dressed before putting on my favorite dark red dress and applying make-up.

Adam is taking me out for dinner tonight and we’ll be taking Avery to a pair of babysitters who can’t wait to see her.

Once I’m ready, I meet Adam in the living room, and he’s already ready to leave. Avery’s bag has been packed, she’s been bathed and fed, and he’s wearing the black tux I love so much.

I’m about to compliment him but he rushes me out the door, mumbling about being late.

"Okay, okay. Jeez, it’s just a dinner, calm down, mister."

"No time for that, come on, let’s go, let’s go."

Chuckling at his haste—something unusual for someone who’s always prepared for anything—I strap Avery into her car seat and get in the car.

He sighs dramatically. "Finally."

With a roll of my eyes I playfully swat his arm. "We won’t be late. I must admit that I’m impressed that you took care of Avery so quickly."

"Of course I did. Did you forget who your husband is?"

"Oh, whatever." I laugh, not missing the grin on his face as we drive off.

I smooth down my dress as Adam and I approach Jackie and Barrett's front door. My stomach flutters with a mix of excitement and nerves. It's our first real date night since getting back together, and I can't help but feel like a giddy teenager.

Adam rings the doorbell, his free hand resting on the small of my back. "Almost didn’t get time to tell you…You look stunning tonight," he murmurs, his eyes roaming appreciatively over my figure.

Before I can respond, the door swings open, revealing a beaming Jackie. "Well, don't you two clean up nice," she says, ushering us inside.

Barrett appears from the living room, eager to take Avery into in his arms. "Look who's also nice and cleaned up. Ready to say goodbye to mommy and daddy?" he says, holding his arms out.

I inhale Avery's sweet baby scent, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Be good for Aunt Jackie and Uncle Barrett, okay, sweetie?"

Adam leans in, tickling Avery's chin. "Daddy's gonna miss you, princess," he coos, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

As we reluctantly hand Avery to Barrett, Jackie gives us a knowing smile. "Don't worry about a thing. We've got this. You two go enjoy your night."

Back in the car, Adam reaches over and squeezes my hand. "Ready for a night to remember, Mrs. Ryder?"

I laugh, the sound light and carefree. "Always, Mr. Ryder. But fair warning, I've got some questions for you tonight."

His eyebrow quirks up, intrigued. "Oh? Do tell."

I shake my head, a mischievous grin playing on my lips. "Uh-uh. You'll just have to wait and see."

As we drive towards the restaurant, I can't help but wonder how Adam will react to my questions about our future. It might be soon, but it feels right. After all, we're just picking up where we left off, aren't we?

I nervously fidget with the hem of my dress as he navigates through the city streets. The anticipation is killing me. "Come on, Mr. Mysterious. Where are you taking me?"

His lips quirk into a smirk. "Patience, Des. You'll see soon enough."

"Patience isn't exactly my strong suit," I huff, crossing my arms. "Can I at least get a hint? Throw me a bone, please."

"Nope," he says, popping the 'p' with infuriating smugness. "But I promise it'll be worth the wait."

I narrow my eyes at him. "It better be. I didn't squeeze into this dress for nothing."

"Trust me, that dress is very much appreciated," he says, his gaze briefly leaving the road to rake over me.

As we turn onto a familiar street, my heart skips a beat. "Wait a second... Are we going to Chez Amour?"

Adam's silence is all the confirmation I need. I practically bounce in my seat as we pull up to the valet stand of my favorite restaurant.

"You sneaky devil," I say, grinning from ear to ear as Adam helps me out of the car. I normally dislike surprises, but this one I can appreciate.

We walk hand-in-hand to the entrance, the warm evening air carrying the tantalizing scents of French cuisine. But as we step inside, he bypasses the ma?tre d' and heads straight for a discreet elevator tucked away in the corner.

"Um, Adam? The dining room's that way," I say, pointing in confusion.

He presses the button for the top floor, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Not tonight, it isn't. We're going to the roof."

My jaw drops. "The roof? But they never open that for diners!"

"They do for me," Adam says with a wink as the elevator doors slide shut.

The doors have barely closed before his lips are on mine. The kiss is demanding, but also a little sweet. I can taste his favorite whiskey on his tongue, and it sends a thrill through me.

I gently push him away. "Adam, you’ll ruin my lipstick!"

He glances down at my lips. "I don’t give a fuck about your lipstick. Now come here."

My protests are smothered by his mouth and his hands running over my body. He pulls me tightly against him, and I can feel his heart racing against my chest.

Not entirely reluctantly, I give in and kiss him back, my hand gripping his hair. The kiss deepens and a moan escapes my mouth, driving him to pull me even closer.

He trails kisses down my neck and I close my eyes, losing myself in the sensation of his lips and tongue.

"Adam…"

The elevator dings and the doors start to open. We break apart, breathless but smiling. "Fox!" I laugh and straighten my dress.

He grins and takes my hand.

When we step out onto the terrace, I gasp. The entire roof has been transformed into a romantic oasis, with hundreds of pink Peruvian lilies scattered everywhere. My favorite flowers.

"Adam, this is... incredible," I breathe, taking in the sight.

He grins, pulling me close. "Only the best for you, Des."

A small table sits in the center, laden with an array of sushi and seafood. My stomach growls at the sight, and Adam chuckles.

"Hungry?" he asks, guiding me to the table.

"Starving," I admit. "But why did you arrange such an elaborate dinner?"

Adam pours us each a glass of pink champagne. "It’s a special occasion. A date with the love of my life."

I can feel myself blushing, and my smile couldn’t be wider if I tried. "I love you," I whisper.

He looks into my eyes. "And I love you."

When we sit down to eat, the soft strains of Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" drift through the air. I can't help but smile. It’s my favorite song, and also our song.

"You've really outdone yourself," I say, popping a piece of sushi into my mouth.

He leans back, looking pleased with himself. "I aim to please. You deserve all this and more."

We chat and laugh as we eat, the conversation flowing as easily as the champagne. The moon rises higher in the inky black sky, casting a silver glow over the city, and Adam stands and offers me his hand.

"Dance with me?" he asks.

I take his hand, letting him pull me close as we sway to the music. As the song ends, he steps back, his eyes intense.

"Destiny," he says, his voice low and serious. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but loving you was never one of them."

My breath catches as he drops to one knee, pulling out a small velvet box. Inside nestles a stunning diamond ring, accented with rubies.

"Will you marry me?" he asks, his voice steady and sure. "Again?"

Tears spring to my eyes as I nod, unable to speak for a moment. Finally, I manage to whisper, "Yes. A thousand times, yes."

Adam slides the ring onto my finger, then stands and pulls me into a passionate kiss. As we break apart, both breathless, I can't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I grin, holding up my hand to admire the ring. "I was just thinking... we really do get to have our happily ever after."

He pulls me close again, his lips brushing my ear. "Baby, this is just the beginning."