Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Kash
Iclean the kitchen and get ready in record time.
Mila brings the tray out to the kitchen after finishing, and while she’s in the shower, I go through my closet and try to figure out what to wear.
I need to look good for her. The day has to go perfectly.
I think she’s finally starting to come around.
Deciding on dark jeans, a maroon shirt and flannel with boots, I take in my appearance and look at what Mila sees.
I don’t give a shit about anyone else’s opinion but hers anyway.
When some people look at me, they only see a tall, tattooed guy with long hair, but there’s more to me than that.
There’s probably some deep-seated psychology for my playful personality and my desire to make everyone around me happy, since I grew up in foster care after being abandoned and all, but I like to think that even if my dad hadn’t died, and my world fell apart, that I might still be this way.
Life is too short to be sad. Everything comes and goes in waves. If you focus on the negative, then it’ll always hang around like a cloud.
Scrolling through my phone, I check my messages while I wait. The guys are blowing up the group chat about me pulling double duty, but I ignore them. There’s some questionable weather expected this evening, but I’m hoping it passes through.
“Are you ready? Is this okay?” Mila’s voice cuts into my thoughts.
Lifting my gaze, I find her standing in an outfit oddly similar to mine.
Instead of dark jeans, she’s wearing leggings and a maroon sweater, paired with a denim jacket.
Taking in her appearance from head to toe, I smile when I see the black boots at her ankles as well.
“You look perfect,” I tell her honestly, because she does. One day when she’s covered in baby vomit and sleep deprived, I’ll remind her then too.
Nodding, she gives me a nervous smile. “So, where to?”
Grabbing my keys, I shake my head. “Nope. That’s a surprise. Let’s go, Sunshine.”
Heading out to the car, I inhale her sweet scent as she walks past me.
Vanilla and brown sugar wafts through my senses, and I feel my dick twitch.
I know she tastes just as sweet, and I have a feeling this afternoon is going to be torture.
I hope she lets me touch her, even if it’s just holding her hand.
When I open the door for her, I wait until she’s situated, then close it and head around the front.
Taking a deep breath, I slide into my seat.
The moment I look at Mila, seeing her excited expression and hopeful gaze trained on me, I know she’s in this too.
Finally. “Safety first, pretty girl,” I remind her, reaching over, and grabbing her seatbelt.
Stretching it across her body, I let my hand graze her chest and note the way she inhales. Good. I need to keep her on edge.
As I drive toward our first stop, I pray she doesn’t have a thing about small spaces, or dark areas.
Pulling into the parking lot, I notice it’s pretty busy.
Families are piling out of vehicles, kids running toward a small enclosure of animals, ignoring their parents’ shouts to stay in one spot. I can’t wait until that’s us.
“What is this place?” Mila asks, looking around. “Is it a petting zoo or something?” She glances at me in confusion.
“In part.” I park away from all the vans and SUV’s, giving us space from everyone else.
It’s a crisp February afternoon, but at Crystal Caverns, it’s always fifty-three degrees in the caves.
I know that we share an interest in space, but maybe she won’t mind looking at rocks with me.
There’s also a special place midway through the tour that I’ve been dying to take her to since I first saw it on their website.
The petting zoo with goats is just a bonus.
I grab her hand in mine and walk through the parking lot toward the main building.
I already bought our tickets online, so we get to bypass the ticket booth and head inside.
Our tour starts in twenty minutes, so we wander around the gift shop.
There are racks with everything from rocks and gems to T-shirts hanging from the wall.
I wonder if she’d get matching shirts with me.
“What are we doing here?”
“We’re going to look at some pretty rocks and pet some goats later on, but only if you’re good,” I explain.
“You brought me to look at rocks?” she asks, seeking confirmation.
“Yes, and something special. Why? Have you been here already?”
“No.”
“Oh.” Suddenly, I’m not so confident in my choice. I thought it would be something fun and different. This place has been around for over one hundred and fifty years and has an interesting story. Looking around, I try not to let my concern show.
“Hey, Casanova?” Mila’s voice brings my attention back to her. She’s looking at the wall behind me, her expression contemplative.
“Yes, Sunshine?”
“Can I get a T-shirt on this date?”
Tugging Mila’s hand, I drag her body into mine and hug her tightly, then kiss the top of her head and laugh. “You can get as many shirts as you want, Sweetheart.”
“I only need one.” She chuckles against my chest.
“Do you want some gems, too?”
Pulling back, she smiles up at me. “Only if they’re the prettiest ones there are.”
“They won’t be as pretty as you, but come on, let’s see what they have.”
Mila leads the way toward the bins of gems that are no doubt as overpriced as the T-shirts, but I can’t find the ability to care. She’s smiling and holding my hand. I’m fucking ecstatic.
We’re twenty minutes into the tour, and I almost didn’t think we’d make it.
Five minutes in, the guide informed our group that we were literally underneath the parking lot and the color drained from Mila’s face.
She knew it was underground, but when you put it into perspective like that, sometimes it doesn’t sound as good.
Walking along with Mila’s fingers threaded through mine, I watch her as she gazes at the limestone walls and different stalactites and stalagmites. The air is damp and musty, but it’s not exactly unpleasant. The view kind of makes up for it.
“That one looks so cool.” She points toward some stalactite hanging from the roof of the cavern. It’s a sandy color but looks like it’s iced over.
Nodding, I agree. “Just wait. You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Quirking a brow at me, she squeezes my hand and takes a few photos on her phone. Note to self: Take a picture with Mila. At least five.
“If you pause here for a moment, we’re going to turn off the lanterns. I warn you, it will get incredibly dark and you likely won’t be able to see in front of your face.” The guide smiles. Mila and I are hanging toward the back, letting the families with kids go first.
“I don’t like the dark.” A small girl, maybe six or seven, looks up at who I’m assuming is her dad.
“I know, but don’t worry. It’s only for a few minutes.” He picks her up, tucking her into his shoulder.
Leaning down to Mila’s ear, I smile when she jumps as I whisper, “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you, Sunshine? Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
I no sooner pull Mila into me, then the guide turns off the lantern and continues talking about the history of the caverns.
I have no clue what she’s saying; all I can focus on is Mila’s back pressed against my front.
I spread my hands underneath her shirt and smirk when she jumps.
Pressing a kiss to the side of her head, I let my hands stroke up and down her rib cage.
Her skin is so soft and warm. I want to touch her forever.
Mila’s hands come up to pull mine away, but I move them so our fingers are threaded together. Rubbing my thumbs across her skin, I hold her close to me and rest my chin on her head. She huffs, causing a chuckle to escape me, but I know she loves our size difference.
The guide turns her lantern back on and looks at our group.
“Up ahead at the wishing well, you’re going to find a carving in the limestone.
Legend has it that the original cavern founder, Henry Lockery, was exploring the caverns, and one day noticed a girl, Josephine Williams, wandering around outside.
She was local to the area and was very interested in the caverns.
Henry was immediately taken with her. He promised to give her a tour when everything was finished, and he did.
She came every week for the same tour, no matter how many times she’d seen it before.
Eventually, he offered to give her a private tour. ”
She pauses for dramatic effect, then continues with a smile.
“Of course, she took him up on his offer.” This gets a few chuckles from the crowd, Mila included.
She squeezes my hands as if she understands that feeling.
Squeezing hers in return, I hug her tighter to my chest. “Josephine’s favorite part of the tour was the wishing well.
Every time they got to it, she tossed a coin in the pool and made the same wish. ”
I know what I’m wishing for when we get there. I might just dump an entire sack of coins in the pool.
“What’d she wish for?” the girl in her dad’s arms asks.
Smiling at the duo, the guide answers, “She wished for him to marry her. She wanted to spend her life with him, side by side in the caverns.”
“Did she get her wish?” the girl asks.
“She did. When we get back topside, you can see their picture in the main lobby.”
Turning from the group, she continues the tour.
A few minutes later, we arrive at the wishing well.
It’s not the typical circular stone on the ground but instead, there is a large grotto.
Crystal clear blue water spans around us, with rocks breaking through the surface here and there.
A wooden path leads to a platform where some families are posing for photos, and kids are tossing coins in.
Waiting for our turn, I palm the coins in my pocket. I brought a few extra for the penny pressing machine I know they have, but I might toss them all in and say screw it. Mila is taking a few photos of the area on her phone, and I imagine her doing the same thing when we have our kids here one day.
Stepping down on the platform, I pull out a few coins and gesture for Mila to take some. “Don’t forget. You have to a make a wish.”
Tilting her head to the side as if deep in thought, she smiles, then closes her eyes.
I watch with bated breath as Mila holds her hand over the railing and drops it into the water.
When she reopens her eyes and her gaze finds mine, I’m dying to know what she wished for.
Taking my turn, I close my eyes and drop one coin into the water.
I wish for Mila to be crazy in love with me, like I am her. I wish for her to take that leap with me.
Thinking better of it, I pull a second coin out and drop it in too. They donate it all to local charities, so one more wish can’t hurt, right?
“What did you wish for?” she asks, reaching for my hand.
“Can’t tell you. I don’t want to chance it. What did you wish for?”
“Nope. Good try though, Casanova. Not telling either,” she teases.
Grinning at Mila, I lean down to kiss her, but a new voice has me stopping. “Would you like a picture?” the guide asks.
Beaming, Mila hands over her phone with a nod. “Yes, please. Thank you.”
I pull her closer to me and situate Mila in front of my body where she belongs. Mila will always come first. Smiling with genuine happiness, we pose as the guide takes our photo. Pulling away, Mila looks at me, and I can see joy radiating from her.
“Here you are.” The guide hands the phone back to Mila. Turning to the crowd, she gestures toward the end of a tunnel. “We’re almost at the end of our tour. Make sure you stop at the petting area to see Pete and our other goats.”
Standing at the edge of the platform, I tuck Mila’s hand into mine and get ready to follow, but she stops me with a tug.
I turn to look at her and see a thoughtful expression on her face.
She’s staring at something on her phone and being the nosey guy I am, I follow her gaze and see what’s holding her attention hostage.
The guide didn’t take just one photo, but two.
The first picture with Mila in front looks great.
Behind us, the water of the grotto shimmers, and you can just make out some of the coins along the bottom.
But it’s the second one that causes my heart to skip a beat.
I’m going to have to get it enlarged and hang it on the wall.
When Mila was turned and looking up at me with a smile, the guide took another photo. There’s so much happiness on her face, and you can practically see the hearts in my eyes as I stare down at her.
“Send those to me,” I request, my voice rough.
Mila nods, using her free hand to tap on her phone a few times.
I feel mine vibrate in my pocket a moment later.
By now, I realize most of the group has made it through the walkway.
Leaning down, I quickly seal my lips over hers.
This was the best fucking idea ever. I grab her face with both hands and tilt her head so I can deepen our kiss.
Her body melts against mine, and I know she must feel how hard I am for her.
I can’t take it as far as I want, but you’d have to throw me in the grotto for me to move away first.
All too soon, Mila’s hands come up to cup mine, and she pulls back. “Well done, Casanova.” She smiles. “Let’s finish our tour.” She turns to walk ahead of me, and I admire her form.
Following her, because that’s what I do, I tap my hand on the heart carved into the limestone with the initials, HL+JW.
I hope you’re ready to grant my wish, Henry, because there is no other option for me. Mila is my Josephine and I won’t live my life without her as mine.