Chapter 28
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Venus
Now that it was officially spring, the weather was starting to warm up.
It didn’t really get too cold until the end of December, but January and February could be brutal.
Today, it was seventy degrees, and I loved that for me.
It was a cool seventy, so I had on thigh high boots, shorts, and an oversized sweater.
I was hanging out with Serenity and Taj.
We had lunch and did a little shopping for Cash’s grand opening.
Though Serenity didn’t plan to attend, she came to help me and Taj find something to wear anyway.
I would bet money that Carson appreciated me shopping with them instead of him.
He didn’t mind spending money at all, but he hated being in the same place for hours unless he was watching a game or betting.
I loved that he did it even when he didn’t want to, and more so, he didn’t look like he didn’t want to.
A lot of people went through the motions and you could tell they didn’t want to be there by their attitude or expressions, but that wasn’t the case with Carson.
My man didn’t complain, talk negatively, or have an attitude.
He just went into his own little world mentally and let me have my way.
“Alright, ladies. I think I’ve got everything I need,” I said.
“Me too,” Taj agreed. “Serenity, did you want to look in any other stores?”
Serenity’s head shook as she smiled. Her belly was round and sticking out and so stinking cute.
My girl was glowing, and I loved that for her.
We didn’t talk daily, but when we did, I asked about how the pregnancy was treating her.
This morning, she said it was going well and that Kaos was taking amazing care of her and the baby.
“I’m good. I’m ready to get home and relax. These heels got my feet screaming for a massage.”
I looked down at her feet absently and chuckled. She looked so cute in her white sweater dress and heels.
“Okay, we can head out then,” I advised, turning so we could head in the opposite direction for the exit.
“Oh, wait! There’s one more thing we need to look at, remember?” Taj reminded Serenity, gripping her arm.
“Hmm? O-oh yes! You’re right. T-the thing at the… the… yes!”
I wasn’t sure if Serenity’s baby brain had her forgetting what the hell they were supposed to be doing and she was trying to cover it up, or if she was horrible at keeping a secret. Either way, I followed them down the escalator toward a vacant store in the mall.
“One of you opening a new business?” I asked curiously.
“Well, I am, but this ain’t for that,” Serenity said. “I’m looking at buildings for my staffing company. Right now, I’m home based until I find the right one. Hopefully I’ll find it before the baby gets here.”
“Aww I’m sure you wi—” My encouragement cut off immediately when I looked into the vacant store. It had been rented out… by my man.
“Go on inside,” Taj urged, smiling widely.
I looked back at them hesitantly before opening the door and going inside.
Giggles immediately erupted from my core.
There were so, so many bouquets of pink, red, and white roses.
Pictures of us were draped over the walls.
Carson was standing there looking good as fuck in white slacks and a white button down shirt.
Those honest, pure, glowing eyes smiled at me as I made my way in his direction.
He was standing in the middle of a heart made out of rose petals, and there was a photographer constantly snapping candid photos of us.
Carson took my hand and helped me get settled in the middle of the heart. Mine was racing, and I was trying to hold back my tears.
“I know I said I was going to propose to you, but I decided to be a little normal and ask you to be my woman and then my wife.” With a soft laugh, I flicked away an escaped tear. “Is that okay with you?”
“I would’ve said yes either way, but yes, babe. We can take our time getting to our forever.”
“Good.” He gave me a quick, brief kiss before stepping out of the heart and walking over to the brown table.
When he returned, a new diamond choker was in one hand, and a white garter was in the other.
“You mine?” he asked, raspy voice deeper and lower and sexier.
So sexy my pussy pulsed just like she did that day in his office.
“Always.”
He turned me and wrapped the choker around my neck. Biting back a moan, I gripped his thighs from behind when he kissed my neck. Carson turned me back around and kneeled.
“I’ma put this garter on you now, and I’m not taking it off until our wedding day. Cool?”
I was so afraid I’d moan when he squeezed the back of my thighs that I only nodded.
“I can’t hear you, sunshine,” he taunted, pulling me forward and inhaling my pussy.
I trembled and gripped his shoulder. “Yes, babe. That’s cool.”
“Good girl.”
After he slid the garter up my leg and onto my thigh, Carson stood and took me into his arms. At that moment, I didn’t care about the clicking camera or Taj and Serenity’s cheers. All I cared about was the man who held me in his arms and feasted on my lips.
“If this is how you ask me to be your girlfriend, I can’t wait to see how you ask me to be your wife,” I cooed.
I thought things would be over after he rented the space in the mall, but that wasn’t the case.
After we left, we took a gondola ride across the river to Cre8, where we made our own candles and a clay mold of our hands.
I loved the candles because they were the perfect scent mixture of us.
Carson loved clean scents and so did I. The cologne he most often wore was clean, sandalwood, and citrusy too.
The girls loved when a man wore Dior Sauvage, but Bleu de Chanel was the classic scent that did it for me, and I loved when Carson wore it.
We got enough candles to split between both of our homes, but I was spending more and more time at his place instead of mine. He told me I could turn one of the rooms into my home office and another into my beauty room, which I loved and appreciated.
After that, we went to the entertainment district for dinner and ended up in the country for line dancing and horseback riding. By that point, it had started to cool down significantly, so we both were ready to get home.
The gift bags scattered across the living room completely caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting anything else to be added to our already perfect day.
“I honestly don’t want you to go home, so I wanted to make sure you had everything you’d need here. Us leaving stuff at each other’s house is making the process take too long.”
I giggled as I moved from one bag to another. He literally had several new outfits with shoes, jewelry, and purses included. Underwear and lingerie filled four of the bags, and he had a basket with all the hair, makeup, hygiene, and feminine products I used daily.
“This is so sweet and thoughtful, Carson. I love how you pay attention to and consider me. I also love my penthouse and the view, but I love being here with you too.”
“What do I have to do to get you here with me permanently?”
His arms wrapped around me from behind as I ran my fingers over the red bra and panty set.
When he kissed my neck as we slowly swayed, I moaned.
Feeling his dick growing against me told me what time it was.
This man’s sexual appetite was insatiable, and I loved that for me.
It wasn’t like with most men where they wanted sex all the time and it felt like just a physical exchange.
Carson pleased me and took care of me every time he touched me. We were intimate throughout the day—not just physically but mentally and emotionally too. Our chemistry was insane, and it was deeper than it was when we first met. I never minded letting my man have his way with me.
“I don’t know, babe. You already told me I could have those two rooms.”
“You have the whole house, Venus. It’s yours. Ours.”
Smiling, I turned in his arms. “Then maybe just ask?” I suggested sweetly, and the sight of those eyes… his smile… Carson could have asked me for just about anything and I’d say yes.
“Will you move in with me, sunshine?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He picked me up and wrapped my legs around him. “If you want to keep your apartment you can, but I really don’t want you to leave me tonight. Or ever, for that matter. I’ll have your things moved here next week.”
“Sounds good, babe,” I agreed, cupping his cheek and connecting his lips with mine.
The entire time he carried me upstairs, I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt.
I couldn’t believe this was my life. That this was my man.
Before meeting Carson, I felt like there was nothing missing in my life.
Now that I was being loved properly, I felt like there was nothing missing in my life still, but I realized how much space I had for more.
More love, more memories, more family when we had our kids.
Simply more. Carson made me feel like not even the sky was the limit when it came to us, and I was excited to see how our lives continued to intertwine.