55. Auden
We’re sitting on a bench under a large oak tree. He’s been quiet for a little while. Squeezing my hand as we make our way to the ice cream joint. It’s my favorite place in New Jersey, but I’m not enjoying it as I usually am because he seems far from here.
I nudge his arm. “You’re so quiet.”
“Am I?” he says, spooning vanilla soft serve into his mouth.
“A little.”
He takes a breath and spoons two bites into his mouth, keeping his focus on the ice cream in his hand. I wince, unable to lick the ice cream that’s melting too quickly down my hand. “Oh, no, you’re having second doubts, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not,” he says, shaking his head and finally turning to me. “Why didn’t you tell me Sean was your ex?”
“I thought I did.” I frown, thinking back. I’m sure I revealed it to him. “I never thought it would be a problem.”
“I like loyalty.”
That’s what’s bothering him. Now it all makes sense. But I’m not a cheat, I never was and never will be. Storm is my ending.
“And I’m as loyal as they come.” I keep his gaze. “Sean and I were better off as friends, we just happened to get messy at the beginning of our friendship.”
“Promise?”
“I do.” I smile, then lick the side of my cone. “You asked me to be your girlfriend remember? Last I checked girlfriends and boyfriends don’t fuck around on each other.”
Storm chuckles and takes my hand, licking all around the sides to help me before leaving a peck on my lips. It’s cute and sweet. As much as I adore our meet-cute, I would have loved to meet him before Leah ruined him. To see the beautiful sides of him that love and cherish me without the hurt that still lingers behind those green eyes.
He moves closer to me. “You’re real pretty today.”
I lean my head on his shoulder. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“I’m excited to start this new chapter in my life with you.”
I lick my ice cream, inhaling a rush of air. “Don’t hurt me, okay?”
He nudges me off his shoulder and tosses his empty ice cream cup into the garbage beside us. Those devilishly perfect eyes stare at me and his cold lips meet mine.
In one swift movement, I’m sitting on his lap and giggling as he nibbles my neck.
“You’ve become my world, Auden,” he says, staring intensely into my eyes. “Before you, my world crumbled and you helped me start building it back up. I wouldn’t dream of hurting you, babe. Not now, not ever. So, get used to this face, you’ll be staring at it for a long time.”
I grimace, scrunching my nose. “You’ll be okay with me getting all old and wrinkly?”
“Will you be okay with my balls getting all saggy?”
I burst out in a deep belly laugh, making him start as well. “I’ll be okay with your saggy balls if you’ll be okay with my saggy tits,” I say, wiping the laughing tears from under my eyes.
“I’ll tuck my balls in my pockets and you’ll toss your tits over your shoulder. It works perfectly.”
I end my strings of laughter with a sniff. “Good.”
“I got you something,” he blurts out, pushing his lips together. “I wanted to give it to you when we had our housewarming, but I can’t wait.”
“What is it? A box of condoms so you’re not leaking out of me all the time?”
He chortles. “No.”
I continue eating my ice cream and he leans over, taking something from his pocket. It’s in a thin white box and there’s a smirk on his face as he hands it to me. A ring? No, it can’t be. We’re moving fast but this is a little too fast.
I hand him my ice cream and he starts eating it as if nervous about me opening it. The way he gulps and stares at the box, the twitch in his jaw. I kiss his cheek and his nerves ease slightly, nodding his chin for me to open it.
It’s a beautiful wishbone ring. It’s nothing fancy, but no man has ever given me a ring before. I should be scared and uncomfortable. But I’m not, it’s so perfect.
I’m smiling so big my cheeks hurt. “What’s this for?”
“A promise ring,” he says with his mouth full, taking another bite of my cone. “I promise to be the best man for you.”
I take the ring out and slide it on my finger. “That’s a big promise.”
He licks his lips before kissing my shoulder. “It’s a promise I’ll keep.”
A few months ago, I never thought I’d be in this position, moving to an apartment in New York City, starting a great job, meeting my birth father, getting into a relationship with a very handsome individual, and feeling so much love in such a short amount of time, it’s unrealistic. But it happened. My life has bloomed into something so beautiful. It truly can only go up from here.