Epilogue #2
When he turned eighteen, Bennett gave Henry control of a lot of things, my grandmother’s jewelry included. It’s him I have to get permission from.
Henry gives me a nod. “Yes. That ring very much belongs with Ms. Aria.”
* * *
It’s late at night. Hours since dinner needed. Hours since Henry gave me permission to give Aria my grandmother’s ring.
It has to be close to two in the morning, yet I’m still up and cutting up fruit. I also cooked pasta. All for Aria.
Her shift ended around one so she’s on her way home and as much as I know she will want to sleep, I need her to eat first. Knowing her, if it was a hard shift, she forewent eating to take care of her patients.
She took care of kids, now it’s my turn to take care of her.
When the elevator dings, everything is in its place and ready for Aria. Wiping my hands clean, I walk over to the foyer and intercept her before she heads upstairs to our room and knocks out.
Thankfully I’m able to get there before the doors fully open.
A smile forms on my face when I see she has leaned against one of the walls of the elevator and has her eyes closed.
She must have heard my footsteps approaching because one eye open.
“What are you still doing up?” The question rolls off her tongue as the other eye opens up.
“I’m welcoming you home.”
Because this is officially our home.
Two months ago, she ended the month-to-month lease on the apartment she moved into at the beginning of her living in Chicago.
It was a great space, and we were over there regularly, but after a bit, she decided maybe it would be better to move in here.
Her reasoning was that it would save money.
Part of my reasoning to agreeing was because I would have her naked in my bed twenty-four seven.
The other part? She make this place feel like home and I don’t want to be here with out her.
Three years ago, I said part of the reason I hadn’t fled Chicago completely was because of my uncle. He was the main reason keeping me here.
I’m pretty sure that was true, but I also think me not leaving for good was because I was waiting for this. Even though she had yet come into my life, I think I was waiting for her, to meet her, to not see her for three years, and for her to walk into my penthouse unknowingly.
She makes Chicago feel like home and for the first time in twenty-one years, I don’t want to escape it. I don’t travel to escape anymore. I don’t travel to avoid. Yes I still see the inside of a plane every few days, but I come back home every time with a smile on my face
I come back to her.
She’s my home now and it follows her wherever she goes.
Aria pushes herself away from the elevator wall and step into the apartment, dropping her work backpack right in the entry way. “Why are you welcoming me home.
I lean down to place a kiss against her lips and the sweet sigh she releases goes directly to my cock.
Nope. I don’t have time to fall to my knees and having a taste of her. I have a plan.
Pulling away, I slide my hand into hers. “Because I figured you would be hungry, so I made you food.”
She throws her head back. “Oh thank God. I’m fucking starving. I haven’t eaten since about four I think.”
I guide her to the kitchen and the second she does, she lets out a small gasp.
Her hand leaves mine as she goes to look at everything presented to her.
Plates of pasta on the table with garlic bread and wine.
Fruit on the counter. Strawberries sprinkled with sugar, Mango with salt and lemon and some bananas with honey.
One large bouquet of pink roses on the counter. The same shade of pink that matches her nails.
She takes everything, awe on her face.
“You did all of this instead of sleeping?” She walks over to the roses and takes one out of the bunch to smell it.
“I did. You must be very special if I choose you over sleep.”
Her laugh fills the room. “Who needs sleep when you have me?” She puts the rose back and turns to face me. “Why did you do all of this?”
I watch her for a beat from where I stand at the entrance of kitchen. Even tired, with her gorgeous brown hair in a ponytail, and wearing sweatpants she must have changed into before leaving the hospital, she looks absolutely breathtaking.
Just like the first time I saw her in a Vegas hotel lobby nearly four years ago, she’s a magnet drawing me in and I never want to separate from her.
That day and our first night together altered my life and it was altered again when she walked into my apartment almost a year ago.
She’s about to alter it again and she doesn’t even know it.
“It been almost a year since you walked into this penthouse for the very first time. I thought we would celebrate it with something special.” I walk over to her and wrap a hand around her waist, bringing her closer to me.
“I made the pasta we had that night at your rental,” I nod toward the small dining table, “the night I sat you on the table and had my dessert.” Her body shivers and I bring her closer to me, leaving no space between us.
“I cut up Mango and added lemon and salt because you told me it was one of your comfort foods the night we went for burgers. I also cut up strawberries and bananas because that was the first I mentioned of my childhood.”
She looks over at the bowls at the counter and then to the roses before training those eyes to me. “And the roses?”
My grip on her body becomes tighter, and I slide my free hand up to her face so I can cup her cheek.
“The roses are because they matched your nail color today. The same color I told you I was partial to because I liked the way it looked wrapped around me.”
A sweet blush coats her face and I want to throw the whole damn plan out the window and start undressing her all so I could follow the blush down her body and map it with my tongue.
“Who knew you had a dirty mouth?”
I give her a smirk as my head lowers to hover over her mouth. “You definitely did and you enjoy it.”
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”
Her lips meet mine and for a handful of minutes we get lost in each other. Hands are tugging and pulling, tongues are dancing together.
I had her this morning, her hands and mouth were on me not even twenty-four hours ago and I need her again, I need to feel her, need to have her under me. I need to feel her warmth. I need all of her like I’m a starving man.
I’m about to throw away plan and just do it another day, but eventually we pull away and I rest my foreheads on hers.
“We’ll continue that in a few minutes, I need to give you something else first.”
“What is it?” she asks, her lips so close to mine, I almost lean in and start kissing her again.
Restraint.
I have restraint.
Without pulling away from her, I slide my hand into the pocket of my sweatpants and pull out the box I took from the Manor earlier, bringing it between us.
She pulls away from me and eyes the box.
“What is that?”
“Open it and find out.” I hold the box out to her and with uncertainty coating her features, she takes it from me.
Slowly, she opens it. Her mouth drops when she sees what’s inside.
I explain. “You kept threatening me with the yellow diamond ring from Tiffany’s but I thought this one would be better. It was my grandmother’s, just like your bracelet. I asked Henry for it earlier today.”
She looks down at the ring for a few beats more before she says something. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
Surprise, happiness floods her face and can’t help but to smile at her.
“In a way.” I get down on one knee right here in the kitchen.
“We both said that marriage wasn’t for us.
That we didn’t need the piece of paper to hold us together.
But I still wanted you to have my ring. As a promise.
A promise to be your husband in every way you will let me, legally or not.
A promise that I will love you in this lifetime and in whatever lifetime we meet again.
A promise to be at your side no matter what may come our way.
A promise to spend every damn day without you until the very end.
I love you Aria. You captured my mind in Vegas and you never left.
You been a constant thought, a constant memory I never want to give up.
You make me feel like my own person and I want to spend forever with you.
Will you do the honors of wearing my ring and being mine in every single way? ”
Wetness coats her cheeks as she gives me a teary smile.
“We’re both wearing sweatpants.” She says through a laugh.
“Who gives a shit what we wear. You got your nails done this morning, a good manicure is all that matters.”
“God, I love you. Yes. Yes, I will wear your ring and spend forever with you.”
Her arms wrap around my neck and she her lips slam into mine. She kisses me with so much ferocity, its knocks me on my back and I bring her with me. I don’t even get to slide the ring onto her finger before the box slides under the table while she was trying to get my shirt off my body.
All the food waiting for us is forgotten as we concentrate on each other.
I made this woman scream out my name in Vegas and now I will be doing it for the rest of my life.
Crazy how that one trip changed everything.