I squeezed her fingers. “I promise, it’s nothing like that. Just trust me.”
She did. I knew she did. But Elise was naturally inquisitive, and my secrecy had been driving her crazy.
Almost there.
I led her through the final few steps, my chest tightening the closer we got. We stopped once we reached our destination and using the key, I unlocked the door, letting it swing open before ushering us inside.
I reached for the blindfold, my fingers brushing the silk. “Ready?”
“I’ve been ready since you started acting like a CIA operative,” she muttered.
I untied the blindfold, watching as it fell away. The moment her eyes adjusted to the warm glow of the room, she gasped.
The walls are mirrored, reflecting the soft golden glow of string lights cascading from the ceiling like fallen stars. The sleek wooden floors stretch wide, polished to perfection, their surface begging for dance. A ballet barre runs along one wall, while the other holds a sound system, its presence so seamlessly integrated it almost disappears. The space was everything she needed, everything I knew she’d love.
But it was the centerpiece that stole her breath. Pink tulips were arranged in delicate bouquets around the space, their petals soft and vibrant against the warm candlelight flickering in crystal holders. More petals trailed across the floor in an artful scatter, as if they’d been caught in the wind and left behind a path meant just for her. The scent of fresh flowers lingered in the air, mixing with the faint vanilla undertones of the candles.
Elise turned in a slow circle, her fingers brushing the barre as if testing whether the studio was real. Whether it washers.
“What is this?” She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper.
I stepped behind her, my hands resting on her waist. “It’s yours,” I said simply.This was something I could give her, something no contract, no deal, no amount money could take away.
Her breath hitched. She turned to face me fully, searching my expression, as if she didn’t quite believe it.
“I know how much dance means to you. How it’s always been more than just movement. It’s your escape, your passion. Your peace.” I brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it gently behind her ear. “You once told me you dreamed of having a space of your own. So I built this for you.” I gestured around us. “It’s here, inourhome, so you never have to go somewhere else to find what already belongs to you.”
Tears filled her eyes, shimmering in the soft light.
Elise covered her mouth with her hands, shaking her head slightly, overwhelmed. “Nathan, this is...” Her voice broke off, thick with emotion.
I held her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Do you like it?”
She let out a soft, watery laugh. “I love it. I can’t believe you did this.”
I smiled, feeling something deep in my chest loosen at the sight of her so undone. “Believe it, Cupcake. Every inch of this space was made for you.”
She exhaled shakily, running her fingers over the barre again, over the details I’d obsessed over for weeks, making sure everything was perfect.
Then, as if realization struck all over again, she turned to me with wide eyes. “Wait, is this why you’ve been sneaking around?”
I chuckled, my hands sliding down to lace our fingers together. “One of the reasons.”
“One of the reasons?”
I took a deep breath, my pulse hammering.Now.
My grip on her tightened as I pulled her a step closer. “Yeah. There’s one more thing.”
And before she could say anything else, I dropped to one knee.
Her gasp shattered the air.
I pulled the velvet box from my pocket and flicked it open, revealing a pear-shaped light blue diamond, its color soft and luminous, set on a thin platinum band that only made the stone look more striking.
Elise’s hands trembled as they hovered near her chest, tears spilling freely down her cheeks.
“I know we got married in Vegas on my birthday,” I gave a small, crooked smile. “But you deserve more than a chapel on a whim. You deserved this moment. You deserved me on my knees, asking you properly, because you’re the one I want for the rest of my life.” I swallowed, forcing myself to hold her gaze, to let her see everything I felt. “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Elise.” My voice was steady, but there was a roughness to it. “I spent years believing love was a risk, something dangerous. And then you walked into my life. Bright, stubborn, impossible to ignore and proved me wrong.”
