AllFreeNovel
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I guess it had a lot to do with watching my mom and dad. The way he looked at her like she held the world. Like, when she smiled, it lit up his entire existence. Why would I want to settle for anything less than that? I know I never really gave it a chance, but the minute Brandon walked into my store, I noticed the way he was looking at me after I calmed down. Like I was important, like he had to get to know me, like I was his world. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s how it felt. That’s also how I felt when I looked at him. Like he was important to me somehow.
Ugh, I have to get cleaned up. I wore a dress to work, but I put my hair up out of my way early this morning, so I need to fix that and add a bit of makeup, and I should be ready. I have exactly twenty minutes, and I scrape by without a second to spare.
The minute I see him in the front of my store holding a bouquet of sunflowers and smiling at me, my heart flies out of my chest and straight into his pocket. Dang, so much for being aloof. Yeah, right, like I could have played it aloof, to begin with. I roll my eyes at myself before walking his way. He looks up at me, and the smile he gives me outshines every trinket in my store.
“You look absolutely beautiful,” he whispers in awe before handing me the flowers. I take them, smiling.
“Thank you!” I say and take his outstretched hand as he pulls me out of the store. He waits while I lock up before turning us and heading toward the parking lot.
“I’ll bring you back to get your car later. Are you okay if we don’t go out in public? I just really want to be alone with you and not have people asking for autographs or pictures,” he asks, wincing at the thought.
“I’m game for whatever. Just know, I let my friend Aria know I was with you, just in case you’re some kind of serial killer who always gets away with it because of his fame and fortune,” I say, winking at him letting him know I’m joking. Although I did tell Aria because she loves all the juicy details.
“I played a serial killer once. Does that count?” he asks, looking over at me. I smile, and he smiles back. “Just kidding. I turned that roll down.” That makes me laugh outright.
“So tell me more about you,” I prompt as he hops in the car and heads toward wherever he’s taking me.
“Well, let see. I’ve stared in...” he starts, but I shake my head.
“No offense, but your movies I could watch on TV. I want to know about you,” I tell him, and he looks over at me, shocked, but then a smile breaks out across his face.
“Twenty-one questions?” he asks, and I smile.
“Twenty-one questions,” I agree, and for the rest of the ride, we ask each other questions, serious and silly, until we are pulling up outside a small city square. Brandon quickly pulls me toward one of the shops. I notice the shop is closed and wonder what he has up his sleeve.
“So I have a surprise for you. I’m renting the apartment above this shop while we are filming. I saw this beautiful place and wanted to be here instead of a hotel for months,” he says, walking around the back of the building and leading me up the stairs. When we make it to the doors at the top, he keeps going up. There is one more flight of stairs that leads to the apartment. When we get to the very top, I stop dead in my tracks.
There is a beautiful garden spread throughout the room, with different flowers and trees blooming in every corner. It’s stunning and completely secluded. There is a tiny koi pond in the middle, and right beside it is a table set for dinner. Brandon leads me over and drops the basket I didn’t even realize he was carrying. He sets out the to-go containers filled with different kinds of pasta and bread. It all smells so amazing. My mouth waters.
“Let’s hurry and eat. The next surprise should start soon,” he says, and I raise a brow at him, already knowing he’s not going to tell me. We talk and eat, but before long, I hear what sounds like… Christmas music? Brandon is smiling, looking down the street. I turn around and gasp at what I see.
A parade is coming down the road in a long cheer-filled line right through the middle of town. A Christmas parade! And we got the best seats in town. Float after float passes by as we watch from our perch high above. One with a Santa in a huge snow globe from the north pole. It’s so magical, and I can’t take my eyes off of it.
Another Santa is throwing out tiny toys to all the kids laughing and yelling, enjoying the whole show. Way before I’m ready, the last float is driving by, and I turn to look at Brandon.
“That was absolutely magical!” I say, smiling widely. He looks at me and smiles as well before standing and pulling out a blanket.
“Figured we could stay up here just a little bit longer under the stars,” he says, falling to the blanket and holding out a hand to me. I love lying under the stars. I don’t know how he knew this was the dream date I always wanted, but he has somehow managed to pull it off. I used to lie on my trampoline at night and fall asleep under the stars. I haven’t done it in over a decade, but I can’t wait to experience this with Brandon. We are quiet for a while before he speaks up.
“So, how did I do for my first date?” he asks, reaching down and grabbing my hand.
“This was magical. Absolutely perfect!” I tell him, looking over and catching his stare.
The look of wonder in his eyes pulls me closer. Closer and closer until my lips are on his. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never even kissed a man before. Still, something about Brandon has me throwing all that caution and nervousness right out of the window. I start to pull away, not sure how he feels about me attacking him, but he follows my lips until I’m lying on the blanket, and his body is covering mine as my hands are in his hair, pulling me closer.
“Maybe we should stop. I don’t want to rush you into anything,” he says but continues kissing over my jaw, to my ear, and down my neck.
“Please don’t stop,” I beg him, knowing I probably sound desperate, but something’s happening to my body, a build up I can’t control. One peak I can never reach myself. A peak he’s pushing me close to with just his lips.
“Probably not the best time to mention this, but I just want to get the awkward talk out of the way. I’ve never done this before. If we go any further, just know you will be my first and my last. I won’t let you go. I’ll move mountains to make you happy, to do anything you ask, but I will never live without you,” he tells me, looking into my eyes and showing me the power and truth behind those words.
I look deep into his eyes before admitting, “I’ve never done this before either.”
I always wanted to wait for the love of my life. Someone who treated me like I was precious, who looked at me like I hung the moon… like my dad looked at my mom. Looking into Brandon’s eyes, I know I found just that.
My hands move down to his button up shirt, and I slowly take the buttons out of the holes until his bare chest is on display. I lean up and kiss right over his heart, and something snaps in him. I hear a growl before he reaches down and rips my shirt over my head. We scramble and tangle together before we finally are both naked under the stars, with soft Christmas music playing in the background.
Brandon slowly kisses my collarbone, my neck, down between my breasts. I’m wiggling, trying to get some friction, anything. This is almost torture.
