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“Wow…” Her voice caused my body to straighten as she finally arrived. Her subtle yet sweetperfume immediately filled the air between us, and I felt intoxicated. “This looks amazing!” Her smile illuminated the room far more than the candles did.
“Not as amazing as you.” Her giggle caused my stomach to clench with something I wasn’t used to. “And before you crack some sort of joke about me sounding cheesy, I already know, and for tonight, I’m okay with that.” I smiled as I made my way over to where she waited for me.
The champagne dress I’d brought for her fitted perfectly as it stopped above her knee and the low-cut neckline caused my eyes to drop there instantly without thinking. She cleared her throat softly as I returned my gaze to hers. Her hair was poker straight, tucked behind her ears as her make-up wasn’t too much or too little, it was just right. She peeked up at me through those never-ending lashes as a slight smile played on her nude, glossed lips. I took her hand in my own and pressed a delicate kiss on her knuckles, the warmth of her velvet soft skin teasing my lips.
“You cooked?” she asked. The surprise in her voice clear as she looked past me towards the table.
“I did, but I had a little help.” I placed my hand on her lower back and led her over to her seat.
“Thank you.” I pulled out her chair before taking my own.
Tonight was the first time we had used this dining room. We usually used it for family meals, gatherings, parties, and fuck knew what else. Tonight, I sat at the head of the table where I always sat and she took a seat beside me, a seat reserved for my right-hand man, Gino, or my father. A seat that would now be occupied only by her. Anastacia would stand by my side as myequaland nothing less. She would be so much more than just my wife now.
“This was the reason I asked Red to take you to your parents and keep you busy.”
“They were all in on this? Why didn’t you tell me?” She lifted my hand that was double the size of hers and brought it to her lips, kissing the back of it as if to return my earlier gesture.
“Because if I told you, then it wouldn’t have been a surprise.” Without removing my hand from hers, I poured her a glass of champagne before pouring my own.
“You didn’t need to go to all this trouble for me. I feel awful; this must have taken you all day.” I placed the bottle back in the ice bucket and pulled her to face me by the arms of her chair.
“I did this for you because I wanted to. If it took all week I wouldn’t have cared, neither would I have cared if it had taken the whole fucking year.” I didn’t take my eyes off her as I made sure she understood what I meant. “Anastacia, you didn’t want to do anything, yet you planned something exceptional for mine. Did you really think I would let you marry me without doing something special for you as you did for me?”
“That was nowhere near as beautiful and special as this though. You can’t possibly compare.”
“Yes, I can, and do you want to know why?” I let out a deep breath as she watched me intently. “Because you’re special and beautiful, so yes, it was exactly the same for me as tonight is for you.”
“Where has this come from?” She blushed under my gaze as she gracefully twirled her spaghetti around her fork.
“I thought that from the moment we met, I just didn’t know how to, nor did I want to show it.” It was the truth, and I didn’t need to hide it from her. “Anastacia, you have opened my eyes to many things and although you have a hard exterior when you want it, I have slowly got to know the woman who constantly has a breathtaking smile on her face, eyes full of love and a personality that draws everyone in without even trying.” I smiled.
“Is that what I did with you, did I draw you in?”
“More than you know, believe me when I say I tried everything to get you to back out of our arrangement. I was ready to have an all-out war with your father and you would have been the one to cause it.” I felt awful even saying it out loud, but she knew how I felt at the start.
“And now?” She turned her attention from me, and I worried I had hurt her from speaking the truth.
“Now, I’m more than ready to have you by my side as more than my wife. I don’t want to push you away. I don’t want a trophy wife to just produce me an heir.” I pulled her from her chair in one swift movement and onto my lap. Her fingers knotted, and I knew she was doubting how I felt. “I’m sorry I can’t pour my heart out like you might want me to or how I know you deserve; it is something I’ve never needed to do. I just don’t know how to say the words you should be able to hear every damn day.” I cupped her chin as she turned her head to look at me. “Come and take a walk with me,” I asked as she peered up at me.
“It’s dark out,” she whispered as she slid off my lap and I instantly felt a loneliness I couldn’t explain.
“Just come with me.” I held out my hand and she took it.
I led her out through the double doors of the dining room that opened up onto the lake. The lights twinkled in every single tree; candles lined the walkway as did the exact same petals all over our house.
“Have these lights always been here?” she asked as her eyes darted around at the adoration, I was showering her with.
“No, I had the guys out here this morning sorting it so we could enjoy some time out here this evening.” I smiled as she wandered through the pathway of petals towards the lake where I had laid out a blanket for us. “Do you like it?”
“I love it, it’s perfect.” She kicked off her heels before she headed to one part of the lakeside that was a new addition surrounded by a small white fence. “What are these?” She spun around quickly, her face a picture of surprise.
“Roses.” I laughed, knowing full well they weren’t just any roses.
“I know that, but why are they lit up?” She crouched beside them to look closely.
“Because I know white roses are your favourites, and you used to plant them with your grandfather, and I know they don’t bloom all year round, so I had this made for you so when you want to take a stroll through the garden, you’ll see them every single day of the year, day or night.” Her eyes fought back tears as she looked up at me.
“Lorenzo, this is…” Once again, she was rendered speechless. I could tell this was special to her which meant it was special to me. “I don’t know what to say.” She then noticed the plaque that I’d had made for her.
