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The smile he shot my way made my world warm, tingling me down to my toes. I dressed quickly, and had to dig around in the closet for a minute for a pair of shoes my size. I prayed that it wouldn’t be particularly windy outside because the dress barely reached mid-thigh. Whoever had lent me these clothes was an inch or two shorter than I was, and I would quite possibly reap the consequences of that today.
Sariel was waiting for me on the other side of the door, and with him was a bouquet of wild roses in pinks, reds and whites, their stems haphazardly cut with the thorns still attached. They were held together by a slim white ribbon wrapped a ludicrous amount of times around the stem, then tied off in a pretty bow.
“Walk with me?” he asked.
My brows furrowed as I took him in. “Sure, Sariel. Are these for me?”
“They are, but there’s thorns. Let me hold them until we find a vase or a bottle or something to put these in,” he rambled.
I swallowed my apprehension as he reached out a hand for me. “Where are we going?” I asked, taking his hand gingerly.
“We’re exploring the acres of unused property,” he admitted. “There’s a stream and a few walking trails. They’re not very far, but I’ve heard they’re beautiful. I just want a moment alone with you.”
He sighed. “I feel like we’ve been on the go from the moment we met. We never got to slow down and just enjoy each other’s presence.”
“I’m still mad at you,” I reminded him lamely.
“And I will beg for forgiveness,” he said with a small smile. “But I will do that in the privacy of the trees, not where people might overhear us.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“I would grovel with the world as our audience if I thought that was what you wanted,” he explained knowingly. “But that’s not what you want.”
We stopped by the kitchen, where Reese was happy to take my bouquet for safekeeping. She also gifted me a small, secretive smile, like she knew something I didn’t.
Sariel guided me away from civilization. The paths were thankfully not addled with stones and vines, so I didn’t trip or stumble ungracefully. That could have everything to do with the firm grip Sariel had on me, of course.
We made small talk, pointing out some of the beautiful trees and the shrubs. Every now and then, my wolf would perk up at the sound of little feet scurrying along. It really was beautiful. Concentrating on not tripping while listening to Sariel ramble about how pretty everything is and how he’ll probably paint this at some point proved to quiet my mind.
This was exactly what I needed.
When we came to the stream and I caught sight of the blanket spread out before it, a pile of pillows in one corner and an assortment of food in the other, my stomach bottomed out.
“Oh my God.”
“Surprise?” Sariel said, smiling awkwardly. He’d released my hand to approach the blankets and toe off his shoes, where he stepped on and urged me to do the same. I abandoned my flats and took his hand again. “Do you like it?”
“You did this?” I questioned skeptically.
“The food was all Reese. Marilyn got the blankets and pillows, and they, um, set it up. But it was my idea,” he answered honestly. “We haven’t even been on a date, yet we’re destined to be together forever, apparently. You being mad at me sort of made me realize there’s a lot we don’t know about each other.”
He guided me down to the pillows, then began to pile a plate full of little finger foods and pastries while he explained.
“I don’t know your favorite foods or movies. I don’t know your middle name. I don’t even know if I’m your type,” he said, passing me the plate. “I don’t know where you went to school or what you like to do for fun. I don’t know you at all, Aria. And you don’t know me.”
I stared at him with something akin to adoration. This was honestly one of the most thoughtful things anyone had ever done for me.
“Consider this our first date,” he continued. “We’re going to get through all the introductions and awkward, semi-intrusive questions, because maybe you’re not as comfortable being my equal as I am being yours. I don’t care much for the technicalities anymore. Watching you almost die has changed my perspective. Whatever you feel or do, or whatever happens after this, your soul and mine are forever intertwined and I will cherish that, until death do us part.”
I froze with a sausage roll halfway in my mouth at his declaration.
We stared at each other for a few moments. In the golden light of the late afternoon sun, Sariel Ambrose glowed as if he had been born of the sun himself. She caressed his features reverently, accentuating the color of his hair, his freckles, and the gold flecks in his hazel eyes. He was sitting with his arms holding up his weight behind him, his eyes fully on me.
This was my cue, I realized. This was my opportunity to bare my soul to him, to let him know we were on the same page. I opened my mouth to answer him, and what came out was…
“Homemade macaroni and cheese.”
Sariel’s brows furrowed in confusion.
