Choosing Us (Pierced Hearts Duet #1)(55)

She bit her bottom lip, “Ditto. So where are we going, Beast?”

I stood up, adjusting my cock in my slacks.

“Aiden!”

I was over to her in three strides, whispering in her ear, “I will never be able to watch Beauty and The Beast again without getting fuckin’ hard for you.”

She took my arm, trying to hide her bright red face in the crevice of my shoulder.

I laughed and kissed the top of her head, leading her down the stairs to my car. After helping her get in, I took one last look at her before shutting the door. Rounding the front of the car, never taking my eyes off her. I jumped into the driver’s seat, grabbed ahold of her hand, and slowly removed her left silk glove to place small kisses up her arm. Ending my wake right below her ear where I sucked her lobe between my teeth.

Groaning, “You ready, Belle?”

She looked at me with nothing but lust and love in her eyes, simply nodding her response.

When I turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life, I baited, “Feeling wet, baby?”

Swiftly, she turned her shy expression toward the window, triggering me to scoff out a chuckle.

Shaking my head, I drove away from our past, cruising toward our future. This surprise took months of planning to pull off the perfect eighteenth birthday. I held her hand the entire drive, anticipating her reaction like a kid on Christmas. Wanting to make this a day she’d never forget.

Once we arrived at our first destination, I helped her out of the car, interlocking our arms once again. It didn’t take her long to realize where we were, the woods we shared our first kiss in.

“I can’t believe you brought me back here. How am I going to walk through the fallen trees and bushes, wearing this dress?”

“Easy”—I leaned forward and threw her over my shoulder—“I’m carrying you.”

Huffing and wheezing, she looked over her shoulder. “This is not how princesses get swept off their feet, Aiden.”

I smacked her ass. “No shit, this is how men do it.”

“You’re such a guy!”

She had no idea what I had planned. This wasn’t the end, this was only the beginning of our day ahead.

As soon as we reached the same spot we shared our first kiss, I softly set her down. Grabbing onto her arms until she found her footing in the heels she was wearing.

“Oh, Aiden…” she muttered in pure amazement, looking at all the white string lights I hung in preparation for the day.

Twinkling.

Shining.

Sparkling.

There wasn’t a tree or branch in sight that wasn’t layered in white lights. Making it look like our very own little fairytale at dusk. They were everywhere and all around. It was quite a spectacle now that it was almost dark out.

I had more money than I did over four years ago, the first time I did this for her. I spent a small fortune on these costumes alone from a locally owned costume shop, not to mention what I still had in store for her.

She slowly took a look around in awe of her surprise.

In amazement of me.

In wonder of us.

The second she turned back to face me, her eyes hit the ground where I was already down on one knee.

“Aiden…”

“I’m just keeping another promise to you, Beauty.”

She instantly broke into tears, remembering the first time we met.

“I like the way Bailey Pierce sounds. What do you think?”

“I like the way Bailey Pierce sounds too, but aren’t we too young to get married?”

“No silly! I meant when we’re older.”

“Oh.” I thought about it for a second. “Like how much older?”

Now it was her turn to think about it for a second. “Like when we’re eighteen. That’s old enough.”

“Okay.”

“Aiden...” She giggled, twirling her hair in a big knot around her finger. “You have to ask me first.”

“Oh, I do?” I scratched my head. “When?”

“When we’re eighteen.”

“Okay.” I nodded, meaning it. “I’ll ask you when we’re eighteen.”

“Okay.” She nodded back. “I’ll try to act surprised too. Ask me in a good way, alright? So I cry.”

She was confusing, but in the best way possible. I’d say anything she wanted just to keep her by my side, so I’d always feel this way.

Safe.

I knew right then and there my momma had something to do with this. I didn’t know how, but she kept her promise to me. This had to be the girl, I felt it in my bones.

“Why would I want to make you cry?”

“Because they’re happy tears and crying with happy tears is like super romantic.”

“Oh… Okay then. I’ll ask you in a way that will make you cry happy tears.”

“Okay good, but don’t make me cry in any other way than happy tears. Ever. You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Those are happy tears, right?”

She fervently nodded and even with makeup running down the sides of her face, she was still the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on.



“They say everything is about timing, Bay, and I’ve waited years for this day.”