Chapter 163

I wake up and spread out across the bed lazily, naked and warmly encased in the duvet. Arry’s side of the bed is rumpled and empty as he did eventually get up and go to Carrero house to do whatever it is he needed to get done. I don’t know how long I have slept but I can tell by the grey dullness of the light it has probably been most of the day, if not all, and I have screwed up my bed time for tonight. I feel better though. Less all over the place and just lazily content.

We talked for a good long hour, about everything, about school and Paris, about my mean girls and Claude and he did eventually put me out of my misery and make love to me. It was different, maybe because we poured our hearts out and cleared the air first and by the end, I was an emotional mess and so fragile. It wasn’t passionate or frenzied like normal. It was soft, slow, and intimate and I fell asleep cradled in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat. Even though we didn’t actually resolve a whole lot yet, I told him things I should have told him all along and we talked about how I have been feeling. Arry reassured me a thousand times and more that his heart and head has never changed where I am concerned, that he loves me, and he always will.

I forgot what this felt like. To wake up home in New York with no worries about school anymore, no stresses or anxiety from bitches around me or Arry running off to catch a flight anywhere else. It just makes up my mind even more that I won’t be taking that extra year in Paris even if Arry does threaten the shit out of one arrogant Mr. Trevaunt. I want to come home, I want to have my life back, be among the places and people I love and to be close to where Arry works once more and have the life we used to have. I liked what we had back then, I could deal with his schedule when it didn’t involve nights apart so often.

I sit up and look round at the familiar space and everything about it that I have missed so much. In my absence Arry has changed nothing at all. Everything exactly as it was before Paris, even the little girly Unicorn trinkets on all the shelves in here and my fluffy throw cushions laying on the floor. It’s like coming home after a long dark trip and I feel nothing of the constant uptight pain in my chest that I get waking up in Paris every day. That constant dark cloud of never knowing if he is going to leave again without much notice. I realize now how often we have clung on to our moments because half the time we don’t know if he will be called back in a hurry and he ups and goes. It’s no way to live our life and I know this is as much on me. I chose to go to school there and he too put his whole life on hold while making sure he got me there.

Angry as I am about my show, Arry has done everything he can to make sure I got my dream of going there and keeping on coming back to me no matter how hectic his schedule. I lost sight of what his life must be like, running around all the time and after just one long trip, I realize how exhausting it all is for him, yet he never really complains. He never calls and says, Sophie, I can’t face another eight-hour flight and should stay here after this week. He always came back as soon as he was done with whatever it was he was doing. He made sure he always brought me back presents or woke me up with sex and kisses.

I have been so hard on him.

“Sophs, Baby? You still in bed?” His voice rings through the apartment and I realize it must be far later than I thought it was. I pull myself out of bed and walk to the bathroom to pick up a robe as Arry swans in, dressed in his shirt and pants, carrying his tie and jacket. He looks crazily sexy and eyes me up appreciatively in all my glory.

“Hey, you, I just woke up.” I yawn as though to prove the point as I pull on the fluffy robe and Arry tosses his clothes aside.

“Hey, you too… Get dressed. We have plans. Some fresh air and a little bit of romance, baby.” He smiles at me and heads straight for his wardrobe pulling out jeans and a sweater and a pair of sneakers. I watch him for a second then head for my case on the floor where he left it for me. Intrigued enough to obey.

“What sort of plans? And how was your meeting thingy? Was Jake and your dad mad at how late you were?” I blink up at him as I scoop for the suitcase and open it on the bed to empty the contents.

“Good ones… Wear something warm as we are eating from your all-time favorite hotdog vendor in Central Park, and… boring, followed by yes, and yes. Not that I care. What could they do? Ground me? Fire me?” Arry pulls his shirt over his head after only half unbuttoning it and I take a moment to check out my sexy beast of a man. Still gorgeously muscular and toned and still sexily tattooed like somehow, I have this weird idea it will change or disappear. He seems to have slowed down on the additions nowadays and kept things on the left side. I shrug at him as if to answer his questions and smile instead.

“I love Central Park. I guess it stopped raining?” I haul out some warm clothes and jeans and start searching under the bed for the old box of shoes I left here that contains about five pairs of sneakers. I never really need them in Paris so left them here.

Locating some baby pink converse, I start pulling my robe open to pull on my underwear and Arry stops to watch me, shamelessly.

“I still can’t believe I get to do naughty things to you any time I please.” He grins and moves closer to trail a finger down from collar bone to breast, but I slap his hand away with a scowl.

“You offered food… You have no chance until you make good on a promise of hot dogs.” I scowl at him and he eyerolls and pulls his pants off to reveal very fitted and sexy boxers that make me rethink that statement.

“I have a hot dog you might wan…”

“Don’t you dare say it… you’re lame and that one is corny as hell. That’s a line for the cringe bucket.” I’m the eye roller this time and shove him in the abs when I get up to fix my bra. He laughs and goes back to pulling casual clothes on.

“It’s pretty cold, so bring a hat and gloves, baby, and it stopped raining hours ago. I think we have more snow coming.” He slaps my ass as he passes me and heads to our bathroom to find his anti-perspirant and I watch him for a second.

“Then why the sudden jaunt to the park for hotdogs?” He isn’t normally one to sacrifice a night in bed with takeout and movies when the weather is turning bad and a part of me fancies something like that while we are here. Back to normal old us and doing normal things. It would feel like everything is like it was.

“You have to wait and see.” He winks as he comes back out and hauls a tee from the wardrobe before pulling on his jeans.

“I smell something suspicious” I eye him warily, knowing only too well how bad at surprises he is. He has one written all over him and I wonder what the hell he has going on at Central Park. We love going there for idle walking and junk food and we love to stop at the fountain to throw coins in the summer. I have no idea why now he suddenly wants to go there, even if it’s sort of a favorite spot for us both.

“You will find out… Get ready.” He leans in and kisses me on the cheek before scooping up his sweater and sneakers and heads to the lounge to finish getting ready. I watch his casual relaxed mood and throw my own clothes on a lot faster. Intrigued by whatever this is and energized by the fact that he is back to being the guy I fell in love with, back to being us.

***

The park is not that cold and as we wander around hand in hand eating hot dogs, feeling a hundred times better than I have in months. Arrick is on good form tonight, as the sun goes down and New York is still bustling with dog walkers and people strolling the park. He has been making jokes, laughing along with me, attentive as ever. He seems happy to be here in the city again, a lot happier than we are in France and I wonder if he too hates being there as much as I do. He has never said he doesn’t like the place, but knowing him, he wouldn’t want to put that kind of pressure on me either. I can feel it though. In how much more relaxed we are, how much we are smiling and fooling around, and I feel younger and more carefree than I have in months.

“I don’t know how the hell you can eat so much and still weigh nothing.” Arry watches me put away my second hot dog after two corn dogs we had on the way here and I grin while stuffing the last of it in my mouth.

“You can talk… you eat a lot more than me and yet look like you do.” I poke him in the ab, and he pulls me in for a hug that brings us to a standstill in the middle of the walkway.

“Want to go to the fountain and make a wish?” He grins at me, something really boyish about him tonight and I giggle.

“Thought you said that was a dumb tradition and you are sick of giving me truckloads of quarters for every visit.” I remind him of our last trip here where I made three hundred wishes for the most random of things, just so I could keep splashing coins in the water.

“Yeah but, you know, it’s our tradition and I think it’ll be nice to go there and complete our routine of a Central Park walk. It’s a clear night tonight, we can head out of the city after and star gaze if you like.” He kisses me on the nose and despite the chilly air his face and lips are still warm, whereas my nose is numb. I snuggle in against him and wrap myself tight into his body as he rests his chin on my head.

“Take me to the fountain… Better hope I am not wishing for a new boyfriend though, or you may be doomed.” I giggle when he tickles me through my clothes and scoot away when he attempts to pick me up off my feet in a playful way.

“Never. You wouldn’t ever find anyone with my patience and skill at dealing with you.” Arry follows me as I lead the way and even though I say nothing I know it’s true. I sometimes don’t see how good for me he really is. I should appreciate him more and give him less of a hard time.

The fountain is not too crowded, couples milling around looking exactly like us tonight and I pull my gloves off in eager anticipation as I pick a spot at the edge where I can stand on the stone ledge.

“Here, I came prepared.” Arry nudges me and I turn to accept the handful of coins he dumps in my palm for me to throw, getting a huge smile in response as he shakes his head at me, unable to stop smiling either.

I love this. Our impromptu walk like old times and the fact he even brought me some coins for the fountain. Some people love crazy extravagant outings, but one of my favorite places in the world has always been central park fountain. It was one of the first places in the city that Arry ever brought me, a long time ago, in my first ever real outing here with him. I never forgot the fun we had or how much closer that day brought us. We did exactly this same thing as we are doing now. We ate hot dogs, walked to the fountain where he handed me a crap load of quarters and let me make my wishes. He told me back then that if I made enough of the same wish then it would surely come true and even after all these years… it did.

I have him.

Arrick helps me climb on the edge of my usually optimum throwing spot before he steps back to give me arm launching room. I like to throw them expertly.

I stand and start rhyming off my list of juvenile wishes in my head as I throw coin after coin; the usual ones like make my mom happier, give Leila a break with her hyper twins, make Jake and Emma stay in love forever and other juvenile nonsense. Crazily mesmerized by the way they slosh and sink so gracefully in the clear water, leaving tiny ripples which grow as they reach the edge. I’ve always been calmed by water and love playing in it. Watching the waves and the splashes and how shiny even the older coins look as they flutter gracefully below the surface. There’s something so pretty about it, so clean and refreshing and it makes everything magical.

I hold up the last coin, squeeze it tight in my palm before making a wish that I always leave until last.

I wish that we will always be this happy, always be together. Arry will never leave me.

I throw it in and watch it as it makes an extra big splosh, before flipping and turning delicately, dancing almost, as it sinks to the bottom and turn with glee to smile at Arry. Except he’s not there at eye level when I turn around. I have a moment of panic, my chest constricting that he has off and left me, before my eyes are dragged down instinctively and realize he is there, right behind me, just not up where he should be.

He’s crouching down to tie his lace or something and when I hop off the ledge happily, to get down beside him I realize he’s not tying his lace at all. My stomach tightens and my heart somersaults simultaneously.… Arrick is on bended knee as he tilts his chin up to me and holds out a black leather ring box with a look of complete pale fear on his face, trying so hard for a genuine smile, while my heart stops beating.

He can’t be… We talked about this… He wouldn’t spring it on me.

My breath catches in my throat, and I instantly feel faint with the realization that he is on the ground about to do the one thing we agreed to not do for a few years and I suddenly have no clue how to feel. This is the last thing I ever expected, especially after the last forty-eight hours between us.

I’m in shock, crazily surprised and aware of the gathering crowd of nosey romantic New Yorkers pushing in to see what’s happening. I swallow hard, throat drying with nerves and I cannot tear my eyes off his. Like a deer in the headlights I am rooted to my spot and aware of everyone staring at us. I always hated being the center of attention and this right here is overwhelming me.

Arry eyes me warily, he looks nervous as hell and it melts my heart as his eyes meet mine so unsurely. So green as he’s clearly emotional, and it calms my crazy turmoil. Grounding me with just a look from him. My boy looks scared and I feel for him.

“I know we said we would wait…” He begins, and I automatically sit down on the edge of the fountain, so I am closer to his height, face to face with only a foot or two between us. I don’t want him to have to speak up for them, this is for my ears only and I need the seat to steady my Jell-O legs right now. My nerves are a mess. “I know lately life has been going to hell, that it seems like we keep arguing and getting upset with each other over dumb shit, but there is one thing that never changes, Sophs… and that’s how I feel about you. If anything, it gets stronger every day. I love you, more than life.” He shifts closer and takes my hand in his with the box still between us. It’s not open yet; he’s waiting to see how I react, I guess. My heart is in my mouth and my insides are churning with fear, excitement, nerves. I have no clue how to react.

“This morning only served to remind me of what I have to lose; seeing you fall apart when you thought I… It really got to me, Sophs. You love me as much as I love you and seeing how easily I can break you… It drove it home. I don’t want to waste any more time. You can tell me to wait the five years to actually plan the wedding, but I want to ask you to be my wife. I want to marry you and make you feel secure and adored, because I do adore you. I’m crazy about you. I want the happy ever after I know we can have together. I know we can be happy, because you make my life so much more.” He shifts from one knee to the other, oblivious of the silent ring of people pretending they are not listening in. I guess trying to still his own nerves and my heart is so full to bursting. I think I may self-implode with all the feels he is giving me right now. I love him so much and I never saw this coming at all. I can barely conceal the tears filling my eyes or the way I have started trembling. My whole body wracked with crazy emotion and my eyes are misting with the lump in my throat.

“Marry me, baby, make my life complete. Make me the happiest guy on the planet and let me prove to you once and for all, it’s only ever going to be you for me. You’re my missing piece. You’re the only thing in this world that makes me complete.” He looks me dead in the eye, so much genuine emotion in that face I love so much, and I break inside. Tears set loose as I start to nod impulsively. Insides overwhelmed with a million crazy tingles, yet I have no doubts. I feel that way about him too.

I always knew that one day we would, I just never expected him to throw away the five-year agreement and go in for the kill. Arry normally sticks to a plan and I guess for once he is being spontaneous about something that is not a trip or crazy sport. He is trying to mend my insecurity and tell me that we are really okay.

“I’ll marry you.” I almost breathe the words out as emotion clams my throat up fully and Arry bursts into the biggest grin, jerking forward crazily fast and hauling me into his arms as he picks me up and spins me around. I hold on for dear life and almost can’t breathe when he drops me back on my feet and kisses me hard. I hear the eruption of applause and cheers around us and try to zone out our strange audience. I have never been one for being in the spotlight at all but right now, I have way more important things to focus on.

I never even got to look at the actual ring in that moment and now when he breaks free, he pulls the box back between us to actually bring it out for me to see. I hold my breath, realizing the ring didn’t even matter. I still would have said yes if there wasn’t one.

It’s beautiful, simple, and classic, a set heart shaped diamond on a plain band and crazily big. It’s exactly what I would choose for myself and I’m sure he’s chosen it, knowing just that. I love it and as he slides it on my finger easily, I can’t help the tears escaping my eyes. A perfect fit, not that I am surprised as he has bought me several rings over the years, including the tiny unicorn ring I wear on my right hand every day. A reminder of how attentive he is to me.

“I love you… I will wait however long you want, but I wasn’t waiting anymore to come out and ask you. I should have done this two years ago, Sophs. I’ve known that’s where this would lead all along.” He leans in and wipes my tears away with his fingers before kissing me again. I don’t get a chance to say anything. In moments, the strangers are up and around us offering congratulations and handshakes and two people offer to send Arrick the video of the proposal they filmed. I find that weird, but okay, I guess Randoms film stuff like this all the time.

He accepts both and the three million pictures while I stand staring at the ring on my hand and try to digest the fact that he and I just got engaged in Central Park. That I’m getting married to Arrick Carrero.

My Arry, my boy, asked me to be his wife.

I could not be happier in this second, my heart is bursting out of my chest as it sinks in and all the feelings and emotions of this trip here and this morning upon arrival, float away in the wind with my doubt and insecurity.

Arry comes back to me after the onlookers start to depart and give us space and hits me with another intense kiss, parting my lips as he moves to something raunchier. Clearly happy in what took place. He kisses me seductively, yet still gently traces my jaw with his fingers and brushes my hair back before cupping my face and angling me in closely. Arry kisses me until my toes curl and my body temperature raises so high, I think I may explode with longing. He still knows how to turn me on with only that mouth and I pull away, panting breathlessly to get some oxygen into my lungs before I pass out.

“You said yes.” He grins at me again, nose to nose, still held close with those strong hands and I smile back.

“I did… You doubted I would?” I giggle at him, frowning at his cute expression and poke his dimple with my finger. Kind of sad that Arrick thought I might not want to marry him.

“I did wonder if your Sophie reverse and run instinct would kick in when I said the M word.” He rubs his nose against mine and kisses me softly again.

“Maybe I’m finally getting a grip and growing up… We don’t have to wait five years, Arry.” I blush as the words come out of my mouth unexpectedly, but as I say them, I know I mean it.

“How long will you make me wait if not the full five years?” He seems surprised.

“How about we just do it… Plan and get on with it. If we come back to New York I have Christmas break and January before the new term at the school here starts, that’s almost three months. Maybe we should use that time and just… Get married.” I swallow hard and inhale, somehow nervous even though it’s my suggestion and he obviously wants to do this as he did ask me.

“Are you serious? You want to get married that soon?” Arrick looks startled and I can’t tell if it’s ‘oh shit, that’s too soon’ or if it’s surprise that I threw out the five-year plan and opted for ‘marry me now’. I’m instantly nervous.

“If it’s too soon…” I start but his mouth on mine silences me completely as he kisses me with a little more X-rated content than the first time, his hands sliding off my face to slide around my waist and pull me in tight against him. This time he really does knock the wind right out of me with a tongue in mouth porn kiss that makes me want to strip my clothes off right here.

“I would marry your right now, baby. Let’s do it, let’s get married before term starts. It’s what I want too.”