She cried out, “Oh my god, Azmir, I didn’t know you wanted to marry me! I didn’t know...” We’d gained an audience because out of nowhere I heard an outbursts of applause. The live band that was a few feet away had begun to play some type of festive number.
I wiped her face, trying to hide my relief and my laughter. She’s rarely this vulnerable...this raw. I just wanted to relish in it. But I knew there was something behind her doubtful expectations of me. I’d just have to work toward dispelling any reservations. I had never felt so happy and accomplished before in my life. And although I knew I wouldn’t be complete until the day she actually became my wife, I’d felt a sense of satisfaction that was unrivaled.
Rayna grew conscious of the attention from the crowd. I knew she didn’t like attention on her so I whispered, “Let’s go back to the house where we’ll have more privacy.”
After I signed for the bill and we thanked our well-wishers, we left.
Rayna didn’t want to turn in right away, so I ran inside to grab a blanket and then we stole a spot on the beach, next to our bungalow. The area was mildly lit and very secluded. The water was calm and the breeze generous. We sat next to each other in silence, I assumed, both trying to reel in our thoughts about this next step. I was very much sure about my proposal and had put a lot of thought into it, but there were still a few reservations that I held onto myself. Much of which came from not knowing much about Rayna’s past.
I had my hands in a few pots, trying to learn more about her, but I’d totally missed the low-down about her brother. I spazzed out on Washington who is the head of my private information’s team. He wasn’t even near that fact. Before leaving I’d learned the nature of his stint, but I’m still waiting to hear why Rayna has kept it from me and why in the hell is it something she doesn’t want to talk about. Washington’s career hung in the balance of this intel. I was fully prepared to fire him and had already had my assistant working on other investigative firms. Shit...even he knew I was prepared to marry this woman and she reveals this just days before I hit my knee. It wasn’t a good look for him. And for me, whatever makes no sense makes no money.
“Hey, what’s troubling you? I’ve said yes,” Rayna teased. Even under the dim light of the moon and that of the stars I could see Rayna’s beautifully tanned skin. “This sun really works well for you. Your bronzed complexion is out of this world, girl.”
She gave me a shy smile and leaned her head on my shoulders bashfully. “Thanks, Azmir,” she murmured. Then Rayna let out a slow and labored exhale. While looking at the water she said, “I don’t know how you could be so assured of...me, even after my news on Friday. I swear, Azmir, sometimes I don’t feel that I deserve you, let alone your confidence in me,” she ended her last words searing me with her eyes.
“Are you committed to me and only me?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Will you always protect me?”
“Of course,” she spilled breathlessly, almost sounding affronted.
“Could you love me forever?”
She immediately answered, “With everything I have...even if this doesn’t pan out,” she vowed while raising her ring finger that donned her engagement ring.
Even she was taken by the brilliancy of it.
“This is exquisite, Azmir. I’m in awe,” she whispered.
“I wasn’t ‘assured’ that you’d like it. Wasn’t sure if it was big enough...”
She interrupted me by grabbing my face and kissing me, full with passion. Her hands found their way to my head not too long before she slid on top of me. I was with it—all of it. Without removing her tongue from my mouth, she shifted her dress to straighten it so that her skin lay directly on my lap. My jimmy expanded in the favorable attention as she grinded on my lap. After a brief time, she rose from my wanting lap slightly and shifted to undo my linen pants, tugging at them.