The words hung in the air, sinking slowly into my mind as my heart tried to catch up. Ciara's face was set with a kind of raw, vulnerable anticipation I'd never seen before. Her voice, those words… everything was so unexpected, so beautifully overwhelming.
She wanted to marry me. Ciara...the Ciara who had once been known as the heartbreaker, the wild spirit who rarely took anything too seriously, had looked at me tonight with eyes so deep and steady that I could see the truth reflected back at me.
She meant every word. A part of me thrilled at the thought, while another part the one that knew we'd only been together three months whispered that maybe this was too fast, too soon.
But was it?
I searched my heart, diving through the tangled, beautiful mess of feelings Ciara stirred in me. We'd been through so much in such a short time, each moment filled with a depth I'd never known before.
There were so many things I still wanted to discover about her, so many moments I wanted to share. And I knew she felt the same, her soul tugging mine forward with a pull I couldn't ignore.
As I looked down at the ring, a beautiful red diamond that sparkled with a fierce, almost fiery light I felt a surge of warmth, like the ring itself held a piece of Ciara. It was bold, beautiful, unapologetically intense. It was her, and it was us.
I met her eyes, and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered wildly, feeling like they might carry me off if I didn't speak. "Ciara…" I took a breath, steadying myself as a smile broke free. "Yes. Yes, I want to marry you."
A grin spread across her face, lighting up her expression with a joy I hadn't seen before. In a heartbeat, I felt her hand cradle my cheek, pulling me forward, and our lips met in a kiss so full of tenderness that it made me feel as though I might melt.
I felt the warmth of her skin, the strength in her arms as they wrapped around me, anchoring me in this perfect moment.
Her lips brushed against mine, slow and reverent, as if savoring the moment, and I felt her hand slide to the nape of my neck, holding me close.
She deepened the kiss, and I could feel her heartbeat racing against mine, both of us caught in the beautiful, thrilling realization of everything we were beginning together. The world around us faded away, leaving just us in this gentle, intimate dance.
"You have no idea how happy you've just made me," she murmured against my lips, her voice a warm whisper that sent shivers down my spine.
I opened my eyes to see her looking at me with that intense gaze of hers, softened by a warmth that took my breath away.
"I think I do," I replied, smiling as I laced my fingers with hers. "Because I feel the same way."
Ciara's other hand found my waist, pulling me closer as she traced gentle circles along my back, and we stood there, tangled in each other, savoring every heartbeat, every breath.
I couldn't help but let out a small laugh, my heart too full to contain itself. I felt like I was falling, but Ciara was right there to catch me, her presence steady and warm, grounding me in the sweetest, most unexpected way.
Her thumb brushed across my cheek as she gazed at me, that familiar mischievous glint slipping back into her eyes. "Think the guards are gonna gossip about us now?" she teased, her voice playful.
"Probably," I replied, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "But let them. I'm too happy to care."
She chuckled, leaning down to press another lingering kiss to my lips, her fingers dancing across my skin in a way that made my heart race all over again. "Well, that makes two of us."
We spent a few more precious moments like that, lost in each other's embrace, whispering soft promises and shared dreams. Eventually, Ciara pulled back, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear and giving me a look that melted my heart all over again.
"You ready to go home?" she asked, her voice soft and full of promise.
I nodded, feeling a wave of warmth and anticipation ripple through me. "More than ready."
As we stepped outside, the cool evening air wrapped around us, a gentle contrast to the warmth that still lingered from the night.
Ciara opened the door to her sleek black Mercedes, and I couldn't help but smile at how effortlessly she looked like she belonged in it. She gave me a grin, holding the door open in a way that made my heart skip a beat.
I slipped inside, and she closed the door behind me before sliding into the driver's seat with that same confidence that seemed to come so naturally to her.
The car purred to life, and she threw a teasing glance my way as she put it in gear, eyes twinkling with a mischief I'd come to know so well. "Comfortable, princess?"
I felt a laugh escape me, rolling my eyes but smiling. "Quite, thank you. Though I wasn't expecting such royal treatment."
She chuckled, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel as we pulled away. "Well, you are a bit of a princess in my world now. Fiancée to the daughter of a demon queen? Better get used to it."
I laughed, the word "fiancée" sending a pleasant flutter through me. I let my hand rest on hers on the gearshift, and she responded by intertwining her fingers with mine, sending a warm tingle through me.
She glanced down at our joined hands with a soft smile, then lifted them to her lips, placing a quick kiss on my knuckles that left me smiling like a fool.
"I hope you know," she said, her tone somewhere between serious and teasing, "you've ruined my whole reputation tonight."
"Oh, have I?" I replied, raising an eyebrow, my smile widening. "And what reputation would that be?"
She let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. "The heartbreaker. The untamable force. The one who doesn't… well, doesn't settle." Her eyes found mine for a brief, intense moment, softened by a vulnerability that seemed so rare coming from her. "And now, here I am. Head over heels. For you."
Warmth spread across my cheeks, and I tried to keep the grin off my face, though I knew I was failing miserably. "You know, you're not exactly helping my own reputation either," I said, voice low and teasing.
Her eyes sparkled as she turned back to the road. "Oh, I don't know. I think you look pretty great with that smile on your face." Her hand squeezed mine again, and I felt my heart melt a little more, if that was even possible.
The city lights outside the window painted the car in soft shades of amber and blue, making the interior feel cozy, almost magical.
I found myself watching her more than anything else, the way her eyes focused intently on the road one moment and softened as they met mine the next, the subtle curve of her lips as she let a small, thoughtful smile slip through.
"You're staring," she teased, glancing at me from the corner of her eye.
I shrugged, a small smirk tugging at my lips. "Maybe I am."
She raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smirk in her own expression. "Like what you see?"
I leaned back, trying to sound nonchalant as I traced circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. "Maybe I do."
"Good," she murmured, her voice dipping to a lower register that sent shivers down my spine. She lifted our joined hands again, brushing her lips against my knuckles with a tenderness that melted every part of me. "Because I'm absolutely crazy about you."
A soft laugh escaped me, and I squeezed her hand in return, feeling the truth in her words, the sincerity in her gaze whenever she looked at me.
"I'm crazy about you too, Ciara," I whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear. The honesty of it hung in the air between us, filling the space with a warmth that went deeper than words.
We continued down the road in comfortable silence, the hum of the engine beneath us a steady, grounding rhythm as she guided us toward my house.
Her thumb brushed over my hand in gentle strokes, almost absentmindedly, like she just wanted to keep touching me, and it made me feel like I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Eventually, she gave me a sideways glance, a playful gleam lighting her eyes. "Are you sure you don't want to rethink this whole 'going home' thing?"
I bit my lip, fighting back a smile. "And where would we go if we weren't heading to my place?"
"Oh, I don't know," she replied, her voice casual but with that glint of mischief I'd come to love. "Somewhere more… private, maybe."
"Private?" I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Are you implying my place isn't private enough?"
"Not quite," she admitted, looking thoughtful. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep my hands to myself if we're under the same roof tonight." Her lips curved into a grin, and I felt my heart do a little flip.
"Bold of you to assume I mind," I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up. She let out a low chuckle, leaning over just enough to brush her shoulder against mine, the warmth of her so close making me forget anything else existed.
"I might hold you to that, you know," she murmured, eyes flickering down to my lips for a second that left me feeling warm and flushed. "Especially now that you're wearing my ring."
I couldn't hold back the smile that spread across my face. "You're going to use that excuse forever now, aren't you?"
"Oh, absolutely," she said, laughing as she parked the car in front of my house. She turned to face me, her gaze softening, and for a moment, neither of us moved. She leaned forward slowly, brushing a kiss against my cheek, lingering long enough for my heart to skip a beat.
When she pulled back, her voice was a whisper. "I love you, Aeliana."
Hearing those words, spoken so softly and with so much feeling, made my heart swell, and I found myself smiling, leaning forward to press my lips to hers one more time.
"I love you too, Ciara," I whispered back, feeling the words settle warmly between us, a quiet promise that was all our own.