|29| im ready

Words before flowers-

Always.

~Tess Guinery

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Waking up the next morning, I kiss Aarons's forehead and quietly slip out of bed, making sure I don't wake him, I put my frog stuffed animal on my pillow and head to the kitchen,

I check my phone after I take out ingredients for Aaron and my breakfast, and I see a notification from an unknown number, I sigh thinking it was over since I hadn't received one in a while,

Unknown number: nice going getting a job with the hottest man in New York...but I suggest you keep it strictly business if you know what's good for you *pic of the building she works at*

My heart starts beating rapidly as I reread the text...

This person knows where I work...who I'm dating, and if I'm correct and this is David he also knows where I lived,

I know I should tell Aaron but if it's David which I think it is, he can't do anything because of the restraining order, so I'll just keep this to myself,

I put my phone away and start making breakfast,

When I'm nearly finished I hear groaning behind me,

I turn my head to see Aaron rubbing his temples

"Headache?" I ask quietly

He nods and hugs me from behind

"Did you take the Advil and drink the water I left on your nightstand?" I ask

He nods against my neck "do you remember much?" I ask slightly chuckling

"Not a lot," he says scratching his head

"So you don't remember singing and dancing in the rain...and then crying too?" I smile turning my head to look at him

He furrows his brows "yeah right...you're joking, right?"

I start laughing "oh I'm not, too bad I didn't film it...the only picture I got was you holding on to me for dear life when you fell asleep" I grin

"Yeah I'm never getting drunk again" he groans

"Oh come on you were completely adorable when you were drunk" I grin

"How did you sleep?" I ask finishing up making the omelets

"Fine, I had a dream we showered together which was weird since I never have dreams" he sighs drinking more water

I halt my movements at his words, I clear my throat before speaking calmly "that wasn't a dream" my slow words take even slower for him to register

Before he can utter a single word I continue in a rush "nothing happened...I promise I would never take advantage of someone, because of your amazing idea of dancing in the rain that ended up in us cold and soaking wet, I didn't want us to get a cold so I told you to take a shower, but you couldn't even take your shoe off let alone take a shower" I put our omelets on plates and grab two cups for coffees

Hands snake around my waist "you're telling me that the beautiful body I thought was a dream, was actually in front of me in the shower?" His voice is low and raspy from the morning

"I don't know about the beautiful part but yeah...I was in front of you at some point" I nod trying to ignore the shivers that coat my skin

"You are more than beautiful Vanessa...don't doubt it" he whispers as his lips graze my skin

"It's a real shame that I was drunk...I don't remember much" he sighs

I smile keeping my gaze on the coffee machine, I beg my heart to beat normally, for my body to stop shuddering at his proximity, but my heart just beats twice as fast as his gaze settles on mine,

I take the cups of coffee to the island while Aaron grabs our plates, before I can even sit down I'm pulled into Aaron's lap,

I lean into his touch, feeling his lips graze my neck peppering a few kisses there "so you had the pleasure of being sober while we showered and I didn't? It's a little unfair don't you think?" His chuckle runs deep within my skin

"If it helps I tried keeping my eyes up the whole time, and I was taking care of your drunk ass so it's not like you missed some sexy romantic moment..." I surprise myself with how calm I sound as I speak

I swallowed trying to keep my breathing even and try to speak as evenly as I can at my next words "but we could always shower when you're sober"

"We're together and have been for a while so it's not like its uncommon for couples to shower together" I shrug

"that's true", he says so close to my ear that I feel the tickle of his lips

"I'll hold you up to that promise tonight" he places a light kiss on my ear and begins to eat,

I feel like my ear is burning from that simple touch, it's genuinely laughable at how my body reacts to him even after all this time,

"So how was the party? I don't remember much of it" he asks

I clear my throat "well since it was just an opening party for the rooftop there wasn't any actual business going on but I met a lot of new and potential clients and I think quite a lot of them will be scheduling meetings for business opportunities" I nod taking another bite of the omelet

"you can make an actual business meeting where there's no being drunk involved probably at the end of the month, you can sign deals or whatever" I shrug

"You're amazing, and I'm proud of you," he says kissing the side of my head

"Thank you, and what no sweetie pie?" I fake pout glancing at him

He gives me a weird look and I laugh "that's what you called me last night"

"I can't tell if you're messing with me..." he gives me a strange look

"Nope...maybe you can get drunk again and I'll film the whole thing" I bite my lip holding my smile

He lifts my chin and connects are lips, I melt and am a puddle when I feel his lips on mine

"Stop biting your damn lip," he says against my lips

"Well if biting my lip ends in you kissing me I'll just do it more" I smile biting my lip teasingly

He tilts his head looking at me with a slight smirk "we can always take that shower now instead of at night"

"You're hungover and have a headache " I shake my head

"Well keep biting that lip and no headache will stop me," he says with a playful grin

I smile shaking my head as I continue eating my breakfast

_______________

Since the party was on a Friday, we usually go out on Saturdays and have date nights where he shows me around New York...but he's hungover so I said we can go next Saturday, but he just shook his head and said we will just go later after his headache goes away,

It's been hours and its now 5 pm and I'm getting ready for our date, I decided to wear a black short dress, that fits against my curves perfectly, an oversized jacket, with some heeled booties,

"You look beautiful" I hear Aaron as he snakes his hands around my waist while I put my earrings on

"Thank you" I smile

"How's your head?" I ask turning around when I finish putting on some lipstick

"Doesn't hurt anymore" he says with a shrug,

I smile looking him up and down, he's wearing black pants and a black button up, it's so simple yet he looks so incredibly sexy in it that I'll never get tired of it,

Nor will I get tired of the suits at work.

I look back up at him to see a smirk form on his beautiful face "what" I laugh

He shakes his head "nothing"

"Let's go?" He asks putting his hand out for me,

"No seriously what?" I ask taking his hand in mine

"Come on beautiful" he chuckles ignoring my question as we walk to his car.

________________

"So what are we doing today?" I ask when we get in the car

"I was thinking we could check out a museum, then go eat, maybe take a walk or something" he puts his arm behind my seat to back up the car, and each time he does it, I never get tired of it...I'm not sure why it's so attractive,

"I've wanted to see some of the museums here, that sounds perfect" I grin

After driving for a bit Aaron opens the door for me and I look at a beautiful museum called the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I get so lost in how beautiful it looks on the outside I don't notice Aaron snapping pictures of me, I hear a click and turn my head to see Aaron lowering a camera,

"Where did you get that?" I laugh

He grins and kisses me, I grab his camera and snap a picture of us while were still kissing with the beautiful museum in the background

"Let's go inside?" He asks

"Well duh," I laugh grabbing his hand and dragging him to the entrance

"Wow" I whisper as we enter

"This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen" I gasp looking at how beautiful all the detailing is even in the columns

"The most" he whispers but I feel his hot gaze on me,

I turn to see him looking at me "are you even looking?" I gesture around us,

"Well I have to be since your the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," he says with a slight tease to his voice

I feel the blush creep its way on my cheeks, I hear Aaron click away at his camera,

"Excuse you don't take pictures of me looking like a tomato," I say hiding my face in my hands

He just chuckles "I love making you blush," he says lightly grazing his lips over my ear which sends electric bolts through my body that awakens me in more ways than anything can,

His touch is all I need to wake me up and fuel me with energy, his kisses recharge my brain and his hugs give me more comfort than I could ever explain

How do someone's lips, hands, and just their presence do that?

I hear him laugh at my quietness "come on" he gestures

We begin walking through the museum enchanted by all the beautiful sculptures and paintings, the artwork is phenomenal, each stroke is so perfectly placed onto the canvas...

I can't help but stare in a daze at them, someone spent so long on all this, taking their time, making it just right, placing the brush right where they wanted it, how they wanted it, they grazed the canvas in a way only talent can make captivating,

To some, a painting is just colors slapped on a canvas but to others, its a message, its beauty, and it shows someone's hard work, and the undeniable love, patience, and pure attention that went into it,

With each painting I get sucked into I hear Aaron take pictures of me and then join me in looking at them,

It's sweet that he takes pictures knowing I like trapping memories in a picture so I can revisit them at any moment,

I feel a small body collide with mine and I hold the little body up so whoever it is doesn't fall,

I look down to see a beautiful young girl with black hair, and enchanting green eyes

"I'm so sorry about that, Mia come over here," A beautiful woman with the longest blonde hair that goes down past her bottom says

"Sorry" the girl now i know is named Mia says

"You're good, your daughter's beautiful" I smile looking at the woman

The girl blushes and the mother grins "thank you"

I see a man slightly shorter than Aaron probably by an inch, with deep black hair and green eyes that match his daughter walk over "sorry about that girls I was checking on the twins, mother said there doing well she just fed them"

The woman who I assume is his wife by the rock on her finger smiles and kisses his cheek,

Aaron beside me looks over at the man with a look I can't describe "wait you're Enzo Moretti right?" He asks

The man laughs "yes nice to meet you, are you in business?" He asks shaking his hand

"I'm Aaron Huxley" he shakes his hand

The women's eyebrows shoot up "no way! I was just talking to Enzo recently about hiring your company for a design project in his building" the women beams

I smile as I finally recognize why the man's name sounded so familiar "wait a minute your the couple that got engaged in that beautiful library...."

The woman beams "yes, it's sweet the library kept the set up for people to read and relax in after all these years"

Aaron and Enzo start talking about the project his wife was talking about and I'm standing talking to the women

"I'm Zara" she smiles

"I'm Vanessa" I smile back shaking her hand

"So are you his girlfriend?" She grins nodding over to Aaron,

"yeah" I nod

"You look quite perfect together" she nods

"Thank you, you and your husband make a perfect match as well" I nod over in the direction of her husband with a smile,

We sit down on the bench across from the paintings

"Did I hear right or do you guys have twins?" I grin

She nods "yes Bella and Vincent they just turned 3 so we didn't want to bring them to a museum like this"

I melt at the thought of kids, I love them so much and hope and dream to have my own someday "I can tell that look in your eye means you love kids" she slightly laughs interrupting my daydreaming of my own little family,

I nod "I adore them"

"So what do you do?" She asks

I chuckle "I'm actually Aarons's assistant"

"Oh damn now that's a hot place to be as his girlfriend" she smirks

I blush "what about you?"

"I own a bakery called A slice of love, but I only work part-time there now, I have a cooking channel called slice of love as well"

"That's amazing I might have to drag Aaron down to your bakery sometime" I grin

She grins "well hopefully I'll be working the day you come in, OH here's my number then you can text me when you plan to come down to the bakery," she says taking her phone out

"I think we're going to be really good friends" she nods while smiling, being completely oblivious to the loud beat of my heart at the word friend,

We exchange numbers, and my heart doesn't stop racing at the thought that someone honestly wants to be my friend.

______________

"I think I made a friend," I whisper feeling tears welling in my eyes as we walk towards another part of the museum,

I feel Aaron grab my chin gently with his fingers, I see him have a gentle smile on his face

"no crying okay? and I'm happy...you need a friend that's not a guy, as much as I love that I'm your best friend I'm sure you'd feel comfortable talking about certain topics with another girl," he whispers watching me with a soft gaze,

I smile back up at him "this museum is very big so how about we go to this part of it then we can go eat, and another day we can explore the other rooms" he says gently caressing my face

I nod "that sounds perfect" I peck his lips before grabbing his hand

we walk around a little longer taking pictures and then we leave to eat,

"what do you want to eat?" he asks as we walk toward his car

I grin "I want to get pizza and then sit at a park looking at the sunset"

he smiles "well then we better hurry up before the sun sets"

_____________

were sitting on a bench at a park with the perfect view of the sun setting over the city as we enjoy our pizza,

I lean my head on his shoulder, I feel him kiss the top of my head gently "I love you" he says into my hair

I smile looking at the artwork that's being created in the sky, God did well with the sky,

"I love you" I whispered

we sit in a comfortable silence as we eat and watch the sky, we clean up and Aaron throws everything away and we walk around the park after getting some coffee,

I hold onto his bicep as we walk, as were walking I begin to think about how we have been seeing each other for months and haven't gotten very intimate yet, which is mostly my fault for never giving signs I wanted that next step, but I think I'm ready,

I trust him, and he knows about what happened with David and why I needed time, I love him with my whole heart and know that he would never do what I didn't want,

so when we get to his place and after brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed, we kiss a little like we always do before we go to bed if were with each other, but this time I deepen the kiss not ready to stop, I pull away slightly while breathing hard "I'm ready" I whisper against his lips

he doesn't need further explanation, the way his eyes fill with lust tells me everything I need to know, but he still asks just to be sure,

"for what?" he says breathing against my lips

"to take the next intimate step in our relationship, I trust you and I'm ready," I say quietly

"Are you sure?" he asks looking over my face

I nod, he shakes his head at my response to which I frown to

"I need consent, the verbal kind, not with a nod of your head, I need to hear and make sure you're ready and want this before I do anything," he says stroking my hair and looking at me with so much seriousness in his face that it slightly breaks my heart at the thought that he thinks I don't trust him because of what David did to me

"I trust you Aaron, and I give you my absolute full consent," I say seriously so he knows I'm not joking

he nods looking over my features "if at any point you want me to stop you say the word..." he stops as thinks

"moon," I say with a smile

he slightly smiles and nods "okay you say moon, got it? if you can't handle something or you're uncomfortable in any way, or you realize you are truly not ready you say your safe word...which is what?"

"my safe word is moon," I continue smiling at him

I think I feel somehow even more in love with him at this moment, the fact he is making it abundantly clear that I have the control to stop this at any point if I feel uncomfortable means a lot,

I never got this much love and assurance put into sex,

To David, it was just him wanting to scratch an itch, and not caring if I didn't have an itch to scratch, he constantly pushed and pushed too far, he made me feel unloved and dirty,

so the fact Aarons putting effort to make it known I have the power to stop at any given moment means more than he will ever know, the man waited months and didn't push sex on me at any moment,

I think it partly has to do with it was never the right time, with his kidney transplant we weren't allowed to have sex for around 2 months so that put it off, then we got busy with work and me with the rooftop project, and we would be so exhausted that we never took anything further than kissing and touching,

but now with me temporarily living at his place, our date today, and us already having the conversation about David, I know its finally the perfect moment,

It's time I let go of the fear David put in me with sex, it's time Aaron takes control of that fear and gives a new meaning to the one I have of sex.

______________

-----notes----

I want to write it here now that I am in fact robbing you...

wring my neck later... sorry guys!

(I did make it clear at the beginning of the book that there would not be smut...and if you didn't read it then sorry that's not on me!)

I'm not comfortable with writing smut and I made that clear in my other book called a piece of cake' as well so if you're coming from that book you already know how I write but if you're new I'm sorry if you were expecting some sexy office sex,

I don't feel comfortable writing that, you can fill free to write how the scenes may have gone in the comments but idk,

sorry again and if you're leaving now because there's no smut, I'm sorry your time was waisted, have a good day my beautiful friends♡

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter (and the little easter egg of Zara, Enzo, and their kids from my other book!)

vote and comment!

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