Authors: Sarah Brocious
He rolled his beautiful eyes and hefted himself up beside her. "Patience is a virtue my love." He didn’t make her wait though. He pulled the cover back and revealed the picnic basket beneath.
She couldn't help her silly sappy grin. "I did turn you into a cheesy romantic didn’t I? Nolan this is perfect."
He looked please. "I really wanted this to be special. All that talk about making memories kind of put pressure on me. It also made me think outside the box. I don't want to just make any memories with you Aelan. I want to make lasting ones."
She crawled over to him and cuddled into his side. "I love you Nolan. I love you so much."
He swallowed and gave her a lopsided grin.
“Now let’s see what you have in the basket!” She bit her lip with anticipation.
He first took the blanket he had been hiding it with and wrapped it around her shoulders. He nudged his nose gently against hers and then turned back to the basket.
He pulled out a thermos. “Hot cocoa.” He handed her the warm container along with a few mugs. He pulled out another container. “Tomato soup…and,” he pulled out a package in a warm wrap. “Grilled cheese?”
She smiled. “The first meal you ever made me!”
“I have dessert and wine too…” He nervously dug through the remaining contents. “I think I forgot the wine glasses.” His brow furrowed.
She tugged at his arm. “This is enough for now.”
He ignored her and searched for the elusive glasses.
“Relax Gregor,” she whispered. “It can’t be more perfect!” She poured them each some Hot cocoa and jumped when he tossed something into her cup. And then she laughed at the bag. “Marshmallows!”
“Now it’s perfect,” he teased. He reached for the mug she held out to him. He waited for her to plop a handful of marshmallows in.
They both sipped and stared at each other over the rims.
Raina didn’t know what to say to make him more comfortable. She saw his nerves again. “Are you okay?”
He busied himself with their meals. “I’m fine. I just…”
“Want this to be perfect, yes you’ve said,” she sighed. She laid her hand over his.
His eyes softened on her. “God, I’m so lucky to have found you Raina.” His fingers traced the side of her face.
She smiled at him. “I’m lucky too Mr. Gregor.”
He shook his head. “I told you how bitter I was after the change but it was that bitterness that may have made it possible to have met you. If I hadn’t have been bitter I would have stayed a doctor like my grandpa. I wouldn’t have instead used my secondary gift of numbers for business. I wouldn’t have met Bradley who introduced me to David who turned you over to me.” He shook his head.
Raina took his hand and kissed his fingers. “I believe we would have met no matter what, Nolan. I was meant for you.”
He smiled his killer smile. “You sure were.”
She blushed.
“I wish he could have met you Aelan! You would have really respected and loved him!”
Raina knew he spoke of his grandpa. “I have a feeling I’ve met him. Thanatos says you were his shadow. You must be just like him.”
Nolan ducked his head. “I only hope to be half the man he was.”
Raina twined her fingers with his. “You never mention your dad…”
“Not today,” Nolan murmured. “Today of all days I do not wish to talk about him.” His silver eyes went silver and icy.
Raina bit her lip in surprise.
He sighed and tugged her lip free, soothing it with his thumb. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “When you are ready we will talk about that,” she whispered. She cleared her throat and took a sip of cocoa. “Anyway, you were saying you were getting your thoughts in order last night?”
He nodded and again nerves were upon him. He set his mug on the rock beside the blankets. “Yeah, I was thinking a lot.”
She lifted her eyebrows.
Nolan looked down at their entwined hands.
“And what exactly are your thoughts? You seem upset.”
He shook his head. “No, not upset. Just scared as hell.”
She put her mug aside and leaned closer to him. “Why?” She drank in the sight of him pulling his lip between his teeth. “What do you have to be afraid of Nolan?”
He released his poor lip.
“Is it the mortal theory?”
He shook his head. “Surprisingly no.”
She blinked. “What could you possibly be scared of?
His dark lashes lowered. “You.”
She laughed. “Me?”
He cleared his throat. “Well, more like…I’m scared of your reaction.”
“To?”
“To the memory I want to make with you…here.” His silver eyes implored her. He tugged at her hand.
Raina’s mouth went dry. “Here?” Her heart rate kicked up a notch. “What if someone were to come along…”
He lifted his brow in question, and then realized what she was saying. “Oh…oh no, not…not that…not here.” His cheeks tinged pink. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I hadn’t even…” he glanced about at the pillows and the blankets and his cheeks reddened further. “I certainly set a good stage though…if that were my plan.” He again tucked his lip between his teeth. “But no…that was not the memory I had planned.”
She flushed. “Oh right yeah, no that would just be silly! It’s too cold…for, for that,” she swallowed hard.
His eyes snapped to her turning a dark grey. “I’d keep you warm,” he growled.
Raina again found the lack of moisture in her mouth inconvenient. She couldn’t retort back, she could just stare dumbly. His eyes did indeed warm her by degrees.
He closed the distance between them stealing the blanket from her shoulders. He wrapped it around his own, and hauled her into his arms, cocooning them in the warmth of the blanket. “Just like this.”
She smiled. “This is indeed warm, but if we were to, well…” Her cheeks felt warm again. “There would be less clothing of course.”
He grinned. “Significantly!” He chuckled and tilted her face up.
“I don’t need to be wined and dined you know Nolan? I’m a sure thing.” She kissed the underside of his jaw.
His arms contracted around her.
She repeated her action, and felt his arms tense again.
“You feel good,” he whispered. “Too good. You are messing with my thoughts here Aelan! Messing with my plans.”
Her fingers buried deeply into his hair and she guided him down to her mouth, kissing him gently. “Plans suck,” she sighed. “Let’s fly by the seat of our pants!”
He shook his head and squeezed her. “I have plans and I want to carry them out. So deal with it.”
She laughed. “Well, get the show on the road then Gregor! I’m anxious to move on to other memories!”
His gaze softened. “Well, hopefully this is just the beginning of those memories. If this one doesn’t work…I don’t know how the one you speak of will!”
She frowned. “What would prevent us…?”
“I want to…well, I’d like to…before we do that….” He ducked his head. “You talk about making memories that will last and I want that too. I haven’t experienced making love but that is just one mortal thing I’ve never experienced. There are other things I would like to do…with you. Well, one big thing.”
She gently lifted his face. She smiled. “What is that?” She noted his pupils were dilated and he was swallowing hard.
“I’ve never loved anyone more than I love you Aelan. Not my own family…not my fellow immortals…no one. I want you to be mine. All mine.”
“I am yours,” she murmured softly.
“All mine.”
She smiled. “I am all yours.”
“Not fully…”
“Fully, Nolan. I am yours without anything held back!” She shook her head.
He sighed, turned toward the basket and rummaged with one hand.
“Nolan forget the damn wine glasses. Tell me what you mean,” she cried in frustration. She held his face in her hands. “What are you afraid of?”
He exhaled heavily. “Of you saying no.”
“To what?”
“To this,” he whispered holding up something between them. “To me,” he stammered, his voice was raw.
Raina was speechless as she stared at the little velvet box he held. She reached for it with trembling fingers. She couldn’t look into his eyes because her gaze couldn’t leave the box in her hands.
“Open it,” he crooned.
“Nolan…is this?” Her heart slammed against her rib cage.
He took the box back from her shaking hands. He opened it for her. “I know we’ve never discussed this…never even visited the option together. But it has never been far from my mind.”
Tears spilled over her cheeks.
“I want you to be my wife Aelan.”
She was shaking everywhere and it wasn’t because of the cold now. She pulled in a breath and attacked, knocking Nolan onto his back. Her mouth covered his and she laughed and she cried as she kissed him. Her hands were in his hair and she felt his hands on her, but it wasn’t enough. She unzipped his coat.
“Whoa, Raina,” he rumbled and caught his breath. He held her face in his hands and brushed his lips against hers. “What’s going on in that head? Don’t make me guess! Are you…will you marry me or not?”
“There are too many clothes,” she growled against his lips.
He chuckled. “Does this mean yes?” His silvers danced playfully, his hands clutched her hips.
Raina nodded, tugging the front of his coat to help him sit up. “Yes Nolan…I will marry you!”
He smiled. “Thank God! For a minute there…” His dark lashes lowered.
“How could I ever say no to you Nolan? How could anyone say no to you? Look at you! The most beautiful man I have ever seen…”
He frowned and closed his eyes.
“I know you hate hearing that and you want people to see the inside! You know I see you, but let me brag for a minute! You are so stunning I find it hard to breath around you. It never lessens…ever. Just when I think your face is a familiar one I am stunned and my heart fails when you walk into a room! The same goes for your voice…your touch…your heart!” She rested a hand gently over his heart, glad she had opened his coat. “I could never say no to this. You are a fantasy come true!” His eyes were still closed and she leaned in to kiss his eyelids. “I get to touch you and kiss you and feel you…and everyone else can just eat their hearts out! Not only will I be yours… you will be mine and I am an extremely jealous sort. I won’t let anyone touch you…and if I can help it, look at you! ”
He smiled and pulled her against his chest. He held her chokingly tight.
Raina cuddled in gladly. She was surprised when she felt a warm drop on her cheek, and she knew she wasn’t the one crying now. Her heart seized. It was her beautiful man. Silent tears were escaping the long lashes. “Nolan?”
He laid his cheek against hers. “You just said everything I feel about you Aelan. It’s good to see we are on the same page.” He drew in a breath. “God you’ve made me a sap! And you’ve made me happy.”
She laughed and wiped his tears away. She kissed the tracks those tears had made and tasted them on her tongue.
He smiled up at her as she took care of him.
Her heart was completely captured by him. “Why the sudden decision to marry?”
He shook his head. “Not sudden. I’ve had this in mind since I first saw you. But when you truly became aware of me there was the whole mourning issue. And then the Richard issue…the whole immortal/mortal not able to be together…the kidnapping,” he chuckled. “There has not been a more perfect time until now.”
She smiled up at him. “And this is important to you…I can tell, but why?”
His cheeks flushed. “I want to be married when we…our first time.”
Her breath caught at the sentiment. “Always the gentleman,” she said softly. “My old fashioned gentleman.”
He shrugged. “Is that okay?”
She bit her lip. “It’s perfectly okay Mr. Gregor. It’s actually amazing…as long as we are not talking a long engagement.”
He laughed and shook his head. “I was thinking that it’s December already. Would a Christmas wedding interest you?”
Her eyes danced. “Yes! Absolutely! Are you kidding me???” She leapt up. “My parents! They’ll be here! Oh my gosh Nolan…we have to tell…”
He grabbed her hand and tugged her down into his lap. His phone was in his hand. “I kind of promised your mom I would call her right after.”
Raina’s mouth dropped open and suddenly this morning’s conversation made more sense.
“Actually I promised your dad first and then I spoke to your mom.”
Tears poured down Raina’s cheeks. “I can’t believe you!”
He grinned and the gently took her mouth with his. “I had to ask first Aelan!”
She smiled through her tears. “What if he had said no?”
“I would have had Thanatos visit him and use his powers of persuasion.” He gave her a wink. He chuckled and shook his head. “I was hoping for a yes but you were going to be mine no matter what!” He reached for the little box tossed aside and forgotten. “And I took time to pick this out. You could at least let me put it on you!”
Raina blushed. It was enough that she was going to be his. She didn’t need a ring! She held her hand out and let him slip the ring on as she let out a gasp. It was gorgeous and it was a whole heck of a lot of diamond!
“I keep forgetting you are loaded,” she teased.
He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “Because you just want me for my body.”
She wrapped her arms about him. ”Well, you have a pretty fantastic house too! You must hate slumming it at my place!”
He shook his head. “I love your house! It feels like my place too!”
She nodded. “It is yours! But we have to take my parents over just to show them yours so they know I’m being cared for.”
He grinned. “Of course! Now should I call them?”
Raina cuddled into him as he dialed. She smiled when her Mom’s voice came over the speaker.
“Well?”
“She said No,” Nolan sighed.
Raina couldn’t help laughing when her Mom gasped.
“I said yes Mom. Yes yes a million times yes!”
“Oh thank Heavens!” There was a muffled sound like she had turned from the phone. “Hank she said yes!”
They stayed on the line to rejoice and finalize a travel date.
“The parents know! Now there is no backing out of it,” Nolan whispered, setting the phone aside. “Christmas wedding for the Gregors.”
“Raina Gregor,” Raina whispered, testing the name out on her tongue. “I really think I like it.”
“I love it,” he crooned, cuddling her closer. He went for her neck and growled when she seemed distracted.
She sat back and bit her lip, ideas were already flowing. “We can toss the plans to Emily and Melinda. I am sure they wouldn’t mind planning a small intimate wedding?” She began to list all that would be necessary and stopped short when he gave a growl. “What?” Her blues met his innocently.
“I just asked you to marry me. I set this romantic scene and I brought wine. I don’t want to make plans right now Aelan. I want to make out.”
Raina threw her head back and laughed, quickly crawling back into his lap. “Okay, okay!” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “We have plenty of time to plan the wedding…and the wedding night.”
Nolan swallowed hard. “Now the wedding night I would not be opposed to talking about while we made out.” His silvers danced. “But I thought you didn’t want to plan the first time.”
She laughed at the look on his face. “Well, not step by step.”
He grinned. “I love you Aelan…so much I love you!”
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Raina fought hard to keep her hands to herself and her body across the room from her immortal. She was going to be far too obvious if she got anywhere near him and they wanted to make an announcement…not be found out. She saw the struggle in Nolan’s face too as he sent her a wink.
The tree decorating was underway. And cocoa and cookies had been exchanged for cheese and wine. It was laughter and togetherness…and crowding! Thanatos and Maxim had long given up putting their tall frames in the mix. Bradley was handing Emily her ornaments. Arabella carefully placed her own. Melinda and Michael were keeping the refreshments going. Nolan was untangling the lights he would be hanging outside tomorrow.