*Flashback*
I take some of the foam floating on the water in the tub between my hands and blow it toward Alex, who raises his eyebrows at me. I smile.
“I love bubble baths,” I admit and repeat my action.
Alex takes a glass of whiskey and drinks from it. “Thanks for this, Alex. It looks beautiful,” I say, looking around again.
There were candles, rose petals, roses, food, champagne, a hot tub filled with bubbling water, and music playing in the background. Everything was perfect.
“All for my princess,” he smiles, and I feel my cheeks blush.
I can feel some of his half-hidden flirtatious glances through his whiskey glass. I wrinkle my nose, and he smiles tenderly.
“Isn’t it a little early to be drinking alcohol?” I ask. He leaves the glass outside the tub and clicks his tongue.
“It’s never too early for a glass of whiskey,” he shrugs. I grimace, taking the orange juice off the tray and sipping it.
“Not for an alcoholic,” I joke. He rolls his eyes and raises his eyebrows at me.
I puff out my cheeks, and he pouts his lips. I brush my feet against his thighs, and he caresses them. I place my hands on either side of my hips and push myself toward him. He grabs my waist and pulls me closer, positioning me between his legs.
I rest my cheek on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Alex strokes my back.
“Are you happy for Evelyn?” I ask.
“Of course I am,” he nods. I smile slightly.
“I am too,” I admit. “She is a wonderful woman, and I think she deserves to be happy. If Daniel makes her happy, then I think she’s already won in this life,” I murmur, running my hands along his arm.
Alex sighs. “Maybe one day she’ll think the same about us,” he says.
I look at him and smile slightly. “Are you really willing to wait five years or more to marry me?” I ask sarcastically.
Alex snorts. “It’s a long time,” he sighs. “But yes, I’ll wait as long as necessary,” he says, and I swallow.
I’d love to say that those words bring me a lot of excitement and happiness, but I know that actually feeling emotions would be a pretty selfish thing for me to do. Alex doesn’t deserve to wait this long for me. Time is something you never get back, and I’m taking it away from him.
But I’m selfish enough to let it go.
“Alex,” I call him. A sound comes out of his throat, letting me know he is listening. “Promise me that if you ever feel something-anything-for another girl or woman, you will break up with me immediately,” I ask.
“What are you talking about?” he asks, a little annoyed. “What are you trying to say?”
“I just… I don’t want to take away your chance to be with the person who could be the love of your life,” I shrug.
“Nina…”
“Just promise,” I interrupt him and look down.
An awkward silence falls, broken only by Alex’s snort.
“This is stupid,” he says, shaking his head. I run my hands along his arm.
“You are all I want.”
“I am what you want, but are you 100% sure that I am what you really need in your life?” I ask. A slightly awkward silence lingers, but Alex’s hands never stop caressing my skin, which makes me feel a thousand times more secure.
“I don’t judge you. You never know,” I whisper.
He sighs.
“Chick…”
“It’s okay, Alex. I understand,” I whisper as his hands caress my hair and cheeks. “There’s nothing wrong with having doubts. It’s human,” I murmur, and I swear that his touch feels like a spell as my body begins to relax under his delicate touch.
His rough hands feel amazing against my cheek, and I swear there’s no sensation I love more than this.
“You are everything I’m looking for,” he whispers. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
His lips kiss my head, and his hands continue to work their magic on my body.
I don’t want this to ever end. I don’t want to get out of this tub, even if all my skin turns wrinkled. I don’t want to stop having Alex this close to me, and I don’t want to miss his touch. I want to have him like this forever.
“Do you love me?” Alex asks. I nod.
“How much?” he asks me.
I sigh and click my tongue. “You’re not in jail. I think that’s loving you,” I joke.
He rolls his eyes. “What do you think you’ve done to show me that you love me?” he asks, and I frown.
What have I done to prove to Alex that I love him?
That’s a tough question.
Alex has done so many things for me that I can’t even think of anything I’ve done to show him. He opened the doors of his house with open arms. He takes care of me, gives me love even when I don’t deserve it, doesn’t judge me, listens to me, helps me, pampers me, tells me nice things every day that make me feel better about myself. He treats me like a princess, he’s honest with me even though he struggles to express his feelings, and he’s sacrificed so much for me…
And I haven’t done absolutely anything.
I bite my bottom lip, feeling my eyes burn.
“I’m so sorry,” I sob.
Alex peeks his face at my right side. I turn around and hug him.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, hugging me back.
“I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve a single bit of you,” I whimper. He just holds me in his arms. “You’ve done so much for me, and I’ve done absolutely nothing. I’m shit. I’m so sorry,” I sob.
I hear a small laugh from Alex.
“Love, you’ve done more than you can imagine,” he whispers, kissing my head.
I frown slightly and look at him.
“Like what?” I ask.
He smiles, wiping the few tears that had escaped from my eyes with his thumbs.
“I’ll tell you when I need to,” he hisses.
I tilt my head in confusion. “And when will it be necessary?” I ask.
He stammers, runs some strands of my hair behind my ear, and looks directly at me.
“Time will tell, my little one.”
*End of Flashback*
“You may kiss the bride,” the judge says, and everyone starts to applaud as Daniel takes Evelyn by the waist and kisses her.
I smile from ear to ear, tears in my eyes, and look at Alex, who is staring at me.
I sob. “Oh, don’t judge me. I have a soft heart,” I pout.
He smiles tenderly and licks his lips.
I feel his hands take me by the waist as he kisses my forehead.
Alex looks at me for a few seconds as if he’s trying to tell me something, but he doesn’t.
I decide to let it go when Alex’s nieces rush toward us to hug him. He crouches down and embraces them back. A little blonde, green-eyed girl whispers something in his ear. Alex glances at me out of the corner of his eye and nods.
“She’s pretty, isn’t she?” he whispers just loud enough for me to hear. The little girl nods and takes Alex’s hand in hers. I smile tenderly.