chapter Thirty-five
Prove It
Sam
I want this woman, so it’s time I prove it. She deserves this the right way. I will not allow Tasha to feel as if she is less than in any way.
“Where are we going,” she laughs. “If I didn’t know you loved me, I would think you were trying to walk me to my grave.”
“What?” I chuckle and squeeze her hand.
“You know…you came out here, dug a grave, and now you plan to shove me in it,” she says rolling her eyes at me. “Shouldn’t you know this kind of stuff?”
“Shut up,” I laugh and bend to kiss her full lips. “And for your information, it has been a while since I’ve been the one burying bodies.”
“See, I knew it,” she says with a toothy grin.
I shake my head and keep walking, we are almost there. Tasha stumbles a little and I catch her with my body. I look down at her little heeled boots and I mentally kick myself for not planning this part a little better. I smirk when she throws me the evil eye.
“You said dress for a date,” she hisses. “If I would have known it was with Yogi Bear, I would have worn sneakers.”
I burst into laughter, raising her ire even more. I can’t help it. She flings her little body at me and I catch her in the air, melding her body to mine.
I peck her lips. “I’m sorry,” I breathe against her lips. “Wrap your legs around me.”
Tasha narrows her eyes at me for a few beats before she obeys, wrapping her legs around my waist. I groan, as I palm her ass, holding her to me. It would be so easy to press her back to one of these tree trunks, slide her dress up her hips, free my cock, and slide right home.
“This is a cream sweater dress. An expensive one at that. You are not getting bugs and tree sap on my dress. Keep it moving, Buddy,” she warns.
I nip her bottom lip. “I’ll buy you a new one,” I rasp.
“LaSalle,” she warns.
“Fine,” I pout like a kid. I only keep walking because my men aren’t that far away. They would have a view that’s not for them.
I walk the ten yards to the clearing, before placing Tasha back on her feet. I turn her in my arms, her back to my front, and sway her back and forth, as I allow her to take in the scene before us. Tasha turns her face up to beam at me.
“A hot air balloon?” she breathes in awe.
I peck her lips. “There’s more, wait until we get inside,” I say with anticipation.
~B~
Tasha
I don’t know what to say. The scene set before us is breathtaking. There are huge, at least six feet tall, iron torches that seem like they are rising out of the ground everywhere. They’re all intricately designed so the flames inside show through the cutouts. The flames are licking out the tops as well.
In the center of them all is a hot air balloon. It’s massive, with pretty blues and purples. The large wicker looking basket beneath is just charming.
LaSalle scoops me into his arms and carries me over to the basket. He places me inside, before throwing his legs over the side, to get in as well. I spin in a circle feeling like a little girl. I’ve always wanted to get inside one of these.
I take in the small bench seat on one side, a picnic basket is sitting on it. There’s not much else to see, but two tanks in opposite corners. The inside of the basket is spacious.
I look up at LaSalle with furrowed brows. “I thought someone was supposed to operate these for you. We’re not going up,” I ask eagerly.
“You should have faith in your man. I’m one of many talents,” LaSalle says, as he wraps his arms around me.
“Is that right,” I purr and beam up at him with a goofy smile.
“Yes, that is very right,” he croons, before kissing me.
We get loss in the kiss for a few minutes, before LaSalle breaks it and looks down at me with a smile. He shakes his head and releases me. He goes to the basket and takes out two champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne.
Popping the cork, he pours two flutes and passes one to me. He set the bottle back in the basket and comes to stand next to me. Wrapping his hand with the glass in it around my waist, he winks and gives me a sexy crooked smile.
“Are you ready,” he asks, while staring into my eyes.
“Yes,” I say breathlessly.
He reaches with his other hand, for the cord over our heads and pulls. We start to lift slightly and I can feel myself becoming giddy. We rise higher, eventually, we start to clear the trees. The view is astonishing.
LaSalle’s arm around my waist squeezes and I look up into his eyes. I know I’m grinning out of control. My face hurts from the smile I can’t let go of.
He places his other hand on my hip and lifts his glass. “To us,” he murmurs.
“To us,” I repeat and down the champagne.
He takes both our glasses and returns them to the basket. LaSalle comes back and I’m back in his arms. I sigh in happiness.
“I want you to understand something,” LaSalle starts. “This may have started with me wanting to keep you safe, but I know that my heart doesn’t beat without you. That night in the club, it felt wrong to go after you, but it felt just as wrong to let you go.
“You took something with you. Something I didn’t think I would ever get back. The road that got us here was not a pretty one, but it’s ours. I’ve learned that our love doesn’t have a choice.
“We were destined to love each other. I don’t breathe the same when you’re not around. I’m myself the most when I’m with you, and I’m okay with that. You’re my safe place. You understand me, because you’re the other half of me. You’re my eternity. Our love is infinite,” LaSalle says so passionately, tears wet my cheeks.
He leads me to the edge of the basket. “Look,” he whispers next to my ear and kisses my temple.
I look over the edge down below and gasp. The torches, there were not just in random positions. From this height, the flames look like the ground has been set ablaze in an infinity symbol, wrapped within a heart. It is the most amazing sight I’ve ever seen.
I turn to look at LaSalle and find him in the middle of the hot air balloon, on bended knee. I cover my mouth as more tears flow. I’m frozen in shock.
“Monique Natasha Gabriel, you carry my heart with you wherever you go. My soul is lost without you. I’m not whole without you. Because of you this next chapter of my life makes sense. Will you marry me?” He says as he locks eyes with me.
I nod my head, yes. LaSalle tilts his head to the side. He shakes the gorgeous ring at me. As if the one I’m wearing isn’t already amazing enough.
“I didn’t hear that,” he teases.
“Yes,” I choke out and fling myself at him.
He catches me lifting to his feet. I cup his face and kiss him. LaSalle groans and deepens the kiss. I slip my hands into his hair.
“Does sex in a hot air balloon get me into the mile-high club,” I break the kiss to ask.
I watch the lust that fills his eyes. “It will today,” he growls.