Page 27 of His Cabin Obsession

“Your dinner awaits, my darling,” Aaron says with a lazy smile, then steps forward to take me by the hand and look me up and down. “You look incredible.”

“I know,” I say, and then laugh at myself. “I mean – I’m not being arrogant, I just…”

“It’s not arrogance at all,” Aaron smiles. “Just the truth.”

I feel my cheeks flare pink, and I laugh. I feel strangely emotional – like I might burst into tears. Is this how it feels like to be beautiful all of the time?

“Take a seat,” Aaron says, leading me over to hold my chair for me and slide it under as I sit. Then he takes his place opposite me and pulls off the silver covers with a flourish. “Our appetizers. Tonight, we dine at my favorite restaurant – just a little further from the main dining area than most guests.”

I take in the sheer number of covered dishes dotted around the room. There must be five courses set out here, all of them just for us. The food on the plate in front of me is delicately arranged, carefully balanced elements literally on top of one another, a smear of sauce here and a deliberate drop there. How it all got together in one piece is a miracle.

Or, maybe, just the power of Aaron.

I lift up my fork and take a bite, figuring that there’s no sense in wondering about the miracle for so long that the food goes cold. Every bite is decadent and indulgent, rich sauces, meats cooked exactly to perfection, the very best ingredients. I know this must have cost a lot.

“This is incredible,” I sigh, halfway through our main. Though the food portions are smaller than what I would expect at the restaurants I usually eat at, the sheer number of dishes makes up for it. Each one is exquisitely arranged and detailed, and the flavors are rich and sharp, all complementing one another rather than vying for attention.

“I’m glad you like it,” Aaron says. “I’d like to take you to the restaurant itself some day soon. I can get us a table whenever we want.”

I glance up at him through my eyelashes. This is the first time he’s made any mention of the future, even though he promised that tonight he would show me what he wanted for us after this.

Could it be that this is what he meant – the two of us, out on a normal date together? In front of the whole world, not shy about who sees?

In spite of myself, the thought makes me feel a little weak at the knees. To be out in public, flaunted as his woman – yes, it sounds sweet. Sweeter than I could have imagined. I think about the life I had in mind, college, getting my degree, becoming a writer. It’s all about working towards happiness in the future. But with Aaron, I could have happiness right now.

It’s a thought that carries me all the way through to dessert, making me see everything in a more serious light. The way we talk so easily, flowing from topic to topic without having to try. The way that Aaron looks at me with a smile as he drinks from his wine glass. The good food, much better quality than I could ever afford myself.

I don’t know anything about him, it strikes me again. Not even his last name. Not how he could afford something like this. But as I look at him, I realize it doesn’t really matter. I feel the way I feel, and that’s not going to change just because I know what name he inherited from his family.

“Do you understand what I wanted to show you?” Aaron asks.

I look up at him. “I don’t know,” I say hesitantly. “I just… I’m not sure.”

I hope. But I don’t want to say it.

Aaron lays his hand over mine. “That I will do anything to make you happy,” he says simply. “Because I love you.”

He loves me.

The words settle in around us, hanging in the air. I take them in with my heart feeling like it will burst.

“Well?” Aaron asks, gesturing at my empty plate, interrupting me from even thinking of a response. “What did you think?”

“Everything was amazing,” I sigh wistfully. “I’ve never eaten anything that amazing before.”

“Good.” Aaron is grinning now, though I don’t exactly know why. “Would you say it was a special meal?”

I glance down at the plates that held fine-dining food, the designer dress, Aaron sitting in front of me. “Of course,” I tell him. It’s not even really a question.

“Perfect.” Aaron gets up from the table. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

“Why?” I ask, watching him. For some reason my heart is fluttering fast in my chest. Am I just imagining it, or did something change in the air?

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