Page 30 of Just A Kiss

I set mine down as well. “It was Aiden’s. I bought it today.”

“Why?” She tilts her head to the side.

“You’ll see,” I say, and she rolls her eyes, but a big smile spreads across her face. She likes surprises. I pick up her drink and offer it to her. She takes it, and I lift mine. “To New Year’s.”

“To New Year’s.” She taps her glass to mine, and we take a drink.

Two hours and a bottle of champagne later, I take her hand and lead her over to the floor-to-ceiling window. I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. I point at a spot off into the distance. “Watch right there.”

“Okay.” She giggles, and I kiss her neck, sneaking a peek at my watch. Only seconds until our life changes forever. In the best way.

“What are we …?”

Her voice cuts off when the first firework explodes, lighting up the sky in a vibrant purple. She gasps.

“Pretty?”

“Gorgeous,” she says in awe as another one shoots up into the sky and bursts, matching the color of her dress. “Did you …?”

“Buy this apartment just for this view? Yes.” I chuckle, and she spins around in my arms.

“Asher, that’s …”

“Awesome?”

“Crazy,” she corrects me.

I laugh at her shocked face. “Well, it’s a new year. I wanted to make a tradition.”

“Tradition?” She whispers the word.

Another firework goes off behind her, and it lights up the dark apartment. I go to my knee, and she gasps, placing her hands over her face. I pull the box out of my jacket pocket and open it, showing her the ring I bought just for her. “Andi, I want to spend every New Year’s Eve for the rest of my life with you, in this apartment getting a kiss from you. I’ve been in love with you for two years. You’re all I want. Will you marry me?”

Tears run down her face, and she stares down at me with wide eyes. I smile at her. I have no doubt what her answer is.

She begins to sob, and when her hands fall away from her face, she nods. “Y-y-ye-es-s-s.” She manages to get out. I place the ring on her finger, then stand and pick her up. I spin her around as she lets out a laugh, and then my lips are on hers as more fireworks go off outside the windows, ringing in the new year. And I can’t wait to bring her back here year after year to celebrate our life together. And then one day our children.

“I love you,” I whisper against her lips.

“I love you,” she says, and then her lips are on mine again.

It’s funny how the rest of my life started with just a kiss.

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