Page 62 of Vexing the Viper

He quickly says hi to Mateo and Sam before grabbing me around the waist and placing a gentle kiss on my cheek then rubbing Coby's head. My face warms at the affection he still shows not only me, but to my vipers as well. He gives the rest of my snakes some attention before walking over to the kitchen counter and opening the chips.

"You're not going to wait for everyone else?" I chide, snickering at the fact all he does is eat.

"They'll be here soon." There's a knock on the door and King raises his eyebrow. "See." He snickers.

Walking over to the door, I smile as I let in Trent and his girlfriend, Samantha, as well as Will and his boyfriend, Ben. One by one they set down the dish they brought. Game nights are always my favorite, because it's a great time to get together with our friends and catch up on things happening in each other's lives.

We take turns making our plates and eating before we start playing board games. King suggests Twister, and we play that for a few rounds before moving onto Monopoly. Looking around our living room, I grin at all the monsters and humans who are currently having a blast playing games. My life has changed so much in such a short amount of time. I no longer wear my beanie when I go out. I let my vipers run wild, as they are currently, and while there's still some stares or whispers, they don't bother me anymore.

I love who I am, and I love that my vipers are a part of me. I wouldn't want to change who I am at all.

I sit on the couch, laughing as the games start to get heated. King, Sam, Will and Trent are still so competitive, even though they aren't playing baseball anymore. They probably live for these nights more than I do, since it gives them a chance to be cutthroat with their games. Mateo passes me a wine cooler and I happily drink it down.

We play games for a few more hours before deciding to call it a night. Once everyone leaves, I guide King to the couch, pushing him down before straddling his lap.

Sifting my fingers through his hair, I lean down and kiss him softly.

"I really enjoy when we all get together," I tell him, claiming his lips again.

"So do I," King says, his hands finding my ass and massaging. "It's always nice to see everyone, especially since things are getting busier."

Playing the hair at the nape of his neck, I smile at him, knowing now is the perfect time to give him my gift. "I have something for you. Stay here." Standing up, I rush to our bedroom and grab the little box I hid behind my socks. Running back into the room, I take my position back on King's lap, breathing heavily. "Okay, I bought this a couple weeks ago, and I've been waiting to give it to you, and I think now's the perfect time."

I play with the box in my shaky hands, while King's eyes are locked on the box. "What is it?" he whispers, his hands tightening on me.

"Before I give it to you, I want to say thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes and showing me this whole new world. I was closed off to so many things and people, and until you came into my life, I didn't realize what was missing. You've given me the confidence to be who I am proudly, and I will never be able to thank you enough."

Leaning down, I kiss him again, easily getting lost in the passion. King pulls away, chuckling. "I love you so much. I will always be grateful you opened your beautiful heart to me."

"I love you, too." I take the top off the box, showing it to him. "So, I was walking in downtown Creelin, and I passed by this jewelry shop. And I know we might not be ready, but I wanted to give you something to have. It's a promise. A promise we are going to be together the rest of our lives."

"It's beautiful." He looks down at the thick black bracelet I've gotten him. It has an intricate gold design all over it, and it's gorgeous. And it reminded me of King when I saw it, so I knew I wanted him to have it. "Put it on me."

Doing as he says, I put the bracelet onto his wrist, beaming when it's on. "It's perfect."

King laughs, tossing his head back. "It really is. I love it so much, and I have something for you. Hold on."

I climb off his lap, sitting onto the couch and waiting for him to come back. He's back in no time at all, a blue box in his hand.

"I've had this the past couple weeks. I wasn't sure when the best time to give it to you would be, but I'm guessing now is good."

He lifts the lid off the box and I gasp when I look inside. It's a beautiful necklace with a snake eye pendant on it. The color of the snake eye is so close to my own, it's as if he took one of mine.

"I love it," I tell him, unclasping it and trying to put it on. King grabs the necklace and puts it around my neck, then securing it.

"I walked past it and stopped right in my tracks when I saw it hanging on the hook. It looks perfect on you."

With one hand on my necklace, I use the other hand to grab his wrist playing with the bracelet. This is only the beginning of our lives, and I can't wait to see what the future holds. King grabs me around the waist and snuggles in close, holding me tight. I sigh contentedly, knowing that, with him, I'm always safe to be who I am.

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