Page 17 of Independence Bae

“Not being together for twenty years, I know I missed a lot of firsts—your first job, the first time you hit it big, the first time you moved to a new city. I don’t want to ever miss another first with you Till. I want to experience every first life has to offer, together. Forever.”

On his thumb hung the most beautiful ring. There weren’t proper adjectives to describe its unusual beauty. Fire and ice, that was the only phrase I could think of to describe it.

“Tillie O’Hara Alden, you are too special and too extraordinary to have a typical ring, so I found you one that was made for a queen. Would you please promise to be my forever love?”

The breath rushed out of me in the best way. Marrying Penn, of course, had been on my mind for as long as we’d been back together. I assumed he’d preferred to be a couple without labels. This development thrilled me in the deepest parts of my heart. That now we truly were committing to forever.

“I know that dramatic pauses make for good ratings, but you’re killing me here, Till.” His lip dipped on one side, hinting at his anxiety.

“Of course Penn! There wasn’t any doubt.” I got up out of my chair so fast, I nearly toppled it backward. I fell into his arms, luxuriating in the feeling of being his. Mrs. Penn Ellis. It felt strange but oddly satisfying at the same time. Tillie Alden Ellis. Better. Raven Ellis. I could get behind it.

“It’s beautiful.” I gush wiggling my newly adorned finger so the jewels can catch in the light.

“It’s called a Toi et Moi.”

“Me and You,” I translated on a sigh.

“Always.” He kissed me again, “As it’s always been.”

There couldn’t have been a more perfect ring if I’d picked it out myself. It was unusual, unique, and perfectly represented the two of us.

“Ted came with me,” Penn pulled me out of my musings, “to pick out the ring. While the two of you were shopping for dresses today. You know, in case he doesn’t seem all that surprised when we get back to the hotel. He said he wasn’t going to breathe a word of it to Marley though, so the two of you could share that moment.” He circled his hand in the air with a chuckle, knowing Marley treated any piece of good news with next level fanfare that included squealing and jumping up and down.

“I don’t want you to think that I’m trying to put a ring on it now that you’re going to be a famous world-renowned DJ. I planned on proposing at some point soon anyway.”

His impish grin glowed in the soft light of the candles on the table, his green eyes taking on a magical amber hue.

“I wanted you to know though that regardless of what ended up happening with you and Ted’s show that I was in a hundred percent and standing over here on the sideline with pom poms and a glitter sign.”

Having him in my corner settled something inside of me I never realized had been there. This ever pressing need to excel. To keep pushing. To never be satisfied. I always thought it was drive. Or ambition. But maybe I’d misunderstood that feeling. Maybe that phrenetic dissatisfaction had more to do with having to be my own hype girl all these years. Having to do the actual work, and also be the person to keep myself up and motivated when life threw in a curveball. The last six months with the curveballs and the high points that internal noise had gone silent. I felt centered and at peace.

“I love you, Penn. I hope you know that I will always be there to cheer you on as well. I will forever be your very best hype girl.”

Chapter Thirteen

We tookour time making it back to the hotel. We walked the city, and discovered we’d taken the long way back to the hotel via the beach. I honestly can’t remember anything we talked about—it was nothing significant really. We were drunk on happiness. My face felt tattooed in a permanent smile, and my hand similarly fused together with Raven’s. Whenever I thought I couldn’t possibly fall in love with Raven more, there was something else she did which filled my heart to aching. Like saying yes when asking her to marry me. Not that there was a question. But now it was official. It really was the two of us—forever.

“Tomorrow can be time for celebrations,” I whisper in her ear while waiting for the elevator to spirit us up to the penthouse. “I have plans for you that don’t include having a fireside chat with our best friends.”

The directive was for naught. The elevator opened to a condo that was bathed in darkness. Either the pair was already in bed, or still out on the town.

“Bedroom. Lose the dress, keep the heels.”

She smirked at me over her shoulder, sashaying down the hall towards our bedroom with the most delicious swish of her ass. I made quick work of grabbing the champagne I’d left to chill in the fridge and two glasses, following the memory of her delicious backside down the hall to our bedroom.

Raven lay across the bed, seductively curled around a pillow, giving me a view of her panty covered ass, stockings, and heels. Her shoe collection alone could call up a jerk reel of thoughts for me. My head filled with the multitude of times she’d titillated me, appearing in nothing more than a G-string and a pair of her stilts. She wore pink sequined Manolos tonight. I only knew the brand because I bought them for her, and they were both sweet and tantalizing.

Days when Raven dressed counter to her typically monotone wardrobe really turned me inside out. I loved the dichotomy. Her dark features surrounded by frill and lace.

I set the champagne on the nightstand, unbuckling my belt, letting my pants fall to the floor with a heavy thud. My cock strained against my briefs, the newest accoutrement pulling at the foreskin making me ache even more.

I absolutely loved my dick piercing. The first few weeks it took to heal aside, of course. Honestly, I wish I would have decided to take that walk on the wild side sooner.

“I can feel you leering at me.”

Raven’s back was turned to me from where I stood, though she made no signal she intended to move. She had taught me how fantastic sex could be when drawn out and layered with anticipation. I’d learned so much from her I’d never expected to, and every day she surprised and titillated me.

“Sweetheart,” I continued to undress, never taking my eyes off her, “when I come in here and you look as hot as you do right now, what’s a man to do?”

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