Page 129 of Arianna

“Whenever I think you can’t surprise me, you pull this,” I mumble in disbelief as I stare at what he did. At what is in front of us. “And here I thought topping the last surprise would be an impossible task.” I keep looking at the room in awe.

I should have known nothing was impossible for him.

Unbelievable.

Dim lights with stars lighting the room from above us, simulating the night sky.

Some constellations and the various forms of the moon appear on the huge screen.

Sebastian chuckles as he guides me down the steps of what looks like some sort of theater. A Planetarium and Observatory, to be precise. “You should know by now, darling. That there is nothing I can’t do, and the word impossible is not part of my vocabulary.” He looks down at me and winks so arrogantly, so confident in all he is. “It’s not on your vocabulary from now on either.” My heart flutters at the sight of him smiling big, proud of what he has done.

“Seriously… how?” Looking down, I see dozens of white roses on the floor leading up to the center of the theater, where there is a giant white blanket with matching satin pillows all over it.

He had a picnic prepared.

As we get closer, I see he has a spread of tiny foods such as different kinds of cheeses, fruits, and a bottle of wine ready for us. Walking down the last steps that lead to the center of the room, he helps me down onto the blanket.

“This is not somewhere I would ever think you would take me,” I tell him truthfully.

“Why is that?” He drops down on the floor, offering me a glass of wine. I had my first glass of wine back at the restaurant with him. Most of my firsts, if not all of them, have been with Sebastian, and as odd as it might seem, I am glad all of them have been with him.

Taking a sip of what is in my glass, I look up at him. “I don’t know… it’s just that sitting down watching the stars seems so simple and chill.” I say truthfully. I am used to over-the-top gestures from him, and don't get me wrong… him booking a private viewing while having a picnic inside this place is pretty over the top, but the simplicity of the act is what gets me.

Which I find simple and sweet.

“I am capable of pulling off simple and… chill.” The way he says chill is as if it pains him. It’s hilarious to me. He visibly cringes.

“I see that… now.” I smile, knowing that simple is not a word I would ever use to describe this enigma of a man next to me whose idea of romance is to fly me to Paris, offer me the world, and give me an expensive as-hell horse.

Sure… simple.

Not that I am complaining.

I would never.

Because no one has ever done what he has done for me.

Taking another sip of the delicious wine, I then put the glass down and look up at the changing images on the ceiling screen.

I've never been one to be interested in astronomy or any science in general. For me, it has always been words. Reading and writing.

History and English were my preferred subjects in school.

Lately, I’ve dived into politics, finding it fascinating.

But the stars, moons, and everything that hides in the sky? Never interested me enough to study it, but I did enjoy learning about it through my little sister Mila.

She made everything dull seem interesting and joyful.

“Did you know that we are days away from the last full moon of the year? The cold moon.” Sebastian changes the topic abruptly while leaning back on the floor, staring up at the screen above us, where a special projector creates a simulation of the night sky on the dome ceiling. Looking up, I, too, watch as the screen changes showing us the moon in various phases, stopping at the full moon.

The cold moon, as he referred to it.

My heart swells.

So big.

An outpouring of joy as I listen to this man spur fact after fact, reminding me so much of my little sister.

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