Chapter 2
I didn't know how long we stayed curled up in each other's arms but after sometime my stomach decided to let itself be known.
I looked over to the clock and saw it was 10:30. I slowly crawled out of Arthur's hold and let him sleep. Sleep was so precious to him and I wanted him to rest. I kissed his forehead and let him be.
I walked back to the bathroom to really freshen up and get ready for a day inside. I changed out of my gown and put on a pair of black yoga pants and white and red layering tank tops, and opting to stay barefoot also.
I didn't know what time he would wake up so I just decided to make lunch.
I got out my ingredients and set to work.
Where the time went by I don't know, but just as I was done making the plates, Arthur walked into the kitchen.
"Smells delicious sweetheart," he said as I set his plate in front of him.
"I'm glad, I made your favorites." I smiled as I sat down across from him.
"I know." He said that with a sparkle in his eyes. He leaned over to give me a chaste but a passionate kiss.
I whimpered at the loss of his lips and he just smirked at me. He gave me a wink and began to eat.
I rolled my eyes at his arrogance and started eating as well.
Lunch was an enjoyable time, it felt like Arthur never left.
When we were done I cleared to table, put all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and the leftovers in the fridge.
Once I was done I looked for Arthur and found him in the office, looking over the files that had been neglected while he was away.
Even though Arthur [and I] had more than enough money to live very comfortably, he loved to work. So with an impeccably resume, he's now one of the top executives for some international financial firm I have no idea about.
I snatched the files out of his hand and sat down in his lap. "No work today." I put his files down and to the corner and turned to Arthur who was just watching me with an amused look on his face. "So tell me, how are Eames and Yusuf? Was the architect any good? How was Mexico? Did you get me anything?" I asked teasingly. I never asked about the job or anything. It isn't my place.
"Eames is the same ever. Gambling, alcohol and women." Arthur rolled his eyes and said knowingly. "Yusuf is still the same scatter-brain chemist. Good at what he does but still stumbling upon everything else. And the architect, no he wasn't, he was better." Arthur smirked teasingly as I smacked him on the arm, lightly of course since he was joking. "Mexico was hot and humid as expected. And as for your gift…" He pulled out this little brown box. Inside it, it held a gorgeous dusty yellow handmade scarf that has silver lining and intricate patterns.
I squealed like a little girl and wrapped my arms around him as tight as I could. "I love it! It's so beautiful." I gave him a heartfelt kiss to show my love and appreciation not just for the gift but him as well.
I smiled fondly at the memories of the chemist and the forger. I rarely saw anyone from the inception job but it always felt good to know they were alive and well.
"Ariadne," Arthur said softly.
"Hmm," I looked up from my examination of the scarf and set it aside.
"I love you," he told me. Arthur is a man of few words, always task orientated, never letting his emotions get in the way of anything. So when he voiced them, I knew something was up.
"I love you too," I whispered back and gave him a light kiss. "What's wrong?" I immediately questioned him though.
"Nothing, a man can't tell his woman he loves her?" He said teasingly as my lips started to curl up into a smile. His woman, possessive man but I love him when he calls me his. "I love you, so much." He leaned his forehead against mine and closed his eyes with a gentle smile on his face.
I brought my arms to his neck again and lean in against the nook of space between his shoulder and collarbone. "And I love you, so very much."
Entering the dream world, I also realized your notion of time changes: what feels like hours, days, weeks, are in fact only a couple of minutes or even seconds.
Though it seemed that hours went by rather than minutes, we eventually broke from our spell. As we shifted, Arthur went to his top drawer and pull out a small, unmistakable black velvet jewelry box.
He stared at for a minute but taking the ring out of the box and gently holding the ring between his two fingers and between us.
My mind couldn't wrap its head around what was happening. I stared at that ring before looking into his eyes. I held my breath as I heard the next two words.
"Marry me," he said so quietly even though it was only the two of us in the entire place.
Tears started falling and then turned into a full on sob. "Yes." I smiled as the tears still ran down my face and looked down as the ring was slid onto my left ring finger. The ring was simply stunning. It had a ribbon twist band adorned in small gems with a round diamond sitting in the center and two smaller diamonds on each side. It was dramatic yet subtle.
I pulled myself more onto Arthur lap as I felt Arthur tighten his already steel hold on me.
"Yes, yes, yes." I whispered as I laughed quietly. Happiness spread as Arthur left warm wet kisses on my neck. It was actually happening; the wish I had to spend the rest of my life with this man was actually going to happen.
Day progressed. After we returned to reality from our little world, the process of telling everyone started. We first called my mother to tell her the news. However she already knew. Seems that Arthur took a little detour when returning; he stopped by my mother's place in Princeton to ask for my hand in marriage. Old-fashioned but I love Arthur for doing that. Just made me love him even more.
Next were his parents. Arthur grew up in a very, very privileged and wealthy household. He is an only child; his father is a former CEO and now head of the Board of Directors for one of the largest hedge fund firms out there and his mother is private corporate lawyer working for the prominent businessmen of Wall Street. Both his parents were severe workaholics so the relationship between Arthur and his parents was nearly invisible. Telling them was more of a formality.
We both came from different backgrounds, so that ultimately means we're going to have a couple of fights and stumbles on the way, but what couple doesn't? All I know is that I'm going to be happy for the rest of my life with the one I love.
