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A man will never love you or treat you as well as a store. If a man doesn't fit, you can't exchange him seven days later for a gorgeous cashmere sweater. And a store always smells good. A store can awaken a lust for things you never even knew you needed. And when your fingers first grasp those shiny, new bags... oh yes... oh yes.
I laughed outright when the character in the movie said those words. They were so true. They fit every man I had gone out with, except Adrian. I would never want to return him for anything else in the world. I loved him with all imperfections included.
"Rose, only you would catch that." Adrian chuckled as he tightened his arms around me. It was just last night that we had declared our love for one another. And we were so madly in love. Our friends didn't know that we had officially declared our love for each other last night. I didn't want to deal with that just now. I wanted to live and enjoy the moment with Adrian.
"It's true. I can't really return you. Not that I would try or anything like that."
He pretended to be offended. "You better not." He said, leaning down and pecking my lips.
"Don't worry; I won't ever do it." I thought about it for a little. "Well, let me amend to that. I will only want to return you when you suggest those naughty things you keep on suggesting."
He laughed. "Oh, Rose. You are so innocent."
"Thanks." I said sarcastically. "Obviously you don't know me well."
He smiled cheekily while I turned in his arms. He traced his finger up and down my bare arm and shoulder. "Hmm…We can get to know each other better, if you'd like."
I laughed against his lips. "So eager for my body?"
"No…only if and when you are ready will I ever be eager for your body." He said truthfully, rubbing my cheek while so deep into my eyes. I felt like I could get lost into those Emerald eyes that had been passed down from generation to generation of Ivashkov's.
I nuzzled my nose with his. "You are such a good man. Why didn't you come here sooner?"
"I ask myself that question many times. And I never find an answer."
I chuckled. "So…"
"Yeah?"
"Did you hear about the Sadies Hawkins dance?" I asked looking down now. "Do you have a date?"
"Yes and no. I was kind of hoping that you would ask." He looked so serious that I had to laugh.
There was a knock on the door. "Perfect timing." I stood up and answered the door. A guy I barely knew handed me a red box that usually bakeries came in. I handed him a tip and took the box from him. I walked over to Adrian and handed him the box.
"What is this?"
"Open it."
Sadies Hawkins Dance was a dance where the girl had to ask the guy instead of vice of versa. Like every year, Sadies was only open to graduating Seniors. And the cool part about it was that the Academy never hosted it. Well, the Academy paid for everything, but the location of the dance was always outside of the academy gates. Of course, in that dance, there were like a million guardians.
Adrian opened the box and twenty for cupcakes were there. There were letters on each cupcake and it spelled out: W-I-L-L Y-O-U G-O T-O S-A-D-I-E-S W-I-T-H M-E?
"I am amazed. This is the first time any female has asked me in a special way to go the dance with her."
"Adrian, hurry up and answer the question."
"Mmm…these cupcakes look very appetizing." He seemed to be teasing me.
I rolled my eyes.
"Are they all mine?" He licked his lips.
I swatted him on the arm. "Adrian!"
He chuckled. "Of course yes, my lady Rose. You don't even have to ask. You know it's a positive yes."
I let out a dramatic breath and pretended to wipe the sweat off my forehead. "For a second, I thought you were going to say no."
He chuckled. "Now can I eat the cupcakes?"
"Sure. Only if you share, though." He bit a piece off a cupcake and shared it with me.
"Oh my crap!"
"What?"
"That means I have only one week to find a dress!" I stood up and it was kind of hard since he was holding me so tightly.
He kissed my forehead. "Calm, my Rose. I know this person who will custom-make a dress for you in like five hours." He stood up. "You just have to come with me and tell her what you want and she will have it ready for you in no time. And plus, I'll pay for it. The best thing of all, is that you don't have to bring along Jade or Lissa." He stretched. "How about we go for a little night around town? Just you and me."
I threw both arms around his neck and started kissing him a little too eagerly. "Mmm…that sounds good."
"Well, let's go." I put my hand in his and he started walking down the door.
"Wow…nice car." I commented once we got to the garage of Guest Housing. I had no idea of any cars. But the shape of the car made me realize that it was a Porsche. "But the color is kind of girly."
"Not my car…it's Jade." He said. "My baby is parked in the garage of the house that I chose to be mine."
"You have a house?"
"More like an apartment but yeah." He said as he opened the door for me.
"Thank you." I said, getting in the car. "You rich people are so lucky. You guys get everything you want. And even if you don't want it, you still buy it. The power of money." I sighed.
"Rose, I swear, if you marry me on day in the future. You will get everything your heart has desired and more." He said, smiling at me and starting the car and pressing the gas.
"It kind of sounds like you just asked me to marry you."
"Well, I am glad you got the message." There was a long silence. "So what do you say?" He asked at last.
I took his hand. "Um…I barely know you."
He chuckled. "I know." He sighed longingly.
"You want that, don't you? What is it that you really want? The wife, the kids, the family, the home, the love or just a pretty woman/wife in your life?"
"I want the first thing you said. The wife, the family, and of course, your love." He said it with no hint of lie.
I stayed quiet for a while. I didn't realize we had gotten the boutique until we got there. The store looked very luxurious on the outside and the inside was just as nice, proved to me once I entered the store.
"Lord Ivashkov! It has been so long! Where is your sister Jade? Is this your new girlfriend?"
When she said new girlfriend, I got jealous. How many woman had Adrian brought in here as his girlfriend?
"Alenae! It is good to see you. And Jade is not here, obviously. And this the love of my life." He said, pecking my lips.
"Well, she is gorgeous." She smiled at me. "What can I help you with today?"
"Rose needs a dress for the dance. Can you help her with that?"
"Yes, darling, and you know it." Said the old woman, Alenae. "Follow me, Rose." I waved bye to Adrian and he winked and then started to wander off.
Alenae began questioning me. "What have you done to that boy that has made him so in love? It's not a bad thing. It gladdens me. Other times he brought other woman, there was always something in his eyes. Like a sadness and now there is a pure happiness."
"Maybe he has finally found love?" I suggested.
"Sweetheart, that's what I have been trying to tell you." She laughed. "I am sorry; I'm rambling." She started asking questions again. "So what kind of dress are you looking for?"
I told her and she said she would have it for me as soon as possible.
"Thanks for agreeing to come with me tonight." Adrian said as he walked me to my room.
"Thank you for all these clothes and stuff." After the consultation with Alenae, Adrian had token me shopping. He had bought me a mini dress with some ankle boots that he had made me wear as soon as he slid the card. After I had come out of the dressing room, he had declared that I was the hottest woman he had ever seen.
"No problem, love. Get used to them."
"Yeah…I guess I will." I wrapped both of my arms around him and started kissing him. We kissed for about ten minutes. Neither of us wanted to let go.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out something shiny. "Let me see your arm. This is a little souvenir of tonight. Something that will you will look at and remember the good day we spent together."
I put my hand on his and he slipped something on it. When he returned my arm I noticed a huge diamond bracelet on my arm. "Oh…my…God. Adrian I can't take this."
He smiled cheekily and gave me one last kiss. He started walking away. "If you love me, you'll take it."
"Adrian! That's not fair!" I said as he retreated.
"If you love me," he repeated. "Which you do!"
"Adrian! Come back!"
"I love you!" He yelled and I went inside, smiling as I went.
"Ow! Lissa!" I said as Lissa tried to do my hair. It was the night of Sadies and Lissa was experimenting with my hair. She said she wanted my hair to look like Taylor Swift's in the music video Love Story.
"Rose! Don't complain! Beauty hurts!" Lissa said while she did some brushing through my tangled hair.
I groaned and then rolled my eyes. I dozed off thinking about a lot of things.
"Rose! Do NOT fall asleep on me!" Lissa said, I assumed twenty minutes later. "I am almost done!"
"'kay." I was falling asleep again.
Sometime later, I felt her brushing my face, lips, eyes, and everywhere. "Okay, Rose. All done now. You can take a peak now." She sounded proud of herself.
I opened my eyes and inspected myself in the mirror. Oh sweet God. I was beautiful. Lissa had attempted the hairstyle and succeeded. The dress I was wearing matched my hairstyle. My dress was gold with some weird patterns on the back on chest area. The thing I loved most about it was that it was backless. I knew Adrian would love that as he loved to stroke any bare part of skin I was showing.
"Well, you're all set. Now it's time to meet the boys." Lissa, Jade, Mia, and I had invited Christian, Erick ( a guy I had met some time ago), Eddie (Mia and Eddie, they were back together somehow), and Adrian. It was going to be a fun night.
We all met together at the lobby of the Moroi dorms. Our guys were dressed to perfection.
"My lady, I shall let you do the honors on letting you drive my baby. Imported from Romania…all the way to you."
Adrian uncovered my eyes and I gasped when I saw the car. "Adrian…what is this?"
"A car." He said teasingly.
I threw him a look. "Wow…what kind of car?"
"A Bugatti Veyron custom made." He said proudly, handing me the keys.
I looked at him horrified. "Adrian…I know how to drive and all…but what I crash this precious thing. I don't want you to kill me."
He wrapped his arms around me. "Rose…I trust you. And if you do, I can get two million dollars from my daddy again."
"What?! Two million dollars?" I almost had a heart attack. With that money, I could live my whole life without working.
He kissed my hand. "You better start driving…or we will never make it in time." He raised his eyebrows and smiled evilly. "Or I might be tempted to take you somewhere else and keep you prisoner."
"Hm…I like the second option better."
He rolled his eyes. "That was supposed to scare you." I laughed. He got over to the passenger seat and got in. "Drive, my love. Unless you want to push the car all the way to Missoula." He laughed. "Now that would be fun."
"My little dhampir, I think it is time for a dance." Adrian said as soon as we arrived.
"Sure." I said, handing the keys to the valet guy.
We walked in the ballroom and I was surprised to see that it was empty. "Uh…did we get the wrong place?"
He shook his head with a smile upon his face. "No…I paid the workers so that they wouldn't let anyone in until later. I wanted to share a dance with you. Alone." He snapped his fingers and music started. "Share a dance with me, Rose. Just me and you and the music that plays."
He took me in his arms and we started dancing. The song was Forever and For Always by Shania Twain. It went something like this:
In your arms I can still feel the way you
want me when you hold me
I can still hear the words you whispered
when you told me
I can stay right here forever in your arms
And there ain't no way-
I'm lettin' you go now
And there ain't no way-
and there ain't not how
I'll never see that day...
'Cause I'm keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our day
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face-always
Mmmm, baby
In your heart-I can still hear
a beat for every time you kiss me
And when we're apart,
I know how much you miss me
I can feel your love for me in your heart
And there ain't no way-
I'm lettin' you go now
And there ain't now way-
and there ain't no how
I'll never see that day...
'Cause I'm keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our day
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face-always
(I wanna wake up every morning)
In your eyes-(I can still see
the look of the one) I can still see
the look of the one who really loves me
(I can still feel the way that you want)
The one who wouldn't put anything
else in the world above me
(I can still see love for me) I can
still see love for me in your eyes
(I still see the love)
And there ain't no way-
I'm lettin' you go now
And there ain't no way-
and there ain't no how
I'll never see that day...
'Cause I'm keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our day
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face—always
'Cause I'm keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our day
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face-always
I'm keeping you forever and for always
I'm in your arms
When the song was over, Adrian tipped me back and kissed me. "I love you," He whispered and kissed me again.
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