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I hear the door opening up behind me, the alarm beeping twice, and then growing silent in her wake. I turn, leaning back against the countertop as Sloane walks toward me with a huge smile. It’s a smile that I’ve memorized as the one made only for me.
“Hey there, chef,” she says, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning up to kiss me.
“Professor. Chef. What other nicknames do you have up there for me?” I tap a finger against her forehead. “Hey there, darling,” I say, kissing her again.
She pulls back, eyeing the fully set dining table to our right. The plates are set and ready for food. The steaks in the center of the table sit beside a bowl of tossed salad and a freshly baked loaf of sourdough. I watch as her eyes track to the tub of cookie dough ice cream sitting atop a bowl of ice withtheice cream scoop sitting beside it. Her gaze flicks to mine, eyes filled with wonder and arousal.
“Don’t even think about dessert first, darling,” I say, grabbing her purse and setting it down on the counter. “I worked too hard on these for them to get cold. Come on.” I walk her over to her place at the table, and she sits, staring up at me.
“You didn’t have to do all this. It’s just a promotion,” she says, shying away from her accomplishments like they don’t mean the absolute world to me.
“Yes, I did. It’s notjusta promotion. It’s your work finally being seen for how truly amazing it is, how truly amazingyouare.” I take my seat across from her, plating the steaks and the salad. “Plus, it’s also our anniversary, and I might have a little surprise of my own.” She looks up from her plate.
“You? Asurprise? Wow, I’m already shocked,” she says, sarcasm dripping from the words as she starts cutting the steak.
“Mhm. I managed to finally keep one from you,” I say proudly. She laughs, moaning softly at her first bite of food. It’s an adorable little quirk I discovered she had when she moved in.
“Like it?” I ask, watching her.
“Mhm,” she says, blushing a pale shade of red. “So, what’s the surprise?” she says, changing the subject. My girl still gets embarrassed easily. If I didn’t love to watch her squirm, I’d spank her for it. I still might, just for fun.
“I’m opening my music therapy studio. It’sreallyhappening,” I say as her eyes widen in disbelief and awe.
“Riven, what? That’s amazing. You have worked so hard for this, and you deserve all of it,” she says, beaming. She stands, climbing into my lap. “Look at you, the man who once used the music to mask his darkness, now the one using it to heal others. How poetic.”
“Wehave worked so hard for this.Wedeserve it,” I remind her. “And wow, look at you, headlining your next story,” I say jokingly.
“Have you and the guys decided on a name for it yet? And what kind of services will you offer?” she asks, genuine curiosity on her face.
I avert her gaze before finding it again, suddenly shy myself. “The Reverence Room,” I say.
“Wow, Riven. That’s … beautiful. I love that,” she says.
“Yeah?” I ask, brushing her hair behind her ears. “It’s going to be a place for … everyone. For trauma survivors, those with anxiety or depression, victims of PTSD or abuse, those battling addiction, veterans, and even artists seeking emotional release.” I spurt out the words like they can’t exit my mind fast enough, relieved to finally say them aloud. It feelsgood.
She watches me intently, smiling. “That’s amazing, Riven. I can’t wait to see all of the good that comes out of this.” She presses her forehead to mine, running her hands through my hair.
“I love you. Have I ever told you that?” I whisper, pressing my lips against hers.
“Mhm, maybe a time or two. But it wouldn’t hurt to hear it again,” she says against my lips.
“I love you, I love you,I love you,” I say, trailing kisses down her jaw and over her neck. She giggles, pulling away from my mouth.
“I love you, too, so much,” she says, her eyes looking back and forth between my own.
I pick her up and return her to her seat, earning a gasp. “Finish eating, darling. Dessert is waiting,” I say, eyes flicking to the ice cream scoop before returning to hers. She tracks my gaze, her cheeks blushing that pale shade of red that I love once again.
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As soon as she takes the last bite on her plate, I scoop her into my arms and head for the back door. She giggles the whole way there, tossing her head back and kicking her feet like she knows what’s coming. And she might think she knows, but I’ve got another surprise for her hidden just beyond the forest. She buries her head in my chest as I barrel through the door, walkingand walking until we clear the opening of the forest. I set her down with her back against me and cover her eyes with my hands.
“Riven, what are you doing?” she asks, her hands resting softly atop mine.
“Shhhh,” I whisper against her ear, walking forward a few steps. She giggles, shuffling forward blindly.
“Okay,” I say, pausing, “are you ready?”
