I am looking at my phone and waiting. He said it was urgent. I’m already here, and he’s late. Nice one, Blake. Especially this late at night. I’m lucky with the low lighting next to the house. Otherwise, I would’ve stayed in utter blackness.
I look at the mansion ahead of me, knowing exactly where I am - at their house from childhood. Now it looks abandoned, with the shutters closed, so I check the address once again. The frustration gets the worst of me because I’m at the correct one, but Blake is being unpunctual. If it was so important, he should’ve waited for me here.
I’m about to turn and leave, when I hear a strong engine getting closer. The car stops, and I see Blake getting out of the vehicle and apologising for letting me wait for him.
“You said you needed help, so I came. Save your excuses. You said you knew where Lucas may be.”
He licks his lips and looks at the house.
“Let’s go inside, and I’ll tell you,” he says, smiling. He gets to the door and unlocks it, letting me enter first. “Go upstairs. I’ll come in a second,” he says and goes to the kitchen on the right.
I start shivering, so I close the door behind me. I look around and smile when I recognise the timeless walls, still full of the colourful paintings that faded a bit over the years. I do have to admit that they remained really beautiful. I go up the creaky staircase, much more curious if this house is the sameas I remember than about Lucas’s situation, even though I miss him badly, and I didn’t know anything about him for three straight years.
I get to a narrow hallway with three doors. One of them is open, and I go there, already knowing that it is Blake’s bedroom, but I never got in until now. Inside, I find a sparkly clean room and a fresh set of sheets on the bed.
I also see something that immediately puts a smile on my face. A gift box with my name on it. I hear Blake’s steps getting closer, and I turn to face the door when he gets near it. My smile gets even bigger when I see the cake he holds with two candles: 1 and 8.
“Happy birthday, Anmara! Make a wish,” he says with a smile plastered all over his face.
I close my eyes for a second, remembering my awful day. A day when I felt more alone than ever, thinking about the very few people around me.
I have always dreamed of a grandiose party for my 18th birthday, but lately, I just wanted somebody to remember my birthday. That wish already came true through the man in front of me.
I open my eyes and blow out the candles. I take a bit of the whipped cream with one finger, putting some on Blake’s nose, making him laugh. He almost blinds me with his radiant, sweet smile. He puts down the cake on the nightstand, and the two blue eyes tell me to open my gift.
I sit downon the bed and get the gift box on my legs, while he takes a seat next to me. Our knees are touching, creating a little bit of electricity around us.
I push that feeling away, curious about what is inside the mysterious black box.
“I hope you’ll like it,” he winks in a sexy way, while I’m untying the big red bow, making me slightly confused at the beginning.
I open the box, taking aside the bright-red paper from the inside. What is under it takes my breath away. I didn’t expect such a gift from him. I mean, we got close since my grandfather’s funeral, becoming best friends, but this is still unexpected.
Especially after our last interaction, which resulted in a nasty fight. I haven’t spoken to him for an entire week.
I thought he had forgotten about my birthday, even more so after his last message from today, in which he said to meet at this house because he had some information about Lucas’s location. Nothing more to make me think otherwise.
It seems that he always wanted more. I have to admit that I was abstaining from kissing him many times before when he was laughing at my dry jokes. Or from wanting to jump into his arms when I saw him getting out of the gym, sweaty and toned.
I look at him, then at the present, trying to figure out if it was a joke, but from his smiling expression, I guess it’s not.
“Put it on. I’ll be back shortly,” he says, getting up and closing the door.
Inside the box is an extremely sexy set, which contains a bra, a pair of lingerie, and a semi-transparent dress with a plunging neckline. All of them are made of a delicate and soft lace. Underneath, it is a simple letter, but I feel like it holds a much deeper meaning.
Fully enjoy your life.
Live in the present, not in the past.
I know he means Lucas. I should really forget about him because of how much he disappointed and hurt me, but my child’s heart could never fully do that. But now I have Blake, and I am truly grateful for him, especially for all the time we spent together these past few years.
Besides, even though I wanted to buy something like this for a long time, I never got the courage to. The salesgirls would’ve probably given me long gazes since my face still looks like a child’s.
Without a second thought, I undress, taking one piece at a time. I dress slowly with the laces while trying not to tear them apart. Something tells me that he knew my size, because everything fit me perfectly. I don’t have any time to process as I see Blake entering the room.
I run out of breath when I notice that he is no longer dressed. He only has a towel wrapped around him. And what a body… ugh, I can see what the gym made out of him.
While I’m staring at him, he’s admiring me with a satisfied smile. His beautiful eyes stare at mine, and he gets closer. He looks at my lips like he’s waiting for a confirmation, which I give him once I touch his chest, drawing a line on his abs until I get to the towel.
