Hoping to blow Lucien away tonight, I leave the bedroom and walk barefoot down the stairs to the foyer. Jax is walking through the room and glances at me. Then he does a double take and stops suddenly before nearly running into the wall.
"Wow, Adeline," he gasps.
Smiling, I step down into the foyer and ask him, "Think Lucien will like it?"
I can see a hint of disappointment in his eyes, but I try not to dwell on it. Jax has been taking such good care of me, but I hope that his feelings for me are strictly on a more doctor and patient basis…even though he's technically not a doctor. Things are complicated enough with Lucien without adding Jax in the mix.
He schools his features quickly, though, and tells me, "He would be crazy not to."
"Thanks, Jax."
"How are you feeling?" he asks, his brows knitted together.
He's been weaning me off the pain pills, and I didn't even need to take one the past couple of days. My throat is still very sore, but I'm healing…inside and out. "I feel great today."
"Good, good. Let me know if you need anything," he says with a big grin.
"I will," I respond, flashing him a smile before he leaves the room.
Breathing in a deep breath and exhaling, I go to the front door where a guard is waiting. He tips his head as he opens the door for me.
Stepping outside, I inhale the fresh, tropical air. I haven't been outside in what feels like forever.
Glancing around for Lucien and not spotting him, I tiptoe to the edge of the front porch.
And that's when I see it.
Gasping, I take in the scene just several yards away. There is a gazebo by the butterfly garden, and everything is covered in tiny, twinkling fairy lights. It looks like a page ripped right out of some kind of fairytale.
And then I see my dark knight is standing in front of the gazebo, waiting for me.
Not wanting to waste another moment, I pick up the hem of my dress and walk across the lawn. The cool grass feels divine on my bare feet. I haven't walked in the grass like this since I was a little girl, and I vow to go barefoot outside more often.
I step up to the newly-constructed gazebo, and it smells like fresh wood. "Did you just have this put up today?" I ask.
"Yes. Do you like it?"
"It's amazing. And all the lights…" I turn around, taking everything in and how much work he went through to make this a special night for us. Meeting his gaze once more, I tell him, "This is amazing. Thank you, Lucien."
My compliment affects him, and he smiles a panty-wetting smile. His dark eyes light up when he smiles, and I'm instantly lost in them.
He outstretches his hand, and I take it. He leads me to one side of a small, round table and pulls my chair out. Once I'm seated, he pushes the chair in so that I'm at a comfortable distance.
The aroma of the food smells divine, and I'm excited to see what's under the silver dome lids on the table. Once Lucien is seated, he removes his cover, and so do I.
A delicious meal of sea bass, buttered asparagus and mashed potatoes is revealed, and my mouth waters at the sight. "Oh, this looks delicious," I tell him.
He seems pleased by my reaction. "I was hoping you would like it."
Retrieving my silverware from the fancy, folded linen napkin, I dig in, moaning when the fish practically melts in my mouth.
I glance over to Lucien to see how he's enjoying his meal but realize he hasn't started yet. He's too busy unwrapping his new silverware from special packaging. And as I stare at his side of the table versus mine, I notice more differences.
His glass is wrapped in some type of cellophane beside a new, unopened bottle of wine whereas I have two glasses filled with water and wine already. His napkin is wrapped in plastic as well.
Everything he's using is new and untouched. However, now that I have an understanding of why he is the way he is…I completely understand his need for perfection and purity.
Just the fact that he's eating outside with me tonight is a big step and something he probably hasn't done in years.
