Jay’s footsteps through the kitchen snapped Aaron out of his reverie. He turned around just in time. Jay’s gaze moved around the room, taking in the little details, before coming back to Aaron. He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening in recognition.
“Aaron, you look…” He walked up and fluttered his fingers down Aaron’s arms, barely brushing his fingertips against the mesh. Aaron shivered from the light touch and stepped closer.
“You like it?” Aaron gave Jay a cheeky smile and rolled his hips, grinding his groin against Jay’s rapidly swelling erection. It was the only answer he needed.
When he was planning for tonight, there’d been no question about what to wear. While he’d worn both the skirt and the meshshirt separately on several occasions, he’d never recreated the outfit from their first night together.
Until now.
A soft groan escaped Jay’s lips as he rubbed his stubble against Aaron’s face and down his neck, peppering the flushed skin with kisses. “I love it. I love you. Fuck, you look so good.”
Aaron barely found the willpower to tear himself away. He stepped back and smoothed his skirt before gesturing to the table. “Dinner’s ready. We can pick up where we left off after we eat.”
Jay made an unhappy noise and trailed his palms down Aaron’s torso before letting go, then walked up to the table and tilted his head in confusion.
“Is thatghormeh sabzi? You made it for me?” He turned toward Aaron, and a horrified expression crossed his face. “Did I forget our anniversary?”
“You did not.” Aaron laughed. “We celebrated our anniversary a few months ago. Did you forget already?”
“No. I mean, maybe? What’s the occasion for all this?” Jay raised an eyebrow with a puzzled look. After realizing Aaron wouldn’t volunteer any information, he shrugged. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I like it, so I’m just going to roll with it.”
“Perfect.” Aaron pulled out Jay’s chair and gave him a light shove. “I just want to have a romantic dinner with my gorgeous boyfriend. No occasion necessary.”
He filled their wineglasses before sitting down to eat. Jay kept giving him curious glances throughout the meal but didn’t ask any more questions. As the dinner progressed, he seemed more relaxed, pausing often to praise Aaron’s cooking.
“Is it time for dessert yet?” Jay asked after finishing the last of his food. He swiveled on his chair, about to get up.
“Yes! Stay here, I have cheesecake in the fridge.” Aaron hopped up to go into the kitchen, but Jay’s hand on his hip kept him from moving.
“That’s not what I meant.” Jay’s low, gravelly voice sent a jolt of arousal through Aaron. Jay smirked and pulled him forward until Aaron was straddling his lap. The thong under the skirt didn’t provide any coverage, and Jay’s thin sweatpants were the only barrier between their erections.
For a moment, he considered giving in and taking Jay upstairs, but he didn’t want to postpone his plan, which meant he had to delay the satisfaction of having Jay writhe underneath him. He leaned down to brush his lips against Jay’s in a chaste kiss and climbed off.
Jay huffed but didn’t argue. They enjoyed the cheesecake, and as Aaron neared the end of his second slice, he knew he had to act soon, before Jay had a chance to tempt him again. He took a sip of wine and faced Jay, who was staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and love.
“I knew you were special the first night I met you.” Aaron swallowed past the lump in his throat and continued. “Every time we saw each other, every time you gave me one of those brilliant smiles or said something unbearably sweet, I fell for you a little more. But I knew you were perfect for me after that first scene. It was impulsive and spontaneous, and you had no way of knowing what I liked or didn’t like, yet you were perfect. You read my body better than anyone else ever had, and you gave me exactly what I needed.” Moisture gathered in his eyes, and Aaron blinked away a tear. Jay placed a gentle hand on his thigh and opened his mouth to say something, but Aaron hurried to keep talking.
He had more to say.
“In all the time we’ve spent together since, you’ve continued to be perfect. You’ve given me exactly what I need, not just inbed, but in every aspect of my life. You make my life better. You makemebetter. And I hope I make your life better in return.”
Jay’s hand tensed. Understanding dawned across his face.
Aaron slid off the chair onto one knee, not breaking eye contact. After reaching under the table for the small box he’d hidden earlier in the day, he flipped it open. Jay didn’t even look at it, his gaze shimmering in the candlelight as he focused on Aaron.
“I hope you’ll let me make your life better for the rest of our lives together. I hope you’ll let me take care of you and love you forever. Jay, will you marry me? Will you be my husband?”
Aaron held his breath as he waited for a response. Each second spent in silence felt like an eternity. He was getting lost in Jay’s eyes, drowning in those dark, bottomless pools, helpless and completely at Jay’s mercy.
Jay grabbed his wrists and lifted him to his feet, attacking his lips with a wild frenzy. Warm arms circled Aaron’s waist, pulling him closer, pressing their chests together until there wasn’t a sliver of space between them. When they stopped for a breath, Jay pressed his cheek to Aaron’s forehead and made a soft sound of satisfaction.
“Yes. Fuck yes, Aaron, I’ll marry you. I would marry you tomorrow.”
Aaron breathed a sigh of relief and lifted up the box. “I have a ring.”
“I have a ring for you too,” Jay whispered, his voice filled with tenderness as he nuzzled into Aaron’s neck. “I was going to propose in Philadelphia.”
“Really?” Aaron drew back to look into Jay’s eyes, seeing nothing but devotion.
