I did as I was told and, undressing and slipping into the tub, I soaked in the warm water in the tub for a long while, until the water started to take on a slight chill to it.
Where had all this romance come from?
It sounded like Lev was feeling the need to prove himself or something of the like. I would need to set him straight. I didn’t need romance, not like this. I just needed Lev to be himself and I’d be forever happy.
I let the water out, wiped myself down then dressed in my white robe. When I made my way out of the bathroom to tell Lev to cut it out, my breath left me in a whoosh.
Why, you ask?
Because standing in the middle of the bedroom was Lev, with the lights off, hundreds of tea candles lit all over, the room glittering in the soft illumination. The bed turned down, he swallowed hard, taking in my expression of shock as my gaze flittered across the room. Still dressed in his three-piece, Lev shifted his weight on his feet and held out his hand.
I hesitated only a moment before I came to him, reaching out to place my hand in his. “What is this?” I asked quietly, awestruck.
He took a step back, away from me and reached into his breast pocket. When he pulled back, he looked down at what he’s just pulled out of his pocket and when my eyes settled on the cue cards he held, my brow rose.
Lev cleared his throat, once, twice, a third time. “Mina,” he read. “The way we met was highly unusual and I admit I was most relived when I found out you were not a thief.”
My brows rose higher but he didn’t see, so he continued.
“And I”—he looked around the room, down on the bed, over at the sofa before he got distracted and announced—“I forgot the flowers. Hold on.”
He whizzed past me and out of the room, leaving me in the middle of the bedroom, mouth gaping. He returned in under a minute and held a beautiful bunch of flowers in his hand. Clearing his throat again, he went on. “And I am grateful for having met you.” He thrust out the flowers and read robotically, “Here in this bouquet you will find vines of Ivy, Lilac and Camillia.”
He switched to another cue card and went on. “Ivy symbolizes fidelity. Lilac symbolizes first love. And Camellia symbolizes thankfulness and appreciation.” He pushed the flowers out farther into me and I took them. He looked relieved when his shoulders drooped. In the candlelight, I saw a sheen of sweat beading his forehead. Reaching up to loosen his tie, he swallowed hard and read on, “With this bouquet, I give you a promise. A promise that I will always be faithful to you, adore you and never take you for granted.”
Waving the cue cards across his face, he lifted his gaze to me and asked, “Is it hot in here?”
I shrugged, holding my flowers but he didn’t see it. He was in presentation mode. Switching cue cards, he spoke clinically but his voice croaked, “They say penguins mate for life.” He reached up again and jerked hard at his tie. “And I want to be your penguin.” He jerked the tie harder until it came undone, hanging from his neck. He quickly undid the top button of his shirt and glanced across the room, glaring at the nightstand and muttering, “Damn candle went out.”
Wait? He wanted to be my penguin?
Huh?
He moved to relight the tea candle but I stopped him.
It was obvious. He was distressed.
Holding onto his arm, I pulled him back in front of me and asked, “Honey, what is all this?”
Lev closed his eyes and he shut them tight. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he let out a long sigh, using his forearm to wipe the sweat from his forehead and reached into his pants pocket.
He pulled out a black velvet box and set it on his knee.
Breathing deeply, he opened the box, brought his eyes to mine and shook his head, “Can’t you see I’m trying to ruin a proposal here?”
I looked down and blinked down at the ring sitting inside its beautiful box. “But we’re already engaged. Sort of.”
He held the box, running a hand down his face and he uttered a hushed, “I just wanted this to be romantic.”
Getting on my knees in front of him, I crawled between his open legs and looked up at him tenderly. “Oh, sweetie. I don’t need romance,” I told him. “I just need you exactly how you are.”
His jaw tight, he couldn’t even look at me. This meant something to him. So I tried something else.
I spoke softly, “Lev, it’s just me and you right now. Although your presentation was very informative, I was never one for flowery words. Just give me words from the heart, baby.”