?WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL?
?EPISODE 87?
“Thank you, angel,” he whispered against my ear. “So, is it a yes? Do you agree to start our life together earlythen?”
“Yes, Hunter,” I said. “As soon as you think we’re ready. I will say yes as soon as you ask me.”
He hugged me tightly. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, angel. Because I am quite tempted to ask you right now.”
I laughed. I pulled away from him and stared into his eyes. “I also said as soon as we’re ready, remember?”“Ah, you said, as soon as I think we’re ready. Who says we’re not ready now?”
“Hunter… we’re only eighteen.
We have to get jobs. Yes ,we’ll be great parents. But we need to find means tosupport the kids, remember? We have to make sure we cangive them a good life.”
He stared at me for a moment and then he chuckled,
“You don’t know me very well, do you?”
I blinked back at him, trying to understand what he was trying to say. Then I remembered, Hunter Vaughn was a richkid. But that was not really the point, was it?I shook my head. “I know you’re loaded. But money runsout, Hunter.”
“Depends on how you manage it. When I turned eighteen, I gained access to my trust funds and my inheritance.
I already have a house here—the lake house—and I have my mother’s estate in Jackson ville. I have investments here and there that gains very lucrative interests.”
“That’s not the point, Hunter,” I argued gently. “How areyou going to teach your kids the value of money if you only knew how to spend it and not earn it?”
“Well, we are going to teach our kids how to earn and save money from an early age. They’ll be just fine.”
“They ought to be,” I said. “I would never hesitate to tell them how my life had been like, so they’ll know howprivileged they are.”
He smiled at me. “Do that. Make them proud.” Heleaned forward and kissed my lips again.
Then suddenly, he turned serious and nervous at the same time.
“Is everything alright?” I asked.
He nodded. Then he pulled away from me and reached out for the necklace he was wearing. He took it off and took the ring pendants out.
I remembered seeing him wear these pendant rings when he carried me on the beach. I had been curious about it but didn’t want to ask.
“I’m not proposing now,” he said nervously. “But I wantto give you this ring. To remind you that someday… Ipromise… I will.”
My mind went blank for a whole minute as I stared atthe ring in Hunter’s hand. It had a diamond in the center,surrounded by an intricate carving design that got mecurious the first time I saw it.
Hunter took my hand and slipped the ring on my finger.
It was only then that I recovered from my shock. I finallymade out the design of the ring.
The two-carat diamondcenter was surrounded by smaller diamonds that make outthe shape of wings—like angel wings.Then he showed me the matching ring. It had a thicker
band.
The pattern revealed a sword with a small round diamond on its hilt.
“This ring is mine. A symbol of my promise to always protect you… take care of you… guard you,” he said in asolemn voice. He placed the ring on his finger and then heraised his eyes to look into mine and added, “Like aguardian angel.”
I bit my lower lip to keep from whimpering. The designon his ring was a sword, and it reminded me of the weaponsthe archangels carried in their hands.
“Say something, angel,” he said nervously.
“Hunter… it’s…”
“Beautiful?” he supplied for me.
I leaned forward to kiss him. And just when my lips werea breath away from his, I whispered, “Empyreal.” And then Ikissed him.
He hugged me tighter as he deepened the kiss. Then he
leaned his forehead against mine as he breathed in thescent of me. “Empyreal. I like that word,” he whispered. “Ilove you.”
“I love you too.”
He gently tore himself from me “Come on,” he said.“You must be hungry. It’s technically our first date since Icame back. I wouldn’t want you to think that I was starving you.”
I laughed. “I’m not hungry. But since you asked, I’m suddenly craving for burgers.”
I stood up on my feet and pulled Hunter up. He put anarm around my shoulders and we headed out of the garden.
When we reached the parking lot, he led me to the black Porsche, which I first thought was Chaise’s.
“This is yours?”He nodded.
I looked at the hood again and saw the long dent causedby a sharp army knife.
“You didn’t get it fixed.”
He shook his head. “It reminded me of that night. Figured I may need proof someday that it was me whosaved you.”
“Chaise had the same car, you know? He stoppeddriving it to school after that night. I figured it was because he was having it fixed.”
He opened the door of the passenger seat for me. “I’mreally beginning to hate the guy’s luck.”
I laughed. “Well, even with his luck, he didn’t get me tofall for him, did he?”
Hunter grinned at me menacingly. “That wasn’t his luck.That was purely my charm.”
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