Page 39 of Letters to the Lost

“I love you, Autumn. Always have, always will.”

“Always have, always will,” I repeat.

“Where are we going?” I ask Atlas curiously as we drive through strange streets, we are meeting the others somewhere for my surprise.

“You really hate surprises don’t you?” he laughs, the sound so carefree I want to bottle it up forever.

“Detest them. Hate them with a passion. So can I know?”

“Not a chance Pumpkin. We need to wait for your other boyfriends to be there.”

“Ughhh,” I groan, my head flopping back with a thud against the headrest.

“Adorable,” Atlas mutters under his breath, so quietly I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to hear. Atlas turns the volume up for the music, his voice carrying the song playing making me break out in goosebumps.

This man’s voice does things to me. As his large hand splays across my thigh, I watch, entranced as the veins that run from his hand up into his forearm bulge as he flexes his fingers against my thigh. Wetness floods my panties, as he does it again. His voice fills the car as he continues to sing along toSeven Nation Army by Stevie Howie.His gravelly voice continues, and I can feel myself growing increasingly more aroused. Before I can ask him to fuck me in the back seat, he cuts the engine.

“We’re here!” he announces, giving my thigh one more squeeze then exits the car and walks around to my side where I sit in a daze.

What the fuck just happened.

“Are you ok?” he asks me, opening the passenger side door, his voice smug.

“Fucking voodoo voice,” I grumble.

“Come on Princess, we’re all waiting on you,” Zander’s voice shouts from behind Atlas.

“Ready?” Atlas asks me, his hand outstretched for me to take.

“Wow,” I murmur, shock overtaking me as I catch a glimpse of where they are leading me.

The Japanese friendship garden where I had taken Atlas for his birthday is now lit up with candles on the walkway as we approach the waterfall. My men all stand there as I come to a stop in front of them, Atlas making his way over next to them.

I’m half expecting a string quartet to jump out from the water in scuba gear with how elaborate this all looks.

“Autumn,” Atlas says, dragging my attention back to him from the water to the side of us, “We know you never got to go to prom, so we want to ask you something, but you have to wait until we are all finished asking you to answer, okay?”

“Okay?”

Atlas turns on his heel and grabs a bag from under the wood bench, the smell of food surrounding me as he pulls a box of something from inside the bag. He opens the box revealing a mixed platter of chicken wings, a massive cheesy grin appears across his face as he looks at my bewildered expression. A note sits laminated on the lid.

I’ve never asked anyone to a dance before, so I’m going toWING it. Will you go with me?

“Oh my god,” I laugh, covering my face with my hands.

Sebastian steps up next, revealing a large pizza box. As he lifts the lid, there on the inside scribbled in Sharpie is a note.

I know this is reallyCHEESY, but will you go to the dance with me?

Yes or No

The pizza is extra cheese with pepperoni slices in a heart shape with a question mark in the middle.

I can’t stop the wide grin that spreads across my face. All the thought that has gone into this is amazing and so over the top that I couldn’t stop the giddy feeling that flutters in my stomach.

Zander takes Sebastian's spot and reveals a homemade box of doughnuts that has a note taped to the lid.

---