Page 52 of The Butterfly Effect
“I told you, I’m going to show you Chicago.” I pointed at the Ferris wheel ahead of us.
The ride was dark, none of the lights that lined the extravagant wheel were lit up, and the speakers were silent. There was no line of children, teenagers, and lovers waiting for their turn. Still, she humored me, biting her lip but walking beside me without any hesitation or argument.
We stopped in front of the entrance to the ride, and she laughed one of her hearty, bursting-at-the-seams laughs. “I don’t think it’s open.”
“No, but I know people, baby. I called in a favor.”
As if on cue, the ride roared to life. The lights were bright, lighting up her face, and the dress she wore sparkled beneath them. Her mouth dropped open, and she clapped her hands excitedly. I nodded to the ride attendant that stood quietly at the controls and opened one of the gondolas for her to step into.
She took her seat, curling into me when I sat next to her. “I’m scared of heights,” she admitted under her breath, fighting the urge to completely hide her face.
“Don’t worry, it’s safe.” I wrapped my arm around her as the ride jumped to life.
Slowly, the wheel took us around, stopping 200 feet above the ground when we reached the top. Julianna looked out across the Chicago Harbor and at the city that stood all lit up around us. Everywhere we looked, we could see Christmas lights decorating the skyline. When she turned to face me, her eyes were bright. “This is so beautiful! Maybe I could get used to views like this.” She sounded thoughtful, like she was considering the offer my dad would’ve given her tonight.
“So could I.”
I ran my eyes along her body for probably the hundredth time since she’d walked out with that dress on. The way the material hugged her curves made my mouth water, and I’d never been so jealous of fabric before.
She swatted at my chest, the lights on the Ferris wheel illuminating the light blush on her cheeks. “Stop making me blush.” She smiled, and I gently pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
“Not a chance. I love when I make you blush.” When I winked at her, her blush deepened and she bit down on her bottom lip. “Come here, baby.”
I pulled her against me, capturing her lips with mine and wrapping my hand in her hair. She melted against me, and when she ran her tongue along my lip, I sucked it into my mouth.
The ride started to move again, jerking a little as it did and startling Julianna. She jumped back slightly, causing the gondola to rock, and gasped. I chuckled and pulled her back against my chest, pressing my forehead to hers. “I don’t know what you do to me, Julianna, but I never want you to stop.”
“I love you.”
When I looked up, we were at the start of the ride, and we stepped out of the gondola. Julianna walked over to the rail, leaning against it, and looking out over the harbor. “This was so fun. I’ve never been on a Ferris wheel before. They’ve always seemed so scary, but you made it so—”
“Marry me.”
Her jaw dropped and she turned to face me, her eyes wide. “What did you just say?”
I grabbed her hands and turned her away from the railing so she was facing me. “I said marry me, Julianna. I didn’t know it was possible to love somebody the way I love you. I didn’t even know someone like you could exist. I will take you tomorrow and get you a ring, but say yes to me now.”
She stared at me, completely still. Every time she blinked, it was slow and followed quickly by a second. Should I prepare myself for her to say no? Taking no for an answer wouldn’t be an option. I’d just have to go get the ring and try it again. I cupped her cheek, opening my mouth to say something before she interrupted me.
“Yes.” It was breathless, and tears rolled out of her eyes. “Of course, yes.”
I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her, spinning her around and crushing my lips to hers. She snaked her arms around my neck, moaning against my mouth and desperately trying to press herself closer to me. She writhed in my arms and warmth swelled in me as my dick hardened.
I broke the kiss and set her back on her feet. The only sound between us was her panting. She took my outstretched hand, and I quickly walked her to the car, practically throwing her in the front seat. On the short drive to my penthouse, Julianna stared at her left hand. “I promise there will be a diamond on that finger by this time tomorrow.”
The smile on her face was so serene it made my chest tighten. “My fiancé,” she murmured, mostly to herself.
I laughed and reached over, taking her hand. The city passed by outside of the window, but her gaze stayed on me. She didn’t look away when we drove past the tree again or when we pulled up in front of the building, but she had the same sparkle in her eyes that was there when she’d watched the lights for the first time. They just sparkled at me instead, and there was a cocky pull at one of my eyebrows. The woman loved me as much as I loved her. Enough to agree to spend the rest of her life with me.
She floated out of the car, wrapping her arm around mine, and I couldn’t get back to the room fast enough. I had to get her out of this dress. As beautiful as it was on her, I was absolutely certain it would look better in a heap on the floor of my room.
Her dreamy, hazy demeanor continued until the elevator doors closed behind us. She turned, catching me off guard and pinning me to the wall as she hungrily slammed her lips to mine. I pulled her closer to me, gripping her ass and eliciting a sweet moan from her mouth.
“I need you.” The desperate whine of her voice shot straight to my dick, and I growled at her, wishing the damn elevator would move faster.
When the doors finally opened to my penthouse, we stepped into the open living room and Julianna put her hands on my chest to push me towards the sofa. I sat while she took a few steps back and slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. She rocked her hips side to side slightly, and when she shimmied her shoulders out of the dress and let it drop to her hips, I widened my eyes.
The fabric dropped to the floor around her feet, leaving her soft, milky skin exposed. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so she stood in front of me in nothing but a black lace thong. I moved my gaze up her body to her face, locking eyes with hers and motioning for her to come to me with the bend of my pointer finger.
