Page 31 of The Aries Alliance (BLP Signs of Love #14)

Eleven Months Later

Things moved quickly for Scarlett and me after we launched The Aries Alliance.

Once Cairo Kinney attached his billionaire brand to our work, people around the country contacted us to revamp how they did business.

Although diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts were killed by the U.S.

government, companies everywhere turned to us once employees started following our blueprint for exposing corrupt organizations.

To celebrate the growth of our business, Scarlett and I planned a joint fortieth birthday party at the exclusive Ember Falls Rooftop Hotel.

Val, Tiffany, our parents, clients, and those who joined us on our quest for justice, feasted on foods from Black-owned restaurants in the city along with a bottomless bar that had several people tipsy and grooving to an old-school playlist like they were at an Earth, Wind, and Fire concert.

Since Scarlett was the social butterfly of the night, I barely had time to embrace her in a sequined red dress that made her look like an R-rated Little Red Riding Hood.

When she stepped away from a small group of former employees, I pulled her by the hand into a storage room at the back of the venue and turned on the light before closing the door.

I pressed her body into a stack of boxes and placed my hands behind her neck.

“Hey, baby,” I spoke against her jaw as she leaned back and arched her back.

She grabbed my waist and pulled me into her.

“Hey, back.”

“Since you were the belle of the ball, I needed to snatch you away for a minute.”

Scarlett pressed her hand into my chest and shook her head.

“You’re so demanding.”

“And ready to have you to myself.”

“We can’t leave our guests. They’re here to celebrate us.”

“Maybe this will change your mind. Happy birthday, Scarlett.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a long jewelry box.

Scarlett shook her head.

“I thought we said no expensive gifts. All I got you was a sports coat.”

I shook my head and peered at Scarlett, who pulled the charm bracelet from the box and held it to the light. After I fastened it on her delicate wrist, she examined and lifted each charm.

“Fire, justice, a peace sign, the Aries zodiac sign, and . . .” She squinted and flipped the smallest charm around. “What is that?”

“Look closer.”

She bent down and gasped.

“Does that say marry me?”

I pulled another box from my left pocket and opened the empty box.

“It does.”

“What are you trying to say with an empty box?” Scarlett smushed her nose like I stank.

“That I love you and want to be with you forever. Since you’re so bossy, I’d never pick out a ring without you being there.”

Even in the semi-darkness, Scarlett’s smile lit up the room.

“That is exactly why we work. I think I’ll keep you.”

“Is that a yes?”

The strains of Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” met my ears as the DJ played the next song.

“I love you, too, and of course it is.”

We kissed and swayed to the music, heart to heart and soul to soul.

At that moment, I realized how much I had changed in such a short time. Scarlett did that, pushing me to become the best version of myself.

The End