Page 19 of Vaughn & Cori (D-Ville Projects #7)

Ever since we hashed things out and the topic of date nights came up, Vaughn has made it a point to take me out at least once a week.

Sometimes it’s been the standard dinner and a movie, while other times I got to experience new places through his eyes.

Over the past few months I’ve experienced the best of Crescent Falls, the best of Miller’s Pointe, and I even got to see Blue Mountain in the summer.

Tonight he said we’ll be staying close to home, so I have on something simple like I’d worn on our first date.

“You know better than to touch that door, Cori,” Vaughn warns from beside me.

“I can’t even see the door, Vaughn,” I say, reaching up to feel the blindfold secured over my eyes. “So how am I supposed to know if I’m touching it or not?”

“You’re not supposed to touch that either and it’s pretty easy to make out a door handle, CC. Eyes closed or not,” he says.

“Not if I never get to touch one.”

“Not when you’re with me, but feel free to commit that motherfucker to memory when you’re riding yourself around,” he jokes.

Before I can make another complaint, I hear his door open and wait for him to come to my side. When he opens the door and his hand intertwines in mine, I get anxious because this has never been part of our dating ritual.

“Can I take this blindfold off now?” I ask and Vaughn doesn’t answer. He just turns me to face whatever’s to my right and removes the blindfold. I blink a few times as my eyes adjust to the light to see a house.

It’s downright magical. I never said it, but I loved the clean lines and simplicity of mid-century modern homes and that’s exactly what this one is.

Except this one has been updated with new windows and an exterior of dark blue and slate gray.

The door is vibrant green with four rectangular glass panels along the right side.

“Is that a smile I see?” Vaughn asks from beside me with a smile just as big. “Don’t try to fix your face now. I already caught you looking and liking what you see.”

“What am I supposed to do… frown?” I ask with a shrug. “It’s a nice looking house.”

“Yeah, but is it the house?” he asks, walking me up the steps.

I’m confused, waiting for him to pull out the black disposable shoe covers.

But he just walks right into the house instead, waving his arms around the open space, making a show of it.

When I notice the blanket on the floor of the living room with a cake with candles sitting in the middle, I look over to him.

“What’s all this?” I ask because he got me in these people’s house eating on the floor.

“Well, since you had me on my Jake Ryan shit earlier, I figure I should let it play out,” he says, lowering to one knee and opening a black box with a set of keys inside.

“I told you I’d be able to pick your favorite after that first date and here it is.

” A range of emotions runs through me because, while it appears this man has bought me, or us, a whole house, there’s not a ring in sight.

And while I absolutely love this gift, I would’ve loved the idea of having his last name more. “What are you thinking about, Cori?”

Until he asks the question, I don’t realize I hadn’t said a word, so I rush to respond.

“This is beautiful, Vaughn,” I say, not trying to seem ungrateful of the gesture but still slightly disappointed.

“And… you’re going to have to stop lying, CC,” Vaughn says, calling me out for not saying exactly what I’m thinking.

Tears well in my eyes and I shut them tight to hold off the all-out cry I feel coming on.

When I open them again, Vaughn is standing in front of me looking at me intently.

“Will you marry me, Icoris Brooks?” he asks seriously, using my government name and all.

“Yes,” I sob with a nod as a smile spreads across his face. When he takes the keys out of the box and drops them in my hand, I frown in confusion, looking at the empty ring box.

“I know you’re probably expecting a ring, but I’m not dropping that much bread on shit you don’t like. So fix your face and take these house keys for today, CC.”

He picks me up bridal style before dramatically swirling me over to the setup on the floor, and when I see the words on the cake, I can’t help but feel some type of way. It’s a perfect analogy.

There’s a candle for every month we’ve been together and the words, “Fly with me, Icoris” written across the top.

It’s a nod to my namesake and makes me even more emotional because experiencing Vaughn’s love puts me in flight, so high I don’t ever want to come down.

And if I fly too high and hit the sun like Icarus himself, I’ll gladly fall and drown in Vaughn’s arms.