Frantz-
I woke up the next morning with Liliana cocooned in my arms. Her face was snugged in the crook of my neck, and I embraced her in my arms. I smiled softly at the feeling of her body in my arms and realized that this is how I wanted to wake up every morning if possible. I kissed her head, and she snuggled closer in her sleep, humming softly before a soft snore erupted from her nose. I wanted to laugh at her cute actions, but I didn't want to wake her since she looked so peaceful. But now that I was awake, my elbow was quickly starting to cramp up, and I realized I'd have to move my arms soon, even though I didn't want to disturb Liliana.
After waiting for a few minutes, my arm had completely numbed over, so as softly as I possibly could, I removed my arm from under her form. She muttered in her sleep again, and decided to turn over and change sides, but before her back could fully flush against me, I pulled myself out of bed, not wanting a repeat of yesterday morning. When I was fully out of my bed, I headed to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and washed my face, then I headed back to the room.
Liliana was still sleeping, so I didn't even bother to wake her, and instead headed downstairs to order breakfast. After I did that, noticing I had a chance, I dialed the number I had stolen from Liliana from the very first night she spent at my place. While the phone rang, I felt completely calm and collected, but then she answered on the other side of the line, and all of my composure and confidence flew out of the window quicker than a burglar in the middle of the night.
My heart trembled against my ribcage, and my fingers suddenly moistened around the phone while I cleared my throat awkwardly before I chose to speak.
"Good morning, Mrs. Chavez, how are you this morning?" I greeted, smiling softly, though my heart felt like it was beating in the lowest pit of my stomach.
"Frantz is everything alright?" her tone urgent and worried.
And I replied, in haste, "yes, yes of course, I'm sorry if I startled you." I wanted to face palm myself, "oh, well alright. How have you been?" She asked, casually, and I responded, "well, thank you. Listen, the reason for this call is I wanted to know if I could come by and see you and Mr. Chavez later today. Lili and I are currently in New York, but I can take her home, and then fly over to you in a few hours. There is something I would like to discuss with you." I explained, my left index finger absentmindedly tapping on the counter, a way to destress on my part.
"Oh well of course." Mrs. Chavez replied, enthusiastically, and I smiled in relief, my heart calming just slightly.
"Alright, well I look forward to seeing you later." I bid, and with a reply of her own, we ended the phone call.
Just as I hung up the phone, the doorbell rang, and I opened it and allowed the chef to enter and set the table for breakfast. Once the young man had done so, I tipped him, and as soon as he left Liliana came downstairs, no longer dressed in her night wear from the previous night, but instead in one of my large shirts and pair of sweatpants. And I did not hate the view.
"Good morning." She said, softly, her cheeks flushing with a slight blush, her fingers playing with the hem of my shirt.
"You're stealing from me again." I teased, as I approached her, and she looked away before clarifying, "more like long term borrowing."
"Mmh hmm, sure." I hummed, and I pulled her in my arms, and kissed her.
She kissed me back eagerly, but I pulled away, hoping to avoid any tension so early in the morning. She smiled at me in a mischievous way and I realized once again she was teasing me. So I did the next best thing. I got her back.
I pulled her into my chest suddenly and kept her pinned to my body. Her hands were flat against my chest, her eyes wide and expectant. I looked into her eyes, as her eyes searched mine, and I caressed the back of my right fingers against her cheek, before tracing her bottom lip with my thumb.
She opened her mouth an in anticipation for a kiss, and I leaned down and allowed her to feel my lips before I whispered in a promise, "one day, you won't get away with teasing me like this." Then I pulled away, and walked towards the table, knowing very well, she would be fuming, meanwhile I was smiling from ear to ear.
Liliana-
He did it again.
He got me again.
I don't know how he continuously managed to catch me off guard. I know it's not the smartest choice to tease him but it's always so fun, until he gets me back that. But that part's fun too.
I followed him to the table where breakfast was set, and I smiled as he said, "I ordered something for us to eat before the flight back. I have to drop you home, and then I have an emergency to take care of out of state." He explained causally, as he pulled my chair out, and allowed me to sit down.
"What kind of emergency?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me, though I didn't make it a habit to question him about his whereabouts. I trusted him.
"Oh you know, standard company stuff. All the details will bore your head off." He brushed, and I smiled as I shrugged and explained, "not really, I could always pretend that you're speaking Italian." And it wasn't a lie. I loved it when he speaks Italian, it was soothing and sexy at the same time.
"Mmh and I bet you love it when I do that, don't you?" He questioned as he sat down, and we began plating our plates with pancakes, bacon, croissants, and scrambled eggs.
"I won't answer that question." I replied, while trying to hide my smile. I couldn't let him in on all of my secrets.
"And why not?" He asked, raising a sexy eyebrow my way.
"Because..." I shrugged, and he rose his eyebrows before saying, "of course."
I chuckled at his response and we began eating. While we ate breakfast, we kept making eye contact with each other, and I felt myself falling for him all over again. My encounter with him last night proved to me that he loved me. Where he could've taken advantage of my vulnerability, he sheltered me instead. It seems ever since Frantz came into my life, he'd been somewhat of a savior for me.
When I first came in contact with him, had someone told me that I would love him this much, I would've laughed, and possibly thrown the person off the plane. And yet here I was, madly in love with Mr. Cavalier.
Where I initially thought him to be rude and insufferable, turns out he was just trying to keep himself from getting hurt again. And maybe I wasn't always the kindest towards him, but he sure as heck put up quite a fight.
"You're staring at me as if I was a pancake." He mentioned, and I started laughing while shaking my head, "do I look delicious to you?" He questioned, and he started making faces he deemed as sexy by pouting his lips and giving me a profile view, and I couldn't stop laughing.
When I finally got my laughter under control I explained, "yes, well I always thought you looked as delicious as a piece of red velvet cake." I clarified, and he sighed rolling his eyes.
"Mmh, I don't mind that." He smiled, and it was my turn to roll my eyes and shake my head, even though I couldn't stop smiling.
"You know that I love you right?" He said, after we had stopped laughing, and my heart jumped to the sky as I replied, "and I love you too."
After that exchange, we finished breakfast and headed to the airport. The flight back home consisted of my reading, and him working away on his laptop, with minimal flirting between us. When we landed, he made sure to drive me home, but he did not come inside.
He dodged my questions by blinding me with kisses, and then he left before I could pry too much about his standard company business trip. I tried not to let my mind wander too much, and instead decided to clean around my house to pass the time.
Narrator-
While Liliana busied herself with sprucing up her home, Frantz was quick to return to the airport, then he was on his way to Georgia. Once he reached the state, he had arranged for Liliana's parents to meet him at his hotel, and when he arrived, he greeted them with his heart on his sleeve.
Frantz-
"Mr. Chavez, Mrs. Chavez, it's good to see you." I greeted, though I was a nervous wreck. I guess it was a good thing I wore a black suit to meet them, or else they would see just how sweaty my armpits were.
I extended a hand to both parents, but Mrs. Chavez skipped the handshake and simply pulled me in her arms and greeted me with an embrace. I chuckled at her kindness, and then we sat down to eat.
For a while we indulged in casual conversation, a stalling technique on my part to allow me enough time to gather my wits. I hadn't been this nervous since the second grade when I had to stand in front of Mrs. Perrybowl's class for a science presentation. Time was passing quicker than I had anticipated, and that did not ease my nerves one bit. My heart was thrumming against my rib cage, and my breathing felt faulty in my lungs. My palms felt sweaty, and before I realized it, my leg began bouncing under the table.
"So Frantz," Mr. Chavez spoke, "I understand you had something important to discuss with us?" He asked, and I cleared my throat as I replied, "eh hem, yes, actually," I nodded, then gulped, before I reached into my pocket, and pulled out the box containing the ring.
The moment I did so, Mrs. Chavez brought her hands to her mouth as she frowned, her eyes swelling up with tears even before I had opened the box. When I did open the box, I placed it in front of them, and I released a shaky breath, my nose tingling with nervous tears as I cleared my throat again and finally said, "I wanted to know if I could have your permission to marry your daughter."
"Oh my..." Mrs. Chavez whispered, looking at her husband just as the tears finally spilled from her eyes. Mr. Chavez also looked at his wife in amazement before he looked at me, his face slightly flushed.
"Y-You want to marry my daughter?" He questioned, as if in disbelief.
"Yes, I love your daughter, with all my heart, and I don't want to waste any more time. I want her to be my wife. I want to start a family with her." I declared confidently, my nerves no longer a bother.