Fall seven times and stand up eight." -- Japanese Proverb
Chapter 61: Omertà Oath
2101 Woodpine Road
I stared at Nikolai sleeping while smiling like a weirdo. It was a surprise of how he made me so happy. I never thought I would be here lying next to a man I loved. I never thought I would be in love. Looking down at the bed covers that were on top of me, I shifted them slowly and got on top of Nikolai. Luckily he slept like the dead so I slowly started kissing down his neck feeling him stir under me.
I kissed down his chest to his abdomen and then slowly pulled off his boxers. He stirred again and I stopped. I knew he wasn't going to open his eyes but that he was half awake half asleep.
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I lay on the bed next Nikolai, trying to catch my breath. "Wow" He looked at me and I nodded gulping for air. He pushed himself up and then grabbed something out of the bed-side table.
He struggled to sit upright but when he did I saw he had something in his hands.
"So I was actually going to give this to you tonight and then sleep with you, but you are quite persuasive." I chuckled but then choked when I saw a red box in his hand. He chuckled "Relax, I'm not proposing." I sighed. "Not that I wouldn't want you to but it is quite early."
He chuckled well shaking his head. "One day Tatiana, don't get ahead of yourself!" He gave me the box and rubbed his hand down his chest. I looked down at the box then back at him.
I was nervous about what could be in the box. "You know Moretti, for someone who isn't proposing this does look like a ring box." He sighed. "It is a ring box. Just open it, it won't bite.
I slowly flipped open the box and a sliver sing glared back at me. I looked at him and he said.
"It's a promise ring. We've only been dating for a little more than a year but when I saw it I knew it would look better on your finger than anyone else's. I want you to know that you are it for me and that there can't and never will be someone else for me."
I grinned at him. He took the box and took out the ring before taking my right hand and slipped the ring on my ring finger.
"This ring comes with a pledge that I will be faithful to you no matter what. When you look at this ring, I hope it reminds you of my promise to never stop loving you."
"This ring symbolizes my intent to marry you someday, and one day I'll replace it with an engagement ring and a wedding band. It is a symbol of the promise to always return to you and to never keep secrets from you. It is a promise that everything you tell me will stay between us if that is what you want. This ring is a Promise to keep all my promises."
He whispered the last bit as he slipped the ring to the back of my finger and kissed it after saying the words.
I stared down at him in awe and blushed fiercely. "I love you, Tatiana," I grinned. I don't think I could ever get tired of hearing those words come from his mouth.
