𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 4

Closest I've Come To My Heart Exploding

AN: This one's inspired by one of the lyrics from Taylor Swift's song The Tortured Poets Department! 

I love the album, has anyone else heard it? What's your favourite song? Mine's probably 'Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?' 

'at dinner you take my ring off my middle finger 

and put it on the one where put wedding rings on 

and that's the closest I've come to my heart exploding'

----------------------------------------------------

Leon comes back to the booth, bringing us two more drinks as our friends continue their animated chatter. Wordlessly I take my drink and begin sipping on it as Leon's arm finds its place around my shoulders like always, weight comforting as his fingers dangle beside my cheek, twitching as if he wants to caress me. I snuggle into his warm body, both of of us focused on each other rather than the debate Claire, Jill, Chris and Rebecca are having. I smile and nod as I listen, but my body's brimming with electric as Leon's breathy chuckle tickles my hair. There's a light-heartedness in the air, the ambience cosy and happy, something we don't all get to experience a lot together. 

Leon's eyes connect with mine randomly, both of us smile as if sensing the pure joy we're both feeling. We laugh between us, our friends oblivious to the cute moment we're having. Leon's smile lingers as he watches me with those soft blue eyes, they're filled with love and light, there's a million words waiting to spill out of him but instead he says nothing, he just leans down and presses a delicate kiss to my lips before pulling back and keeping me close. We return our attention back to our friends, joining the fray once more as we talk and throw in a few comments, but we're always aware of each other. Bouncing ideas off of each other and laughing at Leon's one liners and my wittiness. Leon gives in to the need to caress me, his fingers begin drawing on my bare shoulder as I rest my head on his arm. The affection we feel for each other goes beyond love, it's a mutual obsession filled with care and understanding. 

At some point in the night I take Leon's hand in my own, thumb brushing the back of it mindlessly as we reach that calm point in the evening, where we're all ready to go home but none of us want to leave. Electricity runs through me as Leon's other hand covers my own, here in our corner of the plush bench we're in a world of our own. His touch is warm and reassuring, there's a domesticity to it that fills my heart with so much admiration and respect, it's the feeling of comfort and belonging to the man who'd move mountains for me. Our eyes meet once more, both of us lost in the depth of us and our strong connection. It's an unspoken bond that ties our souls together. 

I feel Leon's hand move below, so I look down to see him raise my hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it before he places it back on the table, then casually he reaches for the ring I wear on my middle finger, the one piece of jewellery that I never take off, and with ease he slides it off and slips it onto the finger where a wedding ring would go. My heart speeds up as he smiles at me knowingly, a hint of amusement laces his silent look before he turns away and goes back to giving our friends attention. I'm left with his touch lingering, hand still intertwined with mine with my ring that has a new meaning, it's a symbol of devotion and a silent promise. Maybe in the future a new ring will replace it, but for now Leon's act of intimacy will forever be ingrained into my memory. My heart swells with love as I stare at Leon's face, it beats and beats, it's the closest I've ever come to my heart exploding. 

I don't say anything as I turn back to the table, a smile adorning my face as I listen to Leon talk. Everyone but us are blind to the proposal, and a part of me wants to spill. I want to shout that Leon and I are getting married soon, and that I'll take his name as easily as he took my heart, but I don't. Instead I sit silently, keeping this act of love and commitment to myself as I blink away the happy tears, sipping my drink to make it less obvious. Jill says something to me, I nod and reply as Leon watches me from the corner of my eye, he hangs onto every word I say, loyally listening and obsessed with every syllable I speak. 

"You know, I love you so much." He suddenly blurts out in front of everyone. It's not like they don't know this, but it's not often he's explicit with his feelings in front of our friends. My eyes widen as the others smile and thankfully move onto another topic as once more Leon and I find ourselves alone. 

I huff a laugh, cupping his jaw as I nod and kiss him softly. "I love you too." I softly say, glad to find myself forever in the arms of the man I love. With Leon by my side I'll never be alone, and I'll always have someone I can trust. He'll be there when I need him to be, and in return he has every single part of me.