Caught In The Gray

Chapter Nineteen

I've been dreading today. It's the end of the six week trial period and I'm a mess. I can't think about anything else. I sigh and take a drink of coffee. I got up before Alaric today, he's still sleeping. We haven't talked since the kiss and I'm not ready to say goodbye.

I finish my coffee and put the mug in the sink. Roys walks into the kitchen and I smile, bending down to pet her. I going to miss her when I have to leave.. "Rosy loves you," Alaric says and I look up. I stand up and Rosy moves to her food.

"I love her too," I say and Alaric walks closer. "Today is the end of the trial period," I blurt out and look down.

"I know," he says softly. "I don't know how to say this-" he starts.

"If it's what you want, I'll leave. I know that I hurt you when I told you about Sebastian; I saw it in your eyes." I say and look up at Alaric. His mouth is slightly open and he looks surprised. "So, I'll just make this easier and leave," I say and stand up.

"Wait," he says and I turn and look and look at him. "Addy, I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay," he says and I look at him, frowning, his gray eyes are complex with sincerity.

"What are you saying?" I ask and a small smile flickers over his face.

"I'm saying that I want you to stay, to be with me. I was drawn to you the second I meet you, when you stopped in heels to see Rosy. I thought that I would never see you again and than I did, as you were in the Selection.

"I was captivated by you, by everything about you. I knew that you were the only real girl in the sea of facades. I liked you more and more everyday, every minute, every second that I was with you.

"I don't know how to describe my feelings when you told me about Sebastian," he says and I look down. His hand lightly touches my jaw and lifts my face up to his. "I just shut down because you were the one thing that made me happy, the one thing that was drawing me out of the gray. I think that I thought that it couldn't have been true and I feel back into it.

"You haunted, me every second I was thinking about you, about what you said about every memory I had of you and this one thing came to me and I felt so stupid for not realizing it. All the pain that I had felt, everything that you made me feel; it lead to this one thing." Alaric says and I'm trapped in his gray gaze.

"I love you," he says and I stop breathing. "Adabelle Dirani, fucking marry me," he says and pulls the ring out of his pocket, in the silver band, the small diamond in the middle glows a pale gray.

I look at Alaric and his eyes darken and than we're kissing, my hands are sliding through his hair and his are gripping my waist. We're both breathing hard as he lifts me onto the kitchen counter, his lips never leaving mine.

My hands slide down his sides and I push his suit jacket to the floor, my fingers moving to his dress shirt, his lips are desperate against mine; tangling in desire. He pulls back and my lips search after his. I open my eyes and look at him, his eyes are a swirling shades of gray and silver. He holds up the ring.

"Yes," I breathe and he slides the ring onto my finger, it fits perfectly. I look at Alaric and his eyes are dark, my hands unbutton his dress shirt and his lips find mine again. I feel his hands sliding down the curve of my hips and moving lower, tracing patterns on my thighs. His fingers unzip my dress it slides off my shoulders, leaving me in my bra. His hands slide over the bare skin of my back.

It feels so right being with Alaric, there's passion and desire whenever we touch and there's this relief that I feel. I get to be with him, I don't have to leave. I want him so much, I want to spend every second with him, doing everything. His lips move down my jaw and over my neck, down my shoulder, his fingers pushing my bra strap aside.