Chapter 84: Chapter 84

''Saying 'I love you' takes only a few seconds, but doing it takes more than a lifetime.'' - quotesideas.com

Azura's POV

Mom came after a week to talk to us. She wanted me to start a two-year internship at Parkland Manor and be a part of the event management team. The training costs would be borne by the hotel and induction into the team as a permanent employee would happen thereafter. I could continue with my online studies as usual. The pay as an intern was three times more than I was earning as a barista. I could look after my family better with such a higher pay. I couldn't believe my lucky stars. It was a dream offer and I jumped at the idea thanking mom for the opportunity.

"You deserve it, Azura. I'm sure you'll shine brighter and achieve a lot of success in this field," she said, making me feel overwhelmed by her faith in my capabilities.

"Yes, mom. I'll surely make you proud," I promised her.

When Adrian came to know of the offer, he was so excited that he wanted me to resign as a barista immediately. So, I did as he wanted me to. I was jobless at present as I would start in the event management team after a week.

So, feeling bored and decided to make us breakfast. I gave Betty the morning off and she was ecstatic but she promised to come in later to help nana.

Humming a tune I made steak and eggs benedict and served them on English muffins, with fresh fruit salad with honey and mint dressing and coffee. Adrian came downstairs and his eyes popped out on seeing me. "Where's Betty?" he asked looking around for her.

"I've given her a break. She'll come later. I wanted to prepare breakfast today," I said as he came up behind me and snaked his arm around my waist, holding me to him, his face on the crook of my neck.

"I love your food babe," he said inhaling my neck, and my hair.

" I know. I love to cook for you," I told him.

"Mmm, you smell so good. Do you only love to cook for me? Don't you love to go out with me?" He asked making me tingle all over.

"I do, you didn't ask me to go out with you," I pouted as I served everything on two plates.

"Oh, my bad. I'm asking now. Will you go out somewhere special with me?" he asked as I looked up at him.

"Yes, but where?" I asked.

"It's a surprise. Just pack enough casual clothes to last three days as well as anything that you cannot do without," he said as he winked at me. "Be ready by 4 o'clock in the afternoon." We carried the plates to the table and ate breakfast with me asking more questions but he nicely avoided answering them.

My frustration mounted when he didn't even give me a single clue and went straight off to his office. I packed for both of us and also some dry food items. I informed nana about Adrian's plans and she chuckled. He might have told her already, the cheeky fellow. I informed Betty and then just arranged the house, checking and whiling away the time doing last-minute packing.

Adrian came home by three o'clock, in a very happy mood, whistling while showering and getting ready. He checked what I packed and threw in some of my bikinis too. So were we going to a beach?

By four o'clock we went to the parking lot and climbed into his black Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was a tough, powerful, reliable outdoor vehicle. So, that's where we were headed to. Somewhere in the outdoors where there were a lot of beach outings. It had to be a private beach else Adrian wouldn't have packed my bikinis, being the possessive soul that he is around me.

I chuckled to myself. "What are you laughing at?" He asked with a smile.

"I figured out where we are going," I said as his eyebrows shot up.

"Really? Where?" He asked.

"In the outdoors, where there's a private beach," I told him as he nodded.

"Little close but not accurate enough," he said as I pouted.

He drove for an hour or so, to the suburbs, I could feel the excitement coursing through me. How far away was this surprise? Adrian grinned mischievously at my antics. I couldn't sit still, trying to read the address boards of the shops that we passed or any other indication as to where we were off to.

We stopped at a nearby store and bought food as well as grocery items and stocked up our car. I was too excited, were we going somewhere outside the civilization? To some uninhabited place where there was no food available other than the fruits in the jungle and the game that we hunt down? Like prehistoric times? I laughed at the idea. What an absurd thought!

"Now what are you laughing at?" He asked amused at my expression.

"Are you abducting me to some uninhabited place far from civilization where there isn't a grocery store available?" I asked him as he laughed heartily.

"Yeah," he said as my eyes went wide.

"I don't want to die yet, I'm just 18," I told him, pouting.

"You won't die, sweetheart, I will teach you a million ways to make love to me. You will be my prisoner till your training is over," he said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Huh? What if I escape your prison mister?" I asked laughing.

"You don't want to do that, babe. The punishments will be harsh," he said with a nod.

"Are you serious or what?" I was so confused.

He laughed heartily," Just messing with you, relax okay?" He said as I glared at him

After another hour of driving, we reached Sullivan county, with beautiful lakes and picturesque scenic beauty all around. So, this was our destination. Now where in Sullivan county? He said it was a special place.

I waited with bated breath as we took a small dusty road that led to God knows where. After driving on the rickety road for fifteen minutes, I could hear the sound of water lapping onto the shore, the cry of gulls, and the flapping of the wings of swans.

When Adrian drove to the edge of the water, my eyes were drawn to the beautiful private lake in front of me, its rippling waters and the flowers on the trees surrounding it, being reflected on the surface of the water, giving the water all the colors of the rainbow.

I could live my whole life and die here, it was so beautiful. Beside the lake sat a two-storeyed log house with its own private dock. I was in love with the place already.

Adrian breathed in the fresh air, "This place is very special to me, dad gifted us, brothers, this place as a return gesture for organizing gran's 75th birthday successfully," he said as I looked around.

"It is indeed special, I love it," I told him.

"Only it? And what about me?" He asked as I blushed and looked away.

He parked the car, came forward and picked me up bridal style, and walked up to the log cabin.