When Good Things End - A Novel Series

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯ 40 ◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

"Do you want me to take her to the small daycare set up for the party? She can sleep in a quieter room," Donna offered as she danced near us with Dowin.

Laurent and I both glanced at each other at the same time. He raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged.

"You keep dancing. I didn't mind taking her there myself," I said, reaching out to take her. She looks so warm— Laurent pulled away as I tried to take Irene from him. "Come on, let me cuddle her while she's sleepy," I said.

"Let's get her to bed. If I let you have her now, I know you're not going to be letting her go," Laurent chuckled as he made his way off the dance floor.

"He's not wrong," Alice said, her dress twirling as Ronin spun her. I rolled my eyes, making my way after him as he finished talking to one of the guards.

"It's just down that hall," Laurent said as I caught up with him.

It didn't take us long to find the area set up for the kids. Catherine was the volunteer who took Irene, and I trusted her enough to watch over my little baby. I linked arms with Laurent as he led me back to the assembly.

"You hungry?"

I smirked, "Always."

We didn't have to wait in line for the food. People were more interested in dancing right now than the food and sweets. I just watched him instead of looking over the options. He had good taste, so I know I wouldn't mind eating anything he picks.

I didn't want to take my eyes off of him. Laurent just felt like something solid, even as everyone in the room either swayed or spun. He was the only one I really felt content staying next to.

I wonder how he feels?

"What's your favorite?" Laurent asked as he picked up a plate and looked over the different flavors of cake.

"Besides chocolate, you?"

He gave me a little bump on the head with the plate. "You can't eat me. Besides, I don't fit on a plate."

I quickly slapped my cheeks. Dirty mind. Bad, bad, dirty mind. Stop it!

"I can't kiss you, right?" He asks out of the blue.

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"You make all this way too hard," he said with complete casualness as he put a few more strawberries on our plate and headed back to our table.

He's not going to ask why? Wait did he mean kiss me— like on my lips? I took an extra funnel pastry with me before I joined him at our table. I noticed Alice's completely befuddled expression from the other side of the pastry table near where we were.

"I kissed you on the cheek before," Laurent said.

Looks like we are continuing the conversation. He leaned his head on his hand, watching me as I licked the powdered sugar off my fingers. I kept eye contact, debating how far I would let him go.

Would he get mad at me if I told him my rules?

"I'm just—I want my first kiss to be my husbands," I said quickly and quietly. It feels special to me. I haven't let anyone take that away from me, not even when I was forced to finally step up and set my boundary.

I don't want a repeat of my bad relationship to happen again.

"I don't mind waiting," Laurent chuckled.

Does he even realize what that would mean?

"You're planning on marrying me?" I joked, feeling a flock of bird-sized butterflies unleash in my stomach. He can't be serious. I can't—