"5......4......3.......2.......1"
The second the countdown was over and Big Ben struck 12, Ian and Skye didn't hesitate to pull each other into a passionate and love felt kiss. Fireworks were literally going off as they stood on the balcony of their temporary home, thousands of people down below and in their view celebrating the brand new year with their loved ones. The atmosphere was electric, palpable.
As the pair broke apart, Skye suddenly drawn in to the world famous firework display going off around them, Ian took it upon himself to use her distraction as a way to kick off the big surprise he had planned.
Luckily the apartment had a spare bedroom which Skye had no need to use. It had been the perfect place for Ian to hide what he was about to give her.
Opening the walk in wardrobe, Ian picked up the huge box with a struggle. It was as light as a feather but so big in size he could barely get his arms around it.
Slowly and as quietly as possible Ian made his way back over to Skye on the balcony. Without taking his eyes off of her, and terrified she was going to turn around Ian carefully placed the box on the floor, Skye's back to it, and then made his way over to her.
The fireworks were incredible to say the least, the final bang going off after a full 15 minute display. Once it was over Skye began bouncing up and down on the spot, a massive grin on her face.
"Wow, that was amazing," she squealed, pulling Ian into a tight cuddle and showing no sign of letting him go.
Skye turned in a full circle, her arms still wrapped securely around Ian's neck. She was about to freak out again when she spotted something, something on the floor.
"Babe, what's that?" Skye asked with a creased brow and confusion in her voice.
"What's what?" Ian answered with faked ignorance. On the outside he looked totally calm. On the inside he was starting to come undone. What if this didn't go how he wanted it to?
"Ummm, the huge box," Skye sighed with a roll of the eyes.
Here goes. "Just a little New Years gift I wanted to get you."
Skye couldn't believe how adorable her boyfriend was. He'd already spoilt her enough. "Baby, you didn't have to get me anything."
"I wanted to," Ian smiled, nerves coursing through his body.
Giving Ian a quick peck on the cheek, Skye made her way over to the huge gift sat in front of her. What the hell could it be?
"Baby, it's huge. What the heck have you brought?"
Ian couldn't help the grin that came to his face. Just watching her standing there, head tilted to the side and hands on her hips making him increasingly excited for what was about to happen. "Just open it Princess."
Skye cocked an eyebrow but eventually gave in, sitting on the floor, reaching forward and pulling the gift as close to her as she could manage. The first thing she noticed was messy writing on the tag that said 'please don't return this'. That alone made her even more dubious about what giant thing was underneath all the wrapping.
"Ian?" Skye started.
"Open it!"
Skye's hands tore away the paper to uncover a gigantic box, and her lips pursed as she still tried to guess what it was. When she peeled the tape off of the cardboard, she found herself looking at another wrapped box.
"Ian," she groaned, looking up at him, "what is this?"
Ian chuckled, cocking his head down toward the second box. "Keep going."
"Keep going?" Skye asked. "What do you mean? Are you implying that there's another box inside this one?"
Ian's mischievous smirk definitely gave something away. For the first time, Skye had the feeling he was up to something.
"Oh for gods sake," she said, opening the second box to reveal yet another box wrapped in paper.
Many smaller boxes and exasperated Ian's later, the box Skye was holding was so small that it fit in the palm of her hand. At this point, she wouldn't have been surprised if she opened it to find it empty. Ian did have a tendency to be a little prankster behind closed doors.
With a roll of her eyes, Skye peeled back the wrapping on the final box and took a sharp intake of breath at what she discovered. It wasn't empty. It was something else entirely. In Skye's hands sat a little velvet box, something so unexpected that it took a second for it to register. Skye's eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth in surprise. What had Ian done?
Standing up, the box secure in her shaky hand, Skye looked across to her boyfriend. When she did, it was as if everything suddenly stopped. Was this really happening?
Ian got down on one knee in front of Skye, his hand reaching out to take the present from her. Making sure his eyes were fixed on his girl, he opened the box to reveal a ring. A ring that Skye would hopefully be wearing on her finger for a very, very long time.
"Skye," he asked softly, blue eyes happy, "will you marry me?"
Skye tilted her head to the side, eyeing him up and down as what felt like every possible emotion rushed through her. "Are you serious? Is this real?" She asked with a croaky voice, the moment starting to overwhelm her.
"Trust me, this is so real."
"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god."
Taking Skye's left hand in his, Ian began rubbing his thumb across her palm, knowing that it would calm her down. If she was freaked out any more she'd be as bad as him.
"You know how much I love you. Hell, I loved you before we'd even met. You're the best thing that's ever happened to my life and all I want is to spend the rest of it with you by my side. So, what do you say Princess? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"
Skye was full on sobbing by that point, the happiness she felt unlike anything she'd experienced before. "I already planned to. I didn't need a ring," she answered, choking back the tears with each word.
"So is that a yes?" Ian wanting to be completely sure before he got too excited.
"Well, I mean, I don't know... you did make me open all those boxes, and that was so annoying."
Ian's face fell. "Oh, I, uh..."
Skye grinned, suddenly throwing herself at her boyfriend and hugging him as tight as her arms would allow. "I'm kidding, you cheeseball. Of course it's a yes."
The relieved smile that engulfed Ian's face at her answer was one that will be ingrained in Skye's memory forever. He'd never looked so happy. Neither of them had.
Taking the 5 carat diamond ring out of its box, Ian, still on his knees, glanced across at Skye, now sat on the floor in front of him and slowly placed the band on her finger.
Getting to their feet and both snivelling as their eyes were glued to Skye's now bejewelled hand, Ian's head found its way into the crook of her neck and pressed a kiss there.
Holding on to one another in their peaceful haven, the world outside celebrating a new year, the now newly engaged couple were filled with thoughts and hopes of their future together.
"But seriously, Ian," Skye suddenly voiced, pulling out of her now fiancées embrace and looking at him straight in the eyes, "what a waste of wrapping paper."
"God, I love you," he laughed out loud.
"I love you too."