shower with me?"
"Of course. I don't plan to let you out of my sight this entire week," he said firmly. And he meant it.
Chapter 5
T he next few days were as close to paradise as possible. Vincent awoke every day with his Adelina snuggled next to him, seeking protection in his arms. After he got the sleepy girl up - usually by going down on her until she screamed his name - he would then take her to the kitchen and make pancakes for breakfast. After that, they'd either spend time by the pool, watch movies, or just take a long nap. It was a relaxing time, and Vincent found himself learning something new every day about the young woman who had captured his heart.
The day before her parents returned, Vincent and Adelina decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. They strolled along silently, holding hands tightly and enjoying the sunshine. Vincent snuck quick looks over at her, watching how her hair almost glowed white under the bright light.
They were three blocks from the house when a car drove slowly past them. Mrs. Pamela Lindt, who lived next door to the Schmidt household, stared out of her car windows. Her gaze swept from their clutched hands up to their happy faces. Scowling, she then hit the gas and sped away.
"Shit, she's about to go call everybody in the neighborhood to crow about how I'm robbing the cradle," Vincent ground out.
"I don't care," Adelina replied simply, plucking a flower off of a nearby tree. "Let them talk."
Vincent pulled her in close, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Talk can hurt, and I get angry when I think of old ladies judging you. I should be protecting you, encouraging you to become who you want to be. Instead, you are going to be dragged through the mud."
Adelina looked at him like he was crazy. "So? A couple of people will raise their eyebrows and huff. But that is nothing compared to how happy I am with you."
"And what about your parents? Rick will kill me when he gets home tomorrow."
"Daddy wants me to be happy. We'll just have to tell him that being with you is the only way I can be happy. My parents don't need to fully understand it; they just need to accept that this is what I need."
Vincent looked down into Adelina's eyes; his heart lodged in his throat. "God, I love you," he whispered, moving his hands down to grip her butt.
Her checks colored slightly, and she beamed back up at him. "I love you, too. So fuck anyone who gets in our way."
"Language!" he scolded, giving her butt a squeeze. "It's bad enough I've turned you into such a dirty little slut the last few days. I don't want to get in trouble for your terrible pouty mouth as well."
She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. "Are you going to take me home and spank me?"
"That's actually a good idea," he mused. "Although, I have a feeling you might enjoy that a little too much for it to be a punishment."
He bent to kiss her, enjoying the warm softness of her lips and the sweetness of her tongue against his. He had always known she was the one for him, but now that they had professed their love for each other, he planned to seal the deal.
"Adelina," he said as they broke apart, "if you are sure you will have me, then I'm the luckiest bastard in the world. And I don't ever want to lose you or for there to be another man in your heart. So I hope you understand that I plan to make you my wife. You've got school, and a lot of adventures in front of you, so we don't need to rush on making it official. But, I want you to know that whenever you are ready, I'll be making an honest woman out of you."
Adelina squealed and jumped up and down. "I'd marry you today!"
He chuckled and shook his head. "If I married you now, and your daddy didn't get to walk you down the aisle, then he really would kill me. But if you want to do it soon, I'm all for it. I can't wait to get my ring on your finger."
"I think you should take me home now," she cooed, batting her eyelashes. "Such a big announcement deserves a whole