Cassandra's eyes were wide open, astonishment covering her face.
Fireworks lit up the sky in a dazzling array of pattern after pattern.
Some were green, the sparks raining down like a meteor shower.
Some were purple, glowing like smiling faces.
Some were gold, blossoming out like wild flowers.
And then there were the red, holding their shapes in burning hearts as the entire sky was painted bright with the color of romance.
As each explosion lit up the sky and scattered like falling flower pedals, the dark night shone as bright as day. Cassandra was enchanted.
She couldn't keep her eyes from the sky. Her astonishment slowly turned into jubilation and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face.
The burst of each firework reflected in her eyes and Rufus gazed as each color lit up her shining eyes.
"Like it?"
His voice was so soft and warm that even with two simple words, Cassandra could feel her knees buckle.
"A lot! It's so beautiful. Thank you."
She felt her voice choke, her eyes starting to well up a little bit as the gratitude spilled out of her.
Rufus smiled, instinctively leaning over and leaving a soft kiss on her forehead.
"I'm glad you like it."
He'd shipped the entire set of fireworks equipment along with all the fireworks from overseas but had thought little of the cost. All he could think of was making sure Cassandra liked it.
For Cassandra, the fireworks painted the most picturesque scene into the night sky. But for Rufus, the real beauty was in her eyes.
In her pure eyes, the fireworks bloomed. These were the clearest eyes he'd ever seen in his entire life.
As the fireworks faded into the night sky and the sounds of the explosions slowly drifted away, a sense of peace fell over their night.
Rufus removed his hands from covering Cassandra's ears, making their way down to cup her cheeks. He gently lifted her face, his eyes never wavering from hers, full to the brim with love.
"So, how are you going to thank me, huh?" he asked, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face.
movements were soft as a feather; as if he was handling an
front of him, especially when he spoke with such an irresistible tone and looked at her with such
do you want me to thank you?" she stammered with a bashful look.
self. Within seconds, she'd been transformed into this shy, stammering girl. The last few words came out as soft as a murmur, barely audible if
across his face and just like that, his
closed his eyes, relishing the taste of this woman. A feeling
hand, was caught off-guard by the impromptu kiss. Her eyes stayed wide open in disbelief, and she
he kept his eyes closed, he could feel that her mind was elsewhere from the kiss so he naughtily bit
if your mind continues to wander, I'll have to have a taste of you instead," he threatened
closed her eyes.
Rufus. Her stomach had been crying for food. Before he
little embarrassed by his brash suggestion and she didn't dare to move as far as her body was begging, afraid he might push it too far. So she stayed how she was, wrapped up in the kiss until her entire body became so
After what felt like a century, Rufus pulled away unwillingly from her seducing lips. It was only then that he opened his eyes to gaze upon her pink cheeks and twinkling eyes.
one stopped, another went
must have passed midnight. And tonight, it meant the 15-day long Spring
to spend my
said. Cassandra was taken aback by his abrupt
the fifteenth day of the first month?
had slipped
that had gifted her the wonderful display of fireworks. Surely, this
for your
look of frustration and wonder mixing across her face. He felt
gift," he said, cupping
he had ever received and nothing else could
I've got to get you something,"
her own carelessness for
organized a wonderful surprise for her and yet now on his birthday, it was her again that had received the surprise. He had been so
is as stubborn
care much about celebrating his birthday. Even his father, Horace barely paid attention to the day so he
got me a birthday
he pushed the stray strands of her hair off her face, hoping to distract her from her frustration by changing the
trick worked as her eyes
recipe from someone else. Come and try it," she
stairs to the dining room. This newfound excitement casting out
out the tableware.
pot, the fragrance of tea and chicken
she sat the chicken in front of him, he picked up his fork to cut up a small piece of
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