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.
hot as magma but his movements were soft as a feather; as if he was handling an
could never really behave calmly in front of him, especially when he spoke with such an irresistible tone and looked at her with such passion in his eyes. She felt as though she might fall down at any time, melting
I… How do you want me to thank you?" she
nothing like her normal, articulate self. Within seconds, she'd been transformed into this shy, stammering girl. The last few words came out as soft as
smile crept across his face and just like that, his lips
of this woman. A feeling of contentment filled
the other hand, was caught off-guard by the impromptu kiss. Her eyes stayed wide open in disbelief,
he could feel that her mind was elsewhere from the kiss so he naughtily bit her lip.
don't have anything to eat so if your mind continues to wander, I'll have to have a taste
closed her
Rufus. Her stomach had been crying for food. Before he could finish
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
Rufus pulled away unwillingly from her seducing lips. It was only then that he opened his
a round of firecrackers exploded just outside the window. Just as one stopped, another went off as families set off their crackers in celebration of the
firecrackers, it must have passed midnight. And tonight, it meant the 15-day long Spring
to spend
taken aback by
fifteenth day of the first
had slipped right under her nose.
was he that had gifted her the wonderful display
for your birthday? Let
him, the look of frustration and wonder mixing across her
need for that. You are my gift," he said,
ever received
got to get you something," she
embarrassed at her
birthday, Rufus had organized a wonderful surprise for her and yet now on his birthday, it was her again that had received
as stubborn as she has always been,
his birthday. Even his father, Horace
got me a birthday present. What about our dinner
the stray strands of her hair off her face, hoping to distract her from her frustration by changing the
her eyes immediately lit up.
Come and try it," she exclaimed in excitement.
the dining room. This newfound excitement casting out any frustration from
a table cloth in front of him and setting out the tableware.
of the pot, the fragrance of tea
couldn't help but smile. As she sat the chicken in front of him, he picked up his fork to
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