~ Chapter 1 ~

"Howie, what are you doing?" I asked, almost tempted to open my eyes but I promise I'd keep them closed so he wouldn't ruin my eye makeup with a mask or a blindfold.

"It's a surprise; won't you let someone surprise you for once?" I had to laugh because everyone knew I hated surprises, no matter what they were. Parties, dates, random guys showing up to work who should be long gone; yeah I won't get into that one.

"No, you know how I hate them." The car stopped and I heard Howie open his door before he rushed around to open mine. I felt his hand lightly take my arm and help me out of the car before he took my hand. I smiled the moment I heard the waves against boats and bite my lip. It was our six-month anniversary and I hate to think that Howie would book a cruise to celebrate it. I mean, it would be sweet, but I'm not sure I was quite ready for that. "What's with the water?"

"Oh for Christ's sake, would you just let me spoil you?" Yeah, that shut me up. With Howie's last relationship, he didn't spoil me in material ways, even though he knew I wasn't some spoiled tart or something. He just rather enjoyed spoiling with me with love and affection, and if we were honest, I enjoyed that a lot more than some fancy place to eat out at or some expensive piece of jewelry.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop bugging you."

"Thank you." He brought my hand up to his lips and I blushed as I felt the kiss there. "Now, be careful because we do have a few steps." He directed me where to step and I would be a fool to not realize it was a boat of some sort. "Okay, open your eyes." I looked around at the small boat, a table set up at the back with a driver in the front, who smiled, and nodded. "I thought a trip out on the water to watch the sunset while we ate would be a good way to celebrate this milestone?"

"I think," I started as I turned to look at him while I cupped his cheeks, "this is the most romantic thing you could have done. A smaller, private dinner cruise is perfect." I leaned toward him and gave him a small kiss while he beamed. "Thank you, Howie." I took his hand and led him to the table, sitting down next to him. The spread was simple but the view and the closeness was the most romantic part.

"You are quite welcome. I know it's small, but our six-month anniversary I thought was big. I mean, given our history of course." I took a sip of my wine and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess we do have that." He lifted his wine glass as the boat took off and I clinked my glass against his. "To our sixth month anniversary, babe. I hope you and I have many more," I told him. He smiled as he took a sip and then sat his glass down, his arm snaking around my shoulders and pulling me back against him.

"You know they say tonight should be a full moon. Did you ever see the moon rise up from the water?"

"No, it's not a sight I've been blessed with," I told him, taking some of the crackers and adding some cheese. Again, as far as fancy meals, this was not the case, but our first home date was something very similar in nature and simplicity; there is always something to be said about the nature of things like that. I feed him a cracker and he smiled.

"Well, guess you and I can enjoy that tonight." I eyed him, something feeling off but if he had more surprises, he wouldn't crack under my pressure. Howie was a great boyfriend, loving and attentive, but if he didn't want me to know something, he could seal himself up tighter than an oyster working on making a pearl. So, I knew, without a doubt, no amount of coaxing, sweet-talking, or downright flirting was going to get it out of him. Fine, I'll give him the pleasure of tonight and I wouldn't pester him with questions. "Have I told you how happy you make me?" he asked. I pulled away slightly to look at him and shook my head.

"No, but you don't need to. I see it every day when I look at on Facetime," I told him which made him bust out laughing. So, yeah, six months together and we hadn't talked about moving in together. I suppose I was a little worried over that, thought it best to wait a bit longer, just to make sure things proved to be okay. I mean, come on, I slept with this man within a week of knowing him, granted the attraction was just that crazy and strong between us. But moving in was a huge commitment and I didn't want to tread lightly with that. Maybe tonight would be the night he brought it up?

"Yeah, I guess you do. Not like I mean to be all smiles, you just make me feel things I haven't felt in a long time. You know how questionable things were in my last relationship." I lifted my head and looked at him. Of course, I knew. I can't say by my getting together with Howie that I was out to prove a point, I wasn't exactly. I just wanted to make him happy, as he made me. If that meant that the female sex got elevated in his eyes again, I wouldn't object. Of course, I really didn't think he would leave me to go see if other females were the same as me.

"I do Howie; we talked about her a lot." I shifted so I could cup his cheek. "We both had nasty pasts, sure. And we both aim to make the other happy right now." He grinned and leaned down to kiss me.

"Any more word from Mike?" Oh yeah, I didn't mention that. I still got random messages, even after telling him I was in a relationship; he thought everyone was like him, and slept around. And don't even get me started on his music because he was back at the company trying to get signed under a new band. And he even had the balls to reach out to Howie's company asking to work with him. Howie knew the name and shut that shit down so fast. I applauded him for that, right before I fucked him in his office. It was a great day for both of us. "Why the fuck are you smiling?"

"Oh! Not because of him, babe. I'm thinking of the day in the office when you told me you said no to him." His wonderful lips lifted into a smirk.

"Okay, that scene was fucking hot." I grinned but shook my head.

"I don't want to talk about our exes here. I want to talk about you and me." I moved so I could straddle his lap and rest my hands on his shoulders. "I want to talk about what you plan on doing with me on this romantic date and after." His hands settled on my hips and he grinned.

"Well, I can't do that when we have a driver you know." I smacked his shoulder and he laughed. "I plan on just enjoying this night with you. We don't get a lot of sweet, romantic dates with the press following us." Since the night of the awards show, where thankfully no one caught us, we had become Hollywood's Golden Couple which was our official title. Which meant when we went out, the damn press, okay paparazzi, was always there. So dates like this, where we just wanted to be us, had to be planned and away from prying eyes.

"Okay, I can give you that." I laid my head on his chest while he shifted slightly.

"I did want to ask you something though." I closed my eyes and tried not to think about the apartment, or house even, that I would want to get with him. Or I could just move into his place. Or...I stopped thinking as I stared down at the ring that had a special white diamond with black and blue diamond's around it that he held up for me to see. I never noticed the driver move to take pictures but I did notice how the bright moonlight made all the stones sparkle. "I'm in so love with you and have been for a long time. And I want to call you my wife. Will you do me the honor of saying yes?"

I just blinked, my mind unable to process this shift and after a couple of moments he started to chuckle. It wasn't that he knew I would say no because he just knew. Finally, I shook my head and pulled back to stare at him, squeaking out a measly 'yes' which was enough to slip the ring on. I stared at it, knowing it was a specially designed piece and I needed to ask him about it but the only thing I could get out was, "so much for me thinking you wanted to move in together!"