The Upward Ripple

“Not supposed to…. Does that mean you closed the deal?” she asked, and Nate nodded.

“Yes, but in doing so I have made sure that I have a permanent target on my back and on the back of anyone I care for. In this case, you.” He reached for her hand and drew little circles on her knuckles with his thumb. “I know you know that I love you and that I am in love with you but with everything that is happening, the next steps I take… I have to be sure you are protected.”

Cynthia gave him a confused look. She was not sure if it was everything that he had just said or the insomnia that had her feeling so confused.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

 “I know I asked you to come out here to lease out this place and get me a new place to live.”

She nodded.

“Yeah, and I got the perfect place. I was going to show you later this afternoon.”

Nate shook his head.

“I don’t need to see it,” he said.

Cynthia was even more confused.

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, do you like it?” Nate asked as he looked into her eyes.

She nodded.

“I do, I really do. It is everything you asked for… perfect, elegant, a view and the new fixtures I made sure were put in…” her voice trailed off when she noticed the smile he had.

“Then that’s all I need to know. If you like it, I like it. But I don’t want a house, Cynthia. I want a home, and I want it with you,” Nate said as he got closer to her. “You can’t deny there is something between us. Something electric… the way you kiss me, I know that what I feel is not a one way feeling.”

Cynthia bit her lip and dropped her gaze.

“No, Cynthia. Please look at me,” Nate said as he touched her chin and lifted her face up. “Tell me what you want to do.”

She shrugged.

“I don’t know. What do you want me to do?” she found herself asking and he forced out a smile.

“That is not up to me but if you ask me about what I want, I would say that I want you to stay with me no matter what this means for us…. I mean, with my past, everything is going to get complicated from here on out, but I still want you here. With me.”

Cynthia’s mind seemed to be working like a million processors at the same time. She could tell that there was more to his question than what as on the surface.

“I… I have never been in love, Nate so, I don’t even know what it feels like to love a man or to be loved by one.”

Nate pulled her even closer and kissed her again. It was a soft kiss. A soft passionate kiss that made her shudder.

“That should at least give you an idea of what love feels like,” he whispered when he pulled away.

“It does,” she said in a soft voice. “But then again, I have only known you for a few weeks.”

“That is all you need to know that I want you in my life. Forever.”

He stroked her cheek gently.

“Forever?” she echoed as he reached into his pocket. She gasped silently as he pulled out a small black case. “Nate,” she said in a whisper.

“I know, this is not how I am supposed to do this. I had a whole thing planned. Rooftop dinner, violinist, friends… well the few that we have, and I was definitely going to give you time to recover after giving you all the gory details of my past, but I also believe that there is no time like the present.”

Cynthia’s heart skipped a beat when he got down, not on one knee but both knees. He opened the case to reveal an emerald cut diamond ring set in a silver band studded with smaller diamond pieces all around. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The soft light in the room bounced off the ring’s surface. She wondered what would happen when the ring was in full light.

“Knowing you for the few weeks I have, I know that I will never meet someone better than you. I will never have anyone who completes me the way you do,” Nate said as he looked at her. “I know I am far from perfect, but I love who I am when I am with you. So, please, tell me that you will marry me.”

Cynthia had a whole different day envisioned when she got out of bed earlier, but things had taken a rather dramatic turn. She looked at the ring and then at Nate. A part of her was screaming for her to say yes but at the same time, she was so cautious. But then again, what did she have to lose? This was the first time in a long time she had met a man who actually made her feel safe. Safe enough for her to even leave Colorado and stay in his house. She looked at the ring and then at Nate and a thought crossed her mind.

You only live once.

That thought was the only one she needed. Her life had after all been a rollercoaster of good and bad. It only made sense for things to get so good with someone who cared so much about her.

“Yes,” she said in a whisper and Nate seemed to be a little surprised by her answer.

“Yes?” he asked, and she nodded.

“Yes.”

Nate pulled the ring off the case and took her left hand in his.

“I really hope it fits because I was swinging it as far as the size goes,” he said as he gently slipped the ring on her finger.

It was a perfect fit and Nate looked pleasantly surprised that it fit her. He looked at her hand for a long time before kissing it. He then slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her, without getting up.

“So, what now?” she asked as she stroked the back of his head.

“I don’t know… but first things first, we will have a security detail round the clock. My signing of the deal in Las Vegas might have some serious repercussions and I think I need to make things right. Legally.”

“Does that mean that you are going to the police about The Outlaws?” she asked, and Nate nodded.

“I got approached by the feds when I was in the club and after leaving it. I think it is about time I made sure that Nate Duncan is as untouchable as AK thought me to be. Or else, they will bleed me dry.”

She shook her head.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, worried.

“Financially. It happened while I was still in the club and I had to part with half a million dollars just to make sure I got out of Las Vegas alive,” he said. “But that is the last cent they are ever going to get from me. I am done funding crime. Matter of fact, I doubt the money he received will go very far.”

“Seriously, you have to talk to me having in mind that I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said as she pulled away from him so that she could look at him.

“My accountant made sure that the money was marked. All the authorities have to do now is follow the money,” he said, grinning.

“That’s why we need protection,” she said, and he nodded.

“Yeah. I’m done making mistakes.”