Stunned.
He had left her completely stunned as she stood there, her eyes blinking at his appearance. She could already feel the blood rushing up her neck to color her face into that of a pink rose, eyes traveling from Jack to the roam around the decorations before returning to him. It was all she could do in her shock.
What was all this? Jack didn’t tend to be the romantic type and she had come to appreciate every little touch and word of affection so this was definitely something that had robbed the words from her lips. Good thing her camera was hanging around her neck or she might have dropped it. As it was she barely had a grip on the grocery bags.
Watching her gape at him, Jack could feel his own face grow hot as a purple blush tinted his cheeks. For a long moment, he was afraid he’d made a terrible mistake, one she might never let him forget.
“Um …” he stammered, “s-since we missed your birthday, I, uh, I w-wanted to do something special for you.” He gulped nervously. “Do you like it? I r-remember you said once that you’d like it if I dressed up as a prince …”
That had been a silly little notion she had shared, to tease him and watch him blush though it had been while they were snuggling in bed one day. She recalled it well and now here it was in real life just for her. Her blush intensified.
Putting the groceries and her camera down and not even noticing the dogs sniffing around the bags, she leaned in to wrap her arms around his shoulders and pull him down for a gentle but loving kiss.
All of this just for her? She couldn’t believe he had done this. Pulling away from his lips, she smiled shyly, face radiating her gratitude. “I love it..! It just shocked me is all. I didn’t expect it at all.” Her thumbs stroked his cheeks gently as she closed her eyes and leaned into him. “Thank you…It’s all so beautiful and you look so handsome.”
The candelabra and his costume had to be her favorite part so far.
Jack hugged her back tightly as she embraced him, so relieved that she liked it and that he hadn’t made a complete fool of himself. When she kissed him, he leaned into it tenderly.
“Thank you,” he murmured. “Um … if you like, maybe you could put on one of your dresses too? N-not that you don’t already look lovely,” he reassured her, “but just to make this more special?"
Jack Maple 