Belle shrugged. "Who knows?" she asked honestly. "Oh, but Brylee, I am so happy you are, especially since you are doing so with Rick. I feel love shine between the two of you and know that you will be so happy together."
"I know," Brylee said with a grin.
At that moment, the two suddenly heard little taps against the closed balcony window. Belle immediately felt her body tense and she slowly slid over to the glass. However, she could see Aaron standing below the balcony, tossing pebbles against the window. Belle glanced at her sister over her shoulder and beamed before turning back around, opening the window, and heading out onto the balcony.
"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?" Aaron asked, glancing up and locking eyes with Belle. "It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon who is already sick and pale with grief!"
"My name is Arabella, thank you very much," Belle said, though her face was tainted red and a smile was still scrawled on her face. The young woman looked over her shoulder once more at Brylee, who was trying not to cry. She glanced at Aaron before heading back inside and holding Brylee tightly in her arms. "I must go now, Brylee," Belle said softly. "But please, do not cry. Do not worry. It is like Papa told me in the note. No matter what, I will always be with you. Today is your happy day. Please do not shed tears on my account."
"I do not want you to go," Brylee said, and though she had been successful the entire day, the tears now began to fall.
"I know, my love," Belle murmured, trying to keep her voice as soothing as possible. "But I must say goodbye, though it will not be forever. Think of it this way, Brylee. We are both starting new adventures, and though we are on different paths right now, we will meet again."
With that, Belle squeezed her sister's frame once before releasing Brylee, heading onto the balcony, and dropping back onto solid ground. Aaron wrapped his arms around Belle and kissed her forehead before he turned her frame and the two started heading back over to the docks. At first, the two were silent, though both had questions milling around in their heads.
"Do you ever want to get married, darling?" Aaron asked, his arm dangling off Belle's slender shoulder.
"With you?" Belle pretended to think about it for a long moment. "I am not sure…"
"I'm serious, love," Aaron said, glancing over at Belle's face with his warm, brown eyes. "Would you ever want to marry me? The big dress, the priest, the wedding night, and everything in between?"
Belle stopped walking and made sure to lock eyes with the man before her to ensure that he knew she was serious. "Marriage is not required for my happiness," Belle told him, the full, low moon casting a glow around the couple. "But you, my darling, most certainly are, and right now, I am excessively happy."
Aaron was pleased at Belle's choice of words, and his smile revealed just how delighted he was. He bent down and quickly kissed her passionately. Though they had been together for a while now, Aaron was certain he would never get tired of kissing her soft lips. And even if she had told him she wanted to get married, he would have proposed right then and somehow thrown together the wedding of her dreams. But hearing that it wasn't necessary caused Aaron to fall in love with her even more than he already was, a feat he originally thought was impossible.
Then again, he should have known the woman before him was full of surprises.
"I am thinking about embarking on another adventure, doll," Aaron said, his voice low and husky. His hand was cradling her cheek and his thumb was caressing her skin. "Do you want to take that ride with me?"
Belle looked at him for a moment, trying to read Aaron's eyes. "Yeah," she agreed with a smile. "I want to take that ride with you."
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, this was the first pirate novel I’ve written, and its spiraled from there. I promised myself I would write a good one – with more than just sex and romance, and I feel I’ve accomplished that with this book. So thank YOU for downloading it, taking a chance, and reading it. It means so, so much to me.
To all the readers and reviewers on Fictionpress, you’ve given me the courage to pursue my dreams. I’m so grateful for your support.
To my mom
To my brother
To my amazing cover designer, Katya Sarria. Your designs and creativity are so eye-catching and unique! Thank you for working with me. I stuill can’t believe what you come up with, and it always exceeds my expectations! (http://www.katyasarria.com)
To my kids, who inspire me.
To my husband, who gives me insight and inspiration, and teaches me to be a better person. Thank you. I love you.
Other Works by Heather C. Myers
Somerset Series
Marked Territory
Tempting the Flesh
Four Sides of a Triangle
Sassiness & Sarcasm: A Love Story
Blood on the Rocks
Corsets & Crossbones
Save the Date!
And keep an eye out for The Dark Paradise Trilogy and Stranger Series, to be published by Anchor Group Publishing. The first books from each series, Awaken and Stranger, will be released through them August 2015.
Did You Like Heroes & Thieves?
As an author, the best thing a reader can do is leave an honest review. I love gathering feedback because it shows me you care and it helps me be a better writer. If you have the time, I’d greatly appreciate any feedback you can give me. Thank you!
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Warmly,
Heather
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