Chapter 178
Anastasia had been hanging around the neighborhood entrance for almost half an hour when Herman rolled up in his Chevy Spotting the familiar nde, Anastasia sprung up with a grin, opened the door and hopped in âWhere are we heading? Monica and I already had our grub, what about you?â
âGrabbed a bite Herman twisted slightly, buckling Anastasiaâs seatbelt for her
His distinctive scent engulfed Anastasia, and his handsome face was so close it made her heart race. He always had this subtle floral scent that was just irresistible.
âYouâll find out when we get there.â
After fastening her seatbelt, he snuck in a quick peck on her lips before settling back into his seat
Anastasiaâs eyes widened in surprise and he chuckled. âHold on tightâ
Her checks turned a shade of pink and a shy smile spread across her face. She muttered under her breath. âSuch a rogueâ
He took one hand off the wheel to hold hers and drove out towards the outskirts of the city
An hour later, they arrived at the highest hill on the outskirts. Standing on the viewing platform, they could overlook half of Riverdale The wind was strong atop the hill and the night was chillier Herman had come prepared, he handed Anastasia a thick coat to keep her warm, then led her towards the viewing platform.
âYou brought me here for the night view?â Anastasia glanced around. âI heard this hilltopâs usually a hotspot for night time hikers, whyâs it deserted tonight?â
âThat just means we got lucky, and no one will bother us.â Herman brought her to the edge of the viewing platform, jesting. âDarling. take a good look, this is the kingdom Iâve won for youâ
At this, Anastasia couldnât help but chuckle and turned her gaze elsewhere.
He chipped in, âI havenât won that side yet, just focus on this.â
âHerman, when did you turn into such a joker?â Anastasia laughed.
The night view here was breathtakingly beautiful. Neon lights glittered as far as the eye could see, and the hustle and bustle of the city sprawled out before them, seemingly endless
Tve always been too caught up in life, and never took the time to admire our cityâ Anastasia smiled. âItâs really pretty, so charmingâ
He held her from behind, joining her in admiring the cityscape. âBut it doesnât hold a candle to youâ
She turned in his arms, back against the railing, arms encircling his waist, looking into his dark eyes.
âDarling, thank you for all the joy.â Anastasia felt an unprecedented level of happiness, every cell in her body was soaked in sweetness.
With a smile tugging at his lips, he said, âMy pleasure.â
The cold wind rustled her hair, and gently caressed her pretty face. With a beautiful view on the horizon and a beauty in his arms, he hugged her waist tighter, leaned in and planted a passionate yet gentle kiss on her lips. That kiss was the most beautiful scene of all. Her hands gripped his clothes as she reciprocated his kiss, playfully caressing him, teasing him.
âYouâre such a tempting little wild cat.â He wanted her so badly.
She chuckled in his arms. âYouâre the one who taught me all this.â
Hermanâs eyes were filled with affection. With Anastasia by his side, his life was perfect. No matter what her past was, she was the one he vowed to protect for the rest of his life. She was his woman.
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the sky, followed by a series of fireworks decorating the night sky with their vibrant colors.
Anastasia was pleasantly surprised, she turned back to look. âSo beautiful, whoâs setting off the fireworks? Did you arrange this?â
Herman lied, âNo, I gave all my paychecks to you. Thereâs no money left for such romantic gestures. We mustâve just stumbled upon someone elseâs fireworksâ
âGood, otherwise itâd be such a waste of money, one bang and there goes a few dozen bucksâ Anastasia chuckled. âTheyâre really prettyâ
Someone elseâs fireworks, and they didnât cost them a dime. She felt so much better
Herman couldnât help but smile. These fireworks didnât cost him a cent, it was Flynn who footed the bill.
Halfway up the hill, Flynn and Nelson were busy setting off box after box of fireworks. There were probably a hundred boxes of fireworks on the ground, enough to last an hour. Theyâd been preparing for a while. The mosquitoes on the hill had given them quite a hard time.
As Flynn set off the fireworks, he complained, âWhy should I pay for Hermanâs attempt to please his wife? My allowance hasnât
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increased, yet heâs expecting me to foot the bill, sigh.â
Nelson laughed, âYou better hope Mr. Salstrom doesnât hear this, otherwise youâll not only be out of pocket, but your allowance might also even get docked.â
Flynn found a spot to sit and enjoy the fireworks. âI paid for this, I might as well enjoy it. Nelson, come join me.â
Nelson remarked, âIsnât it a bit weird for two guys to watch fireworks together?â
Flynn was speechless.