Chapter 188
\nThree Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 188<\/p>\n
Aiken was caught off guard. He\u2019d seen the bag when he walked in, but he\u2019d been busy talking to Lawrence about Bonnie at the time, so it barely registered. He just assumed it was one of Bonnie\u2019s things and moved on.<\/p>\n
He never would have guessed it was for him.<\/p>\n
A quiet happiness crept in, softening his features, making his eyes shine a bit more than usual. After wiping his hands dry, he wandered over to the console table and picked up the bag, turning it over in his hands. His heart felt unexpectedly light. He pulled out the box, opened it carefully, and found a sleek black watch resting quietly inside.<\/p>\n
It was simple but elegant, low-key but absolutely classy.<\/p>\n
Aiken genuinely liked it, enough that he just stood there for a beat, staring.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou really didn\u2019t have to,\u201d he said, suddenly shy and not quite ready to put it on. Carrying the box with him, he walked back into the room and found Bonnie sitting at the edge of the bed beside her nightstand, a bunch of tissues scrunched in her fist, looking a bit lost. He didn’t question it too much. \u201cSo, what made you decide to get me a gift all of a sudden?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie stirred, forcing a small smile. \u201cYou gave me that scarf before, and you\u2019ve been helping me out so much lately. I just wanted to say thank you. Try it on and see if it fits, okay? If you don\u2019t like it, or want to swap it out for a different style, we totally can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aiken teased, \u201cSo it\u2019s a thank-you present. You know, police officers aren\u2019t supposed to accept expensive gifts from regular citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie\u2019s eyes crinkled in amusement. \u201cRelax, I won\u2019t turn you in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aiken met her gaze, warmth spilling from his eyes. Bonnie dropped her head, and the tips of her ears turned a little pink.<\/p>\n
He smiled, unclasped his old watch and set it aside, then slipped Bonnie\u2019s gift onto his wrist. He held his arm out for her. \u201cHow does it look?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie glanced at the watch, then back at him, and nodded. \u201cIt looks really good. Honestly, it suits you way better than the guy in the ads.\u201d<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t exaggerating, either. Aiken had this air about him\u2014serious, upright, good-looking. The watch just fit him, maybe even more so than on those poster models.<\/p>\n
The way he was smiling made her feel oddly self-conscious.<\/p>\n
Bonnie had meant to give the gift in public, somewhere neutral, not in her own apartment. It felt too private, a little awkward and\u2026a little more intimate than she\u2019d expected.<\/p>\n
Aiken didn\u2019t say anything, which only made Bonnie more on edge.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me finish first,\u201d Aiken smiled, a little sheepish. \u201cBut honestly, it\u2019s not too late. Meeting you again after three years is still better than losing you forever, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou probably don\u2019t know this, but I had a crush on you for three years. Back at the ski resort, I wasn\u2019t really interested in being your instructor for a couple hundred bucks. It\u2019s just\u2026out there on that endless white snow, surrounded by crowds in colorful gear, you were the only one I couldn\u2019t look away from. I saw you take off your goggles and sit alone. It was busy all around you, but you just seemed so lonely. I gathered all my courage to go over, but every bit of it disappeared the moment your boyfriend showed up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The regret in Aiken\u2019s voice was real, almost heavy. He hadn\u2019t wanted to be the reason Bonnie fought with Lawrence, so he\u2019d left for the advanced slope instead. \u201cIf only I hadn\u2019t walked away so quickly\u2026maybe things would be different.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie\u2019s emotions twisted inside, part of her wanting to laugh, part of her wanting to cry. Everything just felt like a mess. Aiken had put everything out in the open, confessed straight from the heart, completely catching her off guard.<\/p>\n
She just didn\u2019t know what to do with it.<\/p>\n
She gripped her tissues tighter, picking up the faintest metallic tang. After everything that had happened lately, her heart felt so tired, she wasn\u2019t even sure how to handle something as big as this.<\/p>\n
Aiken saw it all, but he still needed to say what he came to say. \u201cBonnie, I\u2019ve never dated anyone. My whole relationship history is just a blank, except for this one failed crush. I\u2019ve got steady work, my family is simple. Right now, there\u2019s something I want to ask. Kind of like applying for a new job\u2026I want to submit an official request to you. Would you be willing to consider it?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-856","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}