SR3. 33. Sweet Memories

Laura couldn't hold back the tears welling up in her eyes due to being moved. Both of her feet stood at the end of the road, with a long carpet strewn with rose petals. From where Laura stood, candles were neatly arranged along the edge of the carpet leading to a heart-shaped area. The gentle sea breeze caressed her body, seemingly failing to disturb her wonder until a hand grabbed her and brought her back to reality.

"Special for You, Honey," Aryan whispered softly while pulling Laura's hand to follow his steps. Aryan's eyes never left the object next to them, still filled with amazement. Soft and romantic music played in harmony with Aryan and Laura's steps.

Laura remained motionless as they stood right in the center of the heart-shaped arrangement, on a red carpet with a table and chairs draped in white cloth. On the table, a complete meal was served with tightly sealed drinks. In the middle of the table, a graceful bouquet of lilies stood in a white vase, alongside scented candles that added to the romantic atmosphere.

Aryan pulled out a chair for Laura, and with his guidance, she sat down. Laura was still bewildered, her emotions and logic engaged in a fierce debate to ensure that everything wasn't just a dream. She felt like she was lost in her own fantasy world, like a romantic scene she often watched in Korean dramas. "A perfect dream," she whispered softly, accompanied by a gentle breeze caressing her face.

Aryan kissed Laura's forehead before taking a seat opposite her, his hazel eyes never leaving the woman in front of him for a single moment.

"Honey, please look at me," Aryan said while holding Laura's hand. Laura followed the instructions, her gaze meeting a pair of hazel eyes that also looked at her with a glistening gaze.

"I'm just a selfish man who always follows the logic, I work hard only to satisfy my greed for wealth, I've always been strong in my weakness, and I'm just a wanderer of love with no direction. But since I met you and fell in love with you, everything has changed. You've managed to shatter my entire world, discard all my logic and ego. Now, all I want is one thing: to spend the rest of my life with you and our future children. I love you, Laura. So, are you willing to age with me?" Aryan said, then he knelt down in front of Laura while pulling out a red velvet box from his suit pocket.

Laura remained motionless, her eyes glistening as the box opened wide. The sparkle of the silver rings' diamonds caught her eye. With a smile, Aryan took Laura's left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger, then he kissed the back of her hand with love.

"Come on, it's your turn to put one on me," Aryan said when Laura was still in shock. Laura was surprised but returned Aryan's smile. She picked up the remaining ring with trembling hands. She briefly read her name inscribed on the inner circle of the ring and then slid it onto Aryan's ring finger.

"Thank you, Honey. I love you more," Laura said, then she hugged Aryan tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"Sorry, Honey, my proposal was late," Aryan whispered while kissing the top of Laura's head.

Laura buried herself further into Aryan's embrace. Slowly, Aryan let go of the hug and lifted Laura's face. Their eyes locked in the deepest emotion.

"I don't want to see you cry anymore," Aryan kissed Laura's forehead and then moved to her eyelids, taking turns, and ended up on her luscious lips. He gently kissed Laura's lips, savoring every breath that mingled in their long kiss until their breaths quickened.

Their lip lock broke suddenly when Laura realized they were in a public place. Her blood seemed to freeze at the thought of many pairs of eyes witnessing their passionate kiss. Aryan chuckled when he noticed Laura looking panicked, scanning their surroundings.

"Don't worry, it's just the two of us here. Do you want to continue?" Aryan whispered with a mischievous grin. Before Laura could respond, Aryan united their lips again, ignoring Laura's restlessness. Aryan tilted the back of Laura's head to deepen their kiss, and slowly, Laura began to relax, intertwining her hands behind Aryan's head and responding to his kiss even more deeply.

"Enough, I'm hungry," Laura said as she pushed Aryan's body away from hers and tried to catch her breath. Aryan chuckled at the sparkle in Laura's eyes. He couldn't wait to take her to the bedroom and satisfy his desires.

"Okay, let's eat first, and then I want the dessert on the bed," Aryan replied, winking at Laura, and instantly, a blush spread across Laura's sweet face.

After dinner, they sat side by side, enjoying the beach atmosphere with the sparkling city lights and the gentle sound of the waves as the perfect backdrop. Laura rubbed her arms to fend off the cold air that seemed to pierce her bones.

"Let's head back to the villa," Aryan suggested, taking off his jacket and draping it over Laura's shoulders while hugging her tightly.

***

In the early morning, Aryan stretched his muscles, feeling stiff and sore from their night of passion that involved two rounds and the cold air of Pantai Asmoro Bay. Even the thick blanket covering his body seemed unable to ward off the cold. He moved his body closer to Laura's to seek warmth, but the chill still tickled his skin. With his eyes closed, he reached for the AC remote on the table and turned it off.

Soon, Laura shifted her position to face Aryan, seeking warmth. Aryan smiled with satisfaction as he hugged Laura tightly. "Honey, is it already dawn?" Laura asked with closed eyes and a hoarse voice.

"Yes, it's already dawn, my love," Aryan replied while looking at Laura's serene face. The drowsiness that had enveloped him earlier disappeared as he gazed at his wife. He carefully studied the lovely face before him, wondering which part of her had made him fall madly in love. She was so simple, yet her eyes seemed to never stop praising her.

At 4:30 in the morning, they had to leave their haven reluctantly. Aryan carried Laura to the bathroom, and the warm water showered over them awakened Aryan's passion for their honeymoon once more. With all his strength, Aryan tried to restrain himself from ravishing Laura's inviting body, but his efforts failed. Now, Aryan was making love to Laura with a sense of urgency, bringing their morning ecstasy to a beautiful climax.

After breakfast, they packed up and checked out of the villa at 8 in the morning. Their flight was scheduled for 2 in the afternoon, so they had enough time to check on Aryan's new project in Batu Malang and buy souvenirs for their family at home.

Throughout the journey, their hands were intertwined, and Aryan occasionally smiled and kissed the top of Laura's head.

"If you want, we can come back here for a vacation sometime," Aryan whispered, kissing the back of Laura's hand.

Laura gazed at Aryan intently. "Yes, one day I want to come here with my family. Nancy and I have wanted to visit Apple City for a long time. Is that okay?" Laura said hesitantly, her black irises locked onto Aryan's hazel ones.

"Of course," Aryan replied shortly and hugged Laura tightly.

Now, Laura leaned on Aryan's chest with her eyes closed. Aryan knew she must be tired from their activities the previous night and their lovemaking in the morning.

"Mr. Aryan, we have arrived at the location," Mr. Agus said politely.

"Yes, Mr. Agus, thank you," Aryan replied briefly.

Mr. Agus got out of the car first, feeling a bit embarrassed about witnessing Aryan and Laura's intimacy. Although he was accustomed to chauffeuring newlyweds on their honeymoons, this time felt different. They were incredibly polite and kind to him. Whenever he delivered something to the villa, Aryan always gave him extra tips. Mr. Agus had repeatedly declined, but Aryan insisted, saying, "Mr. Agus, you shouldn't reject this blessing. If you don't think it's your blessing, then it's the blessing of Mr. Agus's wife and children." And of course, Mr. Agus accepted it with gleaming eyes when he thought of his family at home.

"Darling, we've arrived," Aryan gently stroked Laura's cheek. Laura slowly opened her eyes and looked out the car window.

"You can rest in the car while Mr. Agus takes care of things here. I'll just be a moment," Aryan said, kissing Laura's forehead before stepping out of the car. Laura nodded and fixed her hair, enjoying the serene and cool atmosphere from inside the car.

Aryan quickly met with the contractor handling his project and listened to the explanations. After about an hour of checking the entire building, he hurried back to the car to continue their journey to the Malang City souvenir shop.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the Malang City souvenir shop. Laura couldn't believe that almost all the snacks in the shop were made from apples. In the end, they decided to buy apple chips, various cassava products, apple jenang (a type of traditional snack), and kelanceng honey, which was said to have many health benefits. Laura wanted to give it to her father.

"Oh, Mama ordered some ceramic crafts from Dinoyo. Can we stop by there for a moment?" Aryan asked before they got back into the car.

"Of course, let's go. I'm curious too," Laura replied, placing her hand on Aryan's waist.

Within 10 minutes, their car was parked in front of the art gallery Aryan mentioned. With enthusiasm, Aryan and Laura chose several models and sizes of ceramic crafts, each with unique shapes and carvings. This might have been Laura's first time visiting this city, but for Aryan, it was his umpteenth visit. Back when he lived in Kediri, Aryan and his family often vacationed here and spent several days exploring the attractions in Malang City during Andra's school holidays, his older brother.

After shopping enough, they left the gallery and headed to the airport. Mr. Agus, who had been waiting for them outside the car, immediately opened the trunk when he saw Aryan carrying a box of Dinoyo ceramics. They drove through the forest, along winding roads, and soon the sky began to darken, and tears started to fall from it.

"I'll definitely miss this place," Laura murmured, gazing out the car window at the enchanting scenery.

"Of course, Honey. One day we'll come back here with our extended family," Aryan replied, kissing the top of Laura's head. Aryan had already planned that, during the inauguration of his new villa in Batu, he would bring his entire family along.