I Will Still Love You

Chapter 10

"Where are we going?" asked a blind-folded Joanna

"I can't tell ya...it's a surprise!" Justin responded

"Urghh...what is it with men and surprises!?" she said

"Oh, come on Jo, it's exciting!" he replied

"Maybe for you. For me it's frustrating, especially when I can't see." she responded

Justin just laughed at her remark and kissed the back of her hand that he was holding. "Have I ever told you I love you?" he asked

"No." she responded

"I do." Justin said

"Still?" Joanna questioned

"Always." he completed

She just smiled and gave his hand a soft squeeze. After five more minutes of driving, they arrived at their destination. Justin got out of the car, opened the door for Joanna, and led her carefully through the hallway. They stepped into the elevator and he pressed the 12th floor button. Joanna was still blind-folded, so when Justin kissed her, she was taken by surprise, but she immediately responded. After each second, the kiss grew more passionate and they were enjoying every minute of it. But they were interrupted by the elevator door opening. Justin let out a smirk and placed his hand on hers. They walked through a corridor and stopped in front of a door. Justin unlocked it and guided Joanna inside. He closed the door behind them and took the blind fold off of her. He kissed the tip of her nose and said: "You can see know, Baby Jo."

"Thank you very much." she responded sarcastically Her eyes began exploring the scenery in front of her. It was a spacious and beautifully decorated apartment.

"So...do you like it?" Justin asked, flashing his gorgeous smile

"It's awesome!" she said

"Is it yours?" she asked

"Yep. My mom bought it for my 18th birthday. She is going back to Memphis next month. I told her I can take care of myself now and I think she deserves a rest. You know, just enjoy her life with Paul a little."

"Yeah, she's been through a lot and you just have to be thankful for the mom you have."

"Believe me, I am." he said, kissing her

"Well, Curly Boy, congratulations!" Joanna said

"Thanks. Now let me show you my humble home." Justin said, taking her hand He gave her a tour of the entire apartment and stole kisses in-between. They talked for a while, just enjoying each other's company. They decided to go out to dinner and celebrate their anniversary. It was almost six o'clock when Justin took Joanna home.

"I'll pick you up at seven, ok?" he asked

"Fine with me." she said. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "See ya in a while." she said

"Bye, Jo. I'll miss you." Justin said He waited for her to get inside and went home to get ready. And Joanna did the same. She took a shower, blow-dried her hair and decided to wear her dark silver dress with black sandals. She put on her makeup, which consisted of lip gloss, eye liner and mascara, and headed downstairs. Finally, at 7:05 the doorbell rang...

Joanna opened the door and there stood Justin. Even though they've been dating for four years, she still got butterflies in her stomach when she saw him. The magic was still there. And it would be for a long time. He looked as handsome as ever. He was wearing a black suit with a blue social shirt underneath and a smile on his face.

"You're late." she said

"You look dazzling." he responded

"You're forgiven." she said, smiling back at him.

Then Justin handed her the bouquet of flowers and kissed her hand. "Sterling roses, my favorite."

Joanna said "I know." "Thank you." and she kissed him sweetly on the lips.

"Shall we go?" he asked her, offering his arm.

"Sure." Joanna said, taking his arm. Justin took her to their favorite place, Chez Maui. It was a French restaurant that overlook a beautiful lake. The night was gorgeous. The stars were shinning and the moon was reflecting on the calm water. They were almost finished with their meals when Justin placed a small velvet box on the table. Joanna stared at it for a moment and then looked up to see him smiling at her.

"Open it, Jo." She finally did what he asked. At first, her eyes grew wider. She didn't know what to say or what to do. So many emotions and thoughts were running through her mind and her heart. She couldn't find the right words to express her feelings. Justin was getting more nervous as the seconds went by. It was extremely frustrating not knowing what she was thinking. He knew her inside and out, but the expression on her face now was unknown to him. He decided to break the silence:

"Don't you like it?"

"Oh my...no, no, I love it. It's just breath-taking."

"It's a promise ring. My promise to you. When the time is right, we'll get married, if you'll want me then, that is. I wanna grow old with you, Jo. You consume my every thought and breath. I can't imagine my life without you. I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you. I love you, Jo. More than anything." Justin said while holding her hand and looking deep into her eyes. By the time Justin said his last words, tears were rolling down Joanna's cheek. Pure joy was all she could feel. She didn't know what she did to deserve someone like him. She was blessed. She knew that if everyone could have half of what she had, they'd be more than happy. So, she enjoyed it to the fullest.

"I love you too. Now and always." Joanna told him. They leaned across the table and kissed. After a few more minutes of talking, Justin paid the bill. They walked out of the restaurant hand-in-hand and went home after an unforgettable night.