I clap my hands in excitement and then step on my toes to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you,” I say. “This is the nicest dinner I’ve ever had.”
He pulls out the chair for me and I sit down with my heart feeling more full than ever. I can’t believe he went through all this trouble for me.
“This view is insane,” I say as he pulls the wine out of the bucket and wipes the water off. It’s ocean all around us, and the bright colors in the sky are reflecting off the water making it even more beautiful.
He pours wine for each of us as I place my napkin on my lap, wondering what I did to deserve all of this. If I hadn’t spotted Shane’s oil rig in the distance this afternoon, I’d still be on the boat, drifting around until I starved or died of thirst.
I could have died. This man saved me.
He sits across from me and I’m shaken by the feeling that this is where I’m supposed to be. In front of this man. My body is telling me that we belong together. It’s all tingly and warm whenever I’m in his presence.
“Cheers,” he says as he lifts his wine glass. “To the start of something special.”
I smile as I clink my glass against his. “To the start of something special.”
We don’t take our eyes off each other as we both take a sip.
“Let me ask you,” I say with a flirty grin as I put my glass down. “Are the phones really broken?”
His eyebrow raises.
“I knew it!” I say with a laugh. “You didn’t want to let me go!”
“I couldn’t let you go,” he says, sounding pained. “Janice. I can’t live without you. I knew it the second I saw you. You’re the girl for me. You’re my soul mate.”
There’s a fluttering in my chest when his brown eyes get that possessive look again. His desire wraps around me like a warm blanket and I just want to sink into it forever.
“I’m sorry I lied to you,” he says, looking sincere. “It will never happen again. I was just so desperate to be near you. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“It’s okay,” I say, letting him off the hook. “To be honest, I wanted to stay. I was relieved when you said they weren’t working.”
We stare at each other for a long heated moment, and just when I think he’s about to swipe all of the stuff off the table as we lunge on each other, something in the distance catches my eye.
“Look!” I say, jumping out of my seat and nearly flipping the table over in the process. “Dolphins!”
I run over to the edge of the platform and lean on the railing to get a better look. About a dozen dolphins are leaping and diving as they swim through the water.
I squeal in delight and wave at them as they go. This is amazing! My heart is drumming happily in my chest as I bounce up and down.
Shane comes up behind me and wraps his big muscular arms around me. I sigh contently as I run my hand up his arm and hold him here. His chest presses against my back and I get another delicious whiff of his cologne.
Is there a more perfect place to be on the planet than here in this man’s arms, under this spectacular sunset, watching dolphins frolic in the ocean?
I hope everyone gets a romantic moment like this in their lives that they can look back on when they’re reaching their final days. I know I’ll look back on this moment with nothing but fondness. This moment will be with me for the rest of my life.
“Thank you,” I whisper to him when the dolphins finish their show and disappear under the water. “For everything.”
I turn in his arms and look up into his warm eyes. He looks so handsome that I can’t help myself. I lean up and kiss him on the mouth, wondering where he’s been all my life.
But I already know. He’s been right here. Waiting for me.
I slide my hand into his and bring him back to the romantic table.
We sit down and I remove the silver platter with a flourish. I gasp when I see the delicious looking vegetarian lasagna on my plate.
“I love the big reveal of these covers,” I say with a laugh. “They’re as fun as I always thought they would be.”
“Does the food look okay?”
I nod as I breathe it in, feeling so damn content and happy that I’m here and not out there, still drifting around on that cursed boat. “It looks wonderful.”
“Good,” he says with a nod. “Then eat up.”
I start shoveling the food into my mouth because I know I’m going to need some strength later on.