“How did you know I loved this stuff?” she asked simply.
“I didn’t… I just knew neither of us were fans of alcohol, and I wanted to have something special waiting.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for giving me these moments, these memories. Wait here and I’ll go grab the sandwiches for dinner. We can eat here, on the beach, and watch the sunset.”
He got up from his chair, and took off towards the plane where it sat in the distance beside their small dome tent. As she stared at the rolling ocean before them, she realized that this was one of the best moments in her life.
She couldn’t remember another time where she felt so carefree, so accepted, so special, in her life… and it wasn’t just because of where she was – but rather because she was allowed to be herself, enjoy this, with the man who brought her here.
Jax had told her, ‘If you want to escape to paradise, then I’m the man who’s going to take you,’ and those words were indelible in her mind. What was it like to be a part of something where the other person truly treasured you – and you felt the same for them?
Was this love?
She had always thought what she’d had with Joe for a few years was once love – but now she was realizing it wasn’t. It was some sick, twisted version of trying to belong… but never love.
Love was when you would do or give it all, simply to make the other person happy… and she knew it now, because it was starting to grow within her. She was also keenly aware that Jax was in deep. It wasn’t just a fondness that he’d claimed.
He was holding back, and she knew it – for her.
Tears stung her eyes as she wondered if something was inherently broken within her that made her so afraid to take the next steps with him. She wanted to see him again, see where he grew up, to meet his mother, take so many photos with him, and build a future with him at her side.
“Is everything okay?” Jax said, appearing at her side, looking concerned.
“What? Oh yes,” she said startled, wiping her eyes. “I was just looking at the water, realizing how beautiful all this was, and desperately wanting to take photos so we can look back at this moment someday.”
“Say the word, sweetheart…” he smiled easily, brandishing her cell phone already in his hand. “Ask and you shall receive.”
She looked at the phone, his smile, and felt herself melting openly. He was so good to her.
“Will you take a few photos with me?”
“Always…”
His voice was soft, warm, and so inviting that it was heady to think things would or could always be like this – but only time would tell. She was still skeptic and jaded… and afraid to let someone else in.
As he sat down, he handed her a Ziploc baggie and made a face.
“Nothing special, but it will keep us fed.”
“This could be a roll of stale crackers and I would be in paradise,” she smiled, and heard his soft laugh in relief as he took his seat beside her again. He sprawled out in the chair, extending his legs before him, and relaxing… so beautiful – and so hers.
Without thinking or fighting it, she lifted her foot and hooked it over his, crossing her right leg and his left one, affectionately – and took a picture of their feet in the sand together.
She heard his chuckle, knew somehow that his heart was just as happy as hers, and flipped the screen on her phone to take a selfie of them… and gasped.
Her hair was so windblown, so snarled, that it looked like some creature had taken a moment to nest on her head. How was he looking at her with such big doe eyes? She looked positively haggard and…
Jax leaned towards her at that moment, dropping a kiss on her shoulder intimately… and she could see it in the viewfinder. She snapped the photo, not caring about her hair in that moment. His own hair was sticking up in a few spots and matted down because of the salt water… and she didn’t care in the slightest.
Was it the same for him?
… And without prompting, she had her answer.
“You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me,” he said softly against her skin, before dropping another quick, soft kiss… and laying his cheek on her shoulder, looking at the camera. “See that look? That woman is happy to be here – and it’s everything to me.”
She nodded, her heart racing as he turned his face away from the camera to look up at her. His dark eyes were there, searching hers, waiting, and she saw the awareness and understanding in his gaze.