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I shake my head. “Not as far as I'm aware.”
She stands up with a shaky smile and makes her way toward the balcony. I follow, waiting for her to continue.
“What I'm trying to say is I think I might have had an inaccurate representation of what's going on between us because people like you don’t mingle with people like me.”
“That sounds very classist. Or sexist. Or bigoted. I'm not sure what you’re referring to.” I keep my tone light and playful, wanting to put her at ease and not stress her out more. This is an unintended side effect of bringing her back to my room, although I guess I should have seen it coming.
“You're really sweet, but I know you know what I mean.” We both plant our hands on the balcony railing and stare out over the open ocean. As she leans on the balcony railing, looking out over the ocean, the sun setting behind her creates a glowing orange halo on her head. The brilliant oranges, pinks, blues, and purples of the sunset only magnify the beauty of this moment with her and I inhale, carefully committing every detail to memory.
“I don't think I do.” I'm not sure what she's been taught or learned about people like me, but I absolutely don't choose others to be in my life based on some arbitrary detail, like how much money they make. In my experience, the character of an individual is worth a hell of a lot more than what's in their bank account. And her character is one I’d absolutely like to keep in my life... if she’s willing.
She glances at me out of the corner of her eye and tilts her head. “You look different.”
“Different how?” I ask, unsure what she means.
“Don’t worry, it’s a good different,” she says with a light laugh. “You seem more relaxed.”
I feel more relaxed. “Well, thank you,” I say. “And you look stunning.”
She blushes, lowering her eyes. “Thank you,” she says, her voice barely more than a whisper.
We fall into silence, staring out over the endless ocean. It's peaceful and calm, reflecting the brilliant colors of the sky. We hear the sound of waves lapping the sides of the ship and feel the slight wind bringing the scent of the ocean right to our noses.
“It’s so beautiful,” she says with a breathy sigh.
“It is,” I agree.
And as we stand there, just enjoying one another's company, she reaches for my hand and places hers on mine. The weight of her hand, the warmth of her touch, and the way she laces her fingers with mine sends tingling heat through me. She gives my hand a gentle squeeze, and I hear the gratitude in her voice as she speaks again.
“Thank you for today,” she says.
“Thank you for being here with me,” I say. The question is, how do I tell her that our night isn't over? I have one more plan for the evening, and I can only hope she'll love it. She smiles and leans in close to me, resting her head on my shoulder as I wind an arm around her. She clings to me, hugging my waist with one arm as she leans into me.
And we stay like that for what feels like a long time, feeling one another's warmth and heartbeat. For the first time, in as long as I can remember, I don't need words. This moment is perfect as it is in silence.
This is our last night on the cruise. Today we've had an amazing time together, but I want to make it even more special with the one last surprise I have in store for her. And as the moments slip away, I know that the time grows closer.
“I do have one more thing planned for tonight,” I say.
She looks up at me with curiosity in her eyes. I love the knowledge that even though she doesn't know what I have planned, she trusts me.
I already called ahead and had someone set up our spot for us, including pillows, a basket of snacks, and a couple of blankets. All that’s left is for us to show up.
“Okay,” she says breathlessly.
With that, I take her hand and lead her out onto the main deck. She follows, her pulse pounding hard against my palm. I may have asked her friends what her favorite movie is and put in a request to watch that tonight. It's a romantic comedy that makes her laugh and hopefully will bring us closer together.
As we walk along the deck, she looks at the other couples settling in and then smiles at me. “Are we watching a movie?” she asks.
“I’m not about to ruin the surprise,” I tease.
We reach our spot and settle in as the last of the light begins to fade. Overhead the stars prick the deep blue velvet skies, giving us a breathtaking view of the heavens. I glance over at Zoe and realize she looks like an angel.
Her gaze meets mine.
“Hey, you,” she says, kissing me softly on the lips as we relax.
“Hey, yourself,” I say, taking her hand in mine.
