“What are you so happy about?” Stephan’s elated mood did not escape Solara he was curious. He tried reading his mind looking for loopholes but couldn’t find one.
“Don’t bother Solara, you won’t get anything from me so stop. You are giving me a headache.” Stephan could always feel it when someone was trying to invade his space. It was the one thing he had appreciated the most, he could sense danger a mile away.
Stephan could see how exhausted Scarlet was and thought about canceling the night. It would be a waste. Tomorrow would be Sunday she could sleep in, he hoped she would be able to stay awake for that night even if it meant for a few minutes.
“Let’s go,” Scarlet tone was full of exhaustion. Kayla was standing next to her, holding her as a crutch.
Stephan got up to hold her and she leaned against his chest. He walked her to the car and strapped her in on the passenger seat. Earlier on he had asked Solara to take Kayla and Vincent along with him. He headed in the opposite direction from her home, he knew she was tired but he would give her the surprise anyway.
“We are heading the wrong way.” She had adjusted the seat so that she could lean back and get comfortable.
She peeped at him through her half-opened eyes and she noticed the same smile he had earlier in the diner. He was planning something, she could easily tell, but she didn’t know if she was up to it.
“I thought we could pass the night off somewhere else. Don’t worry you can sleep until we get there.” He took her hand and squeezed it gently before he let go. He reached to the back seat and took his jacket so that he could cover her with it.
She was drifting into sleep when the car came to a halt. She had barely closed her eyes and they were there. Unwillingly she opened her eyes and the smell of the ocean rushed into her nose. She sat up straight and looked around. They were back at the beach.
She could remember the first time he had brought her there, the moon and the ocean. When he asked her to dance for him, under the stars. When he held her tight in his arms, kissing her. She felt her stomach knot, and her palms got sweaty. The thought of having another night with him there washed the exhaustion out of her body.
Stephan carried her to the little linen tent he had made and set her down on her feet in front of it.
She stood in silence trying to take it all in. It was beautiful the linen rolled gently as the wind blew from the ocean. The candle stood braving the wind flickering off with each breeze. Stephan immediately tried to light them but they blew out every time. He had made an effort to make it special for her and was still trying to do so.
She chuckled as she pulled at the back of his shirt, his attempts were useless against Mother Nature so he abandoned the candles. When he stood she saw the buffet that was laid down on the white linens on the sandy beach. Wine, chocolates, and grapes, she noted to herself how cheesy it all looked. Straight out of a nineteen hundred movie.
He held her from the back apologizing for the candles. All she could think about was how much trouble he went through for her. She wondered when he had the time to prepare all this and remembered his sudden absence.
“We have the stars. Those are all the lights we need.” She turned to face him and crushed herself to his chest. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” The once cold and distant man had finally opened his heart to love. She was grateful for the love he was showing her.
Scarlet kicked off her shoes and walked to the water and started dancing. This time he wouldn’t have to ask she would do it willingly, she knew it would make him happy and it was next to nothing compared to what he had done for her.
She was humming ‘Ready to Love Again’ by Lady Antebellum. It seemed an appropriate tune. She was happy. She never took for granted what it took for him to get to where he was now. He had struggled with his past to be with her in the present. And maybe the future.
She swayed side to side and watched him take his pleasure from her dancing for him. He loved seeing her in the moonlight. She never thought to ask why. She always noticed when he would pull the blinds back when he thought she was sleeping. He always let the moonlight stream into her room. But she wasn’t curious enough to ask why.
He walked up to her, admiring each curve of her body as she danced. He had to have her in his arms, to kiss her. Scarlet was taken aback when he attacked her with kisses. She could feel his arms tighten around her and his lips greedily feasted on hers. Her head was spinning from it all. When he finally put her back on the ground she had to hold on to him for support. He loved knowing that his kisses made her weak. That he had this kind of effect on her.
“Come.” He was pulling her out of the water. “I want you to wear something for me.” He pulled her into the little makeshift tent. He pulled a little purple bag from under the pillows.
Scarlet recognized it and immediately her face was burning red. She knew what it was. She could remember the pleasure she got from his reaction when she had worn one of those the first time they were together.
When she took the lingerie out of the bag, it wasn’t what she expected it to be. It was a long white strapless flannel dress. He left her alone to wear it. When she did, she didn’t find it to be desirable. Besides her shoulders, it didn’t reveal much. The long slit on the side went up to her mid-thigh. She thought that it would do. Besides he was the one who picked it out.
He was lying on the sand, looking up at the moon. She walked slowly towards him, careful not to kick up any sand. She stood on top of him with a leg on each side of his body.
Stephan looked at her now. She had blocked his view of the moon. But he didn’t mind, how could he? It didn’t hold the same beauty she did and he was all too happy to look at her. He followed the slit on the side up to her thigh. He loved how the dress looked on her. It revealed just enough, the rest he would take it upon himself to see.
“You are beautiful.” His intense look didn’t even change when she smiled down at him.
“So are you.” She dropped to lie on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back.
She pulled him back into the water. She wanted to feel the cool ocean surround them as they kissed. He picked her up and spun her around before kissing her. He carried her back to the shore laying her on the sand beside him. He rolled over and pinned her between his body and the sand. He looked into her eyes, stroking her hair over her head. She looked light a portrait, all the more beautiful in the night light.
He gently kissed her. One of his hands was supporting his weight, and the other, traveling down her side. His hand pulled her knee up so her foot would step on the sand. Then he trailed up from her foot to her knee. Letting it slide down her thigh to her waist. Her skin felt like smooth velvet under his palm.
***
Scarlet woke up to the sounds of the waves and the birds. She couldn’t imagine anything better than that moment. The previous night she experienced a side of Stephan she hadn’t before. He was so careful with her, so gentle. Her stomach fluttered from the memory of it. Somehow amid all the passion, he had managed to get them back to the tent. When she opened her eyes Stephan wasn’t there with her. She grabbed his shirt to put it on. It looked like a dress on her. She spotted him sitting cross-legged on the sand.
He could feel her walking towards him. He turned to look at her and couldn’t help but laugh. His t-shirt seemed to be wearing her and not the other way around. He opened his arms as she sat on his lap. She sat with her back against his hard chest looking at the ocean. He cradled her in his arms as they watched the sunrise from the edges of the water.