The Pursuit

Fourteen

⬻Damien⤖

It was day two with Maggie in Hawaii. I brought her to the family house once we landed. I showed her room and we ordered Chinese food. We didn't talk much. Maggie chose to eat outside by herself watching the waves crash against the rocks that lined the border of the estate. She sat there for awhile and I just watched her take in the push and pull of the water.

She needed to rebuild herself, that is evident. The woman needed to find her passion again. She needed to start up her drive again. She wasn't living. She was just surviving. I've seen it before . I've been there too.

That night I fell asleep on the couch waiting for her to come back into the house. I knew she wouldn't go too far. I saw her eyes when they met with enticement of the ocean. The waves seduced her closer teasing her with promises. Maggie was hooked. 

I woke in the morning to the blanket covering me and the smell of bacon in the air. I sat up and looked around the open house and searched for Maggie but didn't see her. I heard her instead. She came around the corner wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Her hair tied neatly in a ponytail at the top of her head. She was humming, as if second nature, to a song that made her laugh at herself when she couldn't hit the high note.  Does she know how amazing she is, how amazing she could be? 

I watched her move through the kitchen with ease. Her mannerism were humble but purposeful. She exuded an unofficial confidence in the kitchen. She turned the bacon over in one pan and then moved to the next. She made her way to the kettle and poured herself a cup of hot water. I sat and watched her maneuver her way throughout like some sort of domestic goddess. She was so enchanting.

I stood and walked to the breakfast bar. I let my body relax and my arms lean against the marble. She moved with precision. She flipped the bacon and scrambled the eggs. She must have felt me watching her as I saw  her body reacted to my presence. Her shoulders lifted and her arms gathered goosebumps. I started to smile thinking of the way she felt me even though I was at a distance from her.

"Good morning", I said politely.

Maggie turned her head to look over her shoulder in the most innocent way. "Good morning to you too", she replied.

"What's on the menu chef?" I asked playfully, my eyebrows popped up with intrigue.

She smiled and turned her body to me. I could see her chest rise and fall with purpose. She looked at me through her batted eyelashes.  "I guess you'll have to come closer and find out", she teased. I forced my body to stay put. I knew she was fully aware of what she was doing but she didn't need me. She didn't need someone else interrupting her healing. I had to let her heal first before I pushed my wants and needs on her. She had too much to lose from a hookup. She might not see it yet. She couldn't invest in me or any form of passion, for that matter, without first loving herself fully, and wholly. 

Maggie emptied the pans of food onto to two plates. She passed one plate the me and my stomach erupted with a growl. We stood in silence for a bit before I spoke. I made sure to watch her body react to me, as if it would change once the reality of the situation hit her.  I complimented her on her abilities as I finished the meal. I walked my plate over to the sink and talked into the air, "I made plans for to go surfing this afternoon, if you want to join in". I waited to hear her response.

She sighed inward and I could sense her contemplating whether or not she should follow through with the plan.

"I haven't been out in a while and thought it could be fun, you know me watching you fall off the board and you watching me catch every wave", I turned my head to make eye contact and winked at her. She likes competition, I could sense it.

Maggie's eyebrows rose as if to officially accept the challenge. "Who said I haven't surfed before?" she challenged. I smiled slyly at her and washed my dish. She's definitely  in for a surprise.