50 Shades of Drake 3 and 4

Torn: Chapter Twenty-Seven

    Destiny stood at the bow of the yacht, holding onto the railing while wind ruffled her hair. Soft music played behind her, an old R&B mix blending tunes from the 90's and early 2000's. The yacht bobbed and swayed as it cut through the water. Brian had given her a tour, as promised. The cabins below were cozy, and decked out with televisions. He'd explained that he had Wi-Fi and internet connections on the yacht. It was a beautiful vessel, well-equipped and well-decorated. Lights on the underside of the yacht gave the water around it an ethereal, blue glow.

    "I don't know if there is anything much more beautiful than the sight of the lake at night," Brian said, approaching her.

    "This is my first time on an actual yacht," she told him. "My grandfather...may he rest in peace... he owned a modest little boat that we would take out sometimes. The last time I was on a real boat was back then, and I couldn't have been any older than ten years old."

    "There is a certain charm in the smaller boats," Brian said. "I remember when I brought my father out on this, and he kept scowling at everything. Like, 'Why do you need a television on a boat? Why do you need the internet on the boat? Why does everything look so fancy?' He's very old school. When he thinks of boating, he thinks fishing. Being one with nature. Being out in the open. He considers the televisions, the music, and all of that to be a distraction from what I should really be trying to focus on. He's been on this gorgeous yacht, but to this day he prefers his little boat."

    That description of his father reminded her of her own father. "I think if your father met mine, they'd become fast friends," she said, peering down below them. Water lapped up against the bow of the yacht as it moved through the water. She turned her head and looked up at the crew member steering the boat. "My father is a very simple man. What you see is what you get with him. He doesn't need a lot of extra stuff to enjoy life. He just...enjoys life."

    "Sounds like my dad," Brian said. "Does your dad fish, or hunt, or anything like that?"

    "He doesn't hunt, but he did used to go fishing with my grandpa," she said. "Now, golfing is his thing."

    "Yeah, my dad loves to play golf. And once in awhile, I'll play with him and his buddies, but I never quite got into the sport of golfing. The fact that it's even called a sport throws me off. I know it takes a lot of skill to do what professional golfers do, but there's so much walking involved that it feels like the sport should be called Walking and Hitting A Ball Once In Awhile."

    She burst out laughing. "That's too long of a name."

    He laughed along with her. "True, I guess you're right."

    They stood side by side in silence, with the music playing and the sound of water surrounding them.

    She smiled and shook her head. "If I owned this yacht, I'd never leave it. I'd live on it."

    He laughed. "I did, at one point. It didn't last long, though." He grabbed onto the railing, peering out into the dark. Several glittering lights sparkled off in the distance. "After the whole Sharon situation, everything in the house reminded me of her. So...instead of staying there, I lived here. It was quite nice, actually."

    "You didn't tell me that she tried getting back with you," she said, slanting a look in his direction.

    The playful glint in his eyes died out. "Did Aubrey tell you that?"

    "Yes. I'm surprised you would leave that detail out."

    Brian shrugged. "I would have been an idiot to take her back. She cheated on me. That's not something I tend to forgive. By the time she realized the err of her ways, I couldn't even stand the sight of her."

    "I'm sure she's off somewhere, kicking herself in the ass for not staying faithful to you," Destiny said softly, looking him in the eyes. In the back of her mind, she took note of the parallels in Aubrey and Brian. Both amazing men, both cheated on by a woman that they loved. There were so many similarities, she was beginning to think that it was no wonder she loved them both.

    His eyes gleamed.

    "That's the type of decision a girl could regret for the rest of her life," she added, turning back to look out over the water.

    His hand moved from the railing down to her lower back. He leaned in close to her and said, "You know...I don't know how this is supposed to go. I don't know if we're starting over, with these dates, or if we're allowed to pick up where we left off."

    Excitement buzzed beneath the surface of her skin. She couldn't quite bring herself to look at him as she replied, "Well, I guess that's up for us to decide."

    "A part of me wanted to start over," he said, the tips of his fingers tracing the curve of her back. "Because of the situation we were in, we missed out on a lot of the cool stuff, you know? The nervousness, the 'Will she let me kiss her at the end of the date, or will she give me the polite brush-off?'" He moved behind her, and lowered his head so that his mouth was positioned close to her ear. "We missed some of the anticipation that comes with those first few dates. The getting dressed and wondering whether or not your date will like what you're wearing. The, 'Will he call me or won't he?'"

    "I could do without the 'Will he call me or won't he,' thank you very much," she said, laughing and holding up one hand.

    He laughed, a deep, velvety sound. His laugh was full of mischief.

    She turned her head and arched a glance at him. "You said that a part of you wanted to start over. What about the other part?"

    He lowered his head and kissed her bare shoulder.

    Her eyes fluttered closed and her grip on the railing tightened.

    When he raised his head again, he said, "The other part of me saw how you looked tonight in that dress."