So maybe your life is in shambles and you run away to London to get your head straight. Sure, you don't really have a plan but the Universe does, and before you know it, some kid from Kingston has completely turned your world upside and your body i...
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"Tada!!" Tom said uncovering your eyes. He made you walk blindly from the shore all the way up the dock.
"Tom, this is amazing!" you said in awe, taking in the swanky yacht. He did good. Twinkling lights were strewn all over, illuminating the mahogany deck. Vases of roses were abundantly displayed in every corner. Along the bow, overstuffed pillows and cushions lined a seating where you could relax and look out across the water. And in the center of it all, a small table, set for two, champagne flutes already filled.
It was your last night in Greece and Tom said he wanted to do something special for dinner. Think he hit the nail on the head.
He put his hands on this hips, nodding and glanced around.
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome," he agreed.
You looked at him. The setting sun made him glow, casting pink and gold all over his face. His hair caught the light, curls glinted with red. He was like Adonis. And he's mine, you marveled. You wondered if you would ever believe it. You waited for the moment when someone would pull the rug out from under you. You couldn't help it. You're still a work in progress, no matter how far you think you may have come.
"Hungry?" he finally spoke, taking your hand to kiss it before pulling you over to the table.
"Starved!" you laughed sitting down, "All that swimming wore me out. I see why Michael Phelps eats like 12,000 calories a day."
A man appeared then, decked out in a uniform and introduced himself as Captain Kirk. Tom hit your foot under the table and flashed an amused look at you. You tried to keep a straight face as the Captain explained what the evening would entail, where you would cruise, how many knots, all that fun stuff. Then he disappeared below deck and was replaced with a server carrying plates of food.
"Beam me up, Scotty," Tom whispered, after the server left.
You choked on your water, erupting into a fit of coughs and giggles, "What's the name of this boat? Sure it's not the Enterprise?" you snickered.
"It's the Love Boat, darling," Tom smiled.
"Love...the final frontier," you said in a deep voice.
"I'll drink to that!" Tom said, raising his glass.
After dessert was devoured and the second bottle of champagne emptied, you and Tom strolled along the deck, taking in the sunset.
"I feel like we're chasing the sun. It's just hanging there," you said stopping to gaze upon the golden horizon. The colors were so spectacular, it didn't seem real. Tom seemed nonplussed, choosing to gaze at you instead.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful," you said sighing.
Tom fingers laced around yours, "Me neither," he said, his eyes never wavering.
You looked down and licked your lips, blushing. Sometimes he was so intense, you weren't quite sure how to act.
"Thank you," you said, finally looking up at him.
"It's not over yet," he smiled.
"No, I mean thank you for everything," you said seriously, "for all of it. Thank you for putting up with me and for being so understanding. I like to think I'm pretty self-aware and I know I don't make things easy for you sometimes."
"Y/N..." Tom said softly, his eyes were so soft and kind.
"Thank you for the way you're looking at me now," you smiled, "and for inviting me to join you for drinks with the boys that first night," you felt your eyes starting to well. The love and gratitude just wanted to spill out of you. Normally, you would have been embarrassed. In this moment, you didn't care.
"Thank you for wanting to share me with your family and for being so proud of me over silly things like wakeboarding," you laughed, wiping a tear away from your cheek.
"Thank you for not taking 'no' for an answer and for being so fucking persistent," Tom smiled and held your hand to his lips.
"Thank you for putting those lips on me," you said coyly. Tom wiggled his eyebrows at that remark, but remained silent, listening.
"Thank you for being such a lovable dork," you laughed but your voice cracked a bit. Those goddamn tears just wouldn't let up. You wiped another one away.
"Fuck.." you muttered, frustrated at them.
"Sorry, I don't know why I've been so emotional lately," you sniffed turning away from him to run a finger under your eyes. That was like $40 worth of mascara just gone.
You started to step away but Tom grabbed your wrist, stopping you.
"Don't..." he said.
Right, you thought, I'm not supposed to do that anymore, walking away from him.
"Old habits," you winced at him, then took a deep breath.
"I've been in a very dark and lonely place for along time. And I basically resigned myself to it. And then one day, this kid walked into my bar and changed everything," you placed your hand over your heart.
"You changed my life, Tom and I'm so, so thankful for you."
He grabbed your hand, the one on your heart, and pulled you to his lips, kissing you so deeply and so intensely, you thought you would just stumble overboard. Your legs didn't seem to want to support you any longer. You swayed a bit, maybe from the kiss or the rocking boat. He held you tight, though. Not letting you stumble at all.
Tom broke the kiss and smiled at you, brushing some hair out of your face and tucking it behind your ear.
"You changed your own life, Y/N. I can't imagine picking up and moving half way across the world with just a suitcase. That took guts. It took guts for you to leave that life. It took guts for you to take up some kid on his offer to buy you a drink. You've been pushing yourself and putting yourself in scary situations and you keep coming out on top. It was all you, Y/N."
Wow, he was just too fucking wonderful for words. And you waited a long time for wonderful. A long fucking time.
