Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 68

Feeling more confident, David looked straight at Ella. "Are you leaving the town because of me?" David asked bluntly.

That came out of the blue. They were just talking about their feelings: Those unexpected feelings. But he changed the topic. Why? It felt as if the rug was pulled out from under her feet. As per normal, if she were given an option, fight or flight, her response would be 'flight'. So she backed off. She pushed a strand of her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. And she was lucky, as a couple of passengers needed them to move aside to let them pass. That distraction was vital, it allowed Ella to regroup her wits. She remembered that she and David had already had a couple of run ins. Why keep doing that? 

She pulled up her drawbridge, and said in retreat, "What?" 

He glanced at Ella with concern. "Your recent decision, to move away." He was taking the slow route to his really destination. In essence, working back from their position today to the issue from ten years ago. Unless they moved from that, he was sure they would never re-establish their relationship. The problem was, how to change the topic without changing the tone of this conversation. The more he thought about their relationship's path, he was certain that Ella would run.  

"No." She said firmly, with her fingers crossed behind her back. 

"I see." Of course her decision to move away had something to do with him. He said softly, "Gabriella, you are not being honest." He just hoped his statement wouldn't cause her to withdraw. But he needed her to be honest. Stuck on this ferry, gave David an opportunity that he would not have again. Ella didn't have the option of running away, well, not physical, but she could withdraw. The next few moments were crucial.

"I have." She corrected. Well it was a half-truth. "It was time to move away." She said quietly. She'd spent two years avoiding him, avoiding thinking about him every second of the day for the last two years. It should have become more easier but didn't. Even now, after those recent kisses, the nibble on her earlobe, suggested she was a long way from being over him.

"After just two years?" He questioned, and made sure his tone was gentle rather than accusing.

Ella said with rehearsed monotony, "Yes."

He shook his head and said, looking straight at her, "You know what I think?"

"I think you are going to tell me." She said with a trace of sarcasm.

He chuckled and he hoped that his chuckle would reduced the impact of his frank statement, "I think you prefer to run away rather than face the status quo." His gaze remained on her, to see how she reacted to his blunt assessment of her character.

She nearly groaned. That was true. It also showed that he did understand her: She would opt for flight rather than fight. She looked at him, "While that is probably true," she blew out a breath to regain her composure, "it has nothing to do with me moving away from your town." And she felt compelled to correct David's impression of the situation, albeit his conclusion was close to the truth, "Look, I could have moved at any time."

"True. But you didn't." He banked his exasperation. "You chose now."

"Does it really matter, when?" Ella banked her panic. The man really did understand her, that was the problem. She always wanted a man who understood her, just a shame it was this particular man.

David challenged, "Yes, it does matter, and it begs the question, why now. As you said earlier, you could have moved away at any time. So why now? What has happened now?" He was certain that she had made a decision based on their non-relationship. What also surprised him was the fact, that hearing she had made a decision to leave the town, had left him distraught. That was unexpected. They didn't have a relationship at all, they barely talked for the last two years, so why would her departure would affect his life?  

She huffed and repeated again with a trace of exasperation, "Does it really matter, why?" She could hardly tell him that his kisses still had the power to make her knees wobble. Albeit a kiss that he considered to be a tiny, peck on her lips. Kissing had set off fireworks. The last thing that she wanted to do right now, was to rehash her feelings for him in front of him. In any case, she still hadn't fathomed out her reaction to that kiss. Yes, she always knew she was susceptible, but that nibble took her from vulnerable to receptive. She wanted him to keep kissing her. For the last two years, she thought she was impervious to his charm and that she would not yield to his brand of charm. But she did, within seconds, to something that was so primitive.

"Yes." David blew out a sigh. It was interesting that following Jack's advice, being honest with Ella, reaped unexpected outcomes. Like hearing that she had the same feelings with that kiss. It gave him confidence and courage. So he continued with his strategy. He said quietly, and firmly, "It is important to me."

"Really." Ella murmured, flicked a sideways look at David before returning her attention to the water. She wasn't interested in the water, she knew there were no dolphins, but she just needed a new focus, to help her to deal with David's questions.  

Everyone knew she and David avoided each other. Ella also realised, that recently she spent all of her time thinking about possible ifs and being aloof took up too much energy. But the last few minutes, was different. All because he was being open about his feelings and she had lowered her guard.

Yes, she was running away, albeit in a mental capacity, David acknowledged as he watched her. He stated, "Yes. Jack is my brother. And you know, we are best mates." David said. 

"So?" Ella folded her arms and braced on the guardrail.

 David said with a smile. "So, you are Amelia's best friend, I would have said, actually more like a sister."

That was true. She and Amelia were really good friends. "So?" Ella shrugged. The man was obviously a Rottweiler, loyal, intelligent, protective and a strong-willed mind.

"So, why leave? Is it because we don't get along? I know we have avoided each other for the last two year. And suddenly you decide to leave. Even Evie didn't know about your departure. She was so upset. I was certain that you both were good friends. But you just left. So the question is, why now?"

She sighed knowing that David was going to go on about this. A real Rottweiler.

"Now, we have to attend functions and would always have to deal with each other. You didn't have to, before." He continued, as he remembered his strategy when he had decided to come out onto the deck. "But now, you can't avoid me." He eyes narrowed. "Am I right?"

 "Of course I can't avoid you. Take this journey for example!" She nodded, decided that flight was not going to be an option. She was stuck on a ferry, facing a Rottweiler and there was no back-up.

David picked up the reins to their conversation, "Exactly, there would be situations where we would have to deal with each other." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Like now, according to Amelia, you only agreed because you wanted to protect Nic. I understood that. I knew in my gut that you would help Nic, despite the fact that you didn't really know her. All because she helped Amelia, and you are loyal to Amelia. So in your mind, you are paying back a debt."

Ella couldn't believe how well he interpreted her actions. He was right. She put away her plans for her escape from the town, and was now on a ferry with a Rottweiler. Albeit a Rottweiler that she fancied.

David said in a matter of fact tone, "And that means we have to convince people on this ferry."

"About us?" She muttered. When she had agreed to this trip, she just assumed they would be seen together, but no public demonstrations of admiration, and definitely not actually kissing. Just give the impression that she, as Nic, and David, were friends. They were on this journey because they had bike history. As good friends. Platonic friends. Not kissing-friends!

"Yes, this charade."

A good word. This trip was definitely a charade. But they also generated a charade two years ago, a charade which they upheld but that charade was replaced by another. In any case, she was used to the previous charade, but this current charade presented a new, huge, problem for her. A problem that had escalated after their recent kiss.