Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 55- A Date with the Chef Part 2/4

Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

I'd never been in a helicopter before this point and I worried how I'd feel being suspended in the air in a flying death trap. After watching the toothpick-sized trees flit past from our incredible vantage point with my side pressed up against Gordon, I feel at ease. This isn't nearly as bad as I'd convinced myself it would be.

"How long until we get there?" I wonder aloud.

"The flight is about fifteen minutes. As soon as we hit the ocean it'll be ten minutes left. Looks like we're almost there, speak of the devil!" the pilot says as we pass over a sandy beach that leads into the vast expanse of the ocean.

I feel like I should be even more afraid as the helicopter meanders over the open ocean, but Gordon seems entirely at peace. It occurs to me that Gordon has probably been on more flights than the majority of the human population at this point. His calm washes over me and I'm able to enjoy the rest of the flight.

The helicopter descends as Catalina Island's beautiful beach comes into view. It lands in a clearing amidst the trees, devoid of buildings or other signs of human life.

Gordon removes his headset and sets it down on the seat before hopping off onto the ground. I follow suit and Gordon helps me off the helicopter. Though I could have made the leap down myself, any excuse to be in his arms is an excuse I'll take.

Some twigs crunch underfoot as he sets me down.

Gordon opens a hatch on the side of the helicopter and pulls out a picnic basket. The image of him holding a basket is so adorable, I can't help but smile.

"Did you enjoy your first helicopter ride?" Gordon asks, walking towards a break between the trees of the clearing with the basket beside him.

"You know, even being afraid of heights it wasn't that bad. Being with you definitely helped." A small blush rises to my face as I trail after him. "You make me feel safe."

He wordlessly reaches out and takes my free hand in his as we walk along the path.

Once we're far enough that we can't see the helicopter anymore, Gordon releases my hand and turns on his heel to face me. His expression is more serious than I'd seen him, even when he was railing into the chefs for deadly fuck ups.

He sets the picnic basket on the ground and steps towards me. In one motion, he takes my cheeks between his palms and turns my head up towards him. The sunlight filtering through the trees is blocked by his frame towering over me.

"You know I'll always protect you, right? I won't let anything bad happen to you. Of course, you'll have to face more emotional rather than physical hurdles– but I'll be there by your side the whole time. You'll never be alone in this, love." His sincerity pulls at my heart. I step forward and wrap my arms around his torso. He releases my face and wraps his arms around my upper body tightly, holding me close to him. My head rests against his chest and I can feel the strong, steady beat of his heart reassure me that he's telling the truth.

After no time at all, Gordon releases me and picks up the basket again. He takes my hand in his and pulls me towards the end of the tree line. The ground shifts from dirt into sand beneath us. Somewhere in the distance, I hear the helicopter start.

"They're leaving without us?" I question, to which Gordon laughs.

"Yes, dear. He has more appointments to deal with than ours alone. We'll be here a while," he says as he steps over a log and past the last of the trees.

Outside of the forest, my eyes adjust to the sunlight glaring off the pristine white sandy beach. The ocean waves are calm and steady as they brush gently across the sand. There are no other people aside from us as far as I can see down either side. Halfway towards the water, there's a beautiful setup of seating for two. A small round table with a white tablecloth elegantly blows in the calm ocean breeze and two white cushioned chairs sit across from each other. The table is already set with silver cutlery and two porcelain white plates.