“Sure,” Charlotte said, standing up. “Too bad we can’t swim naked.”
“As much as I would love that, Capers isn’t that secluded. I only wish,” Declan said. “I can’t think of anything sexier than you naked on an island with wild hair and not a single tan line.”
By the time she’d changed, Declan was stopping the boat to dock it on a long wooden pier, right off the shore.
Charlotte walked out onto the stern. She’d put on a lavender bikini with strings that tied on her curvy hips. As soon as he saw her his eyes about popped out of his head.
“Jesus,” he said. “You’re so fucking hot.”
Charlotte blushed, “I feel like maybe I have no business in a bikini.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? No one has more business being in a bikini than you do,” he said, sweeping her up into his arms. He kissed her. “The bikini was invented with you in mind.”
“I’m tempted to take you again on this boat before we disembark, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t have the self-control to stop myself, and we’d miss the sunset.”
Charlotte grinned, “Have me on the beach. What could be better?”
********
Capers Island is uninhabited and as undeveloped as it gets. Declan had bought up all the permits for the night. He wanted to ensure no one would run into them, not that he’d told Charlotte that. The county usually allowed 50 campers a night, but Declan wanted them to be as isolated as possible.
He set up their tent while she walked around the island, climbing the large branches jutting out from the sand.
“I’ve never seen anything like this!” she called to him. “They look like bones!”
“Yep,” he shouted out to her. “They’re bleached white by the sun and the salt air. It’s called Boneyard Beach.”
Charlotte walked back toward him, “Makes sense. They’re like tree skeletons. They’re beautiful.”
Declan wrapped his arms around her, “I’m glad you appreciate it. It’s my favorite place in all the world.”
“Thank you so much for bringing me here,” she stood on her toes to kiss his mouth. “I love it already. And thank you for putting up the tent. You did that fast.”
“Well, I’ve camped out here a time or two,” he said. “You hungry?”
*******
Declan wasn’t kidding. Once they finished eating the sandwiches he’d packed, they sat side by side on one of the larger tree skeletons and watched the skies change from blue, to lavender, to purple, and amber. The sun set on the horizon and Charlotte couldn’t believe she was here to witness something so striking with someone she loved.
“Declan,” she said, touching his hand. Her voice was shaking. “I love you.”
He looked at her, surprised.
“I love you so much,” she continued. “I wanted to tell you the other night, I really did. I’ve felt that way for weeks now. And it gets more intense every time I see you. It’s like… It’s like I don’t just love you. A word doesn’t exist for it, for how this feels.” She looked out at the ocean. “I sound so ridiculous.”
“No,” he said. “I’m just so damn lucky you feel the same way I do. All I wanted was for you to feel half of what I feel. Hell, even just a quarter.” He stared out at the ocean. “It’s just like the ocean is at the mercy of the moon. I’m the tides and you’re my moon, Charlotte. And I can only hope to be your moon too.”
He leaned over to her then and they kissed, the long kind. There was something about kissing someone for the first time after telling them you loved them that made Charlotte love it more than any kiss he’d given her yet.
“Make love to me,” she said. “Please. I want to end this perfect day doing the thing I love more than anything else in the world.”
“As you wish,” he said, jumping from the branch and holding out his hand to help her down. “You’ll never have to ask me twice when it comes to that.”
Chapter Twelve
Charlotte wasn’t sure what to do now.
She was torn. It was the common theme of the day, apparently. She felt so many emotions at once after reading that letter and seeing his name signed at the bottom. It brought so much back all at once.
She needed to talk to Vanessa.
Charlotte fumbled around her purse looking for her phone. When she finally found it, it took her a few moments to keep her hands from shaking so she could dial Vanessa’s number.
God I hope she answers, she thought. She might be at work.
Fortunately, she did. On the third ring.
“Char!” Vanessa’s cheery voice answered. “I was waiting for you to call me and tell me you made it okay.”
“I texted you, didn’t I?” Charlotte asked.
“Yeah, but I was hoping you’d call,” Vanessa said. “But its okay, you’re calling now! How’s Charleston? How are you?”
Charlotte sighed. Where to even begin? She told Vanessa everything, the incident on the beach, the letter, her running away from him.