“As long as I can remember. My father was a fisherman, so I have been on the water my entire life.”
Megan felt like she could listen to his voice all day. The slight accent and the way his lips formed around his words sounded like music to her ears. Laura asked him another question and again he answered without his eyes leaving Megan. Megan blushed from his attention, trying to think of something clever to ask. She thought she had a question, but as she opened her mouth, the waiter arrived with their food.
“You said that your aunt lives here in town, yes? Perhaps I have met her?” He asked as the waiter placed food in front of each of them. Megan began telling him of her aunt, the two of them falling into easy conversation. Laura chimed in once in a while, but carefully sat back letting the two of them talk. She smiled as she watched him lean closer towards Megan, his face and hands animated as he they talked. Laura felt a twinge of jealousy as he flirted with Megan, unintentionally leaving Laura out of their conversation.
This is what Megan must feel like all the time, Laura thought. The thought surprised her. She was always the center of male attention and it felt strange not to have him interested. A bubble of resentment floated through her, but as she looked at her friend’s smiling face it quickly disappeared. She is head over heels for him. And he can’t get enough of her! The two of them were lost in their own little world as Laura carefully observed them. She felt a rush of happiness for her friend, and decided to help her out. She smiled happily to herself, enjoying watching them fall for each other as she constructed a simple plan.
Gabriel’s hand was slowly creeping towards Megan’s. Laura kept sending it mental cheers as though it were a football player moving the ball towards the goal. When his hand rested a mere inch from Megan’s, Laura thought her brain might explode from the energy she was sending towards it. She thought she might kill the waiter when he suddenly interrupted them to drop off the check. Gabriel’s hand floated away from Megan’s to the check, a silent groan filling her as it broke the spell. Gabriel handed the waiter a black credit card, waving the two girls off as they offered to pay their share. Laura hoped that they would fall back into their previous conversation, but Gabriel’s phone rang as the waiter returned. He excused himself to answer it, standing and moving slightly away from the table. His eyes darkened as he spoke quickly into the phone, something obviously not pleasing him. Megan’s eyes never left him, a small smile glued to her lips.
“Je suis désolé, but I must excuse myself, mademoiselles. I am looking forward to this evening, mes amis. Ciao!” he said regretfully as he backed away from their table. They shouted out their thanks and goodbyes as he walked away, speaking carefully into his phone. Laura smiled at Megan’s happy glazed expression, knowing her friend had just had the best lunch of her life.
***
Megan had watched him leave the restaurant filled with a giddy happiness. He had paid all his attention to her; she could still feel the heat of his hand as it had gotten close to touching hers. His smile, his eyes were all she could remember, the entire lunch a blur of attraction. She closed her eyes to remember it more clearly when a horrible thought struck her. He was doing this to get to Laura. Of course. Why would an incredibly attractive wealthy man spend his time on her unless he knew it was the way to get to Laura. She remembered the beach the day before and how Laura had shunned the young men who hadn’t invited them both. Mr. Aubert was just smarter than them.
She felt a deep sense of hopelessness fill her. He didn’t want her; he was using her to get to Laura. She looked over at Laura as they began walking towards another shop. She was perfect. Gorgeous. The windows of the shop reflected their differences in glaring detail. She felt like a fool. Laura babbled on about how he never took his eyes off of Megan, how beautiful she was going to look tonight, but she knew the truth. It had happened too many times before. She had been passed over for Laura too many times not to see this coming. She tried to tell Laura, but Laura would have nothing of it.
“Quit it! He likes you OK? I saw it. Quit putting yourself down- I won’t have it, do you understand? This night is going to be about you and I will not have you saying things that aren’t true.” Laura fumed at her when Megan tried to tell her that there was no way someone as handsome as him would be interested in someone like her. Megan stepped back, trying to avoid the heat in her gaze. Fine. I’ll play your game. You can dress me up, but at the end of the night, it is you he will be taking home. At least I’ll look pretty.
***
She nearly didn’t recognize the beautiful woman in the mirror. The blue dress hugged her hips, giving her a perfect hourglass shape while the low scoop neck showed off her cleavage to full advantage. With Laura’s help, her hair and light makeup made her look like a movie star. Laura had somehow coaxed her thick hair into gentle waves that flowed down her back.
“See, you are gorgeous. There is no way he is going to be able to resist you.” She had said. For a moment Megan even let herself believe it. She closed her eyes and remembered the spark that had passed between them when their hands touched and the way his eyes glowed at her in the dark. A thin flame of hope started to burn deep within her despite her best efforts to keep it down.
Laura wore simple linen slacks and a pale blue shirt, and put her hair in a ponytail as they left the house. She still managed to look beautiful, and Megan felt a quiver of jealousy shoot through her. Even without dressing up Megan thought she looked prettier. She looked to the mirror again, trying to convince herself that she was beautiful and that Gabriel would want her over Laura.
Laura steadied Megan as she wobbled on her heels down the wooden planks of the pier. Megan suddenly wished she had worn different shoes, but Laura had convinced her that these went with the dress and that she would be taking them off on the boat anyway. She could see the giant yacht at the end of the pier, Gabriel standing on the bow waiting for them to arrive. She felt like she floated the last hundred yards to the gangplank of his yacht.
Megan’s hands felt unnaturally sweaty as she tried to smooth them on her dress. She felt hot and uncomfortable, the low cut of the dress making her feel extremely exposed. Gabriel smiled down at her as he reached out a hand to guide her aboard. His hand felt hot and strong, the same electric current shooting through her as they touched. Once she was safely aboard, he held her hand for a moment longer than necessary. She pulled out of his fingers, blushing a bright scarlet. Gabriel turned and offered his hand to Laura.
“I am afraid I won’t be able
to join you tonight- I am suddenly not feeling well. You two please have a wonderful evening without me though!” she said as she slowly backed away from the ship. Laura purposefully ignored the look of terror on Megan’s face at being left alone.
“Are you sure?” Gabriel asked her, his hand slowly retreating. He was trying to look disappointed, but too much happiness was shining through. She smiled up at him and nodded.
“You two have a wonderful time. You’ll see that she gets home safe? I won’t wait up, so don’t worry about coming home late, Megs.” Laura started walking down the pier, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. She felt a burst of happiness for her friend as she walked back towards town.
***
Megan watched Laura walk away, her heart pounding with anxiety. She had no idea what Laura was doing leaving her alone with Gabriel. Granted, she wanted to be alone with him more than anything, but she was sure that Gabriel was interested in Laura, not her. And now she was stuck in a situation where her dream guy was going to tell her he wasn’t interested. She sighed, tears threatening to fill her up at the rejection she knew she was going to receive. She started heading towards the gangplank, her throat tight. He touched her shoulder, stopping her from moving forward. Her breath caught at his touch. She wished he would never stop touching her.
“Where are you going? Do you also not feel well?” his concerned face filled her vision. She hoped he couldn’t see the tears forming as she desperately looked at her feet to get away from his eyes.
“I know that you don’t want to go out with just me. I don’t want to waste your evening, so I’ll just go.” She was proud that her voice didn’t crack.
“What? Why would you think that, ma chérie?” he asked her, moving in front of her and putting his hands on her shoulders. She couldn’t look up at him, tears brimming in her eyes as she shared the fear that filled her heart.
“Why would you want me when you can have someone as beautiful as her?” she whispered, not daring to look up into his face. She stared down at their feet, wishing she could just disappear into the deck. He put his hand under her chin, tilting her face up with his fingers. She reluctantly looked up and into his eyes, losing herself in their sea of green.
“Because you are a beautiful woman. Because I want you, not her. You are a real woman. There are hundreds of girls with her kind of beauty, but only one of you. I thought I had made my interest in you clear at the restaurant. I... I am glad she isn’t coming,” he paused looking deeply into her eyes, making sure she clearly heard the next part. “I want you.”
Her world spun out of control. Megan could barely believe her ears, sure that they were playing tricks on her. He wanted her. He thought she was beautiful. He wanted her. Her body moved on its own volition, her body surging upward to kiss him. Their lips met, her hands trembling around his face as he pulled her closer, kissing her fiercely. It was the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced, her heart threatening to thud out of her chest.
His lips finally released her, as she gasped for breath. He kept her face close to his, his perfect smile all that she could see. She looked up into his eyes, surprised to see the fire of desire burning so brightly in them. He kissed her forehead, and grabbed her hand, pulling her onto the deck. He kissed her hand like a gallant knight as she sat by the railing, and with a grin he dashed towards the ropes holding the ship to land.
With practiced motions he released the vessel from the dock and pushed them out to sea. The engines purred as he maneuvered them to the dark blue water where the sails could be of use. They reached the deeper water and he turned off the engines, throwing an anchor over the side. He kept the sails secured and out of the wind, making sure that they floated just a few miles from shore. She could see the lights of the town slowly starting to twinkle in the distance. It seemed like something from a dream as she looked out on the glittering world. The moon reflected off the gentle waves, bathing her new world in a romantic glow. He came to her side and pulled her in for a second kiss. It was better than the first, lust seeping through the edges and burning into her skin. Every fiber of her being wanted him, and he obviously felt the same. She pressed into him, willing their bodies to join. He put his hands on either side of her face, carefully brushing a windblown tendril of hair from her eyes, as he looked into her soul. Megan felt like she didn’t need to breathe to live anymore, that all she needed was to be lost in those green eyes. She felt like a princess in those eyes.