“We are,” he promised, grinning with a secret. His eyes caught the warmth of the tropical sun and sparkled. “Dinner is on the beach.
I beamed back at him as we made our way down the beach. I could see a beautiful white gazebo with a table and chairs waiting for us next to the water. Candles flickered on the table and a bottle of wine stood waiting for our arrival. It was like something out of a magazine.
Aiden hurried over to pull out my chair, holding it for me and even handing me my napkin once I was seated. Chivalry wasn't dead, apparently.
“Wine?” he asked, motioning to the bottle waiting in an ice bucket.
“Yes, please,” I replied eagerly. I wondered just what kind of new wine experience he had planned for me this time.
He uncorked it with ease, handing me the cork as he poured a small amount into a glass. He moved so gracefully, I barely registered the feel of the cork or even the smell because I was entranced by him. He caught me watching and smiled. A delightful warmth settled in the pit of my stomach that was better than any wine.
I picked up the glass of wine and swirled, watching the clear liquid inside. It was a white with legs similar to the wine I had the last time. “It smells sweet, like peaches.”
He nodded, pleased with his pupil. “Try it.”
I closed my eyes and took a small sip, letting the flavors coat my tongue. “It's bubbly and sweet like grape juice. There's no bite at the end at all-- it's almost like drinking candy.”
“Do you like it?” Even without opening my eyes, I could feel
his hopeful gaze upon me. He had chosen this wine specifically for me.
“I love it.” I opened my eyes, smiling as I dove into his. “What is it?”
He smiled wide, proud of choosing something I liked. “It's a moscato from Australia. I thought you might like it. It's sweet like you.”
“You thought right,” I said, taking a second, larger sip before handing him my glass for more. He filled my glass as well as his before sitting. Everything was beautiful. The white gauzy fabric of the gazebo floated lazily on the soft breeze, far from the gentle flicker of the candle flames. The ocean provided the background music, a soft murmur punctuated with cries from seagulls in the distance. “This is amazing, by the way. Thank you.”
“You deserve it,” he stated, sipping on his wine and looking very pleased with himself. He had certainly outdone every expectation I could have ever had for a romantic dinner, and the food hadn't even come out yet.
“Aiden...” I bit my lip as he looked up at me. I felt terrible complaining about such a wonderful gift like this, but it was too much. This couldn't have been cheap, especially on an assistant's salary. I had to say something. Maybe if we left early he could get a portion of his money back. “You really didn't have to do this. I mean, it's fantastic and beautiful, but it's too much.”
“Is there something wrong with it?” He frowned, glancing at the ornate silverware and candles. “There was an option for an indoor version, but-”
“No, there's nothing wrong with it,” I cut him off. “It's just that this couldn't have been covered by the all-inclusive part of this resort. I don't know what you paid, but it was too much just to impress me. You've already impressed me.”
Aiden stared at me for a moment as if I were speaking a foreign language and then started to laugh. “Lena, you're amazing.”
I opened my mouth, but I couldn't find anything to say. I was certainly not expecting to be called amazing for telling him that he didn't need to spend this much on me. “How in the world does me telling you that make me amazing?”
“Please don't worry about the cost. It's all comped. One of the benefits of working where I do.” He reached out and took my hands in his. I narrowed my eyes, trying to determine if he was telling me the truth. It sounded possible, but this was still way too expensive for the likes of me. “You are amazing because you are concerned about my well being. Most of the girls I've dated would want to know why there weren't roses on the table as well.”
“It's just so much,” I said, looking around at the extravagance. I could only imagine what the resort was going to cook up for us as far as food. “If they don't think this is too much, then you've been dating the wrong kind of girls.”
“I most certainly have,” was all Aiden said. I wanted to ask him more, but he smiled and squeezed my hands. “You deserve this.”
I wasn't sure I did, but he obviously had his mind made up about it. I would just sit back, enjoy it, and order the cheapest thing on the menu. Just because it was going to be comped didn't mean I needed to take advantage.
A waiter cleared his throat gently to gain our attention. With a polite nod of his head, he placed a plate of cheeses on the table. “I hope the two of you are hungry,” he said with a thick island accent. “The chef has prepared his best for the two of you.”
I grinned at Aiden, reaching for a piece of cheese. I had never had the chef prepare me something special, but then I had never had dinner on a beach with candlelight either. The waiter murmured something about getting more wine before hurrying away to leave us alone with the cheese.
I nibbled on a soft white cheese I was pretty sure was the best brie I'd ever tasted. The wine complimented every bite, bringing out new flavors and highlighting the original ones. I felt very rich and spoiled, munching on fancy cheese and sipping wine as the orange sun hung heavy on the edge of the horizon with dark, gray clouds filling the sky for contrast.
Aiden cleared his throat. He fiddled with the stem of his wineglass for a moment in an uncharacteristic display of nerves. “Lena, I was hoping I could ask you a favor.”
“Is that what all this is for?” I asked, indicating the fancy spread before us.
“No, though I hope it helps you decide to say yes.” A quick grin flashed across his face.