Chapter 21:

"So where are we going?" I ask, the curiosity getting the best of me.

"Its a surprise."

"I just love surprises." I say sarcastically, looking out the window.

"Good." He rebutted back with his own sarcasm.

I look back at him. "You know I was kidding right?"

"I know, I just wanted to tease you just a little bit longer."

"You're a jerk."

"I know."

"Really? I don't think anyone has told you that before."

"Oh trust me, I know what people think of me, I just don't care." He shrugged. "One opinion shouldn't stop you from conquering."

I can agree to that.

"What do you think of me?" He backtracked what he just said.

"My opinion shouldn't matter."

"It does if I'm taking you out on a date, I would like to know how you feel."

Before I could utter a word we were interrupted. "Sir, we'll be arriving in five to ten minutes."

"Thanks Anthony." He slide from his seat to press a button that automatically rolled the divider up, separating us from the driver. "So you were saying."

"Um, uh your nice?" It sounded more of a question.

"That's it?"

"I think so." I'm not very creative when I'm nervous.

"I don't think so."

"Think what you want." I shrugged.

"Are you sure?"

"You seem to enjoy this a little too much." I say to him, pinching my fingers together, explaining what I mean.

"Enjoy what?" He placed his hand on my bare thigh, curse this slit.

"Being this close." I whispered into the space we had my other thought disappearing into the night.

"I guess you can say that." We were physically attracted to each other but what about mentally? That's what mattered to me.

I take in my surroundings to see I was in the middle of a dock with a body of water around us. "Landon?" I ask before pointing.

"Yes?"

"Where are we?"

Anthony was soon out of the car opening my door and I stepped out before my mind raced. This wasn't going to be a murder scene was it? I'm too young..

He holds out his hand for me to take and I cautiously take it. "Come, I'm taking you on my private yacht."

Oh?

"I thought I was going to be killed and shipped off." I joked but he didn't look all to amused by it.

Moving towards the gigantic yacht, he gave me a little nudge for me to go in front of me to step on so he could help me. "I might fall." I commented, seeing a little space of the water and the yacht not quite getting along.

Placing both hands on my waist, he hoisted me up and I grabbed the rail before taking the next few steps to get on board.

I already knew Landon was manly enough to get on by himself but he didn't get my attention just yet as I looked around. There were lights set up around the yacht and that was the first thing anybody would have noticed. It was directed with all sorts of flowers and my eyes fell on the lily.

I took a couple steps to see a lounge of a sort in the back of the yacht, with a perfect view of the water, the moon already shining brightly on it- almost as if it were happy to see it.

I was taken out of my gawking once feeling a warm body press against my back. "Did you do this?" I ask him, tilting my head at an angle to look at him.

"Yes, well not me technically but I had people set it up for me, I told them what I wanted."

Turning around to face him, I hooked both of my hands around his neck, being careful not to hurt him with my handbag. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He planted a kiss on my forehead before unhooking my hands from around his neck- with him caressing them along the way- to grab ahold of my right hand that was now empty.

He lend us to a table that I did not spot at first, in the middle of the table was a bucket filled with ice, knowing that was for the drinks. Pulling out my chair for me, I thanked him before he took his.

A man that looks like he is in his early twenties comes up to us, oh so we weren't alone.

"Hi my name is Kevin and I will be serving you today, what would your drinks be tonight?" I look at Landon questioning, and he raises one of his eyebrows at me.

"I'll have a white wine."

"Make that two."

The waiter nods his head before writing it down, he gives me a second glance before and I fidget in my seat before turning my attention to Landon.

"Soo.." I draw out, putting my hand on the table, "A yacht huh?"

"You don't like it?"

"No, no I do. it's just no one has taken me out before and expecially not on a yacht." I tried to conversant, still looking around.

"Wait." I snapped my attention back to him. "No one has taken you out before?"

I shrugged, "Not this big."

"I wouldn't see why not."

"I would, especially at this expense, this seems like something you see on a movie scene."

Just then, Kevin walks up to the table, placing our drinks down. He hesitantly glanced in my direction before leaving. I look to Landon and his jaw was clenched, staring after Kevin's retorting figure.

"Hey." I reached my hand out before pulling it back, trying to get his attention. He looks at me and his eyes soften at me, he no longer seemed bothered.

I quickly changed the conversation around, remembering that he asked me about how my high school experience was so I asked him, "You asked about me before, now what about you?"

He didn't seem to know were to start so I followed up with, "How were you in high school?"

"I was a mixture between a bad boy and a class clown." A grin started to form on his lips as he recalled some memories.

"Ladies man?"

"Without a doubt." He gloated.

"Well, I hate to break it to you but you're not that bright." He leans forward, obviously taken back by my words.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"We'll see." He said before sipping his wine, leaning back again nonchalantly.

"Sounds like a challenge."

"If you want to call it that then, yes."

"What would you like?" Kevin once came back and the tension to the air made itself present.

I look at Landon for help, "We'll take two lobsters and one side of crawfish etouffee for her, oysters ,and a chicken salad and some more white wine." Landon ordered not looking at that waiter, but at me.

"Okay anything else?" The waiter turns to me.

"No thank you." I said to him, quickly so he can go away, knowing a volcano- Landon-might erupt, he didn't seem like the man to but I wouldn't know.

Kevin takes his leave and I look back at Landon. "He's weird."

"He likes you." He states, my face scrunches up in distaste.

"Me?" I say, pointing to myself.

"Yes."

"I don't see why."

"You're beautiful, you sound like you're downgrading yourself."

"I don't really pay attention to what I look like all the time." I changed the subject. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Depending."

"So that's a yes?"

"Sure."

"What happened between you and your mom?" I ask him asked and he didn't seem fazed by the question, he probably had an assumption that I was going to ask.

"You really want to know?"

"You don't have to tell if you don't want to." I quickly say, knowing I'm pressing too much. He nods his head and he sighs, I'm taking that as he doesn't want to tell me....yet.

Kevin comes back and he sets our plates down, I give a small thank you and he nods his head, smiling at me and that seemed to piss off Landon. He clears his voice and Kevin scurries away.

We were left in silence while we eat and I don't like it. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"I'm fine."

"I ruined the date didn't I?"

"No you didn't." He shook his head before putting his utensil down. "It was bound to be asked, I'm not offended or anything."

"But you're not talking."

"I'm not much of one, it's weird really. I only become like this around you."

"You're scared to talk to me?"

"No, I have to be careful of what I say. You're not use to blunt people I take it?" He sat back. "Or are you putting up a front?"

"No.." I cleared my voice. "Wow this is good by the way- this is who I am. The weird girl."

"You're not weird, sweetheart." Sweetheart? Was this is first time calling me this? "It makes you unique."

"Unique." I laughed. "I'll take that compliment." I cheered to him before drowning the rest of my drink.

"Favorite color?" He asked me randomly and I quirked my right eyebrow up at him.

"Maroon, you?"

"It changes everyday." He shrugged. "Today it's Turquoise."

"You have any hobbies?" I asked, becoming interested in him.

"Skating, running a business, sailing- as you can see- and I hike from time to time."

"You skate?" I watched him bring his flute glass to his lips before he drunk the rest of his as well.

"Mhm, maybe I can teach you one day." He suggested.

"Maybe you can." I hinted to him that I was enjoying myself with him. "It's a date." He grinned before we continued our meals.

"Are you done?" Landon asked me, once seeing I was just picking at my food. "Any dessert?"

"What do they have?" I was curious. "Do they have cake?"

"What kind?"

"Lemon."

"So your a lemon person, okay." He waved the waiter over, but I beat him to it I didn't want to seem like I didn't have a voice box.

"Can I get three slices of lemon cake? And make them big don't be greedy with the knife ok? And to go thanks."

"Yes ma'am." Landon looked at me astounded and I stopped his thoughts before he got ahead of himself. "Me, you and Adaline of course. I'm not that far gone."

"You ate all of your food so it wouldn't have been a shock to me."

"You want me to make it four?"

"You can if you want I'm paying."

"Oh you don't have to, I can go half-"

"You're real aren't you." He seemed puzzled by me. "That's a first."

"I'm the first girl you've taken out that offered to pay?" That was utterly ridiculous and he confirmed it. "Wow."

"But you're not paying." He pulled his wallet before throwing a few 100 dollars bill. "That's not for the food, that's for their service."

"Here you are." The waiter came back and I reached out for the bag but Landon stopped me.

"You shouldn't be carrying anything while I'm here."

"My arm isn't broken." I just wanted the cake.

"So who am I suppose to give this to?" Kevin looked flustered and I pointed to Landon.

"Since he wants to that is." I stood, ready to leave. And with his help along the way we both settled into the car. "I enjoyed that, thank you."

"I'm glad you did."

"Did you?" I wanted to confirm it.

"I would put it down in my books." And I sent him a playful glare before looking out the window.

What took over us was peaceful and the only sound we heard was the blinkers and the gravel from the tires.

"My mother left me when I was nine." My eyes shot to his to see he looked deep in thought. His middle, ring, and pinky finger rested underneath his chin then he covered his mouth with his index finger while he rested it on the windows edge.

He doesn't elaborate on his words and this time he didn't look at me but I knew he was waiting for my next words but that's not what he needed from me, unbuckling my seatbelt I climbed onto his lap before putting my arms around him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to prey earlier-" I start to say, but he cuts me off.

"I know." He secured one of his arms around me. "You know this is not how a date is suppose to go."

"What? Hugging?" I pulled away from him. "There's no harm in that."

"No, it goes a lot smoother than this for me. I don't blurt that out on the first date usually."

"I've think we've reached our own understanding about this." I laughed. "We've kissed already."

"And do you think I deserve one right now?" His left hand came to cuddle my cheek.

"I don't know." I tried to look deep in thought. "Do you think you do?"

"Yes."

"And you're not just saying that?"

"No." He was fixated on my lips like he couldn't wait anymore, but he was being patient and with me tilting his head back, I made the next move. His eyes shut closed as my lips hovered over his.

Sealing our lips together, he came alive. This time it was a different approach and it made my heart flutter like a butterfly on how gentle he was being. He leaned us forward so he could readjust him before I felt his tongue swipe my bottom lip, asking for permission and I granted him that.

We danced together in a rhythm that he let me set and it was beautiful, and I thought to myself this was my first real kiss. It wasn't forced, it was soft and slow and it was dealt with like it was fragile- just like me.

I don't know when we decided to come up for air but when we did, my eyes touch a picture of him in that moment seeing his desire for me. His hooded eyes casted down before he sighed in contentment- resting his head back.

And resting my head on his shoulder, his grip on me tightened, trying to keep me from jolting around. I don't know when I decided to fall asleep in his arms but feeling his lips lightly brush my forehead I knew we were back at the penthouse.

"We're here." He kissed me softly and that made me wake up. "Come on."

I sluggishly got out of the car and he helped me. Our hands brushed against each other before he made the move to hold mine.

This was definitely a night to remember for me.