“Well, now you do.” He bent in an exaggerated bow and held out his hand. “Would the lady do me the honor of being my dance partner for the evening?”
Danica giggled and dipped into a curtsy. “It would be my pleasure.”
Laughing, they joined the group around the instructors, and within fifteen minutes they were on the dance floor, awkwardly working through the steps the instructors demonstrated. Danica stepped on his feet several times, and he even stepped on hers once or twice, but before too long they were twirling around the room with more ease.
Danica’s laugh was the perfect accompaniment to the band’s music, and he loved how her aqua eyes brightened with each laugh. Aaron couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this much fun or laughed this much. Too soon the class was over and, breathless, Aaron led Danica outside to walk through the garden and cool off.
“That was so much fun, but man, I’m pooped!” Danica plopped down on a white painted bench, pulled off one sandal, and rubbed her foot.
“How about a walk along the beach then, instead of the garden? The sand will be softer, and the water will feel nice and cool.”
“Sounds great.”
They walked in silence until they reached the sand, and then they both stopped to remove their shoes and strolled casually to the water’s edge.
Aaron playfully bumped her shoulder with his. “So how’d I do for a first date?”
She shot him a heart-melting grin. “I can honestly say it’s the best first date I’ve ever had. You took me totally out of my comfort zone. And I loved it!”
“I’m glad you had a good time. I know I did.” He tentatively reached to take her hand in his.
She gently twined her fingers through his. The sensation was both adrenaline-charged and comfortable, and his heart raced with the headiness of new possibilities. They chatted easily as they walked slowly along the shore line until Danica gasped and dropped her sandals and pointed at the sky.
“This has got to be the most gorgeous sunset I’ve ever seen.” Her face was bathed in complete awe.
The sky had exploded in color, turning the fluffy clouds into various shades of coral and lavender with fire-rimmed edges, only touches of soft blue remaining high in the sky. Danica was right. It was a stunning display, but he wasn’t sure which sight he enjoyed more—the beautiful sky God had painted this night, or the beautiful woman God created who stood captivated next to him.
As if sensing his thoughts, she looked up at him and smiled demurely. “Is it always like this?”
“Often, but not always.” He gently squeezed her hand. “I’ve photographed sunsets all over the world, but my favorites by far are the sunsets over the ocean. The way the water reflects the sky, it’s like the sunset has no beginning or end.”
“It must be amazing, getting to take pictures all over the world. You must see so much more than most people ever do in a lifetime.” Danica sighed. “There’s so much I want to see and experience . . .”
Not for the first time, Aaron marveled at how lucky he was to work for a major travel website. Not only did he get paid to see the world, but he got to follow his two passions—taking pictures and meeting new people with whom to share the love of his Savior.
“Why don’t you come with me tomorrow? I’m taking a private boat out to a shipwreck site and taking some underwater pics. I’ll be scuba diving, but you could snorkel, or even just stay in the boat and enjoy being out on the water. There’s still plenty to see.”
“Really? I could do that?” The excitement in her eyes was apparent.
“Sure, if you’re up for another adventure.” His smile stretched wide, anticipation growing at the prospect of Danica joining him.
She did a little dance in the sand. “I’d love it!”
His heart swelled. Putting that excited smile on her face made him feel like the biggest man in the world. “Consider yourself officially invited then.”
“I can’t wait!” She bent to pick up her sandals. “I should probably head back to my room then and get some sleep . . .”
He understood the reluctance in her voice. He wasn’t ready for the evening to end either, but tomorrow would be a long and draining day and required a good rest. “Sure, let’s turn around and head back.”
They changed direction and aimed their feet toward the resort, their fingers still linked together. Aaron continued to sneak glances at her. He couldn’t help himself. Her hair blew softly around her face as she continued to gaze at the sky.
“I wish you had your camera,” she said suddenly.
So did he, but he doubted he’d be taking pictures of the sky. Already in his mind he had framed out a perfect picture—Danica standing at the water’s edge, silhouetted against the bright background of the setting sun with the clouds bursting behind her, her hair twirling around her face, skirt blowing around her knees, arms outstretched in abandon like this morning when he’d seen her playing in the water.
Danica pointed up, pulling him out of his thoughts. “See how the clouds are so full and fluffy and colored light pink and purple? It reminds me of cotton candy.”
He smiled at her description. “A cotton candy sky, huh? I like that.”
She blushed prettily. “Maybe one of these nights you can capture a picture for me to take back home?”
“I’ll take as many pictures as you’d like,” Aaron promised. He pointed to the outdoor spigot and they rinsed their sand-covered feet, then slipped back into their shoes. “May I walk you back to your room?”
A shadow of hesitancy crossed Danica’s features and she twisted her hands together. “Um . . .”
“I’m not trying to come into your room, Danica.” Aaron intuitively understood the reason for her reluctance. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman, I promise. I don’t feel right ending our date by leaving you alone at the elevator.”
Her shoulders relaxed and she nodded up at him. “Sorry.”
“No need. There are a lot of pushy guys out there who give the rest of us a bad rep.” He motioned for her to enter the elevator ahead of him as the doors slid open.
“But I didn’t mean to assume you were that kind of guy.” She didn’t meet his gaze. “I’m not used to— Well, I mean—”
Aaron put his finger over her mouth to stop her rambling. “Danica, it’s okay. I’m not offended. We’ve only met, and honestly you don’t know me that well yet. There’s no way for you to know what to expect from me. So I’m going to make it easier for you, okay?”
She raised her eyebrows as he removed his finger from her lips.
“I am a gentleman. I’m also a Christian. I’m not going to try to come into your room or pressure you into anything because I’ve vowed abstinence until marriage.” He chuckled as her eyes widened in obvious surprise. “Yes, there are still men out there who do that, and I happen to be one of them. That being said, I can’t promise I won’t try to kiss you at some point, depending upon how things develop, but I’m not going to tonight. I’m simply going to walk you to your door because that’s what a gentleman does, and then I’m going to tell you goodnight, and I will see you in the morning. Okay?”
“You really are an honest one, aren’t you?” Her voice sounded breathless.
“I think it’s fair to be upfront with people.”
“No games.” She smiled up at him.
His lips tugged upward, and he gave a perfunctory nod. “No games.”
“I think I really like you, Aaron Neilson, photographer extraordinaire, rescuer of damsels in distress, gentleman through and through.” Danica threw him a sassy grin as they reached the door to her room. “And the answer is yes.”
He stared at her blankly. “Yes?”
“To that second date.”
Now his face stretched into a full-out grin. He probably looked like an over-eager teenager but he didn’t care. He lightly squeezed her fingers and wished her sweet dreams, then waited until she’d locked herself securely in her room before he headed back toward the elevator,
resisting the urge to happy dance his way there.
Tomorrow was going to be a great day.
CHAPTER 3
Cold water sprayed over the side of the boat as it raced across the top of the water, skipping over the crests of waves and bouncing Danica in her seat. She laughed out loud and pushed her sunglasses more securely onto her face. Stealing a glance at Aaron, she found him watching her with an amused smile on his face, and she shot him a giant grin.
“This is great!” She had to yell over the roar of the boat’s engine. Aaron gave her a thumbs up and laughed. “You act like you’ve never been on a boat before.” He yelled, too.
“That’s because I haven’t.”
“Never?”
Danica shook her head and made a futile attempt at shoving loose strands of hair back into her ponytail. She’d been invited out to the lake with friends a few times over the years, but there’d always been some reason she couldn’t go. Now she was glad for her lack of experience. She couldn’t imagine a better “first time” than this.
The boat began to slow and the engine quieted, making it easier to talk. Aaron bumped her arm. “Something tells me there’s an adventure-loving girl inside of you that’s never gotten the opportunity to come out and play.”
She placed a hand over her abdomen where excited butterflies danced, and she hungrily took in the view around her. “I think you might be right.”
“Then I know exactly what we’re going to do for our second date.” Aaron’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, and she found it hard to look away.
Clapping her hands in excitement, she leaned forward. “Oooh, tell me!”
“Sorry, nope. I think it’ll be more fun as a surprise.” He mimicked locking his lips and throwing the key out into the water.
Danica crossed her arms and tried to scowl, but she was too giddy to pull off the sour expression. “Oh, fine. So far you haven’t disappointed, so I’ll trust you.” “Good. I won’t let you down.”
The boat driver subtly cleared his throat, and then started unravelling the rope to drop the anchor. “We’ve arrived, Mr. Neilson. I’ll be right here in this spot until you are finished.”
“You ready for this?” Aaron extended his hand to help her up.
“I think so.” She bit the tip of her finger. “You’re sure it’s safe? There aren’t, like, any sharks around here or anything, right?”
“You’ll be safe, I promise. We’re in pretty shallow waters still. But trust me, this coral reef is one of the best snorkeling spots around. You’re going to love it.”
Aaron helped her slip into her life jacket and pull the snorkel over her face, then showed her how to position it in her mouth. “All you have to do is float on the surface with your face down in the water.”
Danica put the mouth piece in her mouth and pulled her lips over the outer ridge. “Ike is?”
Aaron laughed and took a step back. “Yes, just like that.”
“I eel ike a oohall.”
“I’m sorry, what?” He raised one eyebrow as he chuckled at her inability to speak clearly around the snorkel mask.
She removed the mouthpiece and made a circling motion around her face. “I said, I feel like a goofball.”
Aaron’s smile softened and he gently brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “But you’re an adorable goofball.”
The heat rose in her cheeks, and Danica inhaled a sharp breath. The butterflies began to flutter again.
With a knowing wink, Aaron began donning his scuba suit and securing his oxygen tank. Once he was all suited up, he turned to her and motioned for her to sit on the side of the boat. “Okay, we’re going to swim a short distance out from the boat. Just follow me until I motion for you to stop. I won’t be able to talk once I’ve got my mask on, so let me show you some basic gestures we can use to communicate.”
As Aaron demonstrated the hand motions they would use once in the water, Danica did her best to commit them to memory and prayed there wouldn’t be any problems. Her stomach was a giant ball of nerves but her heart raced in anticipation.
“I’ll stay with you for a few minutes to make sure you’ve got the hang of things, and then I’m going to swim a bit farther out and go deeper to get the shots of the ship, okay? I won’t be far, but if you need help you’ll have to holler at Beau.” Aaron jerked his chin toward the boat driver. “You’ll watch out for her, right, Beau?”
“Ya, mon. I’ll be right here, Missy. You stay close and you’ll be fine.” Beau flashed a toothy grin and saluted.
Aaron joined her on the edge of the boat. “Ready?”
Danica nodded, too nervous to speak, and together they slid into the water. Aaron immediately reached for her to steady her, and she shot him a thankful smile. “I’m good, don’t worry.”
He reached up and took his water proof camera from Beau’s outstretched hands, and then tilted his head to indicate which direction they’d be swimming. Danica inserted her mouthpiece and followed Aaron until he stopped and motioned for her to put her face in the water. When she did, she involuntarily gasped and was immediately thankful for the attached tube which kept her from inhaling ocean water.
Below her, the ocean floor shifted softly with the gentle rolling of the waves and green plants stretched upward as if reaching for the sun. Bright colored coral decorated the ocean floor in a haphazard pattern, and Danica’s gaze roamed right and left trying to take it all in. But what really stole her breath were the hundreds of fish that swam beneath and around her feet. She’d never seen so many colors and patterns in nature, and the complexity of this underwater world filled her with wonder and appreciation for the details God took the time to add.
A bright yellow fish with black stripes brushed her ankle as it swam by, tickling her skin, and she giggled into her mouth piece. Nearly dizzy with all the visual stimulation, Danica lifted her head from the water and shifted her eyes to Aaron, who floated a few feet away from her. He gave her a little wave to indicate he was leaving her now, and she nodded her understanding. She wished she could see the shipwreck he was photographing, but she’d ask to see his pictures later. Right now she had enough to keep her busy taking in the majestic beauty of the sea.
Danica floated on the surface and gently kicked her flippers to navigate the perimeter of the reef, taking it in from different angles and trying to interact with schools of fish which either ignored her or quickly fled as she came near. An hour later she was as much in awe of how many different types of fish and coral there were as she’d been the first moment her eyes had captured the underwater view. She could do this all day, every day, and never grow tired of it.
Another piece of her heart gave itself to the ocean, and she began to dread returning to Kansas. Not that Kansas didn’t have its own kind of beauty, but this… She felt as if she’d been yearning for the ocean long before ever seeing it and now suddenly a piece of her felt complete.
Too soon she felt a tap on her shoulder and she lifted her face to find Aaron had joined her. He’d removed his mask and gifted her with an ear to ear smile. “I take it by the look on your face you’re enjoying yourself?”
Danica removed her mouthpiece so she could talk to him and rubbed at her aching jaw. “Oh, Aaron, it’s…unbelievable. Thank you so much for bringing me with you today.”
“I got some great shots. It was a perfect day to come out. Have you had your fill yet, or do you want to spend a little more time in the water?”
“Is it okay if I have a few more minutes?”
“Of course. I’ll give Beau my camera and trade out for a snorkel mask and join you. Just give me a few.”
Danica waited while Aaron returned his gear to the boat and acquired a snorkel mask, then pointed to an area on their left. “I saw the most beautiful sea shell over there. You’ve got to see it.”
She led him to the spot and then pointed into the water. “Do you see it?”
Aaron dipped his face in the water and nodded. He lifted his head back out of the water an
d removed his snorkel mask. “Can you hold this? I’ll be right back.”
“Wait, what do you mean be right back?” She grasped his outstretched mask. “Where are you going without this?”
“Down there,” he told her matter-of-factly.
“Wait!” She grabbed his arm. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
“It’s not that far, Danica. I can hold my breath long enough, don’t worry.”
Without another word he dived into the water, and she nervously watched him from the surface. When she realized what he was doing, her heart swelled. He retrieved the shell she’d been ogling and swam back to the surface with it, making the whole thing look as effortless as breathing.
“Here you go.” Aaron took his mask from her and handed her the shell. “A souvenir of our adventure. So you won’t ever forget it.”
Something in his eyes made her heart pound forcefully, and she was glad she was wearing a life jacket because she didn’t think she’d be able to hold herself afloat in this moment. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget this.” Or forget you, her heart whispered. And in that still moment she fell heart first into an emotion as vast as the ocean.
A soft breeze ru ffled the pages of Danica’s journal, causing her to grunt in frustration. Sitting here on the beach, soft sand under her toes, unspotted sky above her, waves breaking gently against the shore, she felt more inspired than ever to write. If only she could keep the pages from fluttering under her pen. She smoothed her hand over the page, holding the corners in place, and read over what she’d written so far.
Like a song, the ocean calls to me Beckoning me closer with its turquoise swells. Soft sand and gentle breeze
Capture me completely in their spell. My heart hears the music,
The cymbal crash of water on shore, The symphony of birdsong,
The crescendo of waves completing the score. In the music I feel a longing I’ve never felt before;
The sea, it’s part of me now, Embedded down into my core. When the music plays its melody I finally feel where I belong; I want to live forever
Destination: Romance: Five Inspirational Love Stories Spanning the Globe Page 26