She was beautiful. Like the rain falling through the trees. Her hair hung around her chin and in the pale light, I could still see the flush in her cheeks.
We had driven five hours. Five hours to greet the coast by morning. And now that we were here, I could see her excitement building. She had never seen a sun rise this way. She had never seen it peek its sleepy face over the water and I wanted her first time to be with me.
We walked down the pier, towards the water. Reaching where the wood ended and the sand began, we slipped off our shoes. The sand was cool between my toes. Through the pre-dawn light, I saw goosebumps rise across her skin. Placing my right arm around her, I moved my left hand to her arm-hoping to warm her at least a little. She smiled at me. My heart leapt in my chest and a grin spread over my face.
Tegan slid her arm around my waist and we walked quietly for a while. There was no need to constantly fill the silence with her. It was comfortable and safe. I stopped walking, "Here" I spoke and gestured to the grassy area beside us. I sat the bag I had been carrying, down, pulling a blanket out and laying it on the still-wet grass. Picking her up gently, I placed her on the blanket. "Sara, I'm capable of sitting down on my own you know." I laughed. "I know babe. I know. But you like it." Before I even finished the words, she was grinning. The blush spread over her face and she glanced down.
I grabbed the other blanket as I seated myself behind her. I pulled the blanket around us. My hands quickly fell into hers and I rested my head on her shoulder-the smell of her shampoo filling my senses. She sighed. "What is it, darling?" My words melded into the sound of the waves. Her eyes focused on the horizon line, Tegan's voice whispered from her lips, "I'm just happy. That's all." I kissed her neck, wrapping my arms tighter around her, never breaking the grasp my hands had on hers. The stars were fading fast-melting in to the dawn. "Now watch" I commanded. And we sat. Completely silent. We watched the orange slip over the horizon-kissing the sky with hues of yellow. We watched the night sky dissolve in to the light of the morning. The water glistened as the sun spread over the beach.
I watched Tegan. Her bottom lip pinched between her teeth. Her eyes shone the reflection of the sun rising in the sky. I smiled. All that existed in that moment was us, and the sunrise. I smiled.
Tegan turned her head towards me. I lifted my hand to her chin, tilting her face up to me. Her eyes met mine. I pressed my lips to hers, slowly moving against hers. I kissed her with all the passion in my being. In the place where the water met the land and the sun met the sky, I kissed her.