Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not? - Thompson Square
You were so shy, and so was I
Maybe that's why it was so hard to believe
When you smiled and said to me
"Are you gonna kiss me or not?"
"The stars are really pretty tonight," Chelsea said, her skin glowing in the moonlight. She turned to Vaughn, who was sitting next to her on the roof of her farmhouse. "Don't you think so?"
He nodded. "It's especially clear tonight."
"Perfect for stargazing," she agreed. "I always loved stars and planets and stuff when I was little. Everyone used to say I'd grow up to be an astronaut or an astronomer."
"Did you ever think you'd end up runnin' a farm?" Vaughn asked her, shifting his gaze from the twinkling lights above to their reflection in her eyes.
"Never," she laughed, looking over to him. "But I'm glad I ended up here."
"You think it's better than bein' up in space?" He asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Well, I've never been to space," she shrugged, breaking their eye contact to look back up at the clear sky, "but I can't imagine being anywhere else besides right here."
He didn't reply, distracted by just how extraordinary she was. She'd built this farm up from the ground in less than a year and she'd managed to get him out of his shell, too. She was so strong and kind and loving and passionate and she smelled so damn good—like honeysuckle.
"What about you?" She asked, breaking the comfortable silence. "Did you ever think you'd end up moving around so much?"
"I reckon so," he shrugged, trying to focus on what he was saying rather than the warmth he felt coming from her arm, which was leaning against his and burning through his shirt on the hot summer night. "I've been working as a trader for so long now that I've never really known much different."
"Do you ever think you'll settle down?" She pulled her knees into her chest. "I mean, it's got to be hard not staying in one place for more than a couple days."
He just shrugged. "It's not that bad. Like I said, I've never really known much different."
"But don't you ever miss anyone when you leave?"
I miss you, he thought about saying. Instead, he replied with: "Sometimes."
"Hmmm," she nodded, humming.
He watched her from the corner of his eye. She really was breathtaking.
He needed to make a move—for some reason, he felt like it was now or never. They'd been beating around the bush for seasons now. The way that the moonlight washed out her complexion, made her hair shine—it was driving him crazy.
"Do you ever go fishing, Vaughn?" She asked suddenly, looking back over at him.
"Fishing?" He repeated, his eyebrow raised. "Not really. Why? Do you fish?"
"Not at all," she laughed. "Denny asked me the other day if I'd be his fishing buddy, since Lanna's so busy these days. I told him I was absolutely no good at it, but I'd help him find someone else."
"And you thought I'd be an option?"
"I had to ask. I knew you'd say no."
He smiled down at her. "Am I that predictable?"
"Besides the fact that you've shown absolutely no interest in anything fishing related," Chelsea smirked, her teasing gaze meeting his, "I knew there was no way you'd willingly put yourself in a situation where you'd have to be social."
He rolled his eyes, his smile dimming—half because he knew she was right and half because he wished she wasn't. "You make me sound bad."
"Well, you're not the friendliest guy on the island, Vaughn," she teased. He knew she was joking by the sparkle in her eye. "You never socialize with anyone."
"I'm here with you, aren't I?" He fired back, his face pulling up into a smirk as she rolled her eyes.
"That doesn't count," she said, straightening her legs out in front of her again, resting them right beside his.
"Why not?" He asked, raising his eyebrows expectantly and trying to ignore the tingling sensation he felt all along his right leg where her left leg touched him.
"Because we're—different," she hesitated, and he could have sworn her face turned a shade darker. "I don't know."
"Different?" He repeated, jumping on this chance. It may be the only one he'd ever have. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing," she laughed nervously, avoiding his gaze. "Forget I said anything."
"But you did say something," he pursed his lips. He should drop it.
"What's it matter?" She asked, suddenly shifting back to her teasing tone. Her face was still a little pink, though. "Do you have something to say, Vaughn?"
He tried to keep his cool demeanor. Internally, however, he was frantic. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for! He just had to say it. Tell her he liked her. Hell, tell her he loved her. Tell her anything. Tell her she was beautiful, or perfect, or wonderful. Tell her how much he missed her when he wasn't on the island. Tell her how she made him completely reevaluate his entire outlook on the past, the present, and the future. Tell her how she changed his world. Tell her that she was his world.
He felt her eyes on him and he realized he'd just been sitting there for a good thirty seconds, not saying a word. He felt his face flush and her gaze intensify. He felt like she was reading his mind and he'd never felt more nervous in his life. He had to do something—say something—anything. He turned to look over at her and their eyes met.
Bad idea.
She was looking at him so earnestly—she looked mystified and curious and hopeful from his silence. She narrowed her eyes slightly, and he tried so hard to break eye contact that it almost caused him physical pain, but he couldn't do it. She seemed to take in every emotion he was feeling, weighing it for its meaning. He felt like an hour had passed.
Then, her face broke into a smile.
"Vaughn," she said, her eyes dancing in a way he'd never seen. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"
He blinked, his heart skipping in his chest. He could have misheard her, but he didn't care enough to hesitate—he leaned in and took her lips in his.
It only lasted a moment before he pulled away.
She smiled and brought her hands up to grip his collar, pulling his face back down to meet hers in a second kiss. This one was longer, sweeter, and then—just a little more passionate.
It was the best damn kiss he'd ever had.
