The City at Sunset

As Rose sat in that cab yet again, she thought about the odds. Not every boat that she stepped foot upon would sink, that was for sure, and she was moving on in life, and going on a boat trip would be part of that recovery process. It reminded Rose of her cousin Beatrice. Beatrice was positively terrified of clowns. Rose found it hilarious, but her mother and Aunt found it embarrassing and tried to keep it a secret from their rich friends. And then, one sunny summers day, the circus came to Philadelphia and Rose couldn't wait to go on all the rides and get a balloon animal off of the clown, but Beatrice refused to go, so Rose took her behind the stage of the clown show after he had done his performance and had Mr Bubbles the clown sit down with her cousin. After half an hour of chatting away and telling silly jokes and stories Beatrice didn't care that this man's face was painted white with thick black eye brows painted on like caterpillars and a shiny red nose. She even gave him a big hug when she had to go, and Rose was very proud of herself for helping her little cousin overcome her fear. And that was what she had to do now. She had to confront any obstacles if she wanted to overcome them.

"Looks like we'll have a nice sunset, Rose." Robert said cheerily looking out the window and up at the orange and pink sky, that was blazing with a yellow glow behind the tall building passing by.

"We always got a marvellous sunset on the Titanic." Rose replied, reminiscing. "We were right in the middle of nowhere with just endless blue water and the shining sun disappearing in the distance, eventually leaving us on-lookers up on deck with the dark sky of a starry night."

Robert looked in her eyes, very thoughtful, as if staring at the image at the present moment. "That sounds beautiful."

She came back to reality and shook away the face she could see in her mind. "He was… ehm, sorry… it was! . . . It was beautiful."

Robert and Rose sat in silence in that little vehicle as it drove through the mazes of towers and structures around them, staring up at the evening sky. The further they drove, the more of the ocean Rose could see through the gaps in the buildings. Eventually, the buildings grew less and less until the cab drove up to a harbour. The same harbour from a few nights before.

"That's us here kids!" The driver called. Robert leaned over and handed him some money. He then got out and walked around to Rose's side of the taxi and opened her door, taking her hand gently. She smiled and stepped out gracefully, feeling almost… 1st class again.

"This way, Rose." He held out his arm. Rose looked at it, then looked at his charming face. She ignored his arm and never linked arms with him, instead she clasped her hands in his, intertwining their fingers. He looked surprised, but happy never the less.

"I hope you don't mind?" She asked teasingly.

"Of course not…" He leaned in closer. "I've been waiting for you to hold my hand, since I can't get a kiss."

Rose leaned in a little closer. "Maybe I'll change my mind… if you're lucky." They both grinned widely, their eyes inches from one another's, the seeds of desire already there, but not yet grown.

Robert lead the way down to a small ferryboat. There was already a man at the wheel. Robert really had this all planned out. Rose felt spoiled. Who'd have thought being 3rd class could have so many advantages? They walked up the gangway and onto the boat deck. The man came over with a bucket of ice holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Robert took them and thanked him. The sailor winked cheekily, looking Rose up and down.

"Champagne?" Robert asked, holding up the bottle.

Rose held out a glass. "Don't mind if I do."

He poured them both out a glass as below them the sound of the ships machinery starting up rumbled, the scenery around them moving away as the vessel started off. The tall towers and buildings of New York where black silhouettes against the heavenly shine of the sunset. Everything seemed to radiate a bright orange glow under the setting of the yellow globe in the pink sky. Robert's handsome and rugged features were half shaded in shadow, highlighting his stunning bone structure in his face. He was attractive enough to be a model, or an actor, Rose thought, not the person behind the camera. And Rose herself looked divine. Her flawless features were highlighted with a soft yellow glow from the sun by her side. Her neatly tied up hair taking on an almost fiery quality with the shades of amber, gold and red. The ferryboat was picking up speed and was further out in the water around the City now. Everything looked so breathtaking. The sun had shrouded everything in shadow, but gave it a glimmering outline as it lowered into the sea.

"You know something Rose… I know nothing about you."

"I could say the same thing about you."

"What do you want to know?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders gently and moved over slightly to be nearer him. "I don't know… I guess we could start with likes and dislikes." She joked.

Robert chuckled. "Likes and dislikes? Starting on basic conversations are we?"

"I'll tell you something that I like."

"What?"

Rose reached up and rested her chin on his shoulder until her lips were pressed against his ear. "You…"

He looked at her, analysing her wonderful face. She stared at him admiringly. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers, staring into her twinkling blue eyes, their faces so close. "I like you too Rose… a lot."

"And I know nothing about you Robert Marshall, not much anyway, but I don't mind… because I know that I want to be near you." She took his hands and held them to her face, closing her eyes. He took a hand a stroked her face lovingly.

"And I know nothing at all about you Rose Dawson… you're a stranger to me… but I always get a goof feeling about people… And I've got a great feeling about you."

Their faces were so near and finally gave into temptation, and their lips touched for the firs time. Rose didn't want to pull away, and Robert kissed her more passionately than anyone had ever kissed Rose before. His hands stroked her face and her fingers ran through his hair. She couldn't stop, not even for air. His tongue intertwined with hers and their lips continued to smother the others lips. The sun shone upwards from behind the shadow of the New York skyline and slowly but surely faded into blackness, but the burning desire between the young pair on the ferryboat failed to end. The seeds of desire had burst into a forest of passion now… And Rose liked it.