"The Most Eligible Bachelor"
Summary: Summer and Seth are leading separate lives now, but what happens when Summer's story for a leading magazine forces them together?
Disclaimer: I'd like to stake a claim on Adam Brody's dimples, but really, I don't own any of the O.C. characters or story lines.
Chapter Twenty-Two: A New Ring
The couple spent the next few wonderful days in Catalina, enjoying each other's company. Summer would lay out on the beach, trying to further perfect her tan, with Seth sitting next to her, drawing pages for his upcoming issue and catching up on some of his favorite comic books that he missed reading while producing Atomic County.
On Saturday afternoon, while Summer lay out on the beach, Seth decided to turn their room into a romantic getaway. He made a pathway of pink and purple rose petals, Summer's favorite combination, that led from their in-room hot tub to the bed. He positioned several lavender scented candles on the hot tub ledge, the dressers, the bedside tables, and in a path formation, leading into their room.
He made plans to have Thai food delivered at around 6:30 and placed a blanket off to the side of the bed, with champagne flutes and candlesticks.
Seth told Summer that he would come and get her for her 'surprise' at around six. He sat on the bed at 5:45, fingering the 2 karat Tiffany's ring that he had bought the Monday before. He found himself more nervous than he had ever been.
Scenes flashed through his head: the trip to Tijuana, his grandpa's birthday party, the Wonder Woman costume, their first time, their second time, dancing in his room on Valentine's Day, pledging his love on a coffee cart, hanging upside down from his roof, kissing her, going to college together. His memories of her were endless.
He tried to pinpoint the one moment in his life when he really knew that they were meant to be together. He thought of the summer after junior year, after they had been reunited for 'good' at prom. He remembered that that night, he had stayed at Summer's house, but instead of fooling around or having sex, they had just laid in each other's arms, talking about anything and everything.
He could remember everything about that night: the way that her hair fell across her face when she laughed, the way that she smelled, the way that her eyes looked when she told him that she loved him, the way that her head fit perfectly in the nook between his neck and shoulder. He knew from that point on, that no matter where they ended up, they would never find something that meant quite as much as it meant when they were together.
Gathering all of his courage, he placed the ring back into its box and hid it in the nightstand drawer on his side of the bed. He slid on the flip flops that Summer insisted he buy earlier that day. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at the room for a final inspection and headed to the spot on the beach where Summer could be found.
When Seth got to Summer, he found her awaiting his arrival, staring out into the ocean. She had put on one of his old track jackets over her bikini to shield the night wind that was starting to kick in. Seth got butterflies in his stomach looking at her. Somehow she always looked so perfect wearing his clothes.
"Hey beautiful," he said, dipping down to give her a kiss on the cheek before taking a seat beside her.
"Hey," she replied softly, throwing him a sideways glance and a sweet smile. "I was wondering when you were coming."
"Sorry, I was little bit late," he mumbled apologetically. When Summer raised her eyebrow, Seth explained. "Last minute preparations and what not."
"Ahh," Summer said, giving him an understanding nod. "What are we doing tonight anyway, Cohen?"
Seth didn't answer at first, but opened his hand to reveal a blind fold. He moved around so that he was kneeling behind Summer, and gently put it over her eyes.
"Cohen, you know I hate surprises," she whined. Seth placed two fingers over her lips.
"I promise you, Summer. You will not be disappointed," he said, taking her hand and leading her towards the hotel.
When they arrived at the room, Seth led Summer to the bathroom and removed her blindfold. Earlier in the day, he had set up the bathroom with all of her cosmetics and toiletries and had brought in a new bikini and some comfortable clothes for her to wear.
"Ok, your instructions are to take a shower and get changed. It's just going to be me and you tonight, so you don't have to worry about going all crazy with the make up and taking three hours to get ready," she shot him a small glare before he continued. "When you're finished, just come out, and hopefully dinner will be ready," he finished, placing a soft kiss on her forehead and leaving the bathroom before she could protest.
After Seth left, Summer just stared at the door with a confused, yet intrigued look on her face. A small smile formed on her lips as she looked around the bathroom at all of her things neatly lined up on the vanity and the little pile of folded clothes Seth had picked out for her.
She was often still amazed at how cute and thoughtful he could be at times, but seeing as he had apparently really worked hard for this evening, she decided to quit wondering and just get ready for whatever he had planned.
Thirty minutes later, Summer exited the bathroom and gasped as she looked up, throwing her hands to her mouth in amazement. Tears filled her eyes as she looked around the room, which was now lit up by a soft candle glow that smelled of her favorite scent: lavender. She bent down to pick up a few rose petals from the floor and shut her eyes to take in their scent.
Seth, who had been kneeling down, taking Thai food out of boxes, turned at the sound of Summer's gasp and stared at her face, trying to gauge her reaction. He rose from the floor and moved towards her, catching her eyes. "Hey," he whispered, taking her into his arms.
"Cohen," she said, tears escaping down her cheeks, "this is so amazing." After staring into his eyes for several moments, she stood on her tiptoes and let her lips graze over his, leaving an electric sensation throughout his entire body
"Would you like to eat now?" Seth murmured against her lips.
Summer remained quiet for a moment, but then let a mischievous smile form on her lips, pushing back so that Seth could have a full view. "I don't know if I deserve food yet, Cohen. I've just laid on the beach all day," she said, trying to innocently seduce him.
"Well, well, maybe, I could, uh, you know, help you work up an appetite?" he stuttered back, unable to take his eyes off of Summer's.
"Sounds like a plan," she said, smiling widely before throwing Seth onto the bed and untying her bikini top.
Hours later, Seth and Summer still lay in bed, the Thai food abandoned on the floor, and the candles growing dimmer and dimmer. A bottle of champagne sat on each night stand, and it was obvious from their bubbly laughter, that they were the ones who had consumed it.
As they had just finished another of their laughing fits, Seth grew and tightened his hold on Summer, pulling her up until she was at his eye level. "Do you know what this reminds me of, Sum?" he said, gently stroking her hair.
"Hmm, I don't know, the night after prom?" she said, with a little knowing giggle.
"That night was amazing," he whispered, looking up at the ceiling.
"I know," she replied, almost inaudibly. "It was like the first night that we really knew--"
"How in love we were," they finished simultaneously, pausing for a second before meeting each other's gaze and bursting into a fit of giggles.
"I've been thinking about that a lot lately, Summer, especially with you going home in two days," Seth said, trying to segway the conversation into, well…
"Don't talk about that now, Cohen," Summer groaned, covering her eyes with her arm.
"No, Summer, I really need to," he said, seriously, causing Summer to look at him with question in her eyes. "When I remember that night, I always remember how perfect we were for each other then. How nothing could ever go wrong. I mean, don't get me wrong, we've had better moments since then, but it's just, that night, it seemed like all the things that went wrong in our relationship before that, Anna, your Dad, Tahiti, the comic book, whatever, it was all meaningless because right then, we had each other." When he stopped, he gazed intensely into her eyes for several minutes before continuing.
"Right now, I feel like we have that again. After everything's that's happened over the last six years, after not knowing you for the last six years, I feel like we have that right now. And I never want to lose that again." He slowly broke her gaze, and turned to reach into the nightstand, grabbing the box.
Summer's eyes widened a bit as she realized what was going on. Seth sat up and pulled her up to a sitting position, making sure the sheet stayed wrapped around her for the moment. "I know what you're thinking. It's too soon, or just bad timing, but I need to give you this," he said, opening the box and staring intently at the ring. "I need you to know that no matter what, I never want to be without you again. Not for six years, not for six months, not even for six days, Summer." He paused. "I love you."
The pair sat silently, completely still for what seemed like an eternity. They both gazed profoundly into one another's eyes, emotions swelling from their skin. As a tear ran down Summer's cheek, Seth reached his thumb up to wipe it off, and she turned her face to give him a sensual kiss on the palm. She continued to tenderly kiss her way up his arm, leaving chills in his spine and sending his blood rushing to certain regions.
The kissing continued until Summer straddled Seth and was kissing him hungrily on the neck and chest. The ring box slid out of Seth's hand and on to the floor, as he let his arms encircle Summer's waist.
Though they had just made love earlier, there was something different about this time. This time it was as though they were desperate, as if holding on to each other was the very way that they were holding on to life.
They continued at a slow, passionate pace, until they both reached a point of ecstasy that sent them shuddering and crying out to one another, and then finally collapsing lifelessly on the bed in one another's arms.
In the aftermath, Seth and Summer softly snuggled and caressed each other, trying to memorize everything about the other person, so that they could never forget the night, as they had never forgotten prom night.
Summer's eye caught on the blue ring box that had fallen to the floor, and she reached over Seth until she could finally pick it up off the floor. When she got back on the bed, she laid on her back, and opened the box to look at the ring, Seth watching her expression intently.
Summer took the ring that had previously taken the spot on her left ring finger and switched it to her right hand. She handed Seth the new ring, and stuck out her left hand, eyes never leaving his.
He broke her gaze and took her hand, leaving a light kiss on her ring finger before sliding the ring on it. Summer leaned in and gave Seth a very soft, yet fervent kiss before finally speaking.
"I don't know what it means yet, Seth, and I can't promise for a little while that we're going to be able to be together, like full time. But I want you to know that someday, I will be with you forever and that there's no one else I'd rather be with."
Tears fell down both of their faces as they leaned in, letting their tear salted lips met in a series of loving kisses. Both lay now, near sleep, dreading what was to come in two days, but basking in the fact that for now, in their lives, everything was perfect.
A/N I hope that was a little surprising? Ok, so, maybe not. Just to let you know, Part One of the trilogy will be 25 Chapters, so after the weekend I will begin working on Part Two. I have a busy school week next week, so I would look for a BIG update the following weekend.
I liked how this chapter turned out, and I hope you guys do, too. I really got in the zone. It took me like 30 minutes. Review, please. And as always keep reading. Enjoy the O.C. tonight. 0) Peace.