AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey :) I present more Who Dares Wins! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. I mostly definitely did :)
Who Dares Wins
Chapter Sixty: Two Become One
Hereford
Friday, 30 November, 2007
Chuck and Sarah stopped walking inside the grounds of Victoria Court near their cars.
Sarah turned to meet Chuck's glance. "I really enjoyed today with you. It was the best day of our relationship so far."
Chuck grinned. "The day's not over yet. We still have our romantic date to round things off."
Sarah nodded. "Yeah, but now it's my turn to treat and look after you because I'm paying for it tonight."
Just when she thought he was going to object, she spoke up, determined not to back down. "Either I'm paying, or we don't go at all."
He suppressed laughter. His argument shut down before it even started. "It's so not fair when you hold me for ransom like this."
Sarah's cheeks dimpled as she giggled. "It's the only way to get what I want."
"I'll have to start doing it too," he said.
She smiled. "You can try. Whether you succeed is a different matter."
The lovers shared a last moment of their glance, and then Chuck said, "I need to head back to my place now to get ready."
"Don't even think about leaving without kissing me goodbye first," she said, a smile playing at the corner of her lips.
Her words were like a siren's song to Chuck, and he was powerless to resist her as he pulled her close and kissed her deeply.
Sarah closed her eyes and felt the softness of his shirt against her skin as she ran her hand down his chest.
She opened them again when the soft clicking sound of their lips parting signalled the end of the kiss.
They shared another gaze, then Chuck said, "See you soon."
Sarah nodded, her fingers loosening their grip on his shirt as he turned and strode towards his car.
She turned and entered her apartment building, stepping into her apartment a moment later and turning off the alarm.
With a long to-do list before their date, Sarah paced towards her washing machine.
She arrived at the utility and got to work, sorting through their clothes and loading them into the tumble dryer.
As she walked to the bathroom, she felt the vibrations of the dryer spinning behind her.
Entering the bathroom, she twisted the hot tap and let the water run.
Sarah let the hot water run for a bit, then sprinkled in some salts and bubble bath before departing the bathroom, allowing the bath to work its wonders.
As soon as she walked into her bedroom, she dumped her shopping on the bed and walked with a mission towards her wardrobe, flinging it open.
Sarah stood in front of her closet, taking a moment to consider which outfit would be perfect for the date.
After a minute, her gaze locked onto a short leopard print dress in her wardrobe.
The moment she saw it, she could already feel the fabric against her skin, and his eyes locked on her.
She knew it was the perfect attire for tonight's passionate fourth date after their very successful third one finished just a few hours ago.
I remember him telling me at the hotel pool in Manchester that he loves leopard print. So, I'm pretty sure this is the perfect choice, and I'm hoping to knock his socks off. He deserves nothing but the best after the way he treated me last night and today.
She lingered for a moment longer, running her hand over the soft fabric of the dress, a small smirk playing on her lips at the thought of Chuck's reaction when he saw her.
With her focus renewed, she took out a pair of leopard print stilettos, placing them and the dress on the bed they'd made love in before turning back to her tasks.
Sarah walked to the mirror in the bedroom, noticing her perfectly styled hair. She tied it up, not wanting it to get wet in the bath after just washing, cutting, and blow-drying it.
She walked back to the tumble drier and opened it, feeling the warmth emanating from the clothes. But they still needed a few more minutes.
A few minutes later
The hum of the tumble drier stopped as Sarah switched it off before she made her way back to the bathroom.
The water in the room was so hot that it created a thick steam that filled the air.
She adjusted the taps, turning off the hot and turning on the cold to cool it down.
While she waited for the water to cool, she slipped out of her clothes and retrieved her phone from her pocket, planning to use it in the bath.
The water beckoned to her once undressed; the surface rippling invitingly.
Sarah carefully placed her toe in the water, the temperature feeling just about cool enough.
She was careful not to drop her phone as she turned off the tap and climbed into the tub, ensuring her hair remained dry.
Sinking into the bathtub, she felt the warm water soothe her tense muscles, and she let out a contented sigh, feeling in her own private oasis.
After a few minutes of luxuriating in the tub, she reached for her phone, responding to two messages from her mother and Molly, but found no new notifications.
She completed her mini-tasks and pondered if she had any more use for the device, but her mind drew a blank.
As she snapped her mobile shut, her mind wandered back to thoughts of her boyfriend.
The wide grin on her face betrayed the overwhelming satisfaction she felt from being with him.
Sarah wasn't sure what cosmic forces brought her the gift of Chuck walking into her life.
However, she intended to seize hold of that gift with an iron grip, determined to make the most of her stroke of luck.
As she pondered, a sudden idea struck her, and she felt a rush of excitement. She couldn't resist the daring temptation to try something she'd never done before.
Summoning her confidence, she took a suggestive photo of herself in the bathtub; the bubbles cascading around her.
Once she'd finished the snap, she navigated to the picture album of her mobile where she looked at the photo, soon feeling satisfied with the picture.
From there, she navigated to Chuck's contact details.
She sent the picture and bit her lip in anticipation of his reaction.
His reply came less than a minute later.
She navigated to the text, where a narrow-eyed picture of her boyfriend awaited her, as well as a message: You are a goddess sent from the land of temptation and I'm now boiling in desire and wishing I was there at this EXACT moment!… But may I ask why you sent it? P.S. I'M NOT COMPLAINING! ;)
Sarah snorted at his reply and the amusing picture he'd sent.
She typed out her reply, reading: I sent it because I can't stop thinking about you and I'm wishing you were here too, which is why I sent it.
He quickly replied: I'm the luckiest guy in existence, getting to be with you. And I can't wait to see you again shortly, even though you won't let me pay for the date.
Sarah giggled joyfully at his words, then held the phone fondly, caressing it as if it were her boyfriend's face.
After a long pause, she set down the device on the bathroom floor and resumed bathing.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O
Chuck arrived outside Sarah's apartment and parked his car.
He was about to depart the vehicle but paused when his phone started ringing.
Taking out his phone, he found out Cole was ringing.
He grinned at the chance to speak with his best friend, then answered the call.
"Alright, Cole?"
"Hey, Chuck. Can you talk for a minute?"
"Um, yeah, but not for long because I'm outside Sarah's."
"It will only take a minute. I don't want to disturb you lovebirds any longer than I have to," Cole laughed.
Chuck suppressed laughter. "Shut up, Cole."
Cole composed himself, then said, "To help you get much less grief tonight, Sophie, and I have decided to turn up later to the warm-down ourselves. That will help you both out because we'll receive our share for bugging out until later."
Chuck smiled fondly as if Cole were next to him. "You didn't have to do that for us, mate."
"Of course I did!" Cole laughed. "And besides, Sophie would have had my guts for garters if I hadn't. Anyway, you're my best man, Chuck, and you know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."
"That feeling is mutual, Cole," Chuck said.
"Well, that's all because Sophie's telling me to get off the phone and leave you to enjoy yourselves. Give me a quick call shortly before you're leaving and we'll arrive just minutes before you do," Cole said.
"I won't forget this, Cole," Chuck said with conviction, feeling immense gratitude toward his best friend. "Neither will Sarah."
"Just remember that when we decide who's paying the first bill when we double date!" Cole chuckled rowdily.
Chuck shared the laughter with him for a long moment until they composed themselves and he said, "I'll ring you later and I'll see you both later tonight."
"I can't wait, Chuck. Bye for now."
"Bye," Chuck said.
The call disconnected.
Chuck held his happiness for a moment, then put it aside to focus on Sarah as he departed his car and moved towards the entrance of her apartment building.
On arrival, he pressed the buzzer of her apartment.
She answered the telecom after a moment.
"Hi, beautiful, it's me," he said, hearing the mechanic click of the transmission.
"Hey," she said. "I'm ready. I'll be down in a minute."
"Ok," Chuck said.
The transmission went dead.
Chuck waited in pause for a few minutes until he saw Sarah appear.
As soon as she came into view, he couldn't believe how breathtaking his blonde girlfriend looked.
He couldn't help but stare open-eyed as his jaw dropped, taking in every inch of her in the short leopard dress that hugged her perfect curves.
She approached him, and when she arrived, he was so entranced by her he whispered, "Marry me."
Chuck's sudden request took aback Sarah.
She narrowed her eyes, which felt tighter than ever as she tried to process it.
Sarah's response jolted Chuck back to reality, and he realised the gravity of the words he had blurted out.
He quickly panicked, backtracking as his voice stumbled, "Wo-ah, um-no, ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean that!"
Sarah's perplexed expression didn't waver as she looked on.
Chuck's breaths were shallow and uneven as he tried to steady his nerves. Despite struggling for breath and feeling his clothes cling to him, he mustered the strength to say, "I have no intentions of anything like that so soon between us, I promise. It was a Freudian slip brought on by how breathtakingly beautiful you look, and it was a comment simply about my desire for you."
Her gaze softened as she let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Not one for commitment, huh?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Sarah raised a hand to the temple of her head. "Not after two bloody months of knowing you!" she said in amusement, shaking her head to try to compose herself from the almighty scare he'd just given her.
Chuck suppressed awkward laughter, grimacing in embarrassment. "Not my proudest moment. There were zero intentions behind the words, though, I promise."
"I hope not!" she said, laughing awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, beautiful," he said sincerely. "Why do you think I apologised in advance to you in your room for all the times I'll be a dork?"
"I see why now," she said, nodding, before she laughed.
Chuck shared the laughter with her as the tension between them eased.
"So you like how I look then?" she asked once their laughter calmed.
"Yeah," he said, nodding. "I told you that you blew most of the remaining one percent out of the water in your jacket, top, and jeans yesterday. But today, in that dress which fits and suits your gorgeous beauty perfectly, you comfortably blow all the remaining one percent and the rest of the universe away. You're the most beautiful woman in the whole universe, bar none."
Sarah's face turned bright red, and she felt a clammy sensation on her skin over his compliment. Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke. "You always have a way of making me feel amazing that I'll never get used to."
"That feeling is mutual, baby," he said, grinning. "And you know I mean it because you mesmerise me that much with your beauty; it leads to me proposing to you."
Sarah snorted.
"Are you ready to head to the restaurant, then?" he asked.
She nodded.
They shared a lover's smile, took each other's hand, and departed for their date.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O
Chuck and Sarah stopped outside Miller & Carter's in the Old Market in Hereford, the location of their romantic fourth date.
Chuck's eyes met hers as he turned to face her, his hand leaving hers and finding its way with his other one to her waist, where he pulled her in for a tender kiss.
When their lips parted, he whispered, "Not only do you look out of this world, you smell delicious too," taking in the scent of her perfume.
She kissed him in reply, taking in his scent as their lips parted. "So do you," she said, her breathing heavy from their intimacy.
He grinned. "Let's get passionate, baby."
She smiled back, staring into his eyes with infatuation, taking a tight hold of his hand as they entered the restaurant.
A few minutes later
The young lovers took their seats around the table for two, the warm glow of a soft red candle in the middle of them creating a romantic atmosphere.
Chuck wasted no time in starting a conversation. "Baby, I know we're already here now, but are you sure you want the team to find out this way? We could still back out and turn up, albeit two hours late."
Sarah took hold of his hand, staring into his eyes without hesitation. "I want this. I want the team to know. Today. And then tonight, I want us to go back to my place with the team knowing we're dating, and for us to make love."
He took hold of her hand that held his with his free hand, maintaining her intimate stare. "I want that too. There's nothing more I've ever wanted from life than to be with you. You know that. But I also want what's best for you, and I don't want you to receive any more bullshit."
"You make that bullshit ok, Chuck," she said, her breathing already flustered. "We can't hide how we feel. It's making me crazy trying to hide how I feel. And besides, like you said, they know anyway; they aren't stupid. They tease us constantly anyway, so it can't get any worse. But I don't want to talk about any of them right now. Fuck them."
Chuck suppressed fond laughter. "Fair enough, beautiful. So, we agreed this date is to talk about our future, so let's do that."
Sarah nodded.
"If you left the army tomorrow, do you have a fallback?" he asked. "Is there anything you'd want to do? Or something you know you could do?"
She took a long moment in thought, soon shaking her head and forcing a smile. "I joined the army to find a purpose in life because I had none. It gave me that purpose, and for the first time, I felt part of the world and not a bystander in it. So I guess I have no future goals beyond what I'm doing now. Fighting for those who need help isn't a terrible decision."
Chuck nodded, playing with her hand still that he held.
"What about you?" she asked.
Chuck took a moment in thought, then said, "Even after I joined the Grenadier Guards, I kept future possibilities open just in case it didn't work out or if I had a change of mind. My mother and sister ensured it, but even if they hadn't, I still would have anyway."
Sarah nodded, smiling at what he said.
He continued, "But eight years later, I'm not sure if I'd be able to explore those alternative plans anymore. Too much time has passed and all the top computer software companies probably wouldn't give me a chance, and even if they did, I'd need to complete university first."
Sarah used her free hand to play with his that held hers. "You could do it, Chuck," she assured, developing a full smile. "Everyone in the regiment knows you're the smartest guy and that you don't really belong with us. I certainly know it. You're an amazing guy and I feel privileged to be your girlfriend."
Chuck's grin grew to epic proportions as her affirmation and belief in him made him feel like a superhero. "Baby, you could too."
"I'm not sure," she said in hesitancy, her gaze lowering from him for the first time.
"I am," he said, brushing his thumb over hers, still grinning. "If, for argument's sake, we left the regiment tomorrow, there's no one else I'd want as my business partner. You would probably make us billionaires."
Sarah met his gaze again. "You would," she said, playing with his hand. "You should have been an officer. You're smart enough to lead the army and make it better."
He shook his head, suppressing laughter. "Oh no, I couldn't have possibly done that."
"Why not?" she asked.
His expression turned joyful. "Because then we couldn't be together."
She held his gaze with a fiery intensity, confessing, "I would still want you."
He suppressed loving laughter. "Oh, to hell with it. You're worth a court martial for one hundred times out of one hundred."
Sarah matched his loving gaze as they moved in to share a kiss, closing their eyes.
When their lips parted, Sarah's cheeks were flushed, and she felt a surge of emotion that left her breathless.
She raised a hand to her neck to try to fight off the increase in temperature caused by their intimacy.
A waiter arrived a moment later to take their order, which they spent a short while ordering.
They ordered baked cheddar mushrooms for their starter, medium rare sirloin steaks with seasoned fries for their main course, coconut & raspberry punch rum cocktails ahead of their main meal, and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon red wine for their main.
Once their order was complete, the waiter departed.
The lovers met each other's eyes again.
"I want to build a life together with you, Sarah," he admitted, resuming their conversation.
Sarah broke their gaze, looking at her dress and building the courage to look back at him. When she did, she said, "I'm a simple girl, Chuck…"
He shook his head, his eyes not leaving hers. "There's nothing simple about you, beautiful."
Sarah swallowed lumps, her breath catching at his declaration. "If I didn't look good, what would be great about me?" she asked, fighting off her nerves, holding his glance.
"Everything," he whispered, overcome with a rush of feelings he felt towards her.
Her glance lowered again in shyness. Looking back again, she protested, "I'm not sure…"
"I am," he said, moving to take her hand, squeezing it in reassurance.
The intensity of their glance increased.
"The reason I'm sure is that if you weren't in the army, you would have met someone and started a life with them, and they would be the luckiest person in the universe," he said.
"Why are you so sure?" she asked, detecting the immense conviction behind his words.
He squeezed her hand again. "Because anyone with their heads screwed on would want that."
Sarah swallowed away some more of the intensity between them—as well as to gain the courage to speak her thoughts—though she held his gaze. "That never happened. You're my first relationship where we're actually dating and not just meeting up for sex. I guess the guys who approached me were the wrong kind, just wanting what's between my legs."
"Oh gee, thanks for calling me the wrong kind," he joked, hoping to make her feel better.
However, Sarah didn't catch the joke, her expression remained serious, and she said, "I didn't mean you. You're the one exception to everyone who came before you in my life."
"Yeah, and I stumbled into it and I'm still not sure how I did," he said as he squeezed her hand again, in an act hoping to gain courage because he turned nervous for the first time.
"You didn't stumble into being with me," she said, brushing her thumb over his, staring into her eyes to convey how deeply she felt about him. "You won me by being the most amazing guy and swept me off my feet to the point it feels like a dream because it's never happened before. All I can think about is you, Chuck."
"Sarah, I think I'm just a normal guy," he protested.
Sarah moved her free hand over his. "No. You're not. I know you don't feel worthy of me, but I still don't know why. I think it's time you told me, so I can tell you why you're wrong about that."
Chuck sighed.
"Well?" she asked. "I'm waiting."
Chuck sighed again, mustering the courage to open his heart, then he said, "Before the army, I wasn't a confident guy. It's the army who turned me into who I am today, beautiful. If it were not for my eight years in the military, there's no way I'd have the confidence to be seated with the most perfect woman imaginabl-"
"That's bullshit!" she interrupted, shouting, a little too harshly for what she'd have liked, untangling her hands from his in anger. "The army didn't make you who you are today! You've always been who you are! It just gave you confidence, nothing else!"
He nodded. "And without that confidence, I'd just be another nerd playing way too many video games, with all the insecurity issues I have and lack of confidence alongside it. That makes me hardly any kind of catch..."
Frustration continued to rise for Sarah. "You know, you never fail to not piss me off whenever you sell yourself short, which happens all the time! You're an amazing guy, the best one I've ever met, with no exception. As a person, you're perfect. Who cares if you're not a flashy guy in love with yourself? You don't need to be. If you were, I wouldn't be here with you now. The last thing I would be doing is being on a date with you now if you were that kind of guy!"
Luckily for them both, there was a pause as a waiter arrived with their cocktails.
The lovers paused to take sips of their drinks, but Sarah refused to let the topic end. "You know, Chuck? I have insecurities too," she said, forcing a smile at him and nodding to back up what she said. "Before you came along, I had nothing but casual flings. Men wanting nothing from me other than sex and my beauty. It only reaffirmed my beliefs that I was uninteresting and could never get a relationship, that I could never have love. Everybody I went to school with has already found that love, except for me…"
Chuck remained paused, taking in everything Sarah said.
Sarah swallowed air, then continued. "Since I met you, for the first time, I now feel like there's a chance I can find what everybody else from my school found, despite my insecurities, which I don't throw on you. I don't think you're being fair to me, to us, to yourself in constantly bringing up those insecurities using them as excuses for why you're not a different person, the same person as the men in my life before you came along…"
Chuck nodded. "It's just difficult to overcome those deep-rooted insecurities," he said, sighing in despondency. "Which I'm sure you know."
"I do," she said with a nod. "But I don't throw mine on you constantly and say things like I feel unworthy of a guy like you, so I don't see why you feel qualified and entitled to do that constantly to me."
He nodded again. "That's a fair point. I'm sorry for doing it so constantly."
Sarah drew a sigh, hoping to move on from her frustration.
The waiter helped with that problem after a few seconds when their starter arrived.
They started on their starter for a minute, but they paused when Chuck said, "So, I know about your mother and Molly, and that your bond with them is like mine with my mum and Ellie, but what about the rest of your life before the army? Do you see your father?"
"He passed away from cancer when I was nine," she revealed trying her best to smile but failing.
"I'm so sorry!" Chuck let out a sudden gasp and covered his mouth with his hand in shock. "I feel terrible now for asking!"
Sarah forced a reassuring smile. "It's ok."
He moved to take a reassuring hold of her hand. "Your father would be really proud of the woman his daughter has become. I don't know of a better woman."
Her eyes glossed, turning emotional at his words. "Thank you."
His smile was warm, and sympathetic as he looked at her. "I can't relate to such a loss, so I won't try. I loved my grandfather greatly until he passed, but it's nothing close to the death of a parent. If you ever need to talk about it, I'm here for you," he said, playing with her hand.
"Thank you," she said through her emotion, brushing her thumb over his. "My dad would have liked you, Chuck."
Chuck gave her a loving grin. "Hopefully, your mother won't send me packing when she finds out I'm dating you."
"My mum will love that I'm happy. And happy doesn't even come close to how I feel when I'm with you," she said, running a hand over her face, feeling the intensity of the emotion exchanged between them.
"I'm glad I make you happy," he said with a smile straight from his heart.
She turned a little nervous. "What about you?" she asked, looking into his eyes in search of her impending question. "Are you happy?"
Chuck developed a grin the size of Mount Everest. "I'll be just as happy with you as I am now when we're old and grey," he promised.
Sarah's face lit up with joy, and she leapt towards him where they sat.
They met halfway, the sound of their hearts pounding as they shared a long, passionate kiss.
This kiss was different for both of them.
It was a kiss of commitment.
With a promise of a future.
Their future.
When they parted, they returned to their position in their seats.
"What about your family, Chuck?" she asked as she took a bite of her baked cheddar mushrooms. "Will they approve of who you're dating?"
Chuck paused from eating a mouthful of his own mushrooms to grin at her. "Baby, I'll be more proud than I have ever felt the day I introduce you to my family because you're amazing and they will all see it, too."
Sarah showed her full teeth, gazing into his loving eyes.
"I don't see them much because of the army. As much as I love them, we're not as close as I'd like to be, which is the fault of the army," he admitted.
She nodded. "Same for me too."
"Two loners, huh?" he asked with a loving gaze.
"Since I met you, the last thing I feel is alone, Chuck," she declared.
"Me too."
They shared an extended intimate stare again, which developed into them meeting halfway and sharing another kiss.
This one conveyed the attraction and companionship they felt from being together.
When they parted, they shared a lover's smile and returned to their food.
After a moment of eating, Chuck paused and said, "I don't want to come on too deep and scare the best thing to have ever walked into my life away, but I need to say how I'm feeling about you…"
Sarah paused from her own food, detecting the intensity of his words, and she swallowed in apprehension.
He gained his bravery and continued. "I was serious about what I said earlier. I want to build a life with you. Maybe I shouldn't be saying it this early, but there's just something about you… All my dreams I've ever had for my future, I see them with you."
Sarah fought to control the lump in her throat, making it difficult to breathe.
However, she held her lover's glance.
After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "What if I won't be good at it?"
He moved to take a soft hold of her hand and kissed it gently. "You'll be perfect at it."
She swallowed further lumps, and her breath caught.
"Is it something you might want too?" he asked, staring into her eyes, exposing his heart in the way he looked at her, and his words.
Sarah took a long moment in thought, her gaze breaking from him.
As Chuck waited, his heart sank further with each passing second she didn't reply.
He was about to break his gaze on her in despondence when he saw her finally look back at him.
She nodded, her gaze now locked back into his orbs.
In an instant, her confirmation replaced his despondence with great joy, which showed as his face lit up with affection.
She smiled back as they moved to share a soft, loving kiss.
When their lips parted, he held his position, his face a few inches from hers. "We don't need to rush because we're both young. We'll go at your pace, baby."
She nodded in agreement, then they pulled back to finish their starter.
"Why didn't your previous relationships work?" she asked, furthering the conversation.
He took a moment in thought, then said, "I guess, ultimately, they weren't meant to be. Hannah and I were both very young and wanted different things. She wanted us to start a business together, while I wanted the army as well as her. With Jill, it was all about what she wanted, while at least Hannah and I each respected what we each wanted, which is why I let her go."
Sarah nodded.
"What I've never been more sure of is that my feelings about anyone haven't been this strong this early with how I feel about you."
She considered his declaration, then asked, "What is it about me that's different?"
"Everything," he said, his grin straight from the heart. "First, your hard work and determination to get to where you are. It's attractive and admirable. Also, all the shit and misogyny you've faced makes me drawn to wanting to give you the very best of what a guy can offer and should give you."
She gazed at him with adoration and a soft smile.
"None of my past relationships faced anything like what you have and yet you're still here being amazing while inside; you're so passionate and caring. I've met no one as romantic as you are towards me. Frankly, I'm stunned by how amazing that makes me feel."
She suppressed fond laughter, looking at her lover in deep appreciation for his words and that he was pouring his heart out to her.
He developed a loving grin. "Everything with you is not me, me, me, either. I know I'm coming on arguably extremely heavy tonight, but beautiful, I can't help but see you as the most amazing and devoted mother and that's the kind of woman I want to build a life with. And that's why I see my future with you."
Sarah's eyes glossed as her heart melted over his declaration.
She tried to sniff away her emotions.
But it was no good.
The way he made her feel was too powerful for her to hide.
She sniffed again, but she felt the tears come in force.
His warm grin faded. "I'm sorry. It was too much."
She locked eyes with him, her eyes bleeding with emotion. "Nobody has ever thought of me like that before. You didn't even mention how I look... It was a non-factor."
"With you, it is a non-factor," he assured, taking a soft hold of her hand again. "I know it's easy for me to say this because you're the best-looking woman in the whole world… But it's the truth. I promise you more than I have ever meant anything. I would still feel the same even if you were not."
Sarah let out a soft sob because of the power of his words and the meaning behind them.
How special and treasured he made her feel—as if his life revolved around hers—was too much, and the sob developed into full crying, which was tears of immense joy.
The intense emotions that had completely overwhelmed her she'd never felt ever before in her life.
He quickly stood, moving to her, and the lovers moved to embrace.
"I feel awful for making you upset!" he whispered, softly kissing her perfect hair.
She arched herself to look at him, touching her forehead against his. "I'm not upset... I'm just overwhelmed with how you make me feel. I'm used to comments on my appearance from guys, but not as a person. Nobody has ever treated me like this before."
He moved a hand to caress her cheek, then softly kissed her lips. "It's no less than you deserve. Everybody deserves to feel this way, beautiful," he whispered, yet the weight of his soft tone carried a thousand decibels.
She whimpered as more tears came, trying her best to overcome her emotions to not ruin the date, touching her forehead with his again.
"I'll try not to be as intense," he said.
She caressed his cheek. "Your intensity makes me feel more alive and cared for than I've ever felt. So it's a small price I'll gladly pay. I'm just still learning how to deal with these emotions and not doing a very good job."
"You're doing an amazing job," he assured, stroking her hair.
They shared a smile, then moved to sit back down.
Their main course soon arrived, and they got started on their food.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O
"Hey, we finally got dessert," Chuck declared with a grin, looking at the just-arrived pie placed between them.
Sarah snorted, her gaze lowering to the delicious-looking dessert comprising a biscuit base pie filled with whipped cream, caramelised banana, drizzled in a rich toffee sauce.
"I hope it's as nice as everything else on this date has been," she said with a smile.
He suppressed fond laughter, then said, "Sharing it romantically with you, I'm sure it will be."
"Me too," she agreed, matching his warm gaze.
She collected a forkful of the pie and extended it towards his mouth.
When she offered him the fork, he opened his mouth and savoured the sweetness of the dessert.
He moaned at the taste as she watched on.
"How is it?" she asked, her gaze unwavering.
He chewed and swallowed the food, not wanting to talk with his mouth full. "It's great, baby. We picked a good one."
"Don't tease me," she said, holding her stare. "Give me mine."
He nodded, suppressing laughter.
From there, he collected his own fork, gathered some of the dessert, and extended it towards Sarah.
Sarah held their gaze for a final second, then lowered it to receive the dessert.
She took a moment to register what she felt of the contents, soon eliciting a delightful moan at the taste of the dessert.
He suppressed additional laughter, gazing in adoration at his girlfriend.
Once her mouth was empty, she said, "You're right. We did."
He grinned. "So, how was the date?"
"It's without a doubt, the best night of my life," she exclaimed immediately. "Today was already the best day of my life after everything we did before arriving here. But after the past few hours we've spent together, how I'm feeling toward you right now is much stronger than I've felt about anyone. I did nothing but nod when you asked me if I wanted to build a life with you before. So I'll tell you now… Yes, Chuck, I want to build a life with you and all it entails."
He gave her the biggest grin of the day.
She smiled back. "I might not be good at it, but tonight and today as a whole have convinced me to give it my best try. You make me happy, Chuck, happier than I've ever felt."
Her declaration left him with an overwhelming rush of emotions.
They moved to kiss again, which was the most passionate of the night.
As their lips locked, they could feel their emotions and desires intertwining.
The promise of a future together hung in the air as they expressed the growing by the day intimacy they felt towards each other.
Their tongues met and softly stroked against each other as their lips detached and reattached.
As they held each other, their breaths became synchronised until they had no choice but to part, panting for air.
Sarah touched her forehead against his own as she got her breath back. "God, I want you so much right now," she whispered, her breathing heavy from the intense intimacy between them.
His breathing tightened. "Then it's a good thing we already have dessert. Let's finish it quickly and then go and do just that at your place before heading to the team."
She nodded, her breaths still ragged as she tried to compose herself under their intense gaze.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Next chapter, Charah heads to Jimbo's for the great showdown with their teammates about their relationship. The next chapter will also be the grand revelation of why I had Big Dan tease Sarah constantly. It's all coming and SO MUCH MORE, next chapter!
FOOTNOTES: I'd love to hear from you with your feedback. I feel like this was an immensely powerful chapter, and I need help in ascertaining if it hit its mark or not.