"Mom, I'm going out with Tobias! I'll be back before 11." I say as I climb down the stairs.
It's a Saturday and my handsome boyfriend insisted on taking me out on a date. The past week has been uneventful, except the whole Susan asking me to be in her wedding thing. I found a nice dress at the shop mom suggested, and even sent a picture to Susan to make sure she was fine with it. At least that's done. Now I just have to worry about showing up.
For the date tonight, Tobias told me to wear something warm. It's the start of fall, and it's getting colder, especially at night, so I guess we're gonna be outside. I wore my black miniskirt with matching pantyhose, pairing it with a full sleeve brown knit top, and black combat boots. And, of course, my necklace. I almost always wear it, as it reminds me of Tobias. I had time so I also decided to curl my hair. They are very light waves, not even a proper curl, but it's better than my usual string straight hair.
"Okay. Oh, you look lovely, dear. Have fun!" Mom says from the couch.
"Thanks, Mom. See you later." I say and rush out, knowing that Tobias is waiting for me.
He's leaning against his car, looking amazingly sexy in dark denim jeans, a black shirt with a black leather jacket on top, also wearing combat boots. He smiles and comes over to me, kissing my cheek lightly.
"You look incredible, Tris." He smiles.
"So do you." I blush.
"You ready to go?" He asks me, holding out his hand.
"Yes." I say, sliding my fingers between his as he leads me to the car and opens the door for me. Once we're seated and buckled, he starts driving. I lean my head back on the seat and look at him, admiring the sexy stubble on his face. When we turn the street, Tobias slows the car and pulls over to the side, making me confused. "What are you doing?"
But he just moves closer to me, unbuckling his seatbelt and grabbing my face, bringing my lips to his. He kisses me deeply, almost like he's been starving for so long and finally found what he needs. I certainly know the feeling, so I kiss him back, just as eagerly. We're both breathless when we pull back.
"I just couldn't wait to do that, I'm sorry." He pants. "I really wanted to kiss you when I saw you, but I didn't wanna risk your parents seeing us." He smiles nervously, making me laugh.
"That's okay. I wanted to kiss you, too." I bite my lip, feeling shy for admitting that.
"You're so cute, Tris." He grins and gives me another sweet kiss. We resume our drive, holding hands and smiling at each other like little kids. God, the things he does to me.
"So, where are you taking me?" I ask him.
"Just wait and see. It's a surprise." He winks at me.
"Is it outside? I know because you told me to wear warm clothes."
"You're very smart, Tris. And yes, it is outside. But I'm not telling you anything else." He smiles.
"Fine." I huff, making him chuckle.
I shake my head and look out the window, watching the world go by. My heart beats fast in anticipation, and I try to keep my breathing steady. Soon, he drives the car into some sort of a parking area. Finding a spot, he easily slides into it and powers off the car.
"Where are we?" I ask him, looking around but not seeing any signs or boards.
"Come on, you'll see." He says, climbing out.
I follow him out and grab his hand as he leads us outside the parking lot. We are near a large body of water, it stretches out as far as I can see. And there I see a ferry. It is small, with a lot of standing area and a few seats against the railing. I look at him with confusion on my face. He just smiles.
"I can't reveal anything, yet. But I promise you'll love it." He says.
"Okay, then. Lead the way, Tobias." I laugh, deciding to let go and just follow his lead.
We get on the ferry, standing against the railing and looking down at the water. The boat starts filling up with other passengers, but it's not too crowded. The anchor is dropped and soon we start moving. The sun is just setting, and the sky forms a beautiful orange-pink hue. It reflects against the water, making it look even more mesmerising.
"Now this is a view." I say, soaking up the amazing beauty of nature.
"It is really beautiful." Tobias whispers.
The boat rocks slowly, moving toward who knows where. Well, Tobias knows, but he won't tell me. A strong gust of wind flows past us, making me shiver a little.
"You cold?" Tobias notices, wrapping his arms around me to share his body heat. I turn my head to look at him, and he smiles down at me. Leaning my back into him, I enjoy the way he feels against me. He kisses my temple and rests his head on mine.
This is the most peaceful I've ever felt in probably a long time. All other thoughts leave me as I just focus on the breathtaking sight before me. Although it's a little chilly, it's still beautiful. And romantic, as Tobias keeps giving me sweet kisses.
After about ten minutes, we come close to our destination. In the distance is a beautiful floating gazebo. I stand frozen, taking in the sight before me. It's right in the middle of the water, standing on a wooden island, with a small fence that goes around it. We reach it quickly and get off on the small dock attached to it. And it's then I realise that it's actually a restaurant.
"Well? What do you think?" Tobias asks me, waiting for a reaction from my speechless form.
"This is... absolutely incredible." I shake my head.
"Isn't it?" He smiles, leading me inside.
The restaurant is not fully enclosed, letting the ocean breeze flow through it. But it does have a wooden arched roof that covers it from top, which have small incandescent lights hanging from it, creating a warm ambiance. The tables are arranged spaciously, and various types of plants are scattered throughout the place. There's a small section to the side where a live band is playing some soft tunes. The whole vibe is very tranquil and serene, but mostly romantic.
Tobias leads me to a corner table, where we can see the water. It is dark now, but the lights from the restaurant reflect on it. Sitting across from me, he gives me a charming smile, and I blush, returning it.
"I can't believe this place. It's magical. How did you know about this?" I look around, still in awe.
"It's very new. I heard about it in a restaurateur's blog." He says.
"Wow, I didn't know you read food blogs." I smile.
"Trust me, not until you." He chuckles. "I had to know the best places to bring my special girl." I blush at his words, looking into his eyes as he reaches over to hold my hand on the table.
We keep up the light conversation as we order our food, steak with hasselback potatoes and creamy spinach, pan-fried chicken with roasted broccoli and mushrooms, and a bottle of nonalcoholic sparkling juice. We share everything, taking food off of each other's plates. I love how comfortable he makes me.
This is hands down the best restaurant I've been to. Everything about it is perfect, the atmosphere, the food, the music, but I personally really love my company. Tobias makes the place perfect. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he's mine. How did I get so lucky?
"For our next song, we would like to ask all the lovely couples to please join us on the dance floor." The lead singer of the band says, lightly strumming his guitar.
"Would you do me the honour of joining me for this dance, Miss Prior?" Tobias gets up from his seat and offers me a hand, his face lit with a big smile.
"Why, yes, of course, Mr. Eaton." I grin, taking his hand and standing up.
We make our way to the band, where other couples are dancing to the romantic music. Tobias wraps one hand around my waist as he holds the other. And I place my free hand on his shoulder as we sway lightly to the music.
"Okay, I have a confession to make. I don't really know how to dance." Tobias admits.
"Really? But you're doing so good." I say.
"That's because you're leading, Tris." He chuckles.
"Here, move your legs with mine." I show him.
We fall into an easy rhythm, moving together. Tobias twirls me around a few times, making me giggle, and then pulls me close to him again. When the beat slows, I rest my head on his chest as he sways us lightly. I can feel his heart beating steadily, and I burrow my face against him.
And for the first time, I let myself dream of a future with him. I've never been more happier, and it's all because of Tobias. I know I'm falling hard for him, and the feeling terrifies me. What if I'm not enough for him? What if he decides he doesn't want me and changes his mind? I stop myself, letting the intrusive thoughts go. He's been nothing but good to me. He's so caring, considerate, respectful of me. I have to trust that he won't hurt me.
"Thank you for bringing me here, Tobias. I absolutely love it." I whisper, looking up into his dark blue eyes.
"I'm glad to hear that." He whispers back, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "You are so beautiful, Tris." I stand on my tiptoes just as he leans down and our lips meet in the middle. It's a sensual kiss, conveying the depth of our feelings through it. We're so lost in it that we don't notice that the song ended, and everyone is going back to their tables. "How about some dessert?" He laughs, slightly nervous because of our show of affection.
"I love dessert." I smile, and he leads us back to our table.
We each get a chocolate soufflé, relishing in the taste of rich dark chocolate with fresh sweet strawberries. It doesn't get better than this. It's not long before time sneaks past us, and we have to go back. We hear that the last ferry of the night is going to leave shortly, so we hurry up and rush out of the restaurant.
Tobias pulls me along as we run out on the dock to get to the boat, quickly climbing on it and releasing a sigh of relief. I laugh with him, going to stand against the railing.
"Come here." Tobias murmurs, opening up his jacket. I smile shyly and press myself against him, wrapping my arms around him under the jacket. He closes it around us, making us warm up as we snuggle.
I look out into the water, dark as the night. It is so mysterious, yet captivating. The gentle lulling of the boat makes me feel at ease, combined with the scent of Tobias, which always makes me feel safe. He brushes his hand over my hair, kissing my head lightly.
When we get off the boat, he squeezes my hand, leading me to his car. We get in, our seatbelts buckled in, and the heater on. It's getting really cold as the night goes on.
"Do you have to go back soon?" He asks me, pulling out of the parking lot.
"No. What do you have in mind?" I ask.
"I'll show you." He grins and begins driving.
"Another surprise?" I look at him accusingly.
"Yes, you better get used to it, Tris." He winks.
"Okay, I trust you. You really outdid yourself today." I say.
We chat about nothing in particular, laughing at random things, and soon he pulls over. It's very dark here, and I can barely make anything out in the distance. I don't ask him anything, I know he won't say. Getting out of the car, we hold hands, and I follow him as he walks ahead.
I quickly realise we are in an old abandoned park. I see many rides around it, most of them rusty. But what catches my attention is the giant ferris wheel. I remember going on many rides when I was a kid. Tobias smiles at me fondly and we make our way to it.
"This is surreal." I breathe, looking up at the big structure.
"I know, it's a shame they shut it down. You wanna sit inside?" He asks.
"Is it safe?" I try to look inside.
"Yes, it's not that old." He assures me, and I nod, climbing in the spacious car.
Tobias shuts the half door behind him, and we sit on the small bench. I look around me, admiring the park. I read somewhere that there was a fire here a long time ago, hence why they shut it. But something about it seems so mysterious, not in a bad way. It brings me only good vibes, even in the darkness and emptiness.
"I wish it were moving so we could look down at the city from above." I whisper.
"I'm not sure I want that." He chuckles. "I'm very scared of heights."
"Really? I can't relate." I laugh. "I have loved heights as long as I can remember. Being up so high is thrilling."
"Maybe one day I'll take you on an actual ferris wheel. One that works." He kisses my forehead.
"You don't have to, Tobias." I tell him.
"I want to. It'll be an adventure for me." He laughs nervously, pulling me close.
"You're amazing, you know that?" I look up at him from his shoulder.
He leans down, placing his lips on mine, kissing me slowly. His fingers move into my hair, deepening the kiss. I feel my heart racing in my chest, my hands holding onto him tightly. I can't help but let out a small moan when he tugs on my bottom lip. Then he traces his tongue along it, asking permission to enter my mouth, and I gladly let him. Our tongues brush against each other's, our lips moving in a gentle rhythm. I could do this with him forever.
A/N: Did you like this one? Let me know!