Because Of Love

She jerked frontward when he tugged her forward by their clasped hands to follow behind him, and as he was explaining, whatever it was that he was explaining, she watched the emotions play on his face. His eyes lit up, his grin spread from ear to ear and his free hand waved around as he pointed behind them at what he called the aft, unchecked and like he had not a care in the world. When he was this animated, he looked… human. She could see now why he preferred the yacht over the hotel.

Freedom.

He was free to be himself, his true self without having to put on a front for anyone, always guarded, always watchful, always predatory, and, depending on the situation, ready to defend or attack. Talia wondered if he even realized that at that moment, he was doing none of that. Did he know he was acting differently than normal? Did he recognize that he had two completely opposite personas?

It must be exhausting. How does he handle it?

Considering who he was, she understood why he found it necessary to constantly wear a mask of indifference on his face, but she couldn’t help but wonder, did he have any friends? Ones he wouldn’t care about being a mess in front of? Was his family that respite for him? She shook her head, guessing not. From what she’d heard, DeLuca and his father didn’t have the normal father son relationship. They were more business associates than anything, according to the rumor mill. But even with that thought, she hoped she was wrong.

She watched him with an ache in her chest as he tugged her along, pointing at the different screens at the helm station and explaining things that she had zero interest in. But the way he acted, like a little boy with his favorite toy, it kept her riveted. He looked completely unconstrained as he told her about the yacht’s features and what he loved most about that particular model. She smiled to herself remembering she never once asked.

“Come on, I’ll show you the bow,” he said, turning them around and leading her to the steps.

“There is more!” she exclaimed laughingly.

He laughed as he guided her down the steps, “Just one more place.”

With his hand still around hers, he led her down the walkway and to the front of the yacht.

“Another sofa,” she said once they reached the – what had he called it? Ah yes, the bow lounge, but this one, unlike the others, was covered in grey leather.

There was what looked like a large bed, also covered in grey leather. She wondered why it was there, seeing how much space it had taken up. DeLuca let go of her hand and she found herself frowning in her displeasure, already missing his large hand wrapped around hers. She knew she was being ridiculous and she shouldn’t be behaving like a clingy girlfriend, but it was the truth. She wondered if he planned on ever holding it again any time soon.

Had he even realized he had been holding her hand in the first place?

The large bed looking thing suddenly came up at one end and that’s when she realized what it was.

“Is this a sunlounger?” she asked him, pointing to it.

He nodded. “Yes. And that,” he continued, pointing outwards to the open waters and the brilliantly red and orange, cloudless horizon, “is the show I promised.”

She nodded knowingly. “It looks like we arrived just in time,” she said. Then she turned to him and jokingly asked, “No popcorn?”

He grinned without reservation. “There’s wine.”

She nodded animatedly. “Of course. An Italian without wine is just criminal.”

He let out a bark of laughter that surprised her so much she couldn’t help but laugh with him. He truly was an enigma. Or just someone who needed to take a breath from his life. Her smile shrunk at that thought but steadied as she stared at the laugh lines around his eyes and lips. She was willing to bet his cheeks probably hurt with this new unfamiliar use.

“Why don’t you lay here on the lounger and I’ll get you a glass,” he said. He started to move then stopped and stared at her, his eyes full of concern. “How do you feel?”

Talia was stunned by that. He was truly concerned about her. Go figure!

With a sweet smile she responded, “I’m fine, surprisingly.”

He returned her smile. “Good,” he said, then disappeared down the other walkway.

Talia took his suggestion and spread out over the sunlounger. She looked around her with keen and open interest. She had been busy analyzing DeLuca when she too had some disparities in her own life.

When was the last time she’d just stopped and taken in her surroundings? Well, where she lived didn’t exactly encourage that but, even when she had been to the pier all the three times, thanks to DeLuca, she never really looked out to the ocean or appreciated the fresh cool ocean breeze. She’d been more worried about accidentally falling into the water and drowning. She’d been too distracted by life.

She looked out at the setting sun with newfound appreciation. This was where DeLuca went to get away from the distraction.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“What else do you do?” she wondered aloud, loving that she’d gotten to see a different side of him, a very opposite side of the man she thought she knew, and wanting to know more.

“Here is your wine,” he said, going round on the other side of the sunlounger and placing a silver tray with a glass of white wine on it next to her.

“Thank you,” she said as she picked up the wine glass, her eyes following him as he moved to sit on the sofa behind her.

She quickly looked forward, raising the glass to her lips to hide her disappointment. She had hoped he would lay by her, but, she thought with a sad sigh, maybe it was for the best. Silently, they watched as the sun lowered and disappeared, tucked under the horizon to settle into sleep, as the moon and stars took their turn to watch over them, as her mother used to say when she was a little girl.

Her eyes squinted automatically when a light shone above her head. She turned to find an overhead light had been turned on and DeLuca was missing. She hadn’t even noticed him leave. What is he up to? she wondered, leaning back to see if she could spot him on the dimly lit walkway.

“I’m here.”

Startled, she jumped with a loud gasp, quickly turning around to the voice. “For the love of – don’t do that!”