Page 62 of Something Blue

The drive doesn’t take us long.

I’ve booked the top of the tallest building in the city. There is a telescope, a glass dome and a look-out point. Beneath the glass dome I’ve had them set up a table for a private dinner and we can spend our evening up there watching the stars, looking across the ocean and being together.

I have decided that once a week for the rest of our lives I will come up with a romantic and unique date idea for us. Of course, every day I want to have a date with her. But some are quiet date nights at home. Some are afternoon dates, walking through the park and eating ice-cream. Some are adventurous and some are calm. All of them are more special to me than any other time of the day when I’m not with her.

I want to make something as simple as going to the shops together a thing to enjoy. Life is short and once you’ve found the person, you can be obsessed with - you should never let a moment of your time with them be wasted. I savor every second I have with her - and I will for the rest of my life.

Neve looks unsteady when we get to the rooftop and I guide her to the edge to see the view. She clings onto me a little tighter and I realize she’s scared.

“You don’t like heights?” I ask, worried I’ve made the wrong choice. “But how can you not like heights if you want to hike to ruins and fly helicopters?”

She giggles, her face looking pale. She’s terrified.

With her fingers gripped onto me she shakes her head. “No, you don’t understand. Or you half do - um - I’m terrified of heights - but I love the idea of challenging myself to overcome it. Like right now, I know I’m safe, but the vertigo makes me dizzy and my stomach is in such a knot I want to throw up.”

“I’m so sorry.” I say, wrapping my arms around her. “I didn’t know. We can leave right now, and I’ll take you somewhere else.”

“Celso - this is amazing. This is perfect. I want to be up here. I might be a little jittery near the edge.” She is grinning, looking proud of herself.

“You want to be a little scared?” I ask her, amused.

He nods, nudging closer to me.

“A lot of things make sense now.” I chuckle.

“Why? Because challenging myself makes me happy?”

“No, because I think fear turns you on.” I whisper.

In a moment of realization her lips part and her eyes widen.

“That’s not true—” She stammers. But I can feel her body, the heat against mine, the way she presses into me.

“It’s true, my angel, and it’s why we are so good together. And tonight, when the stars fill the sky, after sunset - I am going to push you up against this railing and fuck you.”

Her entire body shudders with pleasure as my words course through her.

I chuckle again and pull her away from the edge towards our table beneath the high arched glass dome. It’s going to be an incredible night.

Early on Wednesday morning I get a call from Dalila. This surprises me because she hasn’t spoken to me since the wedding. Even on the few times I’ve seen her in passing at my father’s house - she wouldn’t even look at me.

“Dalila.” I answer cheerfully.

“Dad says you two should come for dinner on Tuesday night next week.” She snaps.

“I’m happy you called.”

“Listen, don’t fuck with me, Celso. I’m still furious. I’m only phoning because dad made me phone you.” She slams the phone down on me and I grin. Well. It’s better than nothing at all. She really is angry though. I’ve never seen my sister so angry. And she’s never gone this long without talking to me.

But I have a feeling that once Neve comes all the way around and accepts my love for what it is - when she relaxes and admits she wants this as much as I do - my sister will see that her friend is happy, and she’ll come around too.

It’ll take a little time, but I think I’ve alreadyproved to myself how patient I can be - and how wonderfully it pays off in the end.

The whole rule about not dating our sister’s friends was only because she was scared it would frighten her friends away - after that incident when Dalila was in high school. But that’s not how it is with Neve. This is forever. When they both see that things will change.

My sister and Neve hang out a lot. Or at least they did before the wedding. I’m tense when I realize that in the last two weeks they have spent no time together, and that is because of me. No wonder my sister sounds extra angry.

I head upstairs to the sun room where Neve is reading in the early morning light, little dancing wisps of steam pour from her coffee into the fresh morning air.

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