Page 14 of Shattered Reign

BIANCA

“Wait, are we… but is that…?” I said as I stared past our driver and out to the water. There was no way that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.

We’d driven to a dock, and now my gaze was trained on the luxurious yacht gently swaying on the water. By the time I’d snapped out of my shock, Easton was out of the car as well. He gave a small nod to our driver and held out a hand for me to take.

“You can’t be serious. This is too much.” I looked at Easton for a hot second before I turned back to the scene in front of me. This couldn’t be happening.

“I am,” he said as I took his hand. Easton helped me out of the car. “That is for us tonight.”

I nodded softly, finally processing, and accepting the date he’d planned for tonight. Easton lightly squeezed my hand, and together we walked toward the yacht. He kept me steady along the uneven walk, which was something I appreciated in the shoes I was wearing because the thought of slipping and falling wasn’t appealing.

As Easton led me onto the yacht, a tall man dressed in a white uniform approached us. He had salt-and-pepper hair on his head and a neat beard framing his face, and his eyes were warm and welcoming.

“Good evening, Signorina Henson, Signor Beaumont,” he said with a small smile. “I’m Captain Moretti. Welcome aboard the Serenity. I’ll be showing you around.”

Both Easton and I shook his hand, and together, we set off to explore the yacht.

The yacht had a soft glow about it and was basically a luxury hotel on the water. Its interior was beautifully decorated with a mix of contemporary and classic themes. With its rich wood floors and plush, cream-colored sofas in the spacious lounge area, it reminded me in some ways of my parents’ home. All of this was complemented by crystal accents and chrome finishings.

But what I absolutely loved was the way its floor-to-ceiling windows ensured that you could see just about everything, including the beautiful landscape of the Amalfi Coast.

Captain Moretti brought us up to the upper deck and showed us the outdoor bar, a hot tub, and an outside lounge area. We also stopped by the lower deck that contained a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms for guests.

After the tour, Captain Moretti brought us back to the main level and left Easton and me alone to enjoy our evening, reminding us that the crew was at our disposal should we need anything.

Easton led us to the dining room onboard, where we were greeted by a crew member named Marco. I looked around the dining room space that only had one table in it. The table had two place settings on a white cloth, so I assumed that was where we were supposed to be eating.

Soft jazz music played in the background while glowing candlelight flickered off the walls. It was definitely setting a mood that was romantic and calm. It was something I desperately needed.

Easton pulled out my chair for me, and I sat down before he sat down across from me.

Marco handed us menus, took our drink orders, and excused himself for the time being. We both looked through the menu, deciding on what we wanted to eat and drink for dinner before speaking to each other again.

Easton looked up from his menu and asked, “Have you decided what you’re going to eat?”

“Well, I’ve decided what I want for dessert, but I can’t quite settle on anything for dinner.”

He responded with a smirk before he said, “I’m not even surprised.”

This time, I looked up from what I was reading. “Hey. What is that supposed to mean?”

Easton chuckled and ran a hand through his hair and briefly drew my attention to it. “It means I’ve noticed when we’ve eaten at parties with one another, you usually choose dessert quickly, but you spend most of your time trying to decide what will be your main meal.”

I thought about it for a moment and soon realized that he was right. I did tend to do that, but I hadn’t realized it before, much less that anyone had noticed. Apparently, being surprised was the mood of the night.

When Marco returned, he brought two glasses of white wine and some bread. We placed our orders: seafood pasta for me and grilled sea bass for Easton.

Easton cleared his throat as he raised his glass. “To the perfect evening,” he said, his eyes meeting mine.

I clinked my glass against his and took a sip. The delicate taste of the wine greeted my lips, and my eyes fluttered closed. I took my time enjoying the sensations that were hitting every single one of my taste buds. I could have sworn that I tasted hints of vanilla and cherry. It was then that everything else faded into the background. It was just Easton and me, under the starlit sky, drifting along in the middle of the ocean. The rest of the world could wait. For now, this was our special place and no one else existed.

As we waited for our meal, we sipped on our wine and engaged in light conversation. Tonight wasn’t about the shadows that crept around every corner of our lives, determined to pounce whenever there was an opportunity. This was about Easton and me reconnecting and being with one another.

The night was the epitome of romance, and I could barely feel that we were moving as our captain did a masterful job of guiding the vessel. If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn we were floating on air rather than across water. This moment in time felt absolutely surreal and I wondered if anything would be able to top it.

While I was staring out at the pretty lights that we could see reflecting off the water, our meal arrived. The food looked as good as it smelled. The seafood pasta was delicious. Easton seemed just as happy with his sea bass. We ate slowly, savoring every bite as we enjoyed each other’s company.

As we finished our dinner, Easton looked at me and said, “How do you feel about trying out the Jacuzzi?”

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