Revel (Second Chance Romance #1)(28)

“The main reason I decided to take you to this place,” Declan said from over his shoulder. “Is you’ll never see a better sunset than where we’re heading. You’ll remember it the rest of your life. And you’ll always remember you saw it with me.”

Charlotte’s heart swelled. She should have told him then, right then. That she loved him so much, that she couldn’t see herself ever feeling the way she did about him with anyone else. But she sensed it still wasn’t the right moment. It was on the tip of her tongue. He’d been able to tell her so easily, but that was the thing with Declan-everything was easy for him. But for Charlotte it was harder to articulate what she felt. She was still adjusting to the fact that this was happening at all with him. It scared her how happy she was. Being this happy made her nervous.

How could someone like Declan DeGraff ever understand that?

Nothing bad had ever happened to Declan that she knew of.

A breeze rustled through her hair as they sailed on. She was anxious to see what Declan had up his sleeve. She loved looking at the large homes they passed with their long piers and large live oaks with branches hanging over the water, Spanish moss swaying in the wind. This was the Charleston she loved so much.

“Almost there,” Declan said a little while later. “Have you heard of Capers Island?”

Charlotte shook her head, “Nope. Tell me about it.”

“Well, it’s one of the barrier islands. We’re going to explore it,” he said. “And I brought some food so we can have dinner out on the beach. And catch that sunset I was telling you about. You brought your bathing suit, right? Might want to change into it.”

“Sure,” Charlotte said, standing up. “Too bad we can’t swim naked.”

“As much as I would love that, Capers isn’t that secluded. I only wish,” Declan said. “I can’t think of anything sexier than you naked on an island with wild hair and not a single tan line.”

By the time she’d changed, Declan was stopping the boat to dock it on a long wooden pier, right off the shore.

Charlotte walked out onto the stern. She’d put on a lavender bikini with strings that tied on her curvy hips. As soon as he saw her his eyes about popped out of his head.

“Jesus,” he said. “You’re so f*cking hot.”

Charlotte blushed, “I feel like maybe I have no business in a bikini.”

“Are you f*cking kidding me? No one has more business being in a bikini than you do,” he said, sweeping her up into his arms. He kissed her. “The bikini was invented with you in mind.”

“I’m tempted to take you again on this boat before we disembark, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t have the self-control to stop myself, and we’d miss the sunset.”

Charlotte grinned, “Have me on the beach. What could be better?”

********

Capers Island is uninhabited and as undeveloped as it gets. Declan had bought up all the permits for the night. He wanted to ensure no one would run into them, not that he’d told Charlotte that. The county usually allowed 50 campers a night, but Declan wanted them to be as isolated as possible.

He set up their tent while she walked around the island, climbing the large branches jutting out from the sand.

“I’ve never seen anything like this!” she called to him. “They look like bones!”

“Yep,” he shouted out to her. “They’re bleached white by the sun and the salt air. It’s called Boneyard Beach.”

Charlotte walked back toward him, “Makes sense. They’re like tree skeletons. They’re beautiful.”

Declan wrapped his arms around her, “I’m glad you appreciate it. It’s my favorite place in all the world.”

“Thank you so much for bringing me here,” she stood on her toes to kiss his mouth. “I love it already. And thank you for putting up the tent. You did that fast.”

“Well, I’ve camped out here a time or two,” he said. “You hungry?”

*******

Declan wasn’t kidding. Once they finished eating the sandwiches he’d packed, they sat side by side on one of the larger tree skeletons and watched the skies change from blue, to lavender, to purple, and amber. The sun set on the horizon and Charlotte couldn’t believe she was here to witness something so striking with someone she loved.

“Declan,” she said, touching his hand. Her voice was shaking. “I love you.”

He looked at her, surprised.

“I love you so much,” she continued. “I wanted to tell you the other night, I really did. I’ve felt that way for weeks now. And it gets more intense every time I see you. It’s like… It’s like I don’t just love you. A word doesn’t exist for it, for how this feels.” She looked out at the ocean. “I sound so ridiculous.”

“No,” he said. “I’m just so damn lucky you feel the same way I do. All I wanted was for you to feel half of what I feel. Hell, even just a quarter.” He stared out at the ocean. “It’s just like the ocean is at the mercy of the moon. I’m the tides and you’re my moon, Charlotte. And I can only hope to be your moon too.”

He leaned over to her then and they kissed, the long kind. There was something about kissing someone for the first time after telling them you loved them that made Charlotte love it more than any kiss he’d given her yet.