Their room was on the top floor of the historic old hotel. Hardwood with scratches and gouges here and there from years of use and abuse decorated the floor. A canopy hung over the bed made of long, wispy, ghost-white sheets. From the two, huge bay windows hung thick, white cotton drapes that fluttered in the wind and dragged on the floor.

She slept quietly next to him, and peacefully. And now his heart fluttered, the feeling one gets only when you’re young and don’t know better. He had fallen for her, and loved her completely. It was a dangerous love, the kind that left you vulnerable. But he didn’t care about that now. That time had passed.

He propped himself up on one elbow, and carefully turned on his side, facing her. In the pale moonlight shining through the windows he watched her sleep. A cool ocean breeze drifted through the room, lingering for a moment before meandering on. He wanted this moment to last forever.

He turned his gaze out towards the cobalt sea, and sighed deeply. Between the breeze and the pounding surf he could hear her breathing softly. He closed his eyes and etched this moment in time, deep in his memory. Outside the surf pounded on the reef, and hissed as it raced up the sandy shoreline and dragged back over the shoals. Occasionally a heavy wave would break, and he could feel it in his chest.

For so long he had tried to resist, to hold back his feelings, to deny them. She was his drug and he was an addict. Her presence tugged at his soul, drawing him closer, enveloping him. Her power and charm swept him away, and in the end he gave in.

He looked upon her now, once again. She slept on her stomach, arms folded over her head and under her fluffy pillows. Her bare skin glowed in the moonlight; her long, curly locks of hair rustled gently in the breeze. She smelled sweet, and it captivated him. He laid still for a long while, watching her back slowly rise and fall as she breathed. Then, very gently, he reached out with his left hand and caressed her hair.

The cool, December air flowed into the room, and she shivered. Very carefully he pulled the soft, knit blanket up to her shoulders. His heart ached with love for this woman. “I love you,” he almost whispered. Almost.