Stranded in Love

Chapter Sixteen

Ella's POV

Derick and I had worked yesterday well into the time the sun was setting on the raft. We had stopped working when we couldn't see where things were being placed or tied to. We had walked the beach, catching small prey we stumbled across. Warmth filled my cheeks as I remembered the events of last night.

 We sat next to each other, enjoying the warmth of the fire underneath the clear night sky. Stars danced and twinkled in the sky, and I pointed out constellations to Derick. Glancing periodically at him, he had met my gaze with focused interest. I smiled at his attention, and 

"What's that set of stars over there?" Derick asked, his arm moving over top of my face, pointing to a cluster. I followed his gaze to the bright stars.

"To the far right, that's Sagittarius- my birthday sign. If we move left across the sky, there's is Grus, which I'd like to think is shaped like a flamingo. Where the moon is low in the sky, that's Taurus."

"Your birthday sign? When's your birthday?" he asked.

"It's probably less than a month away at this point, but November 28th."

"Regardless if we're still here, or back in New York, I'll make sure your day is special," he declared with a smile on his face.

"Oh, no! I don't celebrate my birthday, I haven't in years. It's just a day." I assured. Emilia usually did something small, but she knew how I felt about the day. I definitely didn't need Derick going out of his way for me.

"You deserve to be treated like a queen. I promise I won't go all out, and if it's 'just a day' then it won't matter, right?" He spoke lowly, casting a glance my way.

Treated like a queen? I treat myself, never needing a man... but the way he said it made my pulse spike. Knowing that he would forget my birthday surely by the time it came around, I agreed." Okay, but nothing too crazy."

"I promise. Now, when I look at the night sky, it's just a blur of different stars, but you know their names. You're so educated about them. Was there any particular reason?"

"As I child, I always loved the stars. My bedroom was even inspired by the universe. It was my fathers passion that influenced me. One time, in Massachusetts where I'm from, I remember he took me to a planetarium. It was simply the most magical experience I had ever experienced in my life. From then on, it became my hidden passion to follow the stars-"

"You're beautiful."

"W-what?" I choked over my own words as he had cut me off. Me? Beautiful?

"I said that you're beautiful, Ella. The world we find ourselves in is like the night sky, it's bleak, full of void, and you are like the radiant stars, sharing your light for those to marvel in. I don't mean that in any strange way... but it's just you and your character. You have a beautiful soul."

"I..." I had no words. I stared wide-eyed at Derick, and he stared back at me. The firelight danced within his eyes. Derick leaned closer, and my eyes fluttered shut. The thought of being kissed by Derick filled me with excitement and nervousness. I leaned in ever so slightly, but his lips didn't connect with mine, they connected with my forehead instead.

His lips lingered there for a moment. Despite the salted air, his lips were soft like velvet, the contact was like electricity twisting through my nerves like blooming vines. They wrapped around my heart, constricting it in place. My eyelids fluttered like doves catching flight.

Derick's lips left my forehead, and I relished in the warm afterburn of his kiss. I leaned back, and met his eyes. I flicked between them, searching for the answers he had hidden within the depth of his eyes to the questions I couldn't dare to ask.