"Harvey, where are you taking me?" Marilyn laughed as she followed him across the beach.
He dragged her behind him, excitement pulsing through him. He stopped just before the gun range, and turned to face her. "Have you ever been in a gun range before?"
Marilyn's eyes narrowed, "I can't say I have."
"Then I'm glad this is your first time," Harvey grinned. He turned and led her in.
Her breath caught. Behind the fences that blocked the gun range from the rest of the base was a large cement square, with tunnels leading away. Along the walls, Harvey had hung lanterns that made the square glow. In the center sat a small blanket, with champagne and a picnic basket.
"What is all of this?"
He grinned, "Happy five month anniversary."
Her smile faded, "That's not for another few days."
He nodded, his excitement unwavering. "I know, but I couldn't do this on a Thursday, there would be people here. And I couldn't wait for Saturday because I'm terrible at keeping secrets."
He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him. He pressed his lips against hers, and he felt her smile.
She pulled away and looked up at him, "What's so special about five months?"
"Every day with you is special." He grinned.
She laughed and pushed him away, "If you're going to keep saying things like that, we may need to open that champagne right now."
"If you insist," he led her to the blanket, where she sat and made herself comfortable.
"It is a bit cliché," Marilyn said, looking around the square.
Harvey shrugged, "It's cliché because people realized it works, so everyone started doing it."
Marilyn rolled her eyes as the cork popped from the champagne. Foam fell to the concrete.
"I am not cleaning that up," Marilyn said, eyeing it.
Harvey didn't respond, he poured the champagne and sat beside Marilyn.
"Why'd you go through all of this trouble?" Marilyn grinned at him after taking a sip of the champagne.
"Because you're worth it."
She rolled her eyes, "And how many girls have you used that sorry line on?"
He laughed, "That makes you four."
She scoffed and hit him on the arm, "You're a bad guy, Harvey."
"I hope you don't mean that, Marilyn." The joking tone in his voice was gone. He stared deeply at Marilyn, causing her to look down at her hands.
"Partly," she said simply, "I've never known anyone like you, Harvey. I grew up in a tiny town where the only boys my age fell in love with their faith. I've never met someone who takes risks like these. You're a bad guy compared to that tiny town, but compared to the world, you're amazing."
He smiled, "I love you, Marilyn."
She grinned, "I love you too, Harvey." She took a breath, "Why wouldn't you wait for the six month anniversary?"
"Because December is so far away. You deserve to be appreciated right now." He leaned close to her, "I didn't want to risk not having the opportunity in a month."
She grinned, "What happens in a month."
"It's not what happens in a month, it's what happens in a moment. One moment you walked into my life, Marilyn Reeves, and I pray that there will never be a moment when you walk out of it."
She smiled, "And what about this moment?"
He leaned even closer, "This moment can be whatever we want it to be."
This time she leaned forward. She kissed him hard.
The lay back and melted into the concrete, into the moment, and into each other.
KAMU SEDANG MEMBACA
The Kids Are Alright
Fiksi SejarahGrace Becker and her brothers all had their reasons to leave home, but when they were all assigned to work at Pearl Harbor, a naval base in Hawaii, none knew what their fate had in store.
