A LEAP OF THE EARLY BIRD

Eyes of the man who saved her...

Life was a series of choices made either by heart or head. For Sanem, there was a third option. Choices made on a whim. No emotion or thought involved. And they always worked out in the end. But those choices most oftentimes carried with them consequences that she never could prepare herself for...

So she went with Can to Agua to find some unknown to her person named Arzu. So she agreed to work her magic to make sure they never signed the contract with her. So she drove like a madwoman and tried her best. But she underestimated who she came with. And Can Divit should never be underestimated. He did not get mad. He did not loose his temper. Not only that. She was beginning to see he was not a bad mad at all. She was beginning to feel he had a good side that others failed to either see or seek for. He not only did not mind her, he seemed to enjoy spending time with her. And that made her worry. Not only because he might find out about what she did, but because she was finding it harder and harder to fight against what she was beginning to feel. For him...

She made sure they would not cross paths with Arzu. She convinced her that Can awaited her on a boat for a romantic cruise. And watched with horror how ignorant and possessive Arzu became when she told her that. Once that inkling of fear for Can and his wellbeing came to her heart she felt she should do all things possible to prevent Arzu from getting closed to him. And it had nothing to do with jelousy. At least that's what she was telling herself...

When she told Can that Arzu went on a bicycle ride, she had no idea that this tiny choice she made on a whim would carry with itself consequences that forever changed their life. They rode on bicycles, seemingly after Arzu. But somewhere along the way they stopped thinking about her and surrendered themselves to the peacefullness of the forest and the raw beauty of the cliffs. She could not believe her luck, for they came accorss the Bride Rock. She heard stories of this magnificent place, but she only dreamed that some day she would be able to leave Istanbul and visit this enchanting place. And Can brought her there without even knowing.

She could not stop herself and felt compelled to tell Can the story of the Bride Rock. And she was pleased when he asked her to continue. She did not know she was glowing whenever she let her heart speak and told stories with a true writer's passion. But Can noticed. And felt her emotions in her words. What happened next would remain in their hearts forever. She was so emersed in her story that she lost footing and almost plunged down the cliff. But she did not. Would not have. Because he pulled her to him. Pulled with all that he was and all that he had. He didn't realize a life could matter to him so much. That her life would matter to him so much. He held her tight and did not think of how close he held her. And he held her close. So close that she felt his raging heartbeat, and for a split second she saw fear in his eyes. That scared her more than the cliffs. For she realized that fear that she saw was his fear for her. For her not as an employee but her as someone he cared about...

They held each other for what felt like an eternity. He saved her life. Pretending otherwise would be pointless and a lie. And she was tired of lies. Of lying to him. Of lying to herself. But saying out loud that he just saved her was a completely different matter. Neither of them dared to say it, though they both knew it and felt it. They also felt something else. Undescribable and so new to them that neither knew what to think. He felt her eyes and the fear in them deep inside. She felt his strong and inexplicably caring arms around her. And it became apparent that it wasn't the fear of her life a second ago that scared her to the core. It was the fear of him letting go this very moment that scared her more. And that scared her too. She saw his eyes, really saw them. She was looking into the eyes of the man that saved her. And there wasn't a speck of a bad king's gaze in them. None whatsoever...

Can tried to make light of the situation as he decided it was time to go back to the hotel. But she knew something changed. They both did. They no longer saw each other as just co-workers. That point of view was gone and would never return. Though they may have denied it at first, or dismiss it, or belittle it to themselves, that point of no return had been crossed. Whether they admitted it out loud or just deep inside...