Chapter 33: THE LOVE STORY

Flashback ....
Leo was her first love and they had imagined themselves together forever, making babies and Rachel knew that he would be a great father.
Rachel and Leo had a completely magical year together. He was, and is, very confident and successful. On reflection, there was a class difference but they were deeply tuned into each other"s energies.
He was born and brought up in a wealthy business family while her parents were immigrants and just wanted her to get a good education, and have a stable career.
Finding her feet in life was quite difficult. She worked hard at school for everything, including going to university but found the career thing overwhelming, especially finding her own direction.
"Hey, Rachel ! Finally after a month we're talking," Leo said excitedly.
"Hi Leo ! I know. It's great to hear your voice. I really wanted to focus on my exam papers, so I thought of cutting contact with you as you're a big distraction anyways," Rachel responded in humour.
"Let us meet tomorrow and celebrate before you focus all your attention on your Masters degree," Leo suggested.
"Sure, Honey ! I really need a break desperately for a day. Imagine enjoying our own private moment without any outside disturbance, all the while sailing in the water !" Rachel exclaimed as she fantasized.
"What else do you want me to imagine, Rachel ? I can imagine right now with you and then attend the Emerson Group annual meeting," Leo teased Rachel.
"Funny ! See you tomorrow then," Rachel said as she ended the call.
Leo had carried the ring for more than a month without finding the right moment.
Either the restaurant was too busy or too empty. Their favorite spots in the city felt too public or too mundane. He wanted to be in the middle of the city but somehow away from it all.
After talking to Rachel, he got a brilliant idea to woo her love while materializing her fantasy.
Leo called Captain Carlos and together they came up with a plan to keep his idea for a proposal a surprise until the very end.
"Leo, when was the last time you swept her off her feet ?" asked Captain Carlos. If your answer is "It"s been a while," it"s time for something extravagant !" he commented.
Next day at the decided time, the couple, Leo and Rachel, started an evening stroll from the downtown market to the high line and as if on a whim, Leo detoured to the River Waterfront Walkway with her.
"Let"s see if we can rent the boat," Leo casually stated and Rachel went along.
The crew happened to be strategically positioned on the dock by the Captain to direct them to a boat that just happened to be available for a sail.
To throw her off the scent of the pending sailboat proposal, Captain Carlos went through the motions of answering questions of Leo about booking private houseboats, processing payment, safety measures, etc.
As the sun was setting, Rachel saw a lighted boat parade from a distance, where people decorated their boats with lights, candles and sailed around so that people along the river could see them.
They stepped aboard a houseboat looking like a floating palace with a visual treat offering a stunning view of the mountains and blessed with elegant interiors that instantly transported them to a bygone era, with lotuses in the vicinity.
From the narrow corridors to the sprawling living room, richly embroidered curtains and bedspreads, detailed wood carving and shiny chandeliers; every inch of the boat was majestic in every sense of the word.
You could choose from their Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire and Kohinoor suite for a regal stay, informed Captain Carlos.
It was all so magical that Rachel didn"t immediately notice when her favorite playlist started or when the champagne first appeared.
For Leo, that was it ! He waited until the crew served cake and champagne during the late night cruise and then he made a heart-felt toast that melted into a stunning marriage proposal to Rachel.
"Rachel, I've wanted to say that to you for so long. 'Will you marry me ?' I can't think of anything I want to do more than just spend the rest of my life with you," Leo proposed with a beautiful ring in his hand as he knelt down on one knee.
"Rachel," he said, "I know this is a big question when you're still busy with your career choices but I nervously await your reply. Hope I've not pushed the boat out too far ?" Leo asked as Rachel took a few seconds to absorb that it wasn't a dream but a marvelous reality.
"Oh God ! I can"t believe this is happening. Absolutely, 100% yes !! Of course, I'll marry you !!! Was there ever any doubt, Leo ?" Rachel answered as she was spellbound with the beautiful proposal in the mesmerizing setting.
Rachel, having a razor sharpness, took no time to understand that Leo had planned all this in advance and tricked her into this romantic evening sailing on a charming antique regal river boat.
As Leo moved his fingers to instruct the crew to be left alone and for the dinner to be laid out, he stood and whistled softly, his gaze taking in her dress and hair appreciatively.
He pressed Rachel against the wall as if he had seen her as his own, for the first time. She stood there, heart racing in her chest.
He liked to talk and she didn"t; she steadied herself and he didn"t, allowing the magnetic pull he felt within to pull himself close to Rachel until the distance between their eyes narrowed along with the space between their bodies.
"I would like to kiss you without asking permission, but I can"t," Leo whispered softly in her ear.
She couldn't control the flutter within, the lump in her throat, the violent heartbeat.
"I shouldn"t," Leo said while he swallowed hard as his hand slid fast on the peach satin dress, sending impulses to her spine as he pressed a little harder against her until their cheeks brushed.
"I won"t" Leo said as he parted to look at her, "if you don"t want me to."
Adrenaline rush ! So much of it that Rachel nearly forgot to breathe, eyes jumping from his lips to his eyes, her heart a ticking bomb.
She gave in, parting her lips only to feel his pressing like an artist"s brush against her canvas, intense, smooth but contained until her hands, with a mind of their own, took hold of him and everything accelerated.
His thumb was throbbing at the hollow of her neck, rubbing up and down, pulsing warmth as his kiss conquered the depths of her mouth, pulling her into the warmth of him as if he had mastered the art of balancing the gravity.
"You shouldn"t have kissed me like that !" Rachel found herself gasping, caught between an array of feelings and trying to regain sense in his arms.
His half-closed eyes were now wide open.
"How would you like to be kissed then, love ?" questioned Leo with a smirk on his face although a tide of curiosity washed over his features as he scanned her for answers when they were called out for dinner.
Candles and red wine: the enduring romantic duo.
To fill their evening with love, lavish dinner was laid under twinkling stars with lovely music, sumptuous food, candle decoration around the deck, exotic wines and cocktails surrounded by tranquilizer nature.
Was there anything more dream-like than floating on the pristine waters in a candlelit boat with some rock and rollick ?
Leo had got something personal and passionate crafted for Rachel in desserts. It was her favorite, Tiramisu of cherries with dark chocolate mousse in kirsch marinated fruit.
He captured the winery feel by having bowls of fresh grapes on hand as they sipped their fine wine.
They experienced an amazing time while enjoying the cool breeze, sipping from a glass of wine, tasting delectable dishes and watching the city pass by from the comforts of their luxury boat.
Giddiness took over both of them as they were quite high now.
There was, between them, a weightless, seamless desire to be one.
As Leo drew close, his deep amber smoldering eyes bore right down to the very deepest sanctuary of her soul as his warm, full red lips pressed against her own and caused a shiver to spread over her skin.
The united beat of love and heart together created such ecstasy, which she felt when he took her in his arms again, her lush curves, her soft skin, her beautiful hair.
Rachel was stunned—at herself, at the euphoria overpowering her consciousness, at the enticing flavor of the foreign lips she found herself longing for.
The boat rocked beneath them. The small possibility of falling into the water vanished as soon as it occurred to them.
Destiny had been building up to this moment for months and years, and oh yes, it was all worth the wait.
They fought on, they wrestled on with their intense desires until they were doped with their own fumes and emanations; till their clothes had been flung away; till he hurled her to the bed and held her there, melting all her desires with the heat of his body as they did things with their bodies to express the inexpressible.
Rachel blocked out all thoughts about what that was, what it might mean, what further mess she might create for herself.
And she kissed him until reason seeped out through her pores and she became a living pulse, conscious only of what she wanted to do to him. He kissed her until she arched her body to meet him.
And suddenly they were crashing around with all hands, lips and the scent and taste and feel of each other.
All her energy centers were activated. It was like tiny fireworks going off all over her, bits of her, she had thought dead, began reigniting to life.
Leo was enthralled by how they had "fit together" like corresponding pieces, made to match up in a magically unchained pleasure.
It was like melting and exploding at the same time. It was a sense of sensual release that she found having no control over.
At the completion of it all, it was akin to the sensation which crescendos with a full release of stress and pain, entranced as though there were thousands of tiny effervescent bubbles slowly gliding across her skin making her feel free and high on life.
Soon they fell asleep in sweet exhaustion.
Rachel sat on the swanky deck wrapped up in a shawl, oozing calmness, tranquility, and elegance as she sipped a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
She watched the sunrise at the backdrop of chirping birds which felt like a dream, the ever-changing panorama glided past her eyes.
She was busy reminiscing about the passionate memorable moments of her life when Leo came on the deck after the shower.
He tilted his head slowly and touched his cool lips to her warm ones tasting the coffee, very carefully, parting them slightly. This time she responded passionately, returning his kiss eagerly.
They both dreamt of packing their bags and living life on the water forever which offered a whole new serene experience akin to a slice of floating paradise sailing through the middle of nowhere.