7. Chapter 7 Caleb
Chapter 7: Caleb
I woke to the gentle rocking of the ship and the warm weight of Zoe curled against my side. For a moment, I just lay there, savoring the feeling. It was our last full day on the cruise, and a bittersweet ache settled in my chest at the thought.
The past five days had been incredible. Zoe and I had spent every possible moment together, alternating between exploring the ship's attractions and exploring each other. I grinned at the memory of our more private adventures.
Zoe stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice husky with sleep.
"Morning, shortcake," I replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
She wrinkled her nose at the nickname, but I could see the smile tugging at her lips. "What time is it?"
I glanced at the bedside clock. "Just past eight. We should probably get moving if we want to make the most of our last day."
Zoe groaned, burying her face in my chest. "Do we have to? Can't we just stay here?"
I chuckled, running a hand through her tangled curls. "As tempting as that is, I think Jake might come looking for us if we don't show up for breakfast."
At the mention of her brother, Zoe lifted her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, I still can't believe how cool he's been about all this."
I nodded, thinking back to the conversation Jake and I had had a few days ago. He'd cornered me by the pool, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
"Look, man," he'd said, "I'm happy for you and Zo. Really. But if you hurt her, they'll never find your body. Got it?"
I'd assured him that hurting Zoe was the last thing I'd ever want to do. And I meant it. These past few days had only solidified what I'd known for years - Zoe was it for me. The one I wanted to wake up next to every morning, to share my life with.
But as the reality of our impending return to the real world loomed, doubts started to creep in. Zoe lived in Chicago, pursuing her career as a graphic designer. I was based in New York, running my own tech startup. How would we make this work?
"Earth to Caleb," Zoe's voice broke through my thoughts. "You okay? You went all serious on me for a second there."
I forced a smile, not wanting to dampen the mood on our last day. "Just thinking about how much I'm going to miss this."
Zoe's expression softened. She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "Me too. But hey, we still have one more day. Let's make it count, yeah?"
I nodded, pulling her closer. "You're right. And I know just how to start."
Before she could react, I flipped us over, pinning her beneath me. Zoe let out a surprised laugh that quickly turned into a moan as I trailed kisses down her neck.
"Caleb," she gasped, "what about breakfast?"
I grinned against her skin. "I'd say I have everything I want to eat right here."
Zoe groaned, half in pleasure and half in exasperation. "That was terrible."
"You love it," I teased, my hands sliding under her sleep shirt.
"God help me, I do," she admitted, arching into my touch.
We lost ourselves in each other. It was slower than our previous encounters, more tender. As if we were both trying to memorize every moment, every sensation. Afterwards, we lay tangled together, catching our breath. Zoe traced lazy patterns on my chest, her touch sending shivers through me.
"We should probably shower," she murmured, though she made no move to get up.
I hummed in agreement, equally reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed. "Together? You know, to save water. For the environment."
Zoe snorted. "How noble of you. Your dedication to conservation is truly admirable."
"I'm nothing if not eco-conscious," I said solemnly.
She rolled her eyes, but allowed me to pull her towards the bathroom. "Just keep your hands to yourself, mister. I want to get to breakfast sometime today.”
I held up my hands in mock surrender. "I'll be a perfect gentleman."
Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I doubt that."
She wasn't wrong. Our "quick shower" ended up taking considerably longer than intended, and by the time we made it to the breakfast buffet, Jake was already on his second plate.
"Well, well, well," he drawled as we approached. "Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence."
I felt heat rush to my cheeks, but Zoe just rolled her eyes.
Jake grinned, unrepentant. "Hey, I'm not judging. I'm sure you two had a very... productive morning."
I choked on my coffee, earning a hearty thump on the back from Jake. Zoe just smiled sweetly. "Oh, very productive. In fact, Caleb showed me this great new position-"
"Okay!" Jake interrupted, his face slightly green. "I walked right into that one. New topic, please."
As Zoe launched into a discussion of our plans for the day. This was everything I'd ever wanted, and the thought of it ending tomorrow made my chest ache. We spent the day taking full advantage of everything the ship had to offer. We hit the rock climbing wall (where Zoe thoroughly kicked my ass, much to my surprise and Jake's amusement), lounged by the pool, and even tried our hand at a salsa dancing class (which was a disaster, but a hilarious one).
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks, we found ourselves back on the lower deck. Jake had wandered off to try his luck at the casino one last time, leaving Zoe and me alone. We stood at the railing, watching the waves. Zoe leaned back against my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her, resting my chin on top of her head.
"I can't believe it's almost over," she said softly.
I tightened my hold on her. "The cruise might be ending, but we're just getting started, shortcake."
She turned in my arms, looking up at me with those big, beautiful eyes. "Yeah?"
I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. "Listen, Zo, I know we haven't really talked about what happens after tomorrow. But I want you to know, I'm all in. Whatever it takes - long distance, weekend visits, hell, I'll move to Chicago if that's what you want."
Zoe's eyes widened. "Caleb, your whole life is in New York. Your company-"
I cut her off with a gentle kiss. "You're my whole life now. The company, the city, none of it means anything if you're not there."
She bit her lip, and I could see the conflict in her eyes. "I can't ask you to give up everything for me."
"You're not asking. I'm offering." I took a deep breath. "I love you, Zoe. I think I have for years, I was just too scared to admit it. But these past few days, they've shown me what I've been missing. And I don't want to miss another moment."
"I love you too," she whispered. "God, Caleb, I love you so much."
I pulled her close, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless.
"So," I said, resting my forehead against hers. "What do you say? Ready to give this crazy thing a shot in the real world?"
Zoe smiled, that brilliant, beautiful smile that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. "With you? I'm ready for anything."
As the ship sailed on towards our final port, I held Zoe close, feeling more anchored than I ever had before.
"Hey," Zoe said suddenly, grinning. "Want to go make out in the lifeboat alcove one last time? For old times' sake?"
I laughed, pulling her towards the stairs. "I thought you'd never ask, shortcake."
As we raced through the ship, hand in hand and giggling like teenagers, I knew with absolute certainty that this was the woman for me.