┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓

┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛

I fixed the sleeves of the white button-up I had on for tonight before grabbing my shoes and sitting at the foot of the bed, pulling them on.

The steamboat ride for tonight doesn't necessarily have a formal dress code but it's known to be more of a romantic activity in New Orleans, so generally, everyone there is dressed elegantly enough for a date, hence, we are too. I hadn't seen Poppy's clothes yet, she was still getting ready in the bathroom while I waited out here. I checked the time, knowing that we were due at the dock in ten minutes. Approaching the door, I knocked on it. "We have to leave, Poppy," I reminded her.

"One second," she replied before the door opened. She ran her hands over her waist before looking up, meeting my eyes. "We're not late, don't tell me we are," she said sternly, pointing an accusatory finger at me. I shook my head silently, staring at her. She took a step forward, closed the door behind her, and flicked the light off. Considering I still hadn't moved, we were standing pretty close now. She took in a small breath, looking up at me. "I thought we were leaving," she mumbled.

"Right," I nodded, forcing myself to take a step back.

She quickly moved forward and grabbed her heels, balancing on one foot while slipping them on. She blindly reached to hold the wall without knowing she was far from it, so I took her head, steadying her before she fell flat on her ass. "Thanks," she flashed me a smile before putting the other heel on and then grabbing her purse, spinning around to face me. "How do I look?" she questioned, spinning in a slow circle, doing a little bow at the end with a grin.

I stared for a whole minute, taking in the satin red slip dress that went all the way down to her feet. It was simple but she made it look so perfect, so elegant, so beautiful. I answered her, "Absolutely gorgeous."

She blinked in surprise before chuckling softly, "That's a first. You've never even called me pretty before, let alone gorgeous. Thank you, Josh. Now, do I need to tell you that you look amazingly handsome? Or do you know it?" She tilted her head to one side, loose strands from her cute bun falling out and framing her face.

"I may or may not know it," I shrugged.

She laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "A thank you would have sufficed. Will you keep the key card?"

I nodded, taking it as we left and tucking it into my wallet. As we walked down the hall and towards the elevator, she naturally held onto my arm. And strangely enough, it felt even better than when we held hands. It felt more... genuine. It felt a little purer, a little more like she meant it and did it without realizing it.

When you grab and hold onto someone's hand, sure it's romantic and it's sweet but it's not the same as when a girl holds your arm. It just felt better.

"Are Jamieson and Valerie joining us?" I asked, looking down at her as we reached the elevator.

She retreated her arm and I bit down a frown. "No, actually. They're going to watch some live show tonight, they won't be there," she answered.

Thank God.

I folded my arms across my chest, leaning against the wall and turning to look at her.

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and pretended not to see me before looking ahead again, checking the elevator count before stealing another look at me. She lifted her brows, laughing softly. "Yes?"

I shook my head softly, holding her gaze. "I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"You," I answered honestly.

She nodded softly as the elevator dinged and smiled softly before stepping inside. "Contemplating? Pros and cons?"

I hummed with one nod before stepping in beside her, tucking my hands into my pockets. "I'm afraid there aren't a lot of cons."

"You're afraid there aren't a lot of cons?" she laughed in confusion.

"Yes. You see, Ms. Valentine, what I'm trying to do here is look for excuses to keep myself away from you."

"Oh?"

"Oh," I confirmed.

"It's not working?" she teased.

"No," I scoffed, turning to her, both of us leaning against the wall, staring at each other.

"I'm glad," she grinned as the elevator stopped and opened in the lobby. She walked out first but stopped the minute she stepped out, spinning back around. She waved me over. "Hurry."

I caught up to her and she held onto my arm again as we left, exiting our hotel. I glanced at her hold on my arm, a little grin threatening to take over me. I stopped a taxi, pulling the door open for her. She sat in, thanking me, and scooted further inside, making room for me. I sat down while she told the taxi driver where to drop us off. It took a little more than five minutes to get there but we'd been walking everywhere else and decided earlier today that we'd take a cab instead.

"Thank you," we mumbled in sync, climbing out after I paid the driver. We followed the crowd up the docks, arm in arm, and were let on.

"Welcome to the Steamboat Natchez, please head left and upstairs, you'll be guided to the upper deck. The ground floor here only has the dining hall and the deck upstairs is for the view. A jazz band will be present on both decks tonight, and dinner will be served at eight-forty-five. Please enjoy your evening, Mr. Nilsen and Ms. Valentine," the woman directing the ground greeted us politely.

We headed upstairs, Poppy unlinking our arms to hold her dress up a bit until we reached.

She took in a small breath, both of us walking to the railing and stopping there before we walked over to the seats up on the deck and settled down at a table for two. She stared ahead, watching the glowing lights, not just on the boat, but from all the buildings around the river. "It's so beautiful out here," she whispered, mostly to herself.

I took a look at the view before looking back at her.

She rested her elbow on the table and held her chin in the palm of her hand, hiding her smile behind her fingers, watching the lights as they bounced off the water. She put her arm down and turned to me, leaning forward a bit. "Talk to me," she ordered, "I want to know more about you."

"All right. What do you want to know?" I asked.

"Anything," she shrugged. "Whatever you're willing to tell me."

I chuckled, grinning at her in amusement. "You know what, Poppy? I'm actually not as much of a mystery as you think. A lot of things that nobody knows about me, you do."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Like some of the things I do in my free time. Like how close I am with Blake. Like everything that's wrong with my family and me."

"Still. There has to be more to you. What about when you were younger? Things you liked to do?"

I nodded before pausing to think. "Wel, in high school I used to swim. I was on the swim team."

She nodded, her brows shooting up.

"I played soccer a lot with my friends too and uh... My mother signed me up for ballet. And I did it. For a whole year."

She stared at me in disbelief. "Really?"

I nodded slowly.

"Oh, my God," she paused.

I lifted my brows at her, waiting for a response.

"You're adorable," she finally said, beaming at me.

My eyes narrowed. "I don't think a girl has ever called me adorable before."

"Oh, this is fun. Let me guess everything a girl has ever called you."

I laughed, "Amuse me."

"Handsome?"

"Once or twice."

"Rude," she smirked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Dick."

"Oh, absolutely. It comes from you, usually."

She chuckled, "Arrogant."

"I can be, yeah," I agreed.

"Stupid."

My eyes narrowed. "Only you, that belongs to you, Poppy. Don't you know? You've got a claim on that one."

She leaned forward, gleaming. "Genuine."

I shook my head slowly. "No. Never."

She frowned, "But you are. And you're sweet."

"Never," I repeated.

"I am more than happy to be the first to tell you that then, Mr. Nilsen. You are all of those things... stupid included."

I lowered my head, biting my laugh. As it was announced that the boat would start moving, Poppy stood up excitedly, standing at the railing. I waited for a minute before standing beside her, both of us watching the water and the lights. "What else have you been called then?" she asked without glancing at me. "All the good and the bad?"

"I've been called... not good enough."

She turned to look at me, surprise etched onto her face with confusion. "What? Are you serious?"

I nodded with a hum.

"Who the hell said that to you?" she asked before clenching her jaw.

I chuckled softly, "My parents."

She pouted, looking straight ahead again. "Screw them. You're more than good enough, Josh. You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met. You're so hardworking, you're intelligent, you're kind even when you don't act like it, you're charming and I'm saying that even after I tried my best to hate you. You're a great guy, so much more than good enough. Don't believe that, don't tell me you did even for one second."

"I did, actually, for a very long time considering I heard that when I was barely twelve. It just took a long time to explain to myself why everything they say is utter bullshit and I don't have to prove anything to anybody other than myself."

She flashed me a grin. "It shows when you think that way, you know. And I really admire that about you, Josh. What do you admire about me? At least one thing." She bumped my arm with hers.

I watched her for a beat. "Everything," I answered honestly.

We both turned completely to face each other and she lifted her brows in surprise. "Really?"

"Really," I nodded. Moving closer, I took a small step forward and she tilted her chin up, meeting my gaze. "And you're worth it, Poppy."

"Am I?" She bit down a smile, the dimple in her right cheek peeking through.

"Yeah, you are. You're worth every risk and every fucking regret."

I want her, I don't care what's in my way.

She watched me in anticipation. "You might want to know how you really feel before you act on it, Josh."

"I know how I feel, Poppy. I know I want you, I don't care what rule that breaks. I like you. I want to know you more."

She blushed for me and it was a rare sight, one I absolutely adored. She was gorgeous.

She is.

"I want to know you more too," she replied, reaching up and picking at my hair, showing me a little speck of fuzz before blowing it away. She faced me again, intending to say something but I was done talking.

I'd been suppressing the urge to kiss her for far too long. I leaned forward, tilting her chin up. I felt her freeze in her spot as my lips brushed against hers.

Wait. What if she didn't want this right now?

I pulled back to read her reaction and when I saw her frown a bit when I retracted, I couldn't help but smile like a fucking idiot.

"You're so annoying," she mumbled, facing the water again.

I grabbed her arm, spinning her around to look at me. I leaned down, our lips colliding in a kiss, as I took her chin between my fingers and tilted it back up as she kissed me back just as hard.

She stumbled a bit, leaning into me as her hands found my chest, sliding up to my shoulders. Our lips moved in sync as I deepened the kiss, my arms snaking around her waist as I pulled her in closer.

Both of us pulled away when we heard a few more voices around, making us realize there were other people around.

A small sigh escaped her as she took a step back, maintaining eye contact with me. "You kissed me," she stated.

"I did," I nodded.

"You... like me."

"I really fucking do, Poppy."

She tried not to smile but failed perfectly.

I laughed, leaning back down, going in for another kiss.

.

.

.

.

.