More

Anthony and Rebecca had stayed up until the wee hours of the night. Not only talking and laughing with Anthony's friends, but later on also with each other after they waved his friends goodbye and headed back to the hotel. Because while Anthony's friends didn't need to get up for work the next morning either, as the weekend had started, they did have five full days of work behind them. This was contrary to Rebecca and Anthony who had been given a few extra days off from Noah. So, his friends were a lot more tired than the two of them by the time midnight came closer in sight. Aside from being tired, they also had people to return to. Girlfriends, wives, families. Giving them another reason not to let things get any later.

When Rebecca and Anthony returned to their room, Rebecca was a lot more comfortable than the first time they arrived there. She was still in a giddy mood from the rest of the evening and she and Anthony had spent their walk back reviewing how things had gone. Their final verdict was that things had gone great and that Anthony's friends had loved her. Not only for him, but as a person. Which was an accomplishment achieved by Rebecca's own effort and determination to get to know Anthony's friends, as she had realized that this was something important to her husband-to-be.

Although at first Rebecca was more of spectator than a participant in the conversations, she got more out of her shell with each hour that passed. By the end of the evening, no one would think she had met them for the first time that day. They shared their stories of Anthony, and Rebecca would share hers in return. Laughing about his aloofness at times, while commending him for his kindness.

Once the door to their room closed, Anthony dropped himself on his bed and said in a dreamy sigh, "That was great. You were great. What a perfect ending to an almost perfect day." Rebecca took a seat on his bed and replied, "Thank you. I must admit, I really enjoyed myself. Even with all the drama with Veronica, I found today to be a perfect day as well. I got to learn so much about you. Some things were confirmations of things I already knew, and others showed me a different side of you." Anthony stared at Rebecca for a bit, as she said these things, before he raised his upper body up, so that he too was sitting on the bed instead of lying down. He looked at her and asked, "Did those things make you love me more or love me less?"

Rebecca looked at him for a moment, and she saw something in his eyes that she recognized, but not necessarily from him. She had seen this look in movies, and at a certain moment in time in her ex's eyes. It was a look of desire. A desire to be loved. A desire to show love. A desire to have your love be received and reciprocated. To hear words of confirmation. This made what Rebecca would say next, a decisive moment for them. Although Rebecca knew this and knew what would follow if she said this, she replied in a voice without a shred of hesitation, "More.". This one word made Anthony's emotions overflow and he placed a hand on the side of her face while his face leaned in closer. Rebecca closed her eyes and accepted Anthony's expression of his love for her in that particular moment.

She didn't know how she was able to take that step with him. She couldn't explain her sudden surge of bravery in uttering the one word that would result in their current situation. Maybe it was the perfectness of the day. Maybe it was her being sleepy. Maybe she just got caught up in the moment. But the moment Anthony's lips touched hers, she knew she had made the right decision.

Her hands were shaking. Her heart was going wild inside of her chest. She was feeling so nervous as if she couldn't even breathe. But she loved every second of it. Anthony's big shaky hands, feeling so warm against her cheeks. His soft lips touching hers. And the love she was feeling from this very action from him. She knew that sometimes words just aren't enough to express how you feel and she and Anthony were currently in that type of situation. Filled with uncertainty of what the other is thinking and feeling, when the right moment to make a move is and catching yourself be caught in the flow of a moment. Not knowing if you should give into it or hold yourself back.

In this particular moment they had chosen to give in. This moment was him finally not holding himself back and giving into his own desires, making her feel more loved and wanted in the process. Although her shy and scarred heart likes to take things slow, that does not mean she wants to fully reject the love that Anthony wants to give her. Whatever form that may be. Only that she needs that little push in the back to take that next step, without being thrown fully in the deep.

Going from nothing to everything will only result into her being overwhelmed, with a feeling of drowning as it all comes at once. That is why this step by step approach worked best for her and she was happy to see that Anthony seemed to almost instinctively know when to take that next step. She was also feeling proud of herself because she has grown more comfortable in their relationship in such a short time. Enough so that she is able to give him the signals that he needs. That she is able to reciprocate what he gives to her, that she is able to even take some steps herself.

But although great progress had been made over the course of this one single day, clarity returned soon enough and it was time to hit the breaks once again...