"So, tell me about you. Where do you live?" Howie asked, as he and Brenna slowly walked around the deck of the ship after dinner in one of the restaurants on board.
"I live in North Vancouver." Brenna replied. "I was born there. I just graduated from UBC, Batchelor of Fine Arts. I'm a freelance photographer."
"Photography's cool. Hey, that's another thing! How old are you?" Howie queried.
Brenna laughed. "I'm 22."
"When's your birthday?"
"August." She held up her hand to show him the birthstone ring on her finger.
"What day?"
"The 28th."
"Six days after mine." Howie remarked.
"Mmmhmmm...Do you want to go sit down?" She asked, gesturing towards some lounge chairs on the deck.
"Sure." They walked over and sat down side by side on one of the chairs.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" He asked.
"One brother, Patrick."
"Older or younger?"
"Younger... he's 18." Brenna responded. "He still drives me crazy."
"How so?" Howie inquired.
"He likes being a pain in the ass, frankly." She rolled her eyes. "I remember when you guys were on Rosie promoting Millennium. I wanted to watch it so much, but Patrick decided to make so much noise and generally create havoc so I couldn't hear a thing you guys said."
"My nephew, JD, does that to his sister all the time." Howie grinned.
"Tell me about your family." Brenna coaxed.
"Well, I'm the youngest, as you probably know. I have two sisters and a brother, Angie, Polly and John. My sister Caroline died almost three years ago from complications of Lupus." Brenna could see the pain in his eyes. "I have five nieces, Chelsea, Danielle, Elizabeth, Kassidy and Samantha and of course, one nephew, JD."
"It still hurts to talk about Caroline, doesn't it?" Brenna asked softly. Howie nodded, swallowing hard. "I understand. I was really close to my grandfather, he died when I was 14 and to this day, I still can't think of him without hurting inside. I think it's because he died suddenly and I never got to say goodbye."
Howie turned to look at her, a tear slowly tricking down his cheek. Brenna reached up and gently brushed the tear away. Howie caught her hand in his before she could pull away, gently pressing a kiss on her palm. She closed her eyes as the simple gesture sent sparks shooting down her spine. Brenna opened her eyes slowly, her gaze meeting and locking with Howie's. As if drawn by invisible magnets, they moved closer, their lips brushing together softly, before Howie's arms enveloped her, and the kiss quickly became deep and heated, Brenna's fingers tangling in Howie's dark curls.
"Whoa." Howie breathed, as they pulled apart, stunned at the feelings that had coursed through him at her touch.
"I've never been kissed like that before." Brenna murmured, her cheeks flushed. "Well, actually, I've never been kissed, period."
Howie tilted her chin up, her gaze meeting his deep brown eyes. "You've never been kissed? Are the guys in North Vancouver blind?" He asked, surprised.
Brenna shrugged. "I was always too busy with school and skating to bother finding someone."
"You have now... if you want me..." Howie whispered.
"If I want you?" She stared at him in amazement. "Why wouldn't I? But why would you want me?"
"Brenna, you are beautiful, you're intelligent, you're incredibly sweet." He paused. "And I think I fell for you the moment I saw you."
Before she could stop them, tears welled up in her blue eyes. "I never would have thought in a million years that I'd find someone like you." She whispered, her voice shaky.
"And I never thought I'd find someone like you." Howie gently brushed the tears from her eyes and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that took her breath away.
