Petra accepted the flowers, her gentle fingers brushing the back of his hand as she took them. "You needn't have, Ross," she said. And for a moment, he thought he could see glimpses of her smile hidden behind the white flowers causing his own grin to only grow.
"No, aye didn't. But, aye wanted too."
"Just a moment, please, I want to put these in water."
"O' course," Ross replied, motioning his hand toward her penthouse. As he waited out in the hall, he leaned his left shoulder against the doorframe with his hands cupped before him, trying to keep from constantly adjusting his appearance.
"I've got something for you too." Ross quirked a brow, pushing off the wall with his shoulder to look toward her. Then his gaze fell to the handkerchief extended in her hand, causing him to chuckle slightly. "It's clean now. Thank you."
Ross slowly extended his hand, taking back the small piece of fabric. Was it ironed? He smirked slightly at the lengths went to give him back a handkerchief. "Ya could have kept et. But, thanks." His left hand opened the side of his jacket, allowing him to slide the folded material into the breast pocket.
Once Petra had grabbed her purse and closed the door, she looked over at him with the question he expected. "So, where are we going?"
His grin quickly returned as Ross moved to stand beside her, offering the red head his right arm. "It's a surprise." He was in no rush to get anywhere, deciding to walk at a casual pace to the elevator. Ross just wanted to enjoy every moment of the evening, each movement and smile of hers committed to memory. His free hand pressed the button to call the lift and when it arrived, he guided her in. After pressing the button for the ground level, Ross looked her over. Seeing her dressed not in training clothes or a gown that probably cost more than his car was nice. Even her simple came off elegant and regal. And god did he love her fiery hair.
Ross lowered his head down next to hers slightly. "Ya look absolutely stunnin'," he said in a gentle, hushed tone, almost like he didn't want anyone else to hear. Like that quiet moment in the elevator could be ruined by talking too loud. He didn't let his gaze shift from her until the doors opened, revealing them to the quiet lobby of the Descendant Tower.
Instead of leading Petra to the garage, like what was probably expected, he guided her out the back entrance of the tower that opened up to the gardens and fountains. Ross weaved them through the foliage, heading toward the still waters of Long Island Sound. On the edge of the gardens was a private beach and a small pier that stretched out into the water. This tended to be empty more often then not, but on that evening a single sailboat was tied to the far right dock.
As Ross walked with Petra up onto the pier and down the long dock, he let his gaze shift up to the sky. The timing was perfect. The sun was getting low and would be setting within the next hour. He was glad things seemed to be going according to plan. All he wanted was for this to be perfect for her... and Petra to be happy.
He finally stopped when they stood on the dock beside the sailboat. Up close it was quite large, bigger than a bus. It was a pristine white with a navy blue stripe around the hull and a red bottom. Windows from the quarters beneath could be seen on the sides while the deck was massive. Ross gently slipped his arm from Petra's hold with a smile. He crouched down and pulled on one of the tethers, drawing the boat in closer to the dock. When it was close enough he hopped over onto the deck. "Hold on," he said toward Petra, holding up an index finger.
Ross walked around the helm and found the wooden ramp, leaning against one of the boat's railings. He lifted it up and carried it to the side that faced the dock. The soft breeze off the water rustled his hair as he slowly lowered the ramp, securing the hooks on the side of the boat. Ross then placed his right foot on the makeshift bridge, steadying it as much as possible against the tide as he offered his hand toward Petra. "Aye hope ya aren't afraid of water," he said toward her with a gentle smile that said she was safe with him and he'd let nothing happen to her.
"No, aye didn't. But, aye wanted too."
"Just a moment, please, I want to put these in water."
"O' course," Ross replied, motioning his hand toward her penthouse. As he waited out in the hall, he leaned his left shoulder against the doorframe with his hands cupped before him, trying to keep from constantly adjusting his appearance.
"I've got something for you too." Ross quirked a brow, pushing off the wall with his shoulder to look toward her. Then his gaze fell to the handkerchief extended in her hand, causing him to chuckle slightly. "It's clean now. Thank you."
Ross slowly extended his hand, taking back the small piece of fabric. Was it ironed? He smirked slightly at the lengths went to give him back a handkerchief. "Ya could have kept et. But, thanks." His left hand opened the side of his jacket, allowing him to slide the folded material into the breast pocket.
Once Petra had grabbed her purse and closed the door, she looked over at him with the question he expected. "So, where are we going?"
His grin quickly returned as Ross moved to stand beside her, offering the red head his right arm. "It's a surprise." He was in no rush to get anywhere, deciding to walk at a casual pace to the elevator. Ross just wanted to enjoy every moment of the evening, each movement and smile of hers committed to memory. His free hand pressed the button to call the lift and when it arrived, he guided her in. After pressing the button for the ground level, Ross looked her over. Seeing her dressed not in training clothes or a gown that probably cost more than his car was nice. Even her simple came off elegant and regal. And god did he love her fiery hair.
Ross lowered his head down next to hers slightly. "Ya look absolutely stunnin'," he said in a gentle, hushed tone, almost like he didn't want anyone else to hear. Like that quiet moment in the elevator could be ruined by talking too loud. He didn't let his gaze shift from her until the doors opened, revealing them to the quiet lobby of the Descendant Tower.
Instead of leading Petra to the garage, like what was probably expected, he guided her out the back entrance of the tower that opened up to the gardens and fountains. Ross weaved them through the foliage, heading toward the still waters of Long Island Sound. On the edge of the gardens was a private beach and a small pier that stretched out into the water. This tended to be empty more often then not, but on that evening a single sailboat was tied to the far right dock.
As Ross walked with Petra up onto the pier and down the long dock, he let his gaze shift up to the sky. The timing was perfect. The sun was getting low and would be setting within the next hour. He was glad things seemed to be going according to plan. All he wanted was for this to be perfect for her... and Petra to be happy.
He finally stopped when they stood on the dock beside the sailboat. Up close it was quite large, bigger than a bus. It was a pristine white with a navy blue stripe around the hull and a red bottom. Windows from the quarters beneath could be seen on the sides while the deck was massive. Ross gently slipped his arm from Petra's hold with a smile. He crouched down and pulled on one of the tethers, drawing the boat in closer to the dock. When it was close enough he hopped over onto the deck. "Hold on," he said toward Petra, holding up an index finger.
Ross walked around the helm and found the wooden ramp, leaning against one of the boat's railings. He lifted it up and carried it to the side that faced the dock. The soft breeze off the water rustled his hair as he slowly lowered the ramp, securing the hooks on the side of the boat. Ross then placed his right foot on the makeshift bridge, steadying it as much as possible against the tide as he offered his hand toward Petra. "Aye hope ya aren't afraid of water," he said toward her with a gentle smile that said she was safe with him and he'd let nothing happen to her.