I Am What?

"I can't even be appreciated for the stress of carrying her in, bridal style." Dante complains to nobody in particular as he sips the cocktail he ordered in the bar. He knew that Madonna wasn't wrong in being careful. Judging by what he did, he was already surprised that Madonna hasn't planned to poison him.

"You are here?" Madonna came looking for Dante after waiting for one hour.

"What do you care." Dante didn't look back to know it was Madonna. The night was chilly so the scarf Madonna wrapped around her body wasn't enough. Though she knew she was right in being cautious, she still can't shake away the guilt she was feeling. 

"Come let's go back." Madonna thought she was feeling guilty because not for once has Dante tried to do anything funny since they arrived in the Maldives.

"Don't worry, you would feel safer with me not sleeping under the same roof." Dante took a sip of his cocktail and can't remember how many of those he has taken. The alcohol content wasn't much but he was beginning to feel tipsy.

"Don't be such a kid, come let's go. People would think that the finest couple in town is already having trouble." Though their marriage was the worst kind, it has no love or mutual benefit. The marriage wasn't even a contract marriage, it's something worse, but Madonna wanted it to appear decent in eyes of strangers.

"You think me a monster, of course, you should. What type of a man kidnaps a girl and threatens her to marry him." Dante turned and looked at her for the first time since she came out to take him home. He saw how she covered herself with a thin scarf and hugged herself tight because of the cold.

"I am sorry, let's go." Madonna shuddered and Dante knew her apology wasn't just to convince him or because she didn't want to escalate because of the cold breeze. Her apology, though simple was coming from the guilt she felt from making those allegations. Allegations that she had every right to.

"Let's go." Dante stood and led her back inside. He wondered how someone could be so innocent and seductive in every kind of way. Madonna was glad when they entered the house, the warmness was welcoming.

    The two tried their best to be civil toward each other and Madonna would always catch herself stealing glances at Dante. She would reprimand herself whenever it happens and would instantly get busy with something. For Dante it was different, he don't mind looking at Madonna whenever she wasn't looking. He had subconsciously studied every little detail about her. The way she wiggles her nose before scratching it, how she trembles whenever she stretches herself because she was reading for a long in one position. He had studied the sound of her laughter and how her eyes lit up whenever it was time for lunch. He knows every inch of her body and her floral scent.

"The sun is up, it would be a good time to swim." Madonna said and went swimming in their private pool. Most people love swimming on the beach and having fun with strangers they meet but Madonna loves swimming alone. She hated having body contact with people while swimming so she always does her best to avoid swimming with people. Dante noticed it too because she never went to the beach to swim even though she always wear her swimsuit out there. 

"Since we would be living tomorrow, I should have fun swimming." Madonna remembered how she would always swim in her father's pool at night just so she would be alone. 

Dante watched her every moves through his sunglass. Madonna was feeling uncomfortable with his glasses because she couldn't figure out if Dante was watching her or not. She wanted to look at him and see what he was doing but she was afraid of getting cut. They haven't spoken to each other since that night but they have been civil towards each other. They even eat together and before she would ask for salt or water, Dante would give it to her. She wondered how it was possible for him to always know what he wanted. This morning when she was having coffee and needed more milk, Dante gave her the milk and she wondered how he didn't think it was the sugar he wanted.

"Stupid Viking." She muttered beneath her breath and continued swimming. Dante could no longer control himself anymore so he decided to swim too. He was already inside the pool before Madonna would notice.

"What are you doing?" Madonna asked. Dante was just a few feet away. Since the pool wasn't that big they could hear each other without shouting.

"Swimming." 

"You have never done that."

"Yes, I figured since today is our last day, I should enjoy it." He smiled and Madonna felt her heart beating faster than usual. Under normal circumstances, she would have left the pool to avoid touching Dante, but today she wasn't stepping out. She looked at Dante's broad shoulder and his wet hair that have made him appear 10 times sexier. Madonna gulped as she felt a tightening in her lower region, a tightening she had never experienced.

"Are you going to keep staring or start swimming?" Dante asked in a teasing tone.

"Who is staring?" Madonna stuttered and started swimming around. Dante scoffed and started swimming also. It wasn't long after they found themselves in competition with each other. They kept swimming from one end to the other trying to see who would give up first. Madonna is an excellent swimmer but Dante's sheer will was making her doubt her skills. They kept striking and even lost count of how many laps they have swum until Dante decided to give up.

"In your face, I won." Madonna rejoiced as she floated around. She was faster and if the competition was about fastness she would have won no doubt. But the competition was about endurance and Dante had lived a life of endurance so if he didn't give up for Madonna, she never stood a chance.

"Yes, you are good at it." Dante smile as floating around. The two were currently facing each other keeping themselves afloat as the water moves their body.

"You should smile more, you look handsome that way." 

"Does that mean I am ugly?" They kept getting closer to each other and their voices started coming out as a whisper.

"No, you are a very handsome man but when smile, when you smile you are...." Madonna couldn't control her heart and the hotness that has spread all over her body. Her eyes lowered to his lips and she wondered what it would taste like.

"I am what?" The two knew what was about to happen and every sensible part of them was screaming at them to stop but the force of attraction was stronger than their sensible part.

"You are..." She muttered and felt Dante's warm breath fan her face. Their skin came in contact and instead of the repulsive feeling Madonna always has when someone touches her with a wet body, she got sparks instead. The sparks traveled her whole body in form of tiny electricity and exploded something in her, something she never knew she had. 

"Dante." She muttered and his name sounded a million times better on her lips. The two have lost all reasoning as they are now being controlled by feeling as old as time.

"I am what?" He asked again as he inches closer no longer able to stop himself.