A Lifetime Started Under the Stars

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Here I was sitting next to the most wonderful guy I had ever met. He was so unlike anyone else I knew. Constantly surprising me and blowing away my expectations. There was never anticipating what he would do, or say, next and that's what I loved about him. It wasn't easy opening up to him, I had a lot of baggage form earlier in my life, but it was so worth the risk for happiness. We've only known each other for a year and a half but it seems like I've known him for a lifetime. I guess this is what you would call being head over heels in love.

This whole adventure was a mystery. All I knew was that we had just gotten off of work and we were headed North in his Toyota Tacoma. I loved this truck. There was just something about it that felt so right riding around with him in it. It was the perfect vehicle for road trips and off-roading. A lot of fun to be had with this truck for sure.

I fondly squeezed his hand I was holding. "Seriously! Where are we going? It's a bit late to be going this far North isn't it? Are we staying at your mom's?" We had come this way many times before when visiting his mom and to be honest there wasn't too much else up this way except for hiking and skiing in the winter.

"No! that would be weird. Just wait and see!"

"You know there is a curfew right?"

"Stop worrying, it'll be fine and you are going to love it."

"Alright, I trust you" I smiled. It was true no matter how crazy something seemed I always trusted him.

We travelled for another five minutes before he took a right down a road I had not been before. OH! Finally something interesting! The sun was setting into a lovely dusk. Casting longer shadows and basking everything in a pale light. I always loved this time of day. When you look up into the sky it looks like a sea or ocean. I told my dad this one day and so we started calling it the Sea Sky after that. The truck jostled and dipped which knocked me out of my musings. While I was taking a trip down memory lane I had failed to notice that we were now on some sort of dirt road.

You know if it was anyone else I would be really concerned at this point with the possibility of being taken out to the back woods to be murdered. Even then, the verdict is still out on that theory. He took a left onto this really small dirt road, to be honest it didn't look to be much of a road. About ten minutes later the road opened up into a clearing.

"So this is where you kill me and chop up my body eh?"

"Hahaha no, jeez what am I going to do with you. I only save that for my enemies" he winked. "Just wait here a few minutes."

"What!? you're leaving?"

"Noooo, I just have to do a few things. Wait until I come for you." With that he hopped out of the truck and started doing something in the back. There was some banging and scraping. He then opened the back door.

"What are you..."

"Don't look! jeez."

I whipped my head back to the front. Alright, alright I'll be a good little girlfriend and just patiently, impatiently wait then. Seriously though, what is he doing? About twenty minutes later he opens my door and holds out his hand.

"Alright, NOW come with me." He had the biggest smile I had ever seen on him. The excitement lit up his eyes. I loved seeing this look on him. This was one of those rare moments where I could see his soul radiate through him. It was so beautiful and so exciting at the same time. I slid my hand into his and he helped me down, out of the truck. I was pretty short, my 5'1" to his 5'8".

It was quite a bit darker now, probably only half an hour to forty five minutes left before the last rays of sunlight dipped past the horizon. He gently pulled me by the hand toward the back of the truck. I loved his hands. They were fairly small for a man but that didn't matter. I knew they were strong and they would never let me go.

As we rounded the edge of the tailgate I stopped, stunned, dead in my tracks. This was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me in my whole entire life. My breath caught in my chest and those beautiful butterflies started fluttering in my stomach. He had covered the bottom of the box with blankets and pillows were lined up against the back. A few candles were lit on either side of the box where the wheel wells were.

"I remembered how you wanted to watch the meteor shower a few months ago. There isn't one tonight, but the sky is clear and you'll be able to see the stars."

I turned toward him and jumped into his arms, my feet dangling as he held me. "This is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me and you scored at least a thousand points" I whispered into his ear.

"Only a thousand?"

"haha ok a million points."

He adjusted his grip, lifted me up a bit higher and sat me on the end of the tail gate. Standing in between my legs as I wrapped them around his hips and thighs. His hands, that I love so much, resting on my hips. I can never get enough of his touch. It always electrifies me.

Placing my hands on either side of his face, I leaned in and brushed his lips with mine. His lips are so soft and his kisses so addictive. Just his scent alone is intoxicating.

Pulling back he whispers in a slightly raspy voice. "Before we continue, there's more."

Jumping up beside me into the back of the truck he crawls over to the pillows and from the corner pulls out two wine glasses and a bottle of merlot. I started laughing. "You really have thought of everything."

"Yeah, I even have snacks" he said while pulling out a bag of chips. I started to laugh even harder. Our go to munchies and a bottle of merlot. I don't know how well that will actually pair but it doesn't even matter because this evening is already so perfect anyway.

I start crawling my way to him as he starts opening the bottle of wine. First pouring me a glass then himself. Leaning back on the pillows, I cuddle closer to him. His arm wrapping around me. The sun has already disappeared and the only light left is the candles. Leaning over I blew out the candles and snuggled back into my love.

"Why did you do that?"

"Better to see the stars," I said pointing up.

It was the second time in one evening where my breath was taken away. Absolutely stunning, to be able to see so many stars. This really was the perfect place for our first official date. I took a sip of the merlot and chuckled.

"What's funny?"

"I have garnets in my glass and diamonds in the sky. I must be the luckiest woman in the whole entire world."

"YOU are my most precious diamond."

I felt his arm tighten around me and the warmth radiating from him. My heart was so full of love and happiness that it felt like it was going to burst. I KNEW, this was the start of forever for us.