The CEO's Rose

Vivian’s POV

Snorkeling during the day had been a wonderful experience. It was something that Vivian would always be fond of, and she would definitely be trying it again in the near future.

But even with that, she had to admit that she now had a new love. Seeing the world beneath the waters at night was something else. She felt unbelievably small and yet also like she was the biggest thing out there, like the world ended and begun wherever the light of the torch that she had strapped to her head touched.

A part of her felt like the moment that that light went away, that area stopped being real. It should have been terrifying, there could have been all manner of dangers out there waiting for her.

A predator lurking in the deep, just waiting for the right moment to snatch her up and drag her into the depths and devour her. But Vivian was not scared at all, how could she be when Ryan was right next to her holding her hand.

Sometimes he would squeeze and point and she would look over and there would be something to marvel at.

So many fish, so many different colors. Some glowed in the dark, the tiny pricks of colour continuing to remind her that the world outside the light existed.

She felt like a dimension traveler visiting an alternate reality and absolutely nothing that she saw down there, disabused her of that notion.

***

[Save the sea, protect the fish]. Vivian had seen quite a few activists with signs like that and she had never really felt much for their cause.

Sure, she had often donated whatever little money she could spare when possible. But after that she hadn’t given protecting the oceans a second thought.

Now though, as she watched an octopus take one look at them and instantly swim into a little hole, closing its eyes and immediately blending in with the surroundings, Vivian felt her heart shift.

This was it, all of these schools of fish, the other sea creatures... everything. This was what the activists were trying to protect.

They had not gone insane, and they were not just bored people with too much time on their hands. They were human beings who understood something that the rest of the world seemed intent on forgetting.

The lives under the sea were just as significant as those of the creatures that lived on land.

As she continued to swim around with Ryan, her suit keeping her warm, Vivian fell more and more in love with what she was seeing and she made herself a silent promise. When she got back to everyday life, she was going to be teaching her kids about the wonders of fish.

Small as they were, she hoped that some of the things she said stuck with them and that they would be able to still recognize the beauty of the ocean as adults and do their best to protect it. Her mind made up, she let herself go back to just enjoying all that she was seeing. Once again feeling as though she and Ryan were the only living beings in the whole wide world.

***

"Oh my goodness, did you see that?! Did you see that little fish swim right up to me and nibble at my fingers? Ryan...wow! Wow!" Having just come back on board, her top priority should have been to take off her wet suit and jump into the shower so that she could warm up, but Vivian was far too busy talking. Her mind whirling at all that she had just seen.

Glad to have her voice back, she was now using it to retell everything to Ryan despite the man having been there with her.

"Indeed I did my love, so I take it, seeing the world under the sea in the night time agreed with you," Throwing her head back, Vivian laughed freely.

"Agreed with?! Agreed with?! Ryan, I absolutely love it. It felt like I was this big," She brought her thumb and index finger together like she was holding something tiny.

"But at the same time, I also felt like I was also this big," She spread out her arms as far as they would go. Then she dropped them, a fit of giggles overcoming her.

The laughter somehow turned into her teeth chattering loudly and she did not resist when Ryan began heading her below deck.

"Come on, let’s go get you warmed up before you catch a cold," Once both of them were naked and beneath the warm shower spray, Vivian leaned herself against Ryan. "Thank you for ignoring me and keeping your promise,"

He hummed softly, his hands running up and down her body, Nuzzling her nose against his chest, Vivian spoke up again.

"When we went snorkeling last time, I really enjoyed it, but this, it was something else. It felt like you had carved up a bit of the world just for the two of us. I will never forget it. Thank you," Standing on her tiptoes she kissed Ryan’s jaw. Then she went back to nuzzling his chest.

Ryan’s arms tightened around her.

"For you, I would carve the earth into a million pieces and serve it to you on a silver platter if that is what it would take to make you happy,"

Vivian chuckled at that.

"There’s no need to do something so drastic. Let’s just start donating to organizations that are there to protect marine life,"

Ryan laughed at that and Vivian raised her head, thinking that he was belittling her, but instead she found him smiling down at her. The look on his face fond.

"I am already ahead of you on that. I will be sure to add your name the next time I write a check to some of the organizations,"

Oh, this man, loving just how in sync they were sometimes, Vivian went back to nuzzling his chest.

"I love you, Ryan Terrell," She told him. Smiling softly when he echoed the words back at her.

She had really chosen a great husband.

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