A Million Nights

***Annie’s POV***

He was so sweet telling me that. And how he was embarrassed and flustered! I couldn't control myself and I started laughing.

“Don’t laugh please. I can't control my honesty, I’m sorry!” – Brian said to me pouting, and crossing his arms. When he did so, my eyes, expressing admiration and desire at the same time, traveled through every detail of those strong and tattooed arms.
He noticed my eagerness to touch in his arms and asked me, with a smile too raunchy and raising one of his eyebrows:

“Are you admiring my tattoos or my muscles?”

“Both! No… I mean… the tattoos! They are so… perfect and…” – Fuck! What am I saying? I’m really nervous right now and I can’t hide that. I started to stutter and I could barely tell a meaningful sentence.

“Wow! They are perfect, uh?” – He was even trying to seduce me and I had to find a way to reverse the situation. But the truth is that it is very difficult to resist to his eyes, his smile, his voice, his perfect body that was right there beside me.

“Yes, I can’t deny, it’s a fact! But tell me about the prettiest girl you've ever seen in your entire life!” - I said to him, with a teasing smile.

“Ok! You won! But I can’t talk about her right now. I need to know more about her. I already know that she has very beautiful eyes that mesmerized me in seconds, she has a wonderful smile and seems to be quite intelligent. I didn't mind falling asleep every night listening to her sing because her voice is like of an angel.”

I was mute. I was completely speechless. I just felt I wanted kiss him at that moment. Never, in my entire life, someone told me something like that.
He looked me in the eye while saying all that, and showed me how he was being honest but at the same time showed me some sadness too.
I just looked at him with eyes of desire for a few moments. He didn’t look away. Neither do I. We started approaching us. Our lips almost touched but I had to avoid it. I had to do it even if my wish was kissing him and wrap myself in his arms.
I pulled away from him and I grabbed my guitar.

“So do you want to sing something with me?”

“Now, I'd rather hear you singing. if you do, my day will be worth it.”

“Ok, but is there something that bothers you? I know we only met each other right now but if you want to talk about it or...”

“Thank you Annie! But if you sing for me you will help me a lot, believe in me!”

“And do you want hear something in special?”

“No. You choose!”

“I will sing to you one of my favorite song by the moment and it calls Dream on Lover by Civic.”

"Here I stand alone to the world
Singing songs about the end.
I walk through oceans and I climb high mountains.
This and much more for you.
Good night lover,
I hope you sleep on velvet wings.
Dream on lover,
I know you can teach angels to sing”

When I sang this part of the song, I looked at Brian and he was looking at the sea with eyes full of tears. I didn't stop singing but I saw the despair in which he found himself.
I finished the song and he looked at me without saying a single word. It was not necessary to speak because I knew something was wrong with him. I just looked at him and I hugged him. He pressed me against his body and he began to cry.

"It’s so hard Annie. I can’t take it anymore.”

“Brian, look at me. Come on, look at me.” - He dropped me, took a deep breath and looked at me. My God, he was so sad. Something serious happened to him but I didn't want to meddle in their affairs.

“Regardless of what has happened, you have to move on. Life is not easy. You overcome a step and now you have another challenge ahead. Sometimes life doesn’t motivate us... Often depends not only on us. We lost loved ones, relationships that we thought it would be forever have an end ... but here we are. We’re still living. And we have to live our life as if it were opportunities we have to prove to others, and especially to ourselves how strong we are, even if we find ourselves weak and unwilling to do nothing. Remember: what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. And we will always have someone on our side that will be proud of us.”

He smiled when I said all that to him. He lowered his head and thanked me.
I touched his chin and I lifted his head. He looked at me with a quiet look and he smiled again.

“I knew you'd make my day worthwhile, Annie.”

“I just want to see your beautiful smile on your face every day and look at your eyes and see that you are happy. It’s weird to say this because we only know each other some hours ago but I really want you to be well. There is something in you that captivates me and awakens the curiosity to know more about you.”

“Thank you so much. You have no idea how good is talking to you. I feel completely lost and I need help because who guided me...”

“Is no longer among us, right?” – I said.

“Yeah… but I want to talk about other things! It’s funny, you know? I came here to find a way to find me again and I find you. And even without I’ve saying nothing to you about me you give me the best support I’ve ever had in this last year. And we here are. In the beach, looking to the sunset, crying like two little girls!”

“Hey man, what's your problem? I'm a girl!” – I told him jokingly, giving him a slight blow on his arm.

“Sorry, it was a way of speaking. I didn't want to offend this little sweet girl!"

“That’s ok, Mr. Muscle!”

“I knew it! You love my muscles!”

“You're so convinced!”

“You love them, I know!"

And then Brian and I started a sand war that was interrupted by my phone.

“Hello?”

“Annie, what a fuck are you doing? Where are you? Do you have idea what time is it?”

“Oh shit! Rita, I’m sorry! I forget to tell…”

“I don’t care what are you doing but I just need to know if you're okay. You could have sent a message or something!”

“I’m sorry! I'm fine, don’t worry. I'm going home.”

“Is she your mum?” – said Brian, joking with me.

“Ahah! So funny. No, she is my sister. Or rather, she's my best friend. She is like a sister to me. We moved here some weeks ago and we will still not know the city very well and she worries about me because of that. Usually when I come from work I stay always at home. Today I don’t know what crossed my mind to going out.”

“It was destiny!”

“Destiny?”

“Yes, it was destined to know each other today.”

He drives me crazy! He says that kind of things and I don’t have reaction to answer him and then I just say what I’m really thing about it!

“You’re such a romantic!”

“Romantic? Wow, we are talking about love now. I like the idea!"

“Come on, Brian! You understand what I’m saying. Now I have to go.” - I turned my back to get my things were still on the floor and he grabbed my arm and said:

“Please, don’t go!”