Penny's POV
Finally, we were together!
We met in Florida and took the boat out to the island together. It was incredibly exciting. It was truly just us on a very small island with a house and a boat. Everything was there that we needed.
A few days after we arrived was my Birthday, I actually have always been like a kid when it came to my Birthday. I reminded everyone, I wanted cake and I wanted to be the special person on MY day. But last year after Jay and I split up, I didn't feel that way anymore. Birthdays just made me feel old and honestly this year being with Brian kind of made it worse. It made the gap in our ages even more obvious. I was really glad he hadn't mentioned my birthday and I wasn't about to bring it up.
The day before my birthday we spent the day on the beach, it was hot (at least it was to an Ohio girl in February). We lounged, swam and ran around chasing each other on the beach. That night after dinner we sat together in the double hammock, looking at the stars.
"So what do think so far, Penelope?"
"I think it's going to be hard to get me to leave here after two weeks!"
"About that, I know we had planned on spending the night on the mainland together before we both fly out, but I have to take an earlier flight. So I will have leave a day earlier." Brian said
"Maybe I can get my flight changed too."
"I already checked, there wasn't any. You can just stay over and relax and fly back to Ohio Monday afternoon. Chloe is already set to pick you up then, anyway."
"Okay, I guess I don't have anywhere I have to be until Wednesday. I am going to miss you being with me."
He gave me a squeeze, "It will be okay Penz."
"So what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" I asked, I hoped nothing elaborate for my birthday.
"Tomorrow? Oh, I don't know. I didn't have anything specific in mind. What do you want to do?"
"Just being together works for me." He was playing it cool, he's up to something.
"Maybe we could go out on the boat, maybe fish." He said.
"Fish? Yea, sure that sounds ok."

Brian's POV
Penny has been very quiet about her birthday the last few weeks, I have actually used it to my advantage. I can't give her birthday present to her until we are back in Ohio and I don't want to tell her what it is ahead of time. I decided to have some fun with her tomorrow and make her think I forgot it. She says she doesn't want a big deal made of the day, but I know deep down she wants something done. This is going to be great!
"So fishing it is! Wear something you don't mind getting dirty or stained."
"Stained?" The look on her face was hilarious!
"You know, fish guts and stuff. I know! Wear your black bikini, you can get a tan at the same time!" I knew it was starting to bother her already.
The rest of the night, I never brought anything else up about the next day. We stayed up until the early morning hours just talking and drinking.
We didn't get up until 2 in the afternoon, I woke up first and I didn't say a word about her Birthday. "Good Morning Beautiful!"
One blue eye opened and looked at me. "Is it morning?"
"Nope, not at all! It's after two!" I was being as over excited as I could to drive her crazy.
"You sure are a bundle of energy today. Is there a particular reason?"
"I can't wait to go out on the boat and fish with my sexy lady!"
"Ugh!" She groaned
"Come on, you are going to love it! Why don't you go whip us up some lunch and I'll get the boat and all the gear ready?"
"Okay" She said with no enthusiasm. My plan was working so far.

Penny's POV
I drank way too much last night; I guess I'm lucky Brian didn't have anything special planned this morning for my birthday. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it anyway. I have to admit I am hoping this fishing thing is just a joke. I didn't want a big deal made about my birthday, but I don't want to just go fishing on it either.
I put on my black bikini with a black cover up and flip flops. Made some sandwiches for lunch and took it all out to the deck to eat.
I yelled out to Brian at the dock, "Lunch is ready!"
Soon Brian came running and said, "Honey, that looks delicious!"
"It's sandwiches." I pointed out.
"Are you Okay? You seem upset?" He asked.
"Nope, just can't wait to go fishing." Accompanied by a sarcastic smile.
"Aww, come on. You are going to love it and I have a surprise for you on the boat."
"A surprise? What is it?" I screwed up and sounded eager.
"You'll see." He winked at me. I knew he was up to something!
We got in the boat and there was a new fishing rod sitting there. "Ta Da!" Brian used his best game show pose.
"A fishing rod?"
"Yep, your very own." He seemed so proud of his gift.
"Thank you Honey" I tried my hardest to sound sincere and gave him a kiss.

Brian's POV
This is going perfect! I can tell she is really getting annoyed. "Let's head out!"
I tried to help her fish, but I could tell she wasn't really excited about it. Which was just as I had planned.
"Why don't you lay out and get some sun here for a bit and I'll fish some more and then we'll head back."
"Okay, how much longer?"
"Not too much, it's going to get dark soon." I could tell she was getting pretty irritated.
I stalled off leaving until it was almost dark." Just one more cast out, I know this is going to be the big one."
I knew I had hit the goal, she was getting ticked. "Brian, you have said that the last 3 times. I want to go back to the island now!"
"Okay, Okay! Just relax" I put the gear away (at a snail’s pace) and went over to start the boat. I only turned the key enough to make it stall.
"Uh oh."
"Uh oh what?" Her panic was evident.
I "tried" starting the boat again. "Crap, I left the instrument panel lights on, must have drained the battery."
"Drained the battery? What do we do now?" She was heading toward full meltdown mode.
"I'll just call the Marina on the mainland and they'll come get us started. The number is listed down in the cabin, I'll be right back." I went down in the small cabin of the boat and pretended to be making a call and leaving a message.
"I came back up, they were closed. I left a message on the after-hours line."
"The after-hours line? What the hell does that do?" She was almost to the edge.
"I think it goes to someone on call. I'm sure they'll call back soon." If looks could kill, I would have been dead right at that moment. Then I could tell she tried to relax a little.
"Well, I guess they'll get the message and get here soon. Thank goodness we have our phones for flashlights." She looked in the bag she brought for her phone (the phone I took out and hid earlier). "Oh shit! I forgot my phone! Thank goodness you have yours."
"I don't have a lot of charge and the Marina will hopefully be calling me back." I braced myself.
"So we are stuck in a boat, on the ocean without even a flashlight?" The hands were now on the hips...
"Sweetie, it probably won't be for very long."
"There has to be a flashlight down in the cabin!"
"I'll go look really quick, just relax Penz." I walked down into the cabin grinning ear to ear.

Penny's POV
I'm not afraid of the dark, but I really really don't like it. Here I am stuck out in the dark on the ocean. At least I'm with Brian, which would really be more helpful if he hadn't totally forgotten that it's my birthday!
Brian called up from the cabin, "All I can find are some matches, can you come help me look before I kill the battery on my phone."
I couldn't believe this. "No." I was mad now.
"What the hell is your problem, Penny?" Brian yelled from the cabin. "I try to take you out for a nice day on the boat and just because I made one tiny little mistake, you're getting all mad! What the fuck is wrong with you?"
That's it, he wanted to know what's wrong, I'm going to tell him. I started down into the cabin. "You want to know what's wrong? For starters, it's my fucking BIRTH..." Sitting on the little table in the cabin was a small birthday cake with a candle.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch all that." Brian grinned. "It's your fucking what?"
I shook my head, "This whole day has been a setup, hasn't it?"
"Yep and you fell for it, hook line and sinker! Now come sit next to me and blow out your candle."
Afterward I kissed him and said "Thank you Brian! The little cake looks just like the ones from my favorite bakery at home."
"It is from your favorite bakery, but it's not a cake." He dipped his fingers into it and smeared icing on my cheek.
"It's all icing! The best part!" I took a scoop and smeared it on his lips and then ate it off of them. He took care of what was on my cheek. Then he dipped more icing and trailed it from my lips, down to my chin to between my breasts, then he ate it getting hungrier as he went. I started to get more to put on him and he stopped me. No, you're the birthday girl... He slipped my bikini top off and sensually iced my nipples.
"That is the most delicious dessert I have ever had, but it isn't done. We need more icing." He said.
He put another trail of icing down my stomach and under my bikini bottoms, spreading my legs. Then he pulled my body over on the long cushioned seat and fed all the way down. He pushed my bikinis to the side and found just the right spot to devour. As soon as he plunged two fingers into me, I started shaking and then yelling "Yes! Yes, Brian!" I laid back after, to bask in the afterglow and catch my breath. Brian laid up next to me and whispered in my ear. "Happy Birthday, My Love."
"Thank you, that was incredible. I could die a happy woman right now."
"I don't think I want you to do that." Brian said.
"Is there anything you want me do? There's some icing left. I want dessert too."

Brian's POV
It wasn't a rock star vacation. But it was the best I had ever been on.
We cooked meals together, stayed in bed all day when it rained. Spent warm lazy days in the hammock built for two, swam in the ocean, laid out on the beach and at some point during the trip we made love during every one of those activities. We didn't get dressed up, we were like a couple castaways just living each day and loving each other. We didn't want it to end, I could have stayed there with her forever.
I found out something about Penny that I hadn't realized before, I noticed that she was sketching a lot while we were relaxing. "Do you like to draw?" I asked.
"Yes, I was actually an Arts and Drama Major in College. I hadn't drawn anything in years until I started working on your Christmas present."
"You drew that? Now I love it even more than ever! I don't remember your signature on it." He said.
"It just has my initials really small."
"Can I see what you’re working on now?"
"No way, Haner! I am just sketching out pictures of this beautiful view."

Penny's POV
It was Valentine’s Day and our last day full day on the island, it is SO hard to get gifts for Brian. I bought a chain necklace for him and I couldn't find it, I must have left it at home. I was mortified and frantically looking for it. I dug all through my suitcases. I just wanted to hide, he took me on the great vacation and I forgot his crappy valentine gift. There was no way that I could express to him how much he meant to me. I just sat on the bed staring out the window. Feeling like crap.

Brian's POV
I walked into the bedroom and Penny was just staring out the window, she looked upset. The room was a mess, it looked as though she had gone through all her luggage and just thrown things out.
"Hey Penz, everything ok? Looks like there's been a Tornado through here." Her back was to me, but I saw her reach up and wipe a tear off her face.
"I can't find the Valentine present I bought you." She still just stared at the distance.
I saw her sketchbook laying on the bed, she must have set it out while searching. She never let it set out before. I picked it up and started looking through it. "It's okay, it's nothing to be upset about, what I wanted was this time with you."
I was captivated by each page in her book, every sketch was me, sitting on the beach, out on the boat, in the hammock. The drawings were really good and I could literally see how much she cared about me in the expression of the drawings.
"Penny these are amazing." She turned around and took it out of my hands.
"I told you that you couldn't see that!!"
"Don't be mad." I said
"I'm sorry, I am just upset because I have now ruined Valentine’s Day." She was really beating herself up.
"You don't have to give me a present. The only way this day could be ruined is if you stopped loving me."
She smiled a little. "But still,"
I walked over and held her in my arms "Do you know what I would really like?" She shook her head. "That sketchbook"
"My sketchbook?"
"Yes, that book is beautiful memories from the trip right from your eyes. It would be an incredible gift you can give me."
"Ok, if that is what you want."
"It is what I want, but I have a confession to make. I didn't bring your gift either."
She looked sad for a moment. "That's ok, I know what gift I want!"

Penny's POV
It was time to leave the island, it had been an absolutely incredible two weeks. It was time to get back to the real world and living separate lives.
We loaded our luggage on the boat, made sure the house was secure and then took a walk around the island holding hands. Once the boat docked, we pretty much had to go our separate ways immediately. We had to say our goodbyes now.
"I wish you didn't have to fly out today." I said
"I wish I didn't have to either, I wouldn't if it weren't absolutely necessary. But we will be together again before you know it."
"I love you, thank you for this incredible trip."
He looked at me, "Penny, I love you and you don't have to thank me. There will be a driver waiting for you outside the Marina, he will take you to the hotel. Tomorrow, there will be a driver there at 11:00AM to take you to the Airport."
"Yes sir! You know I am a big girl." I winked at him.
"Yes, but you haven't traveled a lot and you will be alone. I just want to make sure you're safe." He was very serious.
"I know Bri and I love you for that." We kissed and then had to get going.

Brian's POV
The only part of this plan to surprise Penny that I really didn't like was leaving her alone in Florida. It was the only way to get to Ohio before her. I will feel better once she is on the plane. I've got a lot to get done and only one day to do it. I just hope she accepts this gift, or a lot of people put in a lot of work for nothing.

Notes