Oops! My Escort Is A Mafia Don - Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Olivia laughed even harder, her joy radiating from her face as the sea breeze brushed against her cheeks. The thrill of speeding across the water pushed every worry out of her mind. It had been so long since she'd laughed like this.
"Julian," she shouted over the roar of the waves.
"Yeah?" he asked.
Olivia said, "This feels like walking a dog across the sea. Can I try to walk you?"
They switched places. Olivia took the wheel of the motorboat, and Julian hopped onto the surfboard behind her to catch the waves she created.
Olivia's driving skills left something to be desired. The waves she stirred up were choppier and more erratic, but Julian adjusted each time with practiced ease, shifting his weight and rebalancing like it was second nature.
By afternoon, they switched gear and dove into the sea for a round of underwater exploration. Dressed in full diving suits, they submerged into the world below.
The fish didn't seem the least bit afraid of humans. In fact, they swam right up to them, circling curiously. Olivia was amazed by the scene and reached out to touch several different kinds.
Julian picked up a stone and cracked open a sea urchin. Within moments, a frenzy of fish rushed over, jostling each other to get a taste.
Olivia's eyes lit up. Inspired, she began cracking open sea urchins herself and feeding the fish.
One particular orange fish grew especially enthusiastic. Every time Olivia opened another sea urchin, its tail wagged even more energetically, as if cheering her on.
Driven by joy and encouragement from that little fish, Olivia kept going and soon opened more than twenty sea urchins, leaving behind a scattered trail of empty shells across the seabed.
'This is so fun,' Olivia thought. 'I could do this all day.'
But soon, Julian tugged her gently back toward the surface.
"What are you doing?" she protested through the diving mask. "The fish aren't full yet. I'm not done."
Julian chuckled. "There are countless fish down there. Even if you feed them for a lifetime, they still won't be full."
Olivia retorted, "I don't care. I haven't had enough. Watching them eat makes me happy."
Julian pointed toward the horizon. "The sun's starting to set. It will get dark fast, and it's not safe to stay underwater after that. If you really want to feed them again, I'll bring you back another day."
Reluctantly, Olivia gave in and followed Julian ashore. After spending so long in the water, she felt her body was unusually heavy. Olivia leaned into Julian, her body slack with exhaustion.
She mumbled, "I'm so tired. Didn't feel it while playing, but now, it's like my body doesn't even belong to me."
"I've got a place near the foot of that hill," Julian said, pointing to a low mountain nearby. "There's a hot spring there. Soaking in it will help with the fatigue."
Olivia stayed draped against him like a limp cat. "Can you carry me? I don't think I can walk another step."
Julian smiled. "Sure, I can even lift you all the way there."
Olivia snorted, "That's like at least a few feet. Can you even carry me that far?"
Julian didn't respond with words. Instead, he demonstrated it with his action.
Before she could react, Olivia found herself swept off her feet. Julian had picked her up in a bridal carry and was now walking calmly toward the distant hills.
He said with a grin, "You know what, I can run while carrying you."
"Julian, put me down! I believe you. I believe you, okay? Just put me down," Olivia begged.
Far in the distance, Joe and his old buddies were watching through binoculars, each with a deeply conflicted look on their face.
"So this is how young people date now?" one of them muttered. "Back in our day, no one went around picking up their partner and running off like that."
Another added, "Joe, looks like your grandson doesn't really know how to flirt. Should we get someone to give him a few lessons?"
Joe crossed his arms and sighed, "Maybe this is just what dating looks like for the younger generation. I don't get it, but I'll respect it. Just let them go."