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“If you two are quite done.” Butt hurt asshole. I look down at my girl's flushed cheeks and swollen lips and smile at her.
“Not by a long shot,” I say, staring right at her before following the group to our next destination. One place I am going for sure is inside of her, sooner rather than later.
CHAPTER THREE
FEBRUARY
ONE WEEK LATER
The view from my room is lovely. The hotel I wanted to book was full, so we’re in an Air BnB. It’s the first time I’ve stayed in one. I had my doubts before, but there is something to be said about privacy. I’m drinking coffee, and wearing a bathrobe; the sun is shining down on my face. The sandy beach and water look so inviting. I slept in for the first time in years, and it was wonderful. Last night, we stopped in Mississippi and spoke to Chris Leonard, who emphatically did not donate sperm back in the day, but now we’re in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and all I can think about is putting on my bathing suit and heading down for a swim, so I do just that. It’s Saturday, and for the first time in forever, there’s no work to do.
I quickly change into my suit and knock on his closed bedroom door. He gave me the master, thankfully. All I can think about is that kiss we shared. My first kiss ever, and I swear, though it’s been days, my lips are still tingling from it. We haven’t talked about it. Do I really want to? Do I want him to tell me it was a mistake? I want to do more of it, but I have no idea how to bring something like that up. Before I can a second time, the door flies open.
“What’s wrong?” he asks. I feel my eyes widen as I take in the fact that he’s not wearing a shirt. Holy shit. His muscles have muscles. “Feb?”
“Ummm… Nothing is wrong. I was headed to walk on the beach and then hit the pool. I wanted to see if you wanted to join me.”
“Of course. Give me a few minutes. I was just having coffee.”
“Same.” I love the fact we are leisurely doing this. We could just as easily move quickly through my list, but Connall wants to have fun. With me. I’m trying desperately not to read too much into that, but it’s hard. I watch him walk away, and I stand awkwardly in the open doorway between our rooms, staring after him like an idiot. I force myself to make myself busy by tidying up the desk, getting rid of his coffee cups.
When he comes out of the bathroom, he’s wearing swim trunks. I almost swallow my tongue. “Ready?”
“Absolutely.”
We walk down to the beach in silence. It’s a little too cold to go into the ocean, but the house we are staying in has a heated pool. We walk back to the pool and move to the lounge chairs. I drape a towel over the chair. I kick off my sandals and pull my cover-up over my head. I hear Connall gasp behind me. He grabs my arms, pulling me closer to him.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my mind immediately going to him, thinking that I look terrible in my bathing suit. This is the first time I’ve been brave enough to wear a two-piece, and maybe I shouldn’t have.
“What are you wearing?” he growls. That growl goes all through me and tells me that I don’t look bad. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“A bathing suit.” My deadpan delivery makes him smile.
“I can see that, but so can anyone else.”
“Well, it’s a pool and a private one at that,” I reply, laughing.
“You don’t even know, do you?” he asks, letting me go. I do not want him to let me go.
“Know what?”
“Never mind,” he says, striding toward the water. I follow him like a freaking puppy.
After swimming, we hit up a putt-putt golf course and an arcade. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had so much fun. Later, we have a surprisingly romantic dinner before he walks me to my bedroom door. Just when I think he’s going to kiss me again, he says good night and turns on his heels.
What the hell? Today was so… intense. Everything about it was, and yet, and the same time, I was so comfortable with him.
Something has got to give.
CHAPTER FOUR
CONNALL
“Alright, are you ready?” She is about to knock on the door of Albert Jackson in Gulf Shores, and for every disappointment she gets, I get more and more protective of her heart and her hopes.
“Yep. I have no expectations,” she says but I see a little light leave her eyes with every revelation that this guy is not it, last the one a few days ago. She said she wasn’t expecting it to be him, and he was a nice enough guy. Polite, ambitious, and even complimented her, but it wasn’t him. She put on a brave face the entire time we were there, but when we walked out his door, I watched her shoulders deflate.
“Good.” I don’t say much else because I can hear someone from inside call out.
