They belonged together in a way Lucas and Tess never could.
By the time Tess returned her attention to the water, Belle was already close, one of the resort’s signature canary-yellow towels clutched in her right hand as she splashed through the warm waves.
“Hey, babe. Here you go.” She handed over the towel, and Tess wrapped it around her torso with as much speed as humanly possible. “I have no clue how you managed to lose your top, but good thing you had Mr. Tall, Tanned, and Swedish nearby to help with your, uh”—she made air quotes—“wardrobe malfunction. If that’s what it was.”
Oh, Jesus. Not another one. “It wasan accident, Belle. Lucas was helping me deal with the aftermath of myaccident. And now you are too, so thank you.”
“You’re welcome. So…” One of Belle’s sleek brows quirked. “You and your rescuer are on a first-name basis?”
Tess snorted. “I had my naked boobs plastered to his equally naked back. I could hardly insist that he refer to me as Assistant Principal Dunn, even though he’s almost young enough to be one of my students.” After securing the towel in a knot above her breasts, she began to make her way to shore. “I need a shower, woman. Let’s get going.”
Belle kept pace, but she wasn’t ready to drop the subject. “From what I could see, he seemed interested.”
“He was.” Although who knew how sincere his overtures had been? “I guess.”
“Are you interested back?”
Tess shook her head. “He’s only twenty-six, Belle.”
Her friend’s strides didn’t falter. “So? That’s comfortably within the bounds of adulthood.”
“You know most women mature faster than men. Mid-twenties or not, he’s still a kid.”
Belle didn’t argue that point. “So his age is the main thing holding you back from a little vacation fling? He wasn’t obnoxious or boring or unacceptable in some other way?”
“He’s a flirt. A brazen, cocky, way-too-young-for-me flirt. And the last thing I need in my life is a player, even if he’s honest about it.” All true. Still, Tess couldn’t suppress a small smile. For God’s sake, he’d called her toescute. The man clearly had no shame. “I mean, yes, he was helpful when I needed him. But he’s a bit too aimless for my tastes. I don’t think he even has a real job.”
Belle made a noncommittal hum. “No real job, huh?”
“Nope. And even if he weren’t too young, too flirty, and too immature, I don’t need distractions right now. I know you keep telling me vacation time is sacred, but I have planning to do.”
With a resigned sigh, Belle parroted what Tess had told her dozens of times. “So you can use this school year to prove you should get your principal’s job when she retires in June. Especially since Superintendent Jones’s latest pet is throwing his pompous hat in the ring.”
“I wish Cressida had let us know she was leaving before last week.” Tess hadn’t intended to use this trip to strategize, especially given its price tag. She didn’t have much of a choice, though, given the timing, and she could only hope the sacrifice would pay off next June. “But she didn’t, so I need to decide now how I’m going to make my case for her job. Because once the school year starts, there’s no time to think about much of anything, which you know as well as I do. And there’s no way I can let Gary Goddamn Enders get the job. That man cares about kissing ass and saving money, not kids.”
Belle didn’t seem any more impressed by the argument than she had the last few times she’d heard it. “You’re telling me one or two late-night booty calls would completely derail your planning? Really?”
Somehow, Tess didn’t think Lucas was the type of man a woman easily dismissed from her thoughts, whether or not he was physically near. For example, why was she still thinking and talking about him now?
Gah. The man was a menace clad in way-too-flattering board shorts.
“Yup. So wipe him from your fevered imagination.” Somehow, one of the gentle waves unbalanced her, and she stopped for a moment. “Unless, uh, you’re interested for yourself.”
Another vague hum from Belle.
Tess should want her friend to find a hot hookup on vacation. Shedidwant that. Just…maybe not with Lucas. Really, when she considered the matter, he was too young for both of them. Belle deserved someone more mature, even for a fling.
Yes. That was why the thought of Belle and Lucas together made her cringe. Definitely.
Time to change the subject. “Who was the guy in the gray swim trunks? You two seemed friendly.”
Belle’s teasing smile widened. “Brianisfriendly. Very much so.”
“Brian?” Tess took a sidelong glance at her friend, her own brows raised. “I see you’ve also found a first-name friend.”
“Yup.” Belle picked her way through the shallow water, avoiding the sharp shells scattered underfoot. “He was here for some weekend corporate retreat and decided to stay a few extra days by himself. I plan to make sure he doesn’t regret that decision.”
Tess slowed at the edge of the waves. “You met him this morning?”
