He thought Rowan was a method actor.
Rowan had always assumed that was something associated with serious actors – icons, like Meryl Streep and Robert de Niro. If he was one, then he really would need to sort out the dissociation problem, because itwasgetting in the way.
He wasn’t sure where to start though. It was quite a strange thing to realise that he had this…condition? Was that what you’d call it? Maybe he’d been naive to think that he could have grown up with a violent alcoholic and not had some kind of lasting mental issues from it. And he wanted to talk to Lila more about it, but how perfect was this moment? How lucky was he to have all this? He didn’t really want to ruin it with things like his grim childhood.
‘I’m not sure this is me givingyouthe hug anymore,’ she admitted, her cheek nestled against his chest again. ‘Was it sad to get so big that you couldn’t ever be the huggee anymore, only the hugger?’
He laughed and he kissed her hair. ‘I can’t say I’ve ever thought about it that way… I was desperate to stop being so small.’ His voice lowered at the end, but he shook his head and ran one hand lightly up and down her arm, loving the feel of her soft skin against the tips of his fingers. No more dark shadows today. ‘Rest assured, I dofeelhugged. And I appreciate it. Now shall we get out on the water?’
Lila
Lila couldn’t stop grinning. Rowan took them out from the little cove and they headed into open water. He didn’t drive it at an excessive speed, but it was enough for the wind to whip through her hair, the windows that lined the saloon open, and her to need to hold on to him occasionally as they stood at the wheel. No hardship there. They both had on life preservers though, so she didn’t have much excuse to wrap herself around him. Other than wanting to.
The coastline was amazing, a constantly changing landscape of craggy dark rocks, to golden beaches – the primary colours of umbrellas staked out in rows on the sand – to chalky white cliffs with deep green foliage or small towns in coves with boats bobbing in the water, and behind it all, hills rising up, green and brown and the volcano in the distance but always present.
Rowan checked some details on a map and slowed them down after they’d been out for an hour, lowering the anchor in a spot that took her breath away. In the distance there was a sheer cliff-face, no sign of buildings, and a clear line in the water where the sea went from deep indigo to turquoise at its base. Looking out on the other side, it was all glittering sea and then, almost like it was mainly in her imagination, the faint outline of Italy in the distance. There wasn’t a soul around them. Just miles of mind-blowing natural beauty.
‘Did you bring a costume?’ he asked her, settling on the L-shaped seating on the small deck at the aft. The sunlight bounced off his sunshades and she could see herself in this magical place.
‘Yeah.’ Her heart started tripping in her throat. ‘I have it on under my dress. Are you suggesting we swimhere, then?’
‘We can if we’re careful. It’s a no-wake zone. The engine is off, and we’re anchored. We can keep our life preservers on too, if it makes you more comfortable?’
She pressed her lips together and looked over the side. Suddenly the sea – though still beautiful – seemed a bit more of an enigma. How deep was it? What was living in there?
‘You don’t have to. I’ve brought lunch. We could just eat that and explore some more around the island. If we keep going we might be able to get to Syracuse – but I’ll have to check the fuel.’
‘No – I’ve wanted to get in this sea since I saw it through the window on the airplane and still haven’t done it yet. I just imagined doing it from the beach, rather than jumping into the middle of it.’ She laughed.
He smiled. ‘Like I said, we don’t have to.’
‘But you enjoy it? The depth and stuff doesn’t scare you?’
He shrugged. ‘It feels kind of freeing. And the salt buoys you up. I have to be more careful when I’m swimming from land actually, because I can forget how far I’m going and that’s when you can end up caught in a current or something.’
‘Okay. Let’s do it. Just a dip.’
‘Yeah, absolutely – we don’t want to get far from the boat anyway.’
Lila unhooked the straps from her dress and wiggled it down beneath her life preserver. She was totally going to leave that on. The rough canvas of it felt strange against her bare stomach and the size of it made her feel like a child, especially when Rowan took his off for a minute, so he could remove his T-shirt.
Lord above, there was another sight to thank nature for. She didn’t feel like a child at all when she saw him half-naked. There was only one word to describe the sensation tearing through her: lust.
She would have dived overboard to cool herself down if she had any clue about how safe that was…or knew how to dive. He hadn’t even looked at her though; he’d just picked his preserver straight back up and refastened it, efficiently focused on the task at hand and ignoring the fact she was drooling enough to raise the sea level.
He extended the small ladder from the platform at the back and went down first, slipping into the water but staying near it, waiting for her. Her heart was pounding as she went over and tried to ignore the fact he was getting a view right up her legs to her bikini bottoms.
When her toe touched the water, she let out a little yip.
Rowan laughed. ‘It’s colder than it looks, but once you’re in it for a minute it’s like a warm bath.’
‘I think I must have my baths warmer than yours.’ She kept going until her stomach was submerged and the life jacket keeping her afloat.
‘Are you going to let go?’ he asked after she stayed there, holding on for a minute.
‘Er…yeah?’ She licked her lips, tasting the salt, and closed her eyes, concentrating on how relaxing and calm the water felt –just don’t think about how far it goes down– how hot the sun was on her shoulders and head, and that she’d be right next to the boat if a shark came along or something, and—
Rowan’s hand found hers clinging to the ladder under the water. He didn’t prise her fingers away, he just covered her hand and she turned hers over, like it was the most natural thing in the world, to offer her palm to him. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him. The sun was glistening in the droplets of water on his face and the slight stubble shadowing his jawline. She felt the motion of his legs under the water and his free arm as he moved away, and she let go to follow him.
