“Unfortunately,” he said.
“Unfortunately?”
He shrugged and we started walking out the hotel together. “Don’t you know by now, Val? I’m Mr. Stable and Reliable.”
I laughed. “You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked. He sounded serious.
“Mmmm,” I muttered, “not all woman are looking for tattooed, rock-star rebels. In fact, I must say, predictable sounds really good at this stage of my life.”
He smiled playfully. “Well that’s good to know. Since we’ll probably be getting married and having kids in three years’ time.”
I laughed. “And who said you’re predictable and boring?” I looped my arm through his before I realized I’d actually done it. I almost pulled away but Alex moved closer and tightened the loop.
“You’re probably the only person I’ve ever met that thinks that about me,” he said.
“Oh, please. I doubt that. We went skydiving today. You made us throw ourselves out of an aircraft!”
“I’ve never done anything like that before, not until I met you anyway. These last few days something has changed for me. I feel . . .different,” he said, his voice soft and slow. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him looking at me as if he was thinking something important. “I think this list is really working.”
“You know what I feel?” I suddenly said without thinking. I stopped walking and turned to look at him.
“What?” he asked.
“Over the last three years, I spent so much time and energy pouring water into that leaky bloody bucket, that I’ve done nothing for myself. These last few days have been the first time in years I’ve actually done anything just for myself. The magazine was right, I need to focus on myself.”
“Me too,” Alex admitted. “Stay away from relationships and focus on ourselves.” He said that last part with a strange tone in his voice and I looked over at him. Suddenly, he looked very thoughtful.
We walked quietly through the quaint streets together until we arrived at our destination. A spa on the edge of the town. We walked inside and then I saw the sign. My French wasn’t so bad that I didn’t understand that it was saying something to the effect ofNo clothes beyond this point.I could see Alex was also looking up at the sign too.
“Did you bring us to a spa, or a nudist colony?” I whispered.
“Shit,” he whispered back, “I totally forgot we would need bathing suits.”
“You think?” I looked around at all the people walking past us in their big white fluffy gowns.
Alex turned to me and shrugged again. “C’est la vie,” he said with a smile. “When in Rome.” He let go of my arm and walked right in.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
We received our spa menu and I read through it. We were set to soak in a mineral bath, then have an aqua massage—I didn’t really know what that was, but it sounded good. After that we were scheduled for a manicure. I looked down at my nails, which were in desperate need of help. All this stress lately had been making me pick.
I was in the ladies’ changing room and opened the locker that had been assigned to me. In it hung a big white gown and a pair of slippers. I slipped my clothes off, wishing that one of us had thought to bring a bathing suit, and put the gown over myself. My bra and panties would have to suffice for now.
I followed the signs out of the bathroom and found Alex waiting for me once more. He too was dressed in his gown. I looked down at his feet, which were too large for the standard slippers provided and so his heels hung off the back of them. He wiggled his feet at me and smiled. The phrase about men with big feet suddenly ran through my mind, not that I didn’t already know he was rather well endowed in that area. My cheeks tingled and flushed.Why was I thinking about Alex’s. . . Shit! I stopped myself.
“After you.” Alex gestured for me to walk in front of him. We followed the therapist in her white coat. She led us into a room where a natural Jacuzzi made of rock sat. Huge windows on the other side of it ensured we had a view over the mountains and valleys below. It was simply breathtaking.
The therapist smiled at us. “I’ll fetch you in thirty minutes for your treatments.” She exited, closing the door behind us. Alex wasted no time getting in. Why wouldn’t he, he was wearing big boxer shorts that could have easily been mistaken for swimming trunks. Mine weren’t so simple though . . .
“The water is amazing, and this view,” Alex said as he slid into the Jacuzzi. “Join me.”
“Seriously?” I clutched my white gown tightly to my body.
“Just get in. I won’t look, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m not worried.” I shrugged, not wanting to come across as shy or self-conscious. “I’m fine. I mean . . . I don’t care if you see me in my . . .” I opened my gown and dropped it to the floor as quickly as possible, lest I lose my nerve.
