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No doubt about it. These next two weeks would be interesting indeed.
* * *
Two hours later Ani found herself in a small motorboat heading out into open water. Rehaj was steering and doing a fine job of it too, considering he’d just learned prior to this introductory adventure in coupledom.
On this first Recover Love task, they’d been given a crude map with nothing more than vague shapes to indicate islands and water features—which Ani was in charge of—and the boat, which Rehaj was manning. Their goal was to work together to collect three clues to lead them to the prize at the end—a luxurious spa day for two. All they had to do, besides find their clues, was beat the other ten couples also trying to accomplish the same thing.
The small bay fronting the resort was teeming with boats zipping here and there, but Rehaj seemed unfazed. Good thing too, since Ani considered herself one of the most directionally-challenged people on earth.
“Where am I going?” Rehaj called over his shoulder. He’d removed his shirt and tossed it into the bottom of the boat shortly after they’d left shore, giving her an awesome view of his back. Too bad the same sight was also distracting her to no end, making the already difficult task of guiding them even harder. “Are we headed in the right direction?”
“Uh,” Ani turned the map ninety degrees, but it didn’t help. It all looked foreign to her. Still, she didn’t want her partner to think she was a complete idiot, so she squinted at a blob on the map then out at the horizon. “Over there, I think.”
Rehaj tracked the line her finger was pointing to, then frowned. “Are you sure? It appears the other couples are going the opposite way.”
For a moment Ani’s courage failed. Then she remembered her new commitment to confidence and lifted her chin. “Yep. Positive.”
“All right then.” Rehaj grinned, his eyes hidden once more behind those mirrored shades of his. “I do like a woman who knows what she wants.”
Heat spiked through Ani’s cheeks and she looked away from him quickly. She couldn’t see his gaze, but why did she have the distinct impression he’d meant that in more than just a platonic way.
Maybe because you’re in serious lust with the guy?
Ani shivered and shoved those thoughts aside. She wasn’t in lust with Rehaj. She barely knew Rehaj. Still, he did make for nice scenery. As they approached the little shoal of rock sticking up out of the Arabian Sea, Rehaj cut the boat’s engine, then moved back to stretch out on the bench seat behind her. The other couples and their engines were out of earshot now, leaving just the gentle lap of the waves against the hull and the occasional squawk of a seagull to break the silence.
For a while, Ani let herself be lulled by the peace and quiet. It had been so long since she’d taken time to just be. Not trying to impress someone. Not trying to take care of someone. Not trying to do…anything. Just being. Time drifted and she closed her eyes, her skin warm from the sun and her lungs full of fresh sea air. She just wished she’d remembered to bring a mirror with her. It was windier off shore and she couldn’t imagine what her hair must look like. And her makeup, was it still in place? She reached a hand up and felt a slight sheen of perspiration on her forehead. Uh-oh. That wasn’t good. Without her mask in place, her real, flawed self might show through.
She sat up quickly and patted her face with her hands, fanning herself.
“Why do you do that?” Rehaj drawled lazily.
Ani glanced over to find him staring at her, his glasses lowered down the bridge of his nose so those arresting green eyes of his were finally visible. Her heart stuck in her throat and she couldn’t seem to get words out.
He propped his head up on one arm and rolled to his side, now giving her a fabulous view of his toned, tanned torso. A drop of sweat glistened in the middle of his pecs as it made a slow trek down his abs. She longed to trace that same trail with her lips and tongue, then bit her lip hard to keep from making a fool out of herself by actually doing it.
“You did the same thing right after we met, you know,” Rehaj continued, his voice low and soft and infinitely hypnotic. “You kept fussing with your makeup. I believe you do that when you’re nervous.”
The fact he’d struck so close to home on his guess did nothing to ease the coiling tension inside her. She shrugged and tried to brush off her awkwardness with nonchalance. “I like to look my best. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all.” Rehaj continued to watch her over
the top of his sunglasses, his expression quizzical. “I have four sisters. Believe me, I understand more than you think. But you do not need the makeup to look good, is what I’m saying. You are naturally beautiful. Many women would pay handsomely to look as you do.”
Flustered and unexpectedly thrilled that Rehaj found her beautiful, she seized on the opportunity to change subjects. “Four sisters? Wow. You come from a big family then?”
His warm green eyes frosted over and he slid his glasses back up into place before rolling over onto his back. “Yes. There are seven of us siblings in all.”
“Yikes.” Now that she was out from under his scrutiny, Ani took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. “That is big. I just have the one sister.”
“Younger or older?” Rehaj asked.
“Younger, by two years. What about you?”
“One older sister, three younger. Also one older brother and one younger brother as well.”
“Cool.” He didn’t offer up any more information than that and she didn’t feel comfortable asking at the moment. So, instead, she looked around the area. “Um, shouldn’t we be looking for our clues?”
“Is that what you want to do?” Rehaj asked, not sounding particularly enthused by the idea.
