AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wear the bikini. You know Mr. Hottie will totally dig it. Get it? Dig it? Because he’s an archaeologist?” Sofia yawned loudly. “Damn, the buzz is wearing off. I have to crash. I’ll text you more about Cyprus once I know my dates. Catch you on the flip side.”
Olivia set down her phone with a lengthy sigh. After two years apart, she should have been thrilled to see her little sister. But field school was demanding enough without Sofia’s high-energy, zero-filter personality. She wasn’t exactly known for her discretion.
Don’t stress. You’ve got enough to worry about
Besides, today was Olivia’s day off. For once, she wasn’t going to obsess over what came next.
When their group arrived at the public beach in Coral Bay, Olivia assumed they’d have no trouble scoring a spot to lay out their towels. But the place was unbelievably crowded. Lounge chairs with blue and white umbrellas blanketed the area. Families with little kids and teenagers clumped in large groups. Vendors moved through the crowds hawking ice cream and soda. The air carried a tang of salt water mixed with the pervasive aroma of coconut sunscreen. But even if the beach was packed and chaotic, it was still a beach. The sea was a perfect shade of turquoise, the waves cresting in gentle swells.
Though everyone else wanted to sunbathe, Olivia was eager to get in the water. “Anyone up for a swim?”
Rick stood up. “I’ll go with you.” He pulled off his t-shirt and dropped it onto his towel.
Damn. Though Olivia had seen him shirtless before, that had been years ago. Viewing him now, in all his muscular glory, stirred up butterflies inside her. She licked her lips and quickly averted her eyes.
After a moment of hesitation, she shrugged off her cover-up, revealing the bikini Sofia had sent her. Given that she was on the curvy side, Olivia had never dared to wear a swimsuit this small before. But when she stole a glance at Rick from under her lashes, she was glad she’d worn it. Because he was definitely checking her out. As her cheeks flamed, she raced toward the water before anyone could catch her blushing.
The waves were cool at first, though nowhere near as chilly as the Pacific Ocean. Once she adjusted to the temperature, the water felt heavenly. She treaded water alongside Rick until he suggested they swim out to a large, flat rock just past the breakwater.
When he reached the rock, he hoisted himself up and stretched out on his back, closing his eyes. Water droplets glistened on his bare chest. “Mmm…this is perfect.”
She flopped down beside him. As she snuck another peek at his firm muscular body, she imagined leaning over him, tracing his broad shoulders with her fingers and stroking his lean stomach. Or lying back and letting him make the first move. Heat flooded through her as she envisioned those strong, callused hands exploring under her bikini.
Rick’s voice jolted her out of her fantasies. “You’re so quiet. What are you thinking?”
That I’d like to kiss you. Or run my lips across your chest and taste the salty tang of the sea on your bare skin.
Whoa. She needed to get a grip. “Nothing much. Just glad to be out here. That water feels so good.”
He rolled on his side and propped himself on one elbow so he was facing her. She turned toward him, acutely aware he was only inches away and they were both wearing next to nothing.
“I never get tired of the ocean,” he said. “If I ever directed my own dig, it would have to be within driving distance of a decent beach.”
“Is that why you chose to work in the Mediterranean?”
“Maybe, although I’ve excavated plenty of landlocked sites. But, yeah, I love it here. The weather’s so warm you can work outside almost all year long. The food’s great, and you can’t beat the scenery. Most of the people I’ve met have been so welcoming.”
“You’ve had so many adventures. I’m kind of jealous.”
He flicked water droplets at her. “No need to be. You still have plenty of chances for adventure, especially if you embrace your inner archaeologist. You’re starting to enjoy it, right?”
“Yeah, that site I found definitely gave me field cred.” The thought of it made her swell with pride.
“Absolutely. I don’t think you’ll have any problem getting Roth on your dissertation committee. He was blown away by our samples, especially that piece with the Phoenician writing. He might send us back there to dig a few more test pits.”
Her heart started its wild dance. Given what had happened the last time they were alone, she didn’t know whether to feel excited or anxious. Too much temptation might be dangerous. “I’m glad he was impressed.”
“He should be.” Rick leaned in closer and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. “It doesn’t have to end here. If you want to go back into the field again, you could do it during your summers. You’d still have the rest of the year to teach and focus on library research.”
For the first time in years, she allowed herself to consider the possibility. To travel and seek out adventures. To not be so focused on playing it safe that she missed her chance to embrace the unknown. “What about you? Do you think you’ll stay in the Mediterranean indefinitely?”
“I’m not sure. Remember the night you caught me on the phone? That was my sister, Cassie. Our dad’s having a biopsy next week, but she’s worried it might be cancer. She wants me to come home. So I’ve been thinking about flying back to San Francisco once we’re done here. I wouldn’t want to live in the city, but I could see myself putting down roots in California again.”
California. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself. But if he was living in the same state as she was, they wouldn’t have to lose touch. The possibilities were tantalizing.
“Sorry about your dad,” she said. “I can see why you’d want to go back.”
He released a harsh breath. “The thing is—I haven’t been home in almost four years.”
