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NINE
~ Elina ~
Nervously, I strummed my fingers across the top of my legs.
Zane reached over and grasped my hands in his as we made our way towards our new home for the weekend. The further we got from my house, the more my anxiety over Seth ebbed away. It was nice to be going somewhere that even he couldn’t find me—a haven just for Zane and me.
“We’re here,” Zane said as we pulled up outside the beach house.
My mouth dropped open as I looked at the place we would be staying at. It really was right on the beach, just up on the rocks overlooking the waves that rolled up the golden sands. The house was large with a gated entrance and windows at the back, which spanned the entire wall. The decking was open with just a table and chairs to sit and watch the beach.
It was perfect.
“We’re staying here?” I breathed as I walked through the property.
Zane laughed, “My boss sure knows how to live. I think this will be good for us.”
I agreed. Out here on the beach, I felt free, like a whole new woman. A woman who was no longer shackled down by the fear of her soon-to-be ex-husband showing up out of the blue. It was empowering as I walked around the dining room table and placed my hand on Zane’s chest. For the first time in ages, my smile didn’t falter. It was pure and true and all for him.
“I see our mini-vacation is already doing you a world of good. It can only get better from here.”
He leaned down and kissed me softly, the bristles from his stubble pleasantly tickling my skin. When we pulled apart, I could see a glint in his eyes. A glint of happiness, perhaps? Or maybe a glint of hope?
“Should we go check out the beach?” I asked.
He grinned, “I was about to say the same thing. It’ll be a waste to let the day get away from us.”
Reaching down, he grabbed my hand, and we went straight out the door, using the steps to get down to the beach below. I kicked my shoes off and let the sand crunch between my toes as we strolled along. The waves rolled in further, and I giggled as they sprayed against my ankles. When I turned to face Zane, he was already looking at me.
“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?” he asked, holding my chin gently in his hand.
“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you make me feel?” I grinned, leaning in and planting a kiss on his lips.
He growled inside his throat as he spun me around and dipped me low against the sea. Water splashed in my hair, and I giggled, pretending to fight against him. Other couples on the beach looked over at us with knowing smiles, as though they were accepting us as one of them. It had started to feel like it. As though we really had begun to form a romantic relationship, with our friendship one of the stepping stones to getting there.
As the day went on, we were having so much fun that I completely forgot about anything else. When the evening started to draw near, I finally noticed my stomach rumbling. Zane must have heard it, too, as he turned to me.
“Come on, let’s get back inside. Tonight, I’m cooking.”
