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I tried to hide the color from the camera closest to us, to no avail. There was another lens staring at me on the opposite side; they were meant to get our reactions, and I kept forgetting about the all-seeing things.
“I like a few people here. I don’t plan to shut any doors until I’ve gotten to know everyone. It feels… I don’t know? Irresponsible to commit to something before I’ve weighed all my options. I mean, if I put more consideration into picking a hair color than I do a boyfriend, I’m clearly losing sight of my priorities.”
“Huh. That’s… smart of you.”
“I’ve been calledbrilliantin the past. Get those descriptors right,” I teased, grinning around toothpaste foam. He laughed at my correction and gave a slight bow of apology. “Why? What did you plan to do?”
He straightened and pulled the toothbrush from his mouth. “I didn’t come in here with a strategy. I just agreed when the offer came in. It was easy to say yes to all of this.” He gestured around the opulent bathroom. “Plus it’s a free vacation. If I find someone I like, that would be great, but I’m not expecting to find my soulmate here or anything like that. What are the odds that any of the relationships starting here will go the distance?”
He waggled his brows. “Now, if we’re talking about fun, I can see that happening. But long term? Probably not.”
Zander seemed like the type to roll with the punches and be up for anything life threw at him. He wasn’t the type to force attraction or intimacy with someone here because we were meant to pick from this pool, but I had a feeling he would go all in if the opportunity came knocking.
“I had the same thought when I filled out the forms. A bit of sunshine and a chance to disengage from the daily grind.” Zander cocked a brow, and I surrendered. “And yes, potentially some fun.”
“Then, let’s help each other find some fun while we’re here, shall we? You’ve got two on the line, both clearly into you. Need some help?”
I laughed, rinsed my mouth, and stood, propping a hand on my hip. “Pretty sure I’m handling it just fine, dontcha think?”
“Dayum, girl. Yes, you are. Go get ’em.”
I started to leave the bathroom, but turned back before crossing the threshold. “What about you? Need a wingman?”
“Not yet, but I’ll let you know.” He snapped his fingers with realization. “We need a signal in the unlikely event that we need an assist. And a handshake,” he said, almost as an afterthought. “Definitely a handshake. But the signal takes priority.”
“What kind of signal?” I asked, laughing, when he started doing something that looked more like the Macarena than anything remotely resembling asubtlesignal.
“That’s way too complicated,” I argued. “It’ll look like we’re having a random dance party with no music. No amount of wingman support will help us if we do that in the middle of the kitchen for no reason.”
“Fine, Miss Proper. If you can do better, let’s see it.” He propped his chin on a fist, waiting for me to wow him with my moves.
“What about this?” I rubbed one palm over the opposite shoulder and then flicked my nose with my thumb like I’d seen a third-base coach do once at a baseball game. “Simple and effective.”
He paused, then repeated the signal. “So what you’re saying is you’ve done this before. Yeah, I mean… I guess that could work. I don’t love that it’s a baseball signal though,” he griped, still salty that I preferred that to football.
He rolled his eyes, and I laughed because my choice was clearly superior. He could look as put out as he wanted. It didn’t change the facts.
“Fine, we’ll use yours. But let me know if you change your mind and want to use mine.”
“Your version looks like that Wednesday dance,” I said, referencing the choreography we had all learned and practiced relentlessly in the secrecy of our darkened living rooms some time in the last eight months. Or was that just me?
I waved and headed into the bedroom. Diego said he would tell Oliver I was bed-hopping, and I hoped he had followed through. It was cowardly, but I didn’t want to see the disappointment in Oliver’s eyes. Or worse, the relief I was moving elsewhere.
Reaching the door to the community bedroom, I paused at the threshold. Both Oliver and Diego were in their respective beds, looking at me. Well, shit.
Cheryl stepped up behind me. “I hear we’re switching,” she said, not sounding put out about it.
“Yeah, is that okay?”
“Totally! No one said our spots were for the whole time we’re here. No worries, girl.” Her words sounded sincere, but it was hard to trust she meant what she said. Clearly reading the disbelief on my face, she continued, “Plus, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe that’s the case for sleeping in another bed.”
She moved past me and climbed into bed beside Oliver. He welcomed her with a hello and a polite smile, giving me the solace I needed to make my way to Diego.
Why did I feel so nervous? We’d spent most of today’s activity time together. It wasn’t as if it would be the first time we would be pressed together. I distinctly recalled the hardness beneath his swim trunks as we embraced in the water earlier and the excitement that had bubbled up.
Shaking it off, I smiled as I reached the bed. “Hi.”
“Hey. Climb in.” Diego pushed the blankets out of the way and moved to the foot so I could be closer to the window. “You like the morning sun, right?”
