Chapter 26 Ian #2
Glancing around, peacefulness washes over me. “We’re here.”
“How did we both end up with women we want but don’t have?” he grumbles, voice thick with annoyance.
I chuckle. “Yet. And at least mine is not shutting the door in my face.”
“Yeah, brag with your just friend,” he mumbles.
“Asshole,” I counter. “See you tomorrow. Maybe a drive together will smooth things between you.”
“We’ll see, man,” he says, sounding tired.
I ponder, not knowing how to help them. Amelie and Levi shouldn’t waste any more time. They love each other. Where was that epiphany when they were younger? Maybe they wouldn’t have gone through all the struggle if I didn’t have my head up my ass.
Lilly places her delicate hand on mine, pulling me out of my guilt-infused thoughts, and asks, “What happened?”
“I don’t know how to help them. But they need a damn push.”
After we finish our coffee, we meet with my parents in the garden.
Lilly trails her finger over the bed of roses, and I lean into her, whispering, “Still not as beautiful as lilies.”
The corners of her mouth arch up into a delicate smile. “You might be biased.”
“No, just have incredible eyesight.”
When we reach my parents, my mom beams at her.
“Rein it in,” I mouth at her while Dad chuckles.
Ignoring me, Mom tells her, “I want to know all about you.”
Typical Mom.
They start a conversation, giggling from time to time. I catch just bits of their talk because they change the topics so quickly and I am engaged in a conversation with my father.
“When you know, you know, son. Friendship is a good foundation, but there’s more between you. You look happy, settled. It’s because of her. Do something about the ‘just friends’ part.”
I am on it, damn it.
Lunch rolls around, and we all go with the special that sounds scrumptious.
“This place is amazing. I have nothing to complain about,” Mom says.
“And she tried,” my dad says with a knowing look.
I chuckle. Yes, that sounds like Mom.
“I can’t wait to see Amelie and Levi tomorrow. It’s been too long,” my mom says, a frown creasing her forehead. “Do you know anything? I don’t understand their break, no break, whatever they have going on. Both are so secretive. I thought I’d be planning their wedding.”
“They’re figuring things out.” Hopefully.
When we finish lunch, my parents excuse themselves as they have a couple’s massage scheduled.
I can redirect my attention entirely to my person. “So, have you decided what you want to do?” The only acceptable answer would be me. A man can dream.
She places her cheek in her hand, elbow resting on the table. “By the pool, chilling with a cocktail?”
I chuckle. “That sounds like a good plan.”
Going to our rooms, we change quickly.
By the pool, we find two empty sun loungers, where we discard our towels, and she peels off her cover-up.
It’s a horrible idea. The worst.
She looks mouthwatering in a swimsuit with strips of fabric that wrap around her belly, connecting the top and bottom. Add in that big hat and glasses, and she looks like a goddess. I swear the sun shines brighter as if to impress her.
I am fucking hard behind my shorts.
She bends to put her dress in her bag, giving me a perfect view of her round ass. Glass shatters and I shoot a glare at the waiter, who stops eyeing her, hurrying to pick up the shards before he scurries away.
Run, because this woman is mine.
I can’t believe I am jealous of someone just looking at her. I don’t just have it bad for her. I have the entire spectrum of bad for her.
Lilly sits on the lounger, creaming herself up with sun lotion, and I dive headfirst into the pool, trying to cool myself—in vain.
When I emerge, I see she has laid my towel over the lounger as well, and walks over to me.
“How’s the water?”
I grin. “Perfect.”
She dips her toe in and pulls her foot right back, a shiver rocking her. “That’s cold.”
“Join me.” I crook my finger for her to come to me.
She rolls her eyes but places the hat down.
I don’t count, but it takes a while just for her to climb down one stair.
When she notices me approaching her, her eyes widen. She puts a hand in front of her to stop me. “I’ll never forgive you if you pull me in. This is freezing.”
“Do you trust me?”
She offers a small nod, and I wrap my arms around her. Crossing her legs around my torso, and she grips onto me with all her might. I won’t let her go. Not now. Not ever.
“Don’t dunk me, please.”
“I won’t. We’re going in together, okay? We’ll take it real slow.”
She giggles, holding me even tighter. “We’ve mastered that.”
“Smart ass.”
I’d never compromise the trust she has in me. And together, we slowly dive in.
To my surprise, getting her in was the hurdle because as soon as she adjusts to the temperature, she won’t get out, so we swim for a while.
I prop my elbows on the side of the pool, and she treads her feet through the water.
Nothing else exists but us. I relax, giving in to the serenity of this moment.
“I am thirsty. I’ll be right back,” she says.
“What do you fancy? I’ll bring it to you.”
She tilts her head, something darker flickering in her green eyes. “I wouldn’t want to disturb you from your tan.”
I turn and grip her legs as she squeals. “Did you make fun of me?”
“Oh no. I wouldn’t dare. You might be responsible for a few waiters getting heat stroke though.”
There’s a bit of jealousy I detect in her tone, but I have eyes only for her.
“Really? Where?” I ask, pretending to search for them.
She grips my chin. “Oh, you, you…,” she says, puffing her cheeks.
I kiss the tip of her nose. “I don’t see any other women, Lilly. Just you.”
She smiles, nuzzling my neck. “Good, and now you can bring me a lemonade because you made me thirsty.”
I exit the pool, and after I place the order, I return with the frozen drinks.
She’s not in the pool but lying on a sun lounger. A blond preppy guy sits on the neighboring sun lounger, which is mine by the fucking way, because my place is next to hers and vice versa. He gapes at her like he hasn’t seen a woman before.
“Asshole,” I grumble under my breath. “She’s taken.”
She nods at whatever he says. It can’t be that interesting, she’s just being nice.
I eat the distance between us and offer her a drink.
Thanking me, she wraps those pouty lips around the straw, and I forget about the pest next to her.
“Oh hi, I’m Eric,” he rushes to introduce himself.
I stare him down. Lilly drags me down to her, pinching my side to get a grip, and I begrudgingly introduce myself to him.
“Ian, nice to meet you. Thirty years, huh? That’s rare nowadays.”
This guy won’t shut up, telling us about his job.
He’s a security specialist and my dad is his boss. He is “single but looking.” At that, I could have punched him because he glanced at my woman.
“And you two? Have you been together for long?” he asks.
I grumble.
“We’re—” Lilly starts, and I pin her with a stare.
“It’s complicated.”
Better than just friends.
When he finally leaves, she says, “He seemed nice.”
Whatever she sees on my face makes her giggle. And then she leans into me, caressing my arm, and grounding me.
Mine. Just fucking mine. Period.