Chapter 20
20
STELLA
I blamed the heat.
That was the only logical explanation for why I had just flirted with Max.
On second thoughts, the fact that he was hotter than a plate of jerk chicken was probably a contributing factor too.
He was wearing a pair of navy swimming trunks and a white vest which of course showed off those muscles that I’d shamefully become obsessed with. God help me when he decided to peel off his top and expose his bare chest.
Especially considering we now had to cosy up together on the daybed. Oops. I meant sit on the daybed together and look at photos. There would be no cosying up . I needed to calm down.
I hurried over to the daybed before someone else came along and claimed it, then sat down, my feet still firmly on the ground.
Although I’d just flirted with Max, now I was actually on the bed I felt awkward about lying back on it.
Max clearly didn’t feel the same though as he wasted no time in kicking off his flip-flops and reclining.
As I turned around and saw him with his hands behind his head, I groaned inside. Why did he have to do that? Now his arms looked even more defined. I was really trying to keep my mind from straying into the gutter but he was making it difficult.
‘So? You ready?’
‘Ready?’ I swallowed hard, before remembering what he was referring to. ‘Oh, the photos!’
‘Yeah. What did you think I was asking you if you were ready for?’ He moved onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow.
That position wasn’t any better for my libido.
‘Um, nothing,’ I said quickly. ‘Come on then, let’s do it.’
‘The photos, right?’ Max smirked.
‘Of course the photos!’
He opened the first envelope and tipped them out on the bed.
‘It’s better if we go through them together. Come up here.’ He patted the space beside him.
Shit.
It’s fine. I’m just lying next to him. That’s all. No big deal.
I kicked off my sandals and scooted up on the bed.
He moved closer and our thighs touched. A shot of electricity rocketed through me and as his scent surrounded me, I squeezed my eyes shut. Thank God I was wearing sunglasses so he couldn’t see my reaction.
I wanted to pick up the photos, but I was worried that my hands might shake.
Max was so close to me right now and although my brain was trying to remind me of all the reasons being attracted to him was a bad idea, my traitorous body was aching to reach out and touch his arms. To slide my hands over his solid chest. To…
Jesus.
‘Shall we start?’ I said, desperate for a distraction.
‘Yep.’ He started sifting through the sandcastle competition photos and we quickly chose our favourites: one in front of the finished castle and another showing us both deep in concentration as we sculpted the towel.
Next he started going through the pics from yesterday.
There were the photos on the bridge that we’d paused to take which came out just as brilliantly as we’d both expected. But it wasn’t just those ones that caught my eye. There was a shot, taken from behind, of the two us: holding hands.
Rather than going to the next photo straight away, Max paused.
‘Cute,’ he said.
If this was a couple of days ago, or maybe even yesterday, I would’ve added a smart comment or protested. But he was right. It actually was cute. If anyone else saw it, they’d think it was a photo of a couple in love.
Of course we weren’t. It just looked that way.
Max moved to the next photo and my jaw dropped.
‘Awww,’ he said. ‘We both look so peaceful.’
It was a picture of me with my head on his shoulder where I’d fallen asleep on the coach. Max’s eyes were closed too.
‘I’m guessing that Jasmine’s responsible for these.’ I suppressed a smile. ‘At least you can’t see me dribbling on your shoulder.’ I laughed.
‘It’s a nice pic,’ Max said.
‘Yeah.’
‘I think that one’s my favourite,’ he said and my eyes bulged beneath my sunglasses.
‘Not the one on the walk?’
‘Holding hands?’ he asked.
‘No. I mean I thought you’d like the posed one on the scary hanging bridge. That actually shows that we went there and did the walk. ’
‘I like that too. I like all of them. But the one on the coach is more symbolic. Maybe it’s just me, but…’ He paused.
‘What?’ I said, desperate to hear what he was about to say.
‘I feel like, maybe we’ve… turned a corner? And before you think I’m being insensitive, I don’t mean you’ve forgiven me and I don’t expect you to. When I say we’ve turned a corner I mean because we can be in the same room without ripping each other’s heads off. Before we were at war and now we’re on the road to maybe making peace?’
‘Maybe,’ I said, not wanting to commit to anything. It sounded petty, but I didn’t want to make it too easy for him. This was only our fifth day here. It seemed too early to declare that all was forgiven.
At the same time though, because we’d been forced to spend time together for hours every day, it felt like it had speeded up the process. Every task they’d given us was clearly designed to help deepen our bond and get to know each other better. And I hated to say it, but it was working.
I was also tired of being angry at him. It was exhausting.
Maybe the answer wasn’t to either hate him or fall in love with him again, but just to find a middle ground. Some form of temporary friendship. Right now, that was the most I could commit to.
‘So which photo are you choosing?’ Max asked.
‘I have to choose the one on the bridge.’ The picture of us holding hands was the cutest option, but instead I went for the triumphant choice. It showed I’d pushed myself out of my comfort zone and done the walk.
‘Cool.’ Max slid the photos back in the envelope. ‘I’m hot. I need to cool down.’ You and me both , I thought to myself.
Max sat up then peeled off his vest.
Bloody hell .
The man really was a god.
I tried to look away, but it was like his chest was made of steel and my eyes were magnets that couldn’t help but be drawn to him.
‘Your shoulders look a bit red,’ I said.
‘I forgot to put sun lotion on this morning.’
‘That’s not good. Hold on.’ I reached into my beach bag and handed him my bottle. ‘Use this.’
‘Lifesaver!’ He took it, flipped the cap then squeezed lotion on his palm before rubbing his hands together and slathering it over his shoulders.
And his chest.
I bit my lip as tingles raced through me. What I wouldn’t give to run my hands all over those pecs.
Max reached his hand behind him and attempted to apply lotion on his back.
‘Want me to do it?’ I offered before realising that was a bad idea.
‘Please. That’d be great.’
Stay calm.
Don’t get turned on.
Keep it together.
After squeezing a generous amount of lotion on my hands, I knelt on the bed, placed my palms on Max’s back then started rubbing.
Oh. My. God.
His back felt so good.
Too good.
It was firm, muscular and hot. In every sense of the word.
‘Damn,’ Max groaned.
‘Am I hurting you?’ I quickly removed my hands .
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘I’d just forgotten how soft your hands are. Sorry. I hope that isn’t inappropriate.’
Fireworks erupted inside me. Max was enjoying me touching him. Not in a sexual way obviously, just… he liked my hands.
I continued moving my palms over Max’s back. Along the sides, down the middle and down to the base, skimming the tops of his swimming trunks, then back up across his shoulders.
The truth was, I could’ve finished the application of the sun lotion minutes ago, but I was enjoying this. Too much.
I continued running my hands over his back and was just about to squeeze more lotion onto my palms when I heard our names being called.
‘Stella! Max!’
I whipped my head round to see Jasmine standing beside us.
‘Oh, hey.’ Max turned to face her.
‘Nice to see you getting on so well. Are you practising for the couples massage, Stella?’
‘No.’ My cheeks flamed. ‘I was just… Max forgot to put on sun lotion, so I was just helping him out because he couldn’t reach his back.’
‘ Mmm-hmmm ,’ she said in a way that suggested she didn’t believe me. ‘I see. That’s good. I hope you’re going to return the favour, Max?’ Jasmine tilted her head, waiting for his response.
‘I, er, of course!’ Max stuttered.
‘Well, I’ll leave you to it!’ She turned on her heels and left.
‘So…’ Max said, his head still facing the pool. ‘All good with my back?’
‘Yeah. I think you’re all covered now.’
‘Want me to do you now?’
My lips parted and my horny vagina screamed yes, please.
‘My back?’ I clarified.
‘Yeah, sorry. That came out wrong. ’
I was about to tell him that I’d already slathered myself with sun lotion before I put on my bikini, but stopped myself. Another application wouldn’t hurt. The more protection the better, right?
‘Thanks. That’d be great. Should I lie down or sit up?’
‘Up to you.’
If I lay down, at least I could bury my head in the towel and the bed and he wouldn’t see my reaction.
After taking off my cover-up dress, I lay face down.
I heard the cap of the lotion pop and the sound of Max’s palms rubbing together.
Even though I knew he was about to apply the lotion, when his hands made contact with my skin, I jumped.
‘You okay?’ His warm breath tickled the back of my neck. I wondered how close he was to me. ‘Are my hands too hot?’
‘No.’ I attempted to steady my voice. ‘They’re perfect.’
I hadn’t meant to gush, but they really were.
With every sweep of his big hands across my back, my body sparked. It’d been so long since I’d been touched by a man and I realised how much I’d missed it.
Any man I fancied could’ve affected me. But this was Max . The guy who used to know exactly how and where to touch me. He played my body like he was a world-class musician playing his favourite instrument.
And that was when we were in our late teens. Max had matured a lot physically since then. With a body like that, I’m sure he wasn’t short of female attention. Women had swarmed around him back then. Especially when he got signed to play football professionally. He was hot before, but now he was pure fire.
As I thought about the bedroom skills he must’ve acquired over the past twelve years, my nipples hardened and my clit pulsed.
‘You should be good now.’ Max lifted his hands away from me.
Already?
I’d massaged the lotion into his back for much longer than that. It wasn’t fair that he’d decided to stop so soon.
‘I’ll see you in a bit.’ I felt the bed move.
When I got up, Max was already at the pool and as he dived in, the water splashed up around him.
Wow. Touching me clearly repulsed him so much he couldn’t wait to get away.
I on the other hand was lying here with erect nipples and damp bikini bottoms.
If that was the effect that Max had on me after just a few minutes of touching my back, imagine how my body would react if he kissed me.
Or touched my boobs.
Or fucked me.
Another shot of desire pulsed within me.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
Not on this holiday.
Not ever.
And although, given our history, that was the sensible thing, there was still a part of me that thought that was a real shame.