5. Willa #2
When his fingers graze mine, there’s a pleasant tightening low in my belly. “Thank you,” I murmur, dropping his hand as soon as I’m standing. If I continue holding his hand, I'm afraid I might never let go.
Or do something stupid, like beg him to kiss me or take me to bed.
Dusting the sand from my dress, I reach for my shoes, but they aren’t where I dropped them earlier. I look around in confusion. Then, I spy Nick standing a few feet away with the ankle straps of my sandals looped loosely through his fingers.
It's like the beach version of the boy carrying the girl's schoolbooks.
If I let it, it feels slightly swoony.
When a knock stirs me from my bed the following morning, I assume it’s room service delivering my breakfast.
I woke up over an hour ago, but I couldn’t find the motivation to pull myself out of bed. I should have showered and gotten ready for the day. Instead, I lazily wallowed under the covers. However, the thought of coffee finally provides the push I need to get up.
Tying the belt of my robe into a loose knot, I sling open the heavy hotel door without checking the peephole.
Or checking my appearance, which is a mistake I regret the instant I see him.
Nick.
Nick is standing at my door.
Or rather, he's leaning casually against the doorframe like he's a male model posing for the cover of some teenage girl magazine.
“Good morning, Willa." Nick's voice reminds me of melted butter. Warm and rich. And probably bad for me, but I crave it anyway. Pushing off from the doorframe, Nick steps into my space. "I couldn't stop thinking about last night, so I wanted to stop by and see if you have plans for today."
I freeze. Did he really just say that?
Nick is dressed in board shorts and a fitted V-neck t-shirt, which grants me a peak of his tanned chest and muscular torso.
His hair is shorter on the sides and slightly longer on top, so there's a piece that flops onto his forehead.
That lock of hair beckons me. My fingers itch to brush it off Nick's face.
And his eyes. In the bright light of daytime, I can see them clearly. They’re a unique shade of dark blue, like the murky deep sea.
Right now, they’re focused on me, intense and searching, as he awaits my answer. Too bad my mind has gone blank .
“I haven’t had my coffee yet,” I stammer, belatedly realizing that what I've said has no relevance to our conversation. Like the eggs I ordered for breakfast, my brain is scrambled.
Nick laughs. "I'm sorry if I woke you."
I shake my head.
“May I?” Nick asks, inclining his head towards my suite.
I nod and step clear of the door, allowing Nick to pass. The door snicks shut quietly behind him. “The jetlag has caught up with you then?”
Apparently, I've gone mute. Again.
How sexy , I think wryly.
“Usually takes me a few days to recover, too. Have you ordered coffee and breakfast yet? If not, I can grab you something.”
“No. I mean, yes." Rubbing my forehead, I sink onto the couch in the suite’s small living area and start over. "Yes, I’ve ordered room service already. That’s who I assumed was at the door when you knocked. And no, you don't need to get me anything. Thank you though."
Is it weird to be proud of myself for finally managing to string together a coherent thought?
Good God, I have set the bar low for myself.
“I’m sorry to have taken you by surprise.”
“It's a pleasant surprise, Nick. No need to apologize.”
He disarms me with a smile, and I find myself shyly returning it.
Who is this man and how does he turn me into a pile of mushy goo with a simple smile?
His eyes snag on a discarded movie script lying on the table and he picks it up. Glancing at my questioningly, he asks, “Considering this one?”
I shrug noncommittedly. Nothing that my new agent, Max, has sent me has grabbed my attention. With growing doubts regarding my future in Hollywood, a script will have to really knock my socks off for me to sign on.
God, Max is going to kill me. I’ve been dodging his calls, but he’s getting more persistent. He called three times yesterday alone. At some point, I need to respond if only to tell him to back off. But I’m also slightly curious as to the cause of his persistence.
“So, about today? Do you have any plans?”
Ignoring his questions, I murmur candidly, as my heart flutters in my chest, "You aren't going to make this easy for me, are you?"
Questioningly, he arches a brow. "This?"
I wave my hand around his handsome face. "Your…your flirtatious banter and stuff. I'm trying to stay strong, but you fight dirty."
His lips twitch. "Is being direct and honest what you consider fighting dirty?"
God, when he says it like that, I sound insane, but when Nick is around, I can't think straight.
"I want to spend more time with you, Willa. What's the harm in that?"
The harm? The harm is that his presence ties me up in knots, confusing me completely. I'm not looking to date anyone, but I can't deny that I want to spend more time with Nick, too. Am I just overthinking things again? Letting fear rule my decisions?
Relenting, I say, “Alright. I have a few errands to run. My brothers and I are hosting a big party to celebrate my parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary later in the week.” I pause, reflecting back upon my conversation with Nick yesterday. “I can’t remember if I mentioned that last night or not.”
“You did not. ”
I shake my head, trying to clear the cobwebs from my brain. “Well, I have a few things I need to pick up and deliver to my parents’ house, but otherwise, I’m free. What did you have in mind?”
“I thought it might be nice to rent a boat and cruise the waterways. Maybe take a swim or have a picnic lunch somewhere.”
I don’t know if Nick has made this suggestion because it’s how he really wants to spend the day or if he's being thoughtful because he recognizes that it’s sometimes difficult for me to be inconspicuous in public.
“That sounds perfect. But there’s no need to rent a boat. We can borrow my parents’ skiff. Do you mind coming with me to drop things off at their house? They live on the water, so it’ll be easy to jump on the boat and go.”
“I’ll take care of our provisions and meet you back here in, say, an hour?”
After Nick leaves, I place a hand to my chest and take a calming breath. I have my reasons for being cautious, but I can't deny the thrill that bursts through me at the idea of spending a day with Nick.