16. Lauren #2
Lauren’s shoulders slumped. “You’re right. Obviously. How’s this? We’ll put the laptops in the closet, and we’ll only get them out in a real emergency.”
“Deal.” James set his laptop down and held out a hand to shake. Lauren took it, trying not to be too aware of his warm, broad palm or his firm grip.
“Deal,” she agreed. They shook, James squeezing lightly before he released her. “There’s just one small problem, though.”
“What’s that?” James asked. “Please tell me you didn’t schedule a deadline during our honeymoon.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “No. That sounds more like something you’d do. The problem is, I hardly know what to do without work. How are we supposed to entertain ourselves for a week with no work?”
“Oh, don’t worry.” James took a half step closer, and suddenly, Lauren was very aware of his presence.
She could have reached out a hand and brushed the edge of his arm or risen up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
“I’m sure we can think of something.” His voice sounded deeper than usual.
Lauren met his eyes, her heartbeat increasing.
His brown eyes and soft lips were right there.
Don’t think about how soft his lips are.
“Oh?” she asked, trying to sound casual. “What do you have in mind?”
“You,” James said. “Me. A beautiful resort. What don’t I have in mind?”
Lauren’s heart was racing now, and she was sure her cheeks were the color of a sunburnt tomato. Could James be implying what she thought he was? There was just one bed, after all… Her wild imaginations about James kissing her came rushing back.
“First of all…” James reached out a hand and plucked the laptop out of hers. “Let’s get rid of this.”
Then, with a grin, he crossed into the bedroom and put both laptops in the closet. Lauren was tempted to lean against the wall. As unrealistic as it was, she’d really thought James had been planning to kiss her.
And she hadn’t hated the idea.
He emerged a minute later and smiled at her. “What do you say we start off with a nice walk on the beach? I even brought shorts.” His voice was back to normal now, and Lauren nodded.
“Sounds great. I’ll get changed.”
It was already late in the day, and by the time they set foot on the beach, the sunset was staining the sky with watercolor oranges and pinks Lauren had mostly only seen in paintings.
They walked slowly, shoes in their hands, toes sinking into the sand, listening to the crash of the waves.
Neither spoke much. Lauren was still processing her pitch and the moment she’d almost had with James in the resort — even though he’d just been distracting her so he could get her laptop.
When they returned, they ate dinner at the resort’s restaurant. Lauren spotted a few vaguely familiar faces seated in the dining area, and James reassured her that they’d also go out tomorrow and be in view of plenty of reporters.
Then, they went back to their room. As they approached along the winding path, now lit by small tiki lights around ankle height, Lauren grew increasingly nervous. When James opened the door to their suite and stepped inside, she turned abruptly to face him.
“It’s almost bedtime.”
“Yes, and I wanted to talk to you about that.” James slid the door closed. “I got us a place with only one bedroom, for appearances’ sake, but I’m happy to sleep on the couch.”
Lauren looked at the wicker couch in the living room and shook her head. “No, come on. That would be ridiculous. The bed is huge; there’s no reason we can’t share.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course. It’ll be like a sleepover.”
If sleepovers usually included sharing a bed with one’s fake husband, former rival, and current… friend.
“Sounds great, as long as you don’t expect me to braid your hair or gossip about boys.”
“I think we can count those activities out.” Lauren smiled.
With that out of the way, they both settled down a little and ended up out on the balcony in a pair of rocking chairs, watching the ocean waves and looking up at the stars. They talked a little about nothing much and eventually lapsed into companionable silence.
Lauren couldn’t help thinking about how much James had changed since he’d offered to marry her.
Or maybe it was Lauren herself who had changed.
Either way, she saw a whole new side to the man beside her.
He could be caring, funny, and insightful.
He could even be selfless, more selfless than Lauren would ever have imagined.
Like it or not, she was developing feelings for the last man she ever thought she’d admire.
When it came time to sleep, Lauren went into the room first and changed into pajamas in the bathroom.
When she came back out, James was already in bed, propped up by pillows, looking at his phone.
He wore a white T-shirt that must have been his pajama top, and his hair was slightly rumpled.
Lauren had never seen him with rumpled hair before. He looked much more human.
“I hope you don’t mind that I took the right side,” he said.
“No problem.” Lauren pulled back the covers and climbed in on the left side, staying close to the edge. “Comfy?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll turn out the light, then.” She flipped off the light and lay down. Sleep didn’t come, though. She was very aware of James right next to her, breathing softly, sometimes moving a little. He smelled like cologne and something woodsy and masculine she couldn’t quite place.
Finally, sleep took Lauren, and dreams came. Dreams of James, waiting for her in the kitchen, walking with her on the beach, leaning in to kiss her…