Chapter 16
Aria
“I…what?” Lucy says, looking at the man behind the front desk of the hotel we are checking into. Or, attempting to, anyway.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the man begins, seeming to be sincerely apologetic.
“We double-booked our last room with two queens. The other guests have already checked in. The only room we still have available only has one king. This is completely our fault and we will refund you regardless. However, if the king suite will work for you, you are welcome to it. Would you like me to set you up in the suite or check with other local hotels to see if anyone has any rooms available with your preferred configuration?”
Lucy looks to me. I shrug, but I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. Sleeping in the same bed as Lucy? It’s like my brain bluescreens and I can’t form a thought much less a word. Thankfully, Lucy takes my shrug as deferring to her and turns back to the man behind the desk.
“I think we will take the king suite. Thank you for making this right for us.” She flashes him a bright smile and my grip tightens infinitesimally on my duffel bag strap.
Lucy turns back to me with the room keys in hand and her bright smile blinds me before shifting into something far more genuine but no less dazzling.
“Room 113, ready to go?”
“Yeah, I, uh, yeah, let’s go.” The blush on my face deepens as I stammer my agreement. I hear myself stutter and snap my mouth shut and walk past her towards the hallway.
Her delighted giggles follow me all the way down.
***
“Wow.”
I breathe the word as I walk into the room behind Lucy.
It is a gorgeous suite that is done in a soft pink, sage green, and silver.
There are floor to ceiling windows across two walls that look out on the beach with a large soaking tub by one of them.
By the other, there is a loveseat and coffee table also overlooking the gorgeous shoreline.
In the middle of the bed lies a short basket that holds a bottle of champagne and two flute glasses.
As I start to notice the overly romantic décor, I hear Lucy huff a soft laugh.
“I think we got the honeymoon suite,” she says, her amber eyes shining with mirth.
Well, shit.
***
I am pretty sure I’m in hell.
After settling into the room, we both pulled on our swimsuits and took advantage of our closeness to the beach.
I have never found a bikini that I didn’t feel like I was falling out of, so I have a deep purple one piece with large triangle cutouts on the sides.
It makes me feel sexy and…contained, I suppose.
It’s difficult to find cute swimsuits as a plus size woman, so this quickly became my favorite suit.
Lucy on the other hand…
Fuck me.
Her hair is twisted up into space buns with a few curls hanging loose, framing her face.
Her cat-eye sunglasses sit on top of her head as she searches for the perfect spot for us to settle.
She is wearing a teal bikini that contrasts perfectly with her smooth, golden-brown complexion.
The top perfectly cups her breasts that I want to hold… tease…nibble…
Again: Fuck me.
The bottoms perfectly hug her gorgeous ass.
Every time she bends over, I want to…to…
I don’t even know! But something, that’s for damn sure.
When other beachgoers’ gazes linger a little too long, I want to stake some kind of claim.
Which is absolutely ridiculous, because I know I have no right to claim her.
Doesn’t mean you don’t want to…
I swat away that pesky voice, but I can’t argue. I knew I was already falling for her, but then she had to go and have the most gorgeous tattoos. The moon phases stretching down her back make me want to beg to run my fingers up and down her spine. And don’t get me started on her hip tattoos.
I knew they existed, but this is the first time I have gotten to see them in all their glory.
Both hips seem to be done in arrangements of two types of flowers, though I can’t identify them currently.
They are…gorgeous isn’t enough to do them justice.
They stretch from the very top of her hip, following the natural feminine curve of her body, ending on her upper thigh.
They are the perfect place for me to grab onto and…
“…ria. Aria. Cherry!”
My head snaps up at the nickname and I see Lucy is now standing, facing me. My face flushes as I see an amused grin spreading across her face. She definitely noticed me ogling her ass.
Fuck me thrice over.
I do my best to act like I was simply admiring the view (Well, technically speaking, you were…) and walk closer to her, carrying the other beach tote.
“Yes? Is this the spot?” I examine the sand with great interest before bending to spread out the towels.
Without looking, I reach my hand back to Lucy for the umbrella she insisted on carrying.
“Okay, I think I am ready to set up the shade.” No answer.
“Lucy?” I question, turning to face her.
Her eyes are glued to my ass and she has a dazed expression on her face.
I roll my eyes at her obvious teasing about my own staring and pry the umbrella out of her hands, turning back to set it up so it mostly covers both our spots.
By the time I am done, Lucy has finished setting up the mini half chairs she brought, which are honestly super cool.
I open up the cooler I carried from the room and offer her a cider. She takes it and we clink the bottles together before settling in to enjoy the sunshine.