3. Theo
After the auction, several of the female bidders approached Theo, completely ignoring Sarah as they asked for selfies. He politely indulged a few before making his way to the exit, pulling Sarah with him.
The woman who had roped him into the event in the first place chased after him. ‘Wait. I need your number so we can follow up the details of the dinner.’
Theo was going to make a crack about her not using it for any other purposes, but he just wanted to get out of there. He quickly scrawled it on a piece of paper and handed it to her. ‘I’m glad the evening was a success.’
‘This was by far our best fundraiser ever. Thank you. We’ll be in touch.’
Theo made sure Sarah was still nearby, and they hurried out onto the street together. Their accommodation was a half-hour walk away, and it was still raining.
‘I’ll call an Uber,’ he offered.
Sarah glanced behind her, and Theo turned to check what she was looking at. Half the women were staring at him, peering around the potted palms like meerkats.
‘Actually, I don’t mind getting a little wet, and it will sober me up if we walk,’ Sarah said.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Do you think rain is more uncomfortable than that?’ She nodded back at the restaurant.
‘Good point. Let’s go.’
The roads were quiet because of the weather, and they didn’t see anyone apart from the occasional passing car.
‘I was worried about you for a moment back there,’ he said.
‘I was worried too. Three and a half thousand dollars is a lot of money to give to a charity.’
‘It was for a good cause. But were you seriously going to let someone else win?’
‘Well…’
‘I appreciate you were concerned about my finances, but you didn’t have to be. When I said you needed to bid whatever it took, I meant it.’
‘Okay. Sorry. It was just a little crazier than I expected.’
‘Tell me about it.’ He shivered, remembering the hungry look in the other bidders’ eyes. ‘Anyway, are you looking forward to our date?’
She blinked. ‘Sorry?’
‘You won me. That means you get me for a dinner.’
‘Oh, no. Didn’t we agree you could use it for whatever you wanted?’
‘What if I want to use it on you?’
‘Why would you want to use it on me? I mean, I know I’m awesome, but as I pointed out earlier, we don’t really know each other.’
He chuckled. ‘I’ve never believed in having to wait some arbitrary amount of time to do something. If I want to do it, I do it.’
‘That very much sounds like what someone with a successful modelling career would say.’
He nudged her playfully. ‘When did you find out I was a model?’
‘When… when the women at the restaurant mentioned it,’ she stuttered. ‘Why? Do you think I stalked you online before today?’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘I don’t know. Did you?’
She said nothing for a moment, but then sighed. ‘Fine. Okay, I did. I just wanted to know who I’d be spending the day with when Alexis asked me to join you all on this road trip.’
‘Then you probably know a lot more about me than I do about you.’
‘I didn’t exactly memorise every detail of your life.’
He glanced sideways. It was dark, but he could still see she was nervous, even though she was pretending not to be. He thought it was cute. ‘Then what did you learn?’
After a moment, she spoke. ‘That you’re thirty-three. You’ve modelled internationally. And you have a fan club.’
‘Did you consider joining?’
‘What?’
‘My fan club.’
‘Are you always this arrogant?’
‘I kind of have to be. It goes with the territory.’
‘No, I didn’t join your fan club. Do you want me to?’
‘It depends if you’re a fan.’
Theo wasn’t sure what he was saying. He rarely asked women whether they had considered being part of his fan club. Even having a fan club was a strange idea to him. He was used to all the attention superficially, but whenever he really sat down and thought about it, he couldn’t get his head around the fact that people devoted that much attention to him. He was just nerdy little Theo Park, one of a handful of Koreans at both the primary and high schools he’d attended in Brisbane. No one had looked twice at him back then. It wasn’t until he’d visited Europe with his mother after graduation that he realised he was considered attractive at all. A modelling agency in Munich scouted him, and he’d done a few jobs there, but he missed Australia and convinced the agency he needed to be based back in Brisbane. It meant a lot of travel, but he was willing to tolerate it to stay in the city he felt most at home in.
Sarah laughed. ‘You’ll have to do something to impress me if you want me to become one.’
They arrived at their accommodation, and Theo unlocked the door.
‘Challenge accepted.’
Theo wasn’t sure what it was, but Sarah had really started to grow on him. Yes, he’d liked Alexis, but she wasn’t available. And over the course of the day, he’d probably spent more quality time with Sarah than he ever had with Alexis. It had been a lot of fun hanging out this morning and then going shopping with her. The jumpsuit she was wearing looked amazing, even though it was now wet from the rain.
‘Do you want to shower first?’ he asked.
‘First?’
‘As in, before me?’ he clarified, smirking.
‘Oh, right. Of course. Sorry. My brain isn’t at its best after all that alcohol. There was that cocktail earlier too. I’m surprised my liver hasn’t failed on me.’
‘The walk didn’t help?’
‘It did a little. I could probably pass that sobriety test they do in the States. You know, where you have to walk in a straight line and say the alphabet backwards?’
Theo chuckled. ‘Is that actually a thing?’
‘I’m sure it is. I’ve seen it on cop shows.’
‘Can you say the alphabet backwards?’
‘Well, no. I’m not sure I’d be able to, even if I was sober.’
‘I don’t know if you’re helping your argument.’
‘Stop it. You like teasing me, don’t you?’
He lowered his voice. ‘Actually, I do.’
Sarah didn’t seem to know what to make of that, and she stood there for a second, looking at him.
‘I’m going to take that shower now.’
He swallowed. ‘Okay.’
He watched her go down the hall, wondering if he should follow. Despite his flirty nature and the attention he received, he wasn’t into quick hookups or casual sex. Over the past couple of weeks, he’d been contemplating what it would be like to date Alexis. It felt a bit wrong to suddenly switch his allegiance to her best friend.
He nodded, confirming his thoughts. He’d wait. There was no hurry to make a move. He was capable of self-restraint.
He pulled off his jacket and hung it on a hook near the front door.
His shirt was wet too, so he removed that and hung it on another hook. While shopping earlier, he’d bought a pair of swim shorts and a few other bits and pieces, but he hadn’t bought any casual clothes—and the outfit he’d worn in the car on the way down wasn’t the kind of thing you lounged around in before bed. He figured he’d just wear the swim shorts after his shower.
He heard the water running in the bathroom and took the opportunity to look around the house. It wasn’t a big place, but it was nicely furnished and had an eclectic Bali vibe. The open plan living and dining area looked out onto a pool with a small fountain. A perfectly raked garden surrounded it, and stepping stones dotted the courtyard.
Inside, he found a folder containing information about the property. It included a layout of the house, showing two bedrooms. He peeked into one and saw it had a four-poster bed with a colourful quilt. But when he went to open the door of the second room, it wouldn’t budge.
He almost texted his friend to ask how to get inside, but it was past 11pm, and he didn’t want to bother him if he was already sleeping. Besides, he’d lent Theo the place at no cost. They’d just need to make the most of it.
There was a couch in the living room, so Theo figured he’d take that. It looked comfortable enough.
He heard the shower water turn off, so he hurried to the kitchen, pretending to inspect the cupboards.
Sarah came out soon after, wearing the pyjamas he’d paid for. They comprised a white tank top and little plaid shorts, and they hugged her body perfectly. Her red hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and she somehow looked even more beautiful than when she’d been dressed up for the evening.
She stopped when she saw him, and he noticed her eyes acknowledging his shirtless state. She didn’t say anything.
Theo was used to women looking at him—it was obviously a huge part of his job—but right now, he felt vulnerable. Sarah stayed silent as she strolled toward him. When they were inches apart, she reached up and ran a finger across his bare chest.
He wasn’t sure how to respond. Was she just curious about what it might feel like to touch him? Or did she want more?
She looked into his eyes with an intensity that made him stop breathing.
He glanced at her mouth, wondering what it might taste like.
And then she was pulling his face to hers, their lips finally connecting.
A switch flicked, and every nerve in Theo’s body came alive. Just minutes before he’d vowed to wait, but all restraint suddenly went out the window.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to the couch. They fell back into the cushions, her weight landing softly on top of him.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek.
‘Are you sure this is okay?’ he whispered.
‘More than okay,’ she whispered back.
She kissed him again, and Theo gave himself up to the moment.
He wasn’t going to ask twice.