Page 63 of Viral Affair

“Come on, sunshine, let’s enjoy ourselves for a few hours.” I took our bag. I had planned this entire trip, aiming to cater to Veronica’s every wish. This trip was going to be special because we were finally here alone.

Veronica

I was hesitant to go into the water, but after sunbathing for some time, the heat became a bit overbearing, so I wanted to cool down. Rupert had already done some swimming, after which he’d come out of the sea looking like an actor from Baywatch. I could have sworn that half of the women on this beach drooled over him. If I wasn’t mistaken, one had actually tripped when he flung his hair back when he was getting out of the water. I was so happy that he was mine, even though this whole thing still felt like a dream.

In the end, I went for a long swim, then sat closer to the shore with my towel wrapped around me. I believed it was over forty degrees here and hoped that soon we could go in the shade because I really didn’t want to burn myself. I applied some sunscreen on my arms and chest, but I was worried about my back because I’d burned myself on the yacht.

I glanced around, hoping Rupert was heading back. He’d gone to the bar to get us some drinks. I struggled, trying to get some of the damn sunscreen on my back, and with all that wiggling around I was suddenly out of breath. This was ridiculous. I’d chatted a little with the girls on my left, but now they were nowhere to be seen. I suspected they too went to get some drinks. I was just about to give up when someone knelt next to me.

“Let me help you, omorfiá mou, I see you’re struggling,” said a deep voice from behind.

I glanced to my left where materialised a guy who’d been eyeing me earlier when I was in the water. He took the sunscreen from my hand and squeezed it all over my back. I was too shocked to say or do anything.

“Oh … all right … thank you,” I muttered, because I had no idea what to do. He’d randomly just showed up next to me and offered to help me, so I felt bad saying no to him now. He was tall and dark-haired.

“Where are you from? I’ve been watching you with your boyfriend, but he’s not here now,” he said with a thick accent.

“From England. We are both from London. How about you?” I asked.

At this point he was really getting into it, moving his hands lower and lower towards my arse. Shit, I really had to do something or get him off me before Rupert showed up, otherwise he’d truly lose his shit.

“My parents are from Marbella, but I was born here,” he murmured, then his fingers nearly grazed my left breast.

I jerked a little, indicating that he was crossing the line. That didn’t seem to discourage him in any way, and when I was just about to stand, thinking that maybe then he’d get the message, someone emitted an unholy growl behind me.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, mate?”a familiar voice barked at the man.

I quickly jerked around to find Rupert standing next to my towel. Shit. I quickly stood and snatched the sunscreen from the guy, who didn’t look bothered in the least, at all, by Rupert’s sudden appearance.

He smiled and lifted his hands in the air like he was surrendering.

“Your girlfriend needed to put sunscreen on her back, so I offered to help her. She was struggling with it,” the guy who still hadn’t introduced himself stated, then chuckled.

Rupert took off his sunglasses and my heart rate sped up because he looked angry, absolutely rage filled. The muscle on his jaw ticked. This was a bad sign.

“Veronica, did you ask this guy for help?” he asked me, his voice dropping a few decibels, sending a cold shiver down my spine. He’d used the same tone when I’d nearly made him crazy at breakfast, right before he’d punished me.

“No, not exactly, but he just—”

“She didn’t fucking ask for your help and you were touching what’s mine—very inappropriately—so before you turn around and walk away, say sorry to her,” Rupert interjected. He took a step towards the guy, fury radiating off him. He was taller than him, more intimidating, and looking frightening.

The guy looked shocked for a split second, then he laughed again. He didn’t seem to be at all intimidated by Rupert. We were now drawing random stares from people.

“This is not the way to talk about such a beautiful lady, and I was only trying to help. I think you have to chill out a bit, mate,” the guy replied.

Rupert took a sharp inhale, then stepped closer to him, towering over the guy. He put me in mind of a ticking time bomb.

“I’m going to give you another chance to apologise to my woman and then I want you to apologise to me for being too handsy with her and for touching what’s mine,” Rupert said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“And what if I won’t apologise?” the guy challenged.He was fucking clueless and crazy.

“Rupert, come on, let’s just go,” I pleaded.

But he ignored me.

“If you won’t apologise then I’ll stop being a gentleman and cause permanent damage to your bone structure by dislocating your jaw to begin with. There won’t be enough wire and screws to help what I will fucking shatter there,” Rupert stated matter-of-factly.

Then the guy reached out and defiantly ran his finger over my arm, then started to take a swing at Rupert’s face. For a split second I thought his fist had connected with Rupert’s jaw, but then my man caught the guy’s wrist and smashed it right back into his nose. A crack of cartilage resounded, and he yelped and stepped back. The guy stumbled a bit, holding his nose, blood spilling and running between his fingers like Niagara Falls. I had only ever seen blood like this in the movies, but this was real. I couldn’t believe that Rupert was able to dodge and redirect this man the way he did.

---