Page 43 of The One That Got Away

‘Let’s go and have a look!’ she said enthusiastically.

As I followed behind her, I took in the sight of her firm arse and my dick twitched. Fuck. This was ridiculous.

‘Wow. It’s busy,’ I said, trying to distract myself.

It was another hot day. The sky was clear blue and I could already feel the heat searing my skin. We stopped by the pool.

One couple were cosying up on an inflatable flamingo, another was reclined on two giant pizza slice floats and there were a handful of other couples in the pool just playing around and having fun.

‘Um, there’s no more sun loungers left,’ Stella said.

‘Looks like we’re late to the party. Wait.’ I paused as I scanned the area and caught sight of a fancy white cabana daybed with plush cushions, adjustable backrests and white curtains neatlytied to the sides. It looked so comfortable. ‘There’s an empty bed over there? Wanna share that?’

‘You asking me to share a bed with you?’ Stella tilted her head suggestively. I wished she wasn’t wearing sunglasses so I could see her eyes.

‘If I did, what would you say?’ I replied cheekily.

‘Sharing a bed with you in front of all of these people? That’s a little risqué for me.’

‘Good to know. Maybe next time I’ll find something more private…’ I licked my lips.

I knew my comment had pushed the boundaries so I waited for Stella’s jaw to drop. For her to argue. For her to tell me that I didn’t have a chance with her and that she’d rather eat a rotting cockroach than share a bedin privatewith me.

But her protests didn’t come. Instead she smiled and started walking towards the daybed.

Well, shit.

Stella really was thawing.

I might be imagining things, but I was starting to think that maybe she didn’t hate me after all…

20

STELLA

I blamed the heat.

That was the only logical explanation for why I had just flirted with Max.

On second thoughts, the fact that he was hotter than a plate of jerk chicken was probably a contributing factor too.

He was wearing a pair of navy swimming trunks and a white vest which of course showed off those muscles that I’d shamefully become obsessed with. God help me when he decided to peel off his top and expose his bare chest.

Especially considering we now had to cosy up together on the daybed. Oops. I meantsiton the daybed together and look at photos. There would be nocosying up. I needed to calm down.

I hurried over to the daybed before someone else came along and claimed it, then sat down, my feet still firmly on the ground.

Although I’d just flirted with Max, now I was actually on the bed I felt awkward about lying back on it.

Max clearly didn’t feel the same though as he wasted no time in kicking off his flip-flops and reclining.

As I turned around and saw him with his hands behind hishead, I groaned inside. Why did he have to dothat?Now his arms looked even more defined. I was really trying to keep my mind from straying into the gutter but he was making it difficult.

‘So? You ready?’

‘Ready?’ I swallowed hard, before remembering what he was referring to. ‘Oh, the photos!’

‘Yeah. What did you think I was asking you if you were ready for?’ He moved onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow.

---