Page 71 of Be More Lucy

‘Do you think you’ll stay?’

He seemed unsure how to answer. ‘I considered it. When I was seeing Hannah, we talked about building a holiday let business together. But now … Sometimes I miss the rain and snow. And my friends.’

He looked at her like he used to when they were going out. She’d missed that look and the kisses that usually followed it. ‘What are you thinking?’ she asked.

‘I wish the waiter would hurry up with the bill.’

Right on cue, he appeared. ‘Señor.’

‘Gracias.’

‘Going halves?’ Lucy reached for her handbag.

‘No way. You flew out here. Put your purse away.’

Mark got out his card and paid.

‘Let me leave the tip then,’ she said, putting a few euros on the plate.

‘How about a walk on the beach?’ Mark said.

‘Don’t you see enough of it during the day?’

‘I do, but it’s the first time you’ve been here. Well, for more than an hour.’ He grinned.

‘Don’t remind me.’

They walked outside onto the street. The warm air hit her after the pleasant chill of the air-conditioned bar. It would be cooler down on the beach, but Lucy was feeling tired again. ‘I’d be happy to go back to yours. The beach can wait until tomorrow.’

‘Suits me,’ he said. He led the way back through the crowds.

‘Fancy a dip in the pool?’ Mark asked as he unlocked the door to his apartment.

‘Straight after we’ve eaten? You like living dangerously.’

‘The jury is out on whether you get cramp if you swim straight after a meal. If you do get in trouble, the pool’s not that deep. I promise I’ll rescue you.’

‘I might enjoy being rescued,’ she grinned.Shut up, woman! A friend wouldn’t say that!

‘Let’s see, shall we?’ A friend wouldn’t look at her like that either. Perhaps he was feeling the same way.

Mark had put her suitcase in the guest bedroom before they went out earlier. She went in there to get changed. She started rifling through her suitcase. Where was her swimsuit? She went through the case again, more methodically this time. Definitely no sign of it. She must’ve left it on the bed at home. How bloody annoying. She’d invested in a new one as well, one that emphasised her cleavage.

‘Sorry, I forgot my cossie,’ she shouted.

‘Is that so?’ He didn’t sound like he believed her.

‘Seriously, I have. I must have left it at home.’

‘You’ll have to skinny dip then. I promise not to look. We’re the only ones here this weekend.’

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. But it wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen her naked before. And she’d spent a good few hours in the gym since then. What did it matter? She wanted to convert him from friend to lover, and this might speed things up. She wrapped herself in a towel and walked into the living room. Mark was already waiting for her. Her eyes were drawn to his tight swim shorts that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

‘If I’m skinny dipping, you are too,’ she said.

‘I suppose it’s only fair.’ He went back into the bathroom and emerged with a towel around his waist.

‘Not like you to be shy?’ she said.

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