Page 81 of After the Vows

“Seriously? Is there anything you don’t think is romantic?” The woman needs to get her head out of a book and start living her life. Being pen pals with a soldier doesn’t count.

“It’s a fun idea,” Nova says before Maya can respond.

“I want pictures,” Sophia adds.

I roll my eyes. “As if the four of you aren’t planning to hide in the dunes and spy on us the whole time.”

Paisley clears her throat. “I wasn’t planning on hiding.”

“Aha!” I point at the phone. “You’re going to crash my date.”

“It’s not crashing if we merely observe,” Paisley says.

“I for one can’t wait to see Lucas in swimming trunks.” Maya wiggles her eyebrows.

I return my attention to the mirror. “Maybe I should wear a one-piece. I must have a speedo somewhere.”

Sophia growls. “You are not wearing a one-piece.”

I motion to my body. “But a bikini? On a first date?”

“He’s seen you naked. He’s not going to be put off by you wearing a bikini,” she reminds me.

“He’ll probably be fighting a hard-on the entire time,” Nova adds.

This idea has promise. Lucas turned on but unable to do anything about it. Teasing I can’t get in trouble for.

“Huh. Maybe this is a good idea after all.”

Lucas added a no sex rule to our agreement after Natalia almost walked in on us. I told him we could lock the door but he’s afraid his daughter is going to figure out what we’re doing. I don’t know what his problem is. Parents have sex.

“Is he still sticking to the no sex rule?” Sophia asks.

“Yes.” I groan. “Kissing is okay but no touching and no naked body parts.”

“Technically, you don’t have to be naked to have sex,” Paisley points out.

“I know. I tried to get him to stick his hand down my pants but he wouldn’t.” I ended up in the shower taking care of business because I was about to explode otherwise.

“Maybe you should wear dresses,” Maya suggests. “In historical romances, they lift the skirts and away they go with no one the wiser.”

“I don’t know. I think her tiny bikini and the water will work as well,” Sophia says.

“Is my bikini tiny? Should I wear another one?” I rush for the closet.

“You’ve tried on all of your bikinis. This is the best one,” Nova says. “Go have fun.”

Lucas knocks on my door. “You ready, Chloe?”

I grab my cover-up – an extra-large t-shirt with the wordsI stop for sealson it – and slip it on before opening the door. “Ready.”

I bound down the stairs and he groans.

“What’s wrong? You don’t want to learn to surf after all?”

He adjusts himself in his swim trunks. “I want to learn to surf but I don’t know how I’m going to survive being around you with those long creamy legs of yours exposed the entire time.”

I smirk. A surfing lesson was a good idea after all. “Just wait until we get in the water and I remove my t-shirt.”

---