Page 26 of Jilted
“C’mon, Amy. It will be fun, and you know I would never let anything happen to you.” He took her hands and brought them to his lips, giving them a lingering kiss. “You can trust me.”
“I’ll think about it, okay?”
“Okay.” He winked.
An hour later, Amy and Brett walked hand in hand down the stone laid pathway through the Tri Pinnae Village Shops. During their first walk around the island, she hadn’t realized how many small shops there were. And there were a lot of them. There was even a fresh fruit and vegetable store at the end of the path. To her surprise, Brett followed her into every single shop and didn’t complain once. Man, he must really want to go scuba diving, she thought.
Something in the window of a shop across the way caught her attention. She tugged Brett’s hand until he followed her. Inside, she inspected the item closer. It was a necklace with what looked like a tiny seashell encased in a clear, turquoise colored rock. It was the strangest thing she’d ever seen. It was also the coolest.
“Excuse me, how much for this?” she asked the woman behind the counter.
“One hundred fifty dollars.” The shock on Amy’s face must’ve registered with the salesclerk because she quickly added, “It’s the only one of its kind. It’s good luck.”
“We’ll take it,” Brett said as he reached for his wallet.
Amy jerked her head to look at him. “What? No, Brett, it’s too much. I won’t let you...”
But it was too late. Brett handed the woman money in exchange for the necklace.
“Thank you,” Brett said to the woman, and then he escorted Amy out of the store.
“Why did you do that?” she asked him.
“Because you wanted it.” He unclasped the necklace and held it out as if he were going to put it on her. “And I liked the look on your face when you saw it.”
Amy lifted her hair so that Brett could fasten the necklace around her neck. She touched the charm and smiled. “Thank you.”
Brett spun her around and slanted his lips over hers, taking her momentarily by surprise, but then she embraced him fully, luxuriating in the feel of his kiss. God, he was a great kisser. She could spend the rest of their time on the island standing right there kissing him, and she would be happy. It barely registered that she’d told him last night that they couldn’t do this again, but her response to him clearly said the exact opposite. When he released her, she fought to get her eyes to open.
“It looks great on you,” he said.
She touched the charm once again. “I love it. Thank you.”
He put his arm around her shoulders, and they made their way away from the shops. Brett was acting a lot like her boyfriend today and that was a bit unsettling – especially considering she liked it so much. And it felt right, too, natural. Maybe Amy should stop overthinking this thing between them and just let her heart guide her. Let Brett take the lead and see where and how far he took things.
“Where to now?” she asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
His eyes twinkled in that way they always did. She loved it when he got that look in his eyes. It excited her. Amy rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her forehead. “And how long do I have to wait for this surprise?”
“Not long.” He veered off the path and ducked under some low hanging tree branches, holding them out of the way so that she could get through them.
A short walk later, they emerged on a secluded part of the beach surrounded by large rocks. A blanket was spread out with a picnic basket on the sand beside it.
Amy took in the scene and was struck by how sweet it was of him to go to so much trouble. “When did you do all of this? How did you find this place?”
Brett laughed. “Jason and Emma told me about this place, and I enlisted Emma’s help. She’s a real sucker for a romantic gesture.” He took her hand and led her toward the blanket. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starved.”
“Good.” Brett sat on the blanket and opened the picnic basket, pulling out a bottle of champagne, two glasses, and several containers of food. He poured her a glass of the bubbly liquid and handed it to her. “To new beginnings,” he said.
“And lasting friendships,” she added before tapping her glass to his and taking a drink. Dom Perignon, her favorite. “Is all of this part of your plan to convince me to go scuba diving with you?”
He laughed. “No. I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me, how grateful I am that you’re here with me.”
“Can I ask you a question without you getting mad at me?”
