Page 30 of Blame It on the Bikini
"We did." Even though they'd only climbed a hillside about thirty feet high, he felt like they'd made it to the top of a mountain. For a long moment, they just looked at each other, the intensity of what they'd just shared hanging between them. Her hair had escaped its ponytail in damp, curly strands, and there was something wild and alive in her expression that took his breath away.
"That was scary," she said. "But also exciting."
The sun caught her flushed face, and she was practically glowing with exhilaration. She was beautiful and completely alive, and before he could think about what he was doing, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her warm, salty lips, feeling a passionate fever that seemed to be consuming her as much as it was consuming him. He didn't know how long they stood on the bluff and kissed, but it felt far too short. When a gusty wind doused them with another ocean spray, they broke apart with a breathless laugh.
"That was..." Lexie began, then trailed off, her fingers touching her lips.
"Yeah," he agreed, his gaze meeting hers. "It was."
As she turned away from him and looked back at the ocean, he put his arm around her shoulders. Then they watched the tide continue its relentless advance until the water flowing into the caves was at the top of the crevice.
"It's hard to believe now we were in there," she murmured.
"I'm glad we're out."
She turned back to face him. "Thank you, Grayson. For coming with me, for watching the time, for helping me up the hill, and for not letting me fall into the sea and drown…"
"You're more than welcome. Although some of that was for me, too," he said dryly.
"I get a little distracted when I'm taking photos. If I'd been alone?—"
"Which you weren't. And to be honest, I'm glad I came, because this was…an experience," he said, knowing he would never forget it. And for that, he should probably be thanking her. As she shivered, he added, "Let's go home."
As they headed to the car, he was struck by the fact that he'd just thought of Ocean Shores as home, and that might be the most terrifying thought he'd had all day.
Chapter Eight
Three hours later, Lexie couldn't stop thinking about her early morning adventure with Grayson, and it wasn't just the cave exploration that ran through her mind but also the crazy, passionate kisses they'd shared when they'd gotten to the top of the bluff. That had been a completely unexpected and shockingly good moment. The man she'd considered her worst enemy was not only very attractive, but he also kissed like a dream. Besides that, she couldn't forget how carefully he'd kept watch over both of them and how tightly he'd held her hand when she'd almost slipped down the wet rocks. She couldn't have picked a better person to go with her.
When they'd arrived back at Ocean Shores, Grayson had muttered something about having work to do, and they'd parted with a few simple words about having fun that hadn't begun to cover the experience they'd shared.
As soon as she'd gotten into her apartment, she'd spent a good twenty minutes in a hot shower before dressing and making breakfast. Then she'd started developing her film in her makeshift darkroom, formerly her walk-in closet.
The darkroom reminded her of the cave—minus the scent of sea and salt, replaced instead with the acrid bite of chemicals. She moved between the enlarger and the chemical bath, watching her photographs slowly materialize like magic.
The film captured details and tones that made her breath catch. The natural spotlight streaming down from the cave's ceiling had created the most incredible contrast, and the texture of the ancient rock walls seemed to leap off the photographic paper.
And then there were the shots of Grayson.
She hadn't expected them to turn out so well. The way the light had caught him, turning him from a rigid businessman into something almost mythical—a figure carved from the same stone as the cave itself. He'd been completely transformed. And in one frame, he was looking up toward the cave's ceiling, his expression unguarded, almost reverent. In another, he was reaching toward her, concern evident in every line of his body as he'd urged her to hurry.
They were some of the best portraits she'd ever done.
The ring of her bell caught her attention. She slid past the heavy, dark curtain she'd put in front of the door to block any light when she left the closet and moved through her living room.
A knock came at her door, followed by her aunt's voice. "Lexie? Are you home?"
"Coming," she called, throwing open the door.
Josie walked into her apartment wearing a flowing purple floral dress and her signature collection of silver bracelets, her red hair pulled back with a butterfly clip. "How was the cave? I'm dying to hear what you thought."
"It was spectacular," she said. "More than I imagined it would be."
"I knew you would love it," Josie said with an approving smile. "I'm glad you made the time to go."
"How did you know I would love it?" she asked, curious about her aunt's choice of words. "Have you been in those caves? Because when I talked about them before, you never said anything about being there."
"I thought I had." She shrugged. "It was many, many years ago. I'm glad they were still accessible."
