Page 71 of Away With You
He stops at the bathroom door, taking off his backwards cap (why backwards? And why so hot?) and throwing it on the bed. “No buts. I’m spoiling you today, and you’re going to love it.”
It’s like he’s ordering me to have fun. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” His gaze travels over me, taking a leisurely trip over my curves and back up to my eyes. “And as amazing as you look in this dress—and you do, you look incredible—you may want to pick something less figure-hugging.”
Glancing down, I take stock of my outfit while reeling over him casually calling me ‘incredible.’ “Less figure-hugging?” I parrot.
His eyelids flutter closed, and his jaw clenches. “Yes. Not that I think your body should ever be hidden, but for today—and for mysanity—it may be for the best.”
He disappears quickly behind the bathroom door, and I slump onto the bed, my shaky legs unable to hold me up. Nathan and his flowery words and his longing glances are getting to me. I know we started this whole thing topretendto be in love, and that he has some very real, very unresolved feelings for his ex, but with each passing second, with each anguished sigh he gives, it feels like this is growing into something else. Something more.
I rub my aching temples, loosening my ponytail to relieve the pressure building behind my eyes. There’s no point trying to figure it all out now. Nathan and I need to talk about what’s brewing here between us, and formysanity, we need to do it sooner rather than later. But first, I must find an outfit that hides my figure and get ready for a day of doing something I will enjoy, planned by a man I’m falling for.
How is this my life?
CHAPTER 19
KATIE
With one eye on the bathroom door and my keen ears listening to the running water signalling a showering Nathan, I rummage through the drawers where all my clothes have been unpacked and neatly stowed by the lovely Giselle, whose main purpose during these last couple of days has been to make my life easier.
Needless to say, I love her.
“What to wear? What to wear?” I murmur, flicking through one outfit after the next. They’re all figure-hugging, and I’m perplexed by how that happened. Rosie must have done some magical sleight of hand during our shopping excursion. “Ah, this may work.”
My hand stops on the one item of clothing I actually owned before Nathan stormed back into my life and purchased a new wardrobe for me. It’s my favourite t-shirt. Merle grey, threadbare soft from many, many washes, with the red King’s College logo printed in the top right-hand corner. I’m not sure what was running through my mind when I added this to my suitcase at the last minute, but slipping it over my head and pairing it with a simple pair of denim shorts and mywhite Reebok runners, I’m more myself than I have been since entering that first-class lounge three days ago.
“So, you just look incredible in everything, then?” Nathan’s soft musing tears me away from where I’m staring out at the water. I turn to watch him walk towards me. And talk about incredible. The man makes a simple pair of shorts and a polo shirt look positively sinful.
“Um?” I fiddle with the edge of my shorts, wishing that, despite their name, they were a little bit longer. “Given the scarcity of information about today’s activities, I’m flying blind here. I hope this is okay?”
His eyes crinkle, and his dimple flashes. “It’s perfect.” He looks at his watch. “We’d better get going.”
I grab my Gucci tote (so, not one hundred per cent pre-Nathan-Katie, but now that I own it, you’ll have to pry this bag out of my cold, dead hands) and follow behind him. We hurry along the jetty towards the reception area, my feet dragging as we bypass the gorgeous restaurant hosting the even more gorgeous breakfast buffet.
“Believe me, Kitty Kat,” Nathan says, his gaze following mine. “You won’t want to indulge in that today.”
I sigh with a touch of longing and follow behind him. I trust he knows what he’s doing by denying me the breakfast feast I crave. And also, there’s always tomorrow.
“Let’s go!”
Nathan’s excitement is infectious, and I follow along beside him, easily keeping up in my trusty shoes. We jump in the waiting golf buggy, and as we bump along the winding roads, my stomach gurgles an unhappy sound. I pat it to keep it in line.
“Not too long to wait now,” Nathan whispers to my belly. I giggle at the absurdity of this big man placating my noisy organs.
“So, I’m guessing it’s something with food?”
His eyes twinkle back at me as he mimes zipping his lips. I tear my gaze away from his animated (beautiful) face and take in my surroundings. St. Lucia, as I had imagined, is dazzling from every angle. Even now, as we move away from the ocean vista and further inland, the lush tropical landscape steals my breath. And for the millionth time since we got here, I say a quiet thanks to my mum for urging me to agree to this crazy scheme that has me so out of my comfort zone, but also has brought me to exactly where I’m supposed to be.
“We’re here.”
‘Here’ is the Doux Estate.
Huh. Still unclear what we’re doing here.
“Trust me.”
I take his offered hand and jump out of the buggy, walking beside him and taking it all in. Has he brought me to another hotel to eat? I’m about to ask this when I see it. The sign up ahead of us.
