“I really should get those pajamas over to Penelope,” she says. “Shit. How am I going to explain what took me so long?”
“Trust me,” I say. “She won’t care. She’ll be too distracted by her friend.”
“Okay. But if she does ask, I’m blaming you.”
“Blame me all you want,” I say. I pull her toward me and give her another kiss. “Actually, you know what? I think you need to be delayed even longer.”
Chapter Five
Sophia
In the days that follow, I feel weightless. I kind of can’t believe that Lucas and I slept together, but it also feels inevitable, you know? Even though we’ve only known each other a few days, it feels right.
It feels so,soright.
On Saturday morning, I wake up feeling a little wistful that it’s my day off from nannying. It’s not just that I’m sad that I won’t get to see Lucas today. I already miss Penelope’s company, too.
But just then, my phone chimes. I grab it and see a text from Lucas.
Pen and I are driving out to the beach today. Feel like coming along?
I smile, but then I hesitate. Does he mean as Penelope’s nanny? Not that I would mind that, but I wish it was clearer.
As if he’s read my mind, another text pops up on the screen.
I should have clarified. I’m asking you if you want to come along for fun. Not to look after Pen. I’ll be the one doing that.
I don’t even have to think about it. I tell him yes.
* * *
The beach is beautiful.Sure, it’s a little crowded. But that doesn’t take away from how wonderful it is to be there. Within a few minutes of arriving, Penelope even spots some of her friends from school and runs off to play with them.
“She knows how to swim, right?” I ask Lucas.
“Yep, she does,” he says. Then, looking at me over his sunglasses, he says, “Hey. I thought I told you that you don’t have to worry about looking after her today.”
“I know, I know,” I say. “I just can’t help it.”
“Well, try.” He shakes out a beach towel and lays it over the sand. “Come on. Let’s relax.”
I peel off my clothes and lay down in my swimsuit. Lucas takes off his shirt and gets onto the beach towel next to me. He looks absolutely delicious in his swim trunks. I wish I could straddle him right now.
He catches me staring at him. “Jesus. You should see your face.”
“Sorry,” I say, laughing. “I can’t help myself.”
“Believe me, I’m having a hard time controlling myself, too,” he says. Then he leans over to kiss me—chastely, since we’re in public—and whispers, “More later.”
I swallow, feeling my nipples grow hard under my swimsuit. I have to turn away from him to reel myself in. Luckily, looking out at the ocean and focusing on everything else around us does the trick.
As I’m absorbing our surroundings, a couple of women walk by where we’re relaxing. They look over at Lucas and myself, then one of them leans over to the other and says something. The other woman laughs and glances at us again as they walk past.
“What the hell was that?” I ask Lucas. “Do you know them?”
Lucas lifts his head and looks over at the two women, who are a few dozen feet away from us now. He sighs. “Yeah. Their kids go to Penelope’s school.”
“Oh.”