“It was fun,” I interject, “I’ll admit, I didn’t think it would be. But I like dancing with you,” I lean down and brush my lips over hers again.
“You don’t have to thank me, Hazel. I love you, and I’m glad you like it, but you know how happy it makes me to do stuff like this for you. I want to give you the world.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she says, shaking her head and smiling, “You’re too good to me.”
“Right back at you,” I assure her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
We both turn to face the ocean for a moment, my arms around her. It’s a sweet moment, both of us watching the sea and just basking in each other’s company. “Why don’t we go take a walk along the beach?” I suggest, “I know you’ve been dying to get your tows in the sand.”
Her face lights up. “Can we?”
“So long as you don’t mind making a quick detour up to the room, we can get some sandals and maybe you can change into shorts so you can walk along the water.”
She’s out of her chair in an instant, offering me her hand. “Let’s go!”
Laughing, I take her hand and let her lead me up to our room so we can change shoes. We both opt to change into swimsuits, too, so that if we decide to turn our walk into an impromptu swim, we won’t end up too waterlogged.
Hazel goes to put her hair up in the bathroom, and I take advantage of the moment alone to grab the ring box. I still haven’t decided on a moment, but I’d like to stay prepared in case it strikes. And fortunately the swim trunks I’m wearing have a couple of bulky cargo pockets, so it’s not like she’s likely to notice.
Just as I’ve gotten the metal snaps fastened, ensuring that the box won’t end up falling out and tumbling to the bottom of the sea, Hazel steps out.
The bikini I’d bought for her was simple, black with white polka dots, but she’s an absolute knockout in it. Pulled into a high ponytail, her blonde hair highlights her face light a halo. I’m still not convinced that she’s not an angel come to earth.
Her brow furrows. “Everything ok?” she asks, “You’re staring. Is something tied wrong or on backwards?” she looks down at herself.
“Not at all, everything’s perfect,” I assure her, “You’re perfect.”
Her cheeks turn crimson. “And you’re totally not biased at all,” she teases, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Oh, I’ll fully admit that I’m biased, but if I were speaking from that place of bias, I’d say you’re a goddess made flesh, an ethereal creature of such beauty and grace that I’m unworthy of your very presence.”
“Stop,” she protests, reddening even more, but smiling all the same, “You’re too much.”
“Can’t help it,” I tell her, making my way over to her and pulling her closer to me, looking down into those beautiful copper-colored eyes, “I’m pretty crazy about you.”
She gazes up at me adoringly. “The feeling is mutual.”
For a brief moment, I wonder if this is it, the perfect moment, but while it’s sweet and tender, I feel like there’s just something missing, so I resist the urge to reach for my pocket. “Come on, gorgeous, let’s go enjoy some sun and sand.”
Part of me kicks myself, wondering if I’ve missed out on an opportunity, but I remind myself that there’s still plenty of time on this trip, and that the right moment will come.
I just hope I’ll know it when it does…
Chapter Six
Chip
There’s an immediate sigh of pure relief the moment my back hits the mattress. I’d pretty much just walked in the door to my place, kicked off my shoes, and flopped back on the bed.
Once I’d wrapped up my last class for the day, I’d gone down to the employee gym in the hopes of burning off some excess energy and tension, and while I feel like I was largely pretty successful, my body is definitely protesting the long day.
Although being alone and met with silence leaves me to turn back to the thoughts that have been plaguing me every moment I’m not otherwise occupied.
I can’t stop thinking about Hazel and Brendon. The two of them have been a mental image plastered inside my skull since I first laid eyes on them last night. The attraction feels like an itch in my blood, something I can’t seem to escape.
Thinking about it, I haven’t gotten laid in probably a good 9 months, at least. Realistically, I think it’s been longer than that, but like I’d told them, time feels different out here. So it makes a certain amount of sense that I’d be drooling over such an attractive pair.
But even so, it feels a little intense. If I were just horny, that’d be one thing, but it doesn’t really explain why I want to spend more time just hanging out and talking with them.