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Veronica grimaced and laid on the snark thick when she said, “Lucky me.”
Laughter rang out around the table. Then we all agreed to regroup for dinner at seven at the Forodhani Gardens Night Market. Veronica and I also planned to meet downstairs in an hour, which meant I had time to go to the suite to brush my teeth, change into my swim trunks, and gather some things to take to Jambiani Beach with us.
To say I was excited about spending some quality time with her was an understatement. Although I have to admit that when I walked to the lobby at the appointed time, part of me doubted she’d even show. But there she was, looking relaxed, a slight smile playing on her lips.
“Surprised to see me?” she asked.
“A bit,” I admitted. “Given our history …”
She sighed, the lightness in her eyes fading a bit. “Running from you is exhausting, August. I need to be a big girl and deal with you head on. I don’t know, maybe we could be friends. I’m testing the waters, but just so you know, I can totally resist your charm in case you try to make it more than it is.”
My smile widened. “So, you admit I’m still charming?”
Her smirk was quick. “I’m not very discerning.”
I chuckled. “You’re the pickiest girl I know. And you have excellent taste.”
Veronica placed her hands on her hips. “I think it’s time for you to stop talking now.”
I mimed zipping my mouth shut and held in a laugh.
We took the hotel shuttle to Jambiani Beach, one of the more popular beaches in Zanzibar, known for sand so white it was almost blinding, and water as clear as the filtered water back home at the palace.
Stripping down to our swimsuits, we got ready to jump into the water. Then I caught Veronica’s eyes wandering across my body.
“What was that?” I asked with a chuckle.
She hesitated with an answer, then her gaze darted away before she finally said, “I saw a white spot on your skin and was curious about what it was. Now, I can see it was just sunscreen.” She avoided eye contact and double-checked the strings on each side of her bikini bottom to make sure they were secure.
“You’re a horrible liar,” I said.
“And you need to have better judgment of when to listen to that quiet little voice in your head that tells you when to speak your mind and when to just keep things in your head as a thought,” Veronica said.
I nodded, then had some fun. My eyes roamed her body without my saying a word, a grin a mile wide on my face.
“But keep in mind that I also know what you’re thinking,” she added.
“That’s nothing new,” I said, then pulled the bottle of sunscreen from my bag and held it in her direction. “Speaking of sunscreen, can you get my back?”
Veronica paused, eyeing the bottle of sunscreen before taking it from my hand. Her touch was hesitant but precise as she began applying the lotion to my back. There was something about the way her fingers moved that made my heart race slightly. I couldn’t help but relish the feel of her hands on my skin, even when I knew very well, she was taking great pains to make it nothing more than a clinical exercise.
“You’re much too quiet,” she said, snapping the cap back on the bottle and handing it to me. “Don't get any ideas, August.”
I chuckled. “Who, me? Never. Just appreciating the help.”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t quite hide a smile. “Yeah, right …”
I held up the sunscreen again. “You sure you don’t need some help too? We’re pretty close to the equator, you know. And with your fair skin …”
Veronica hesitated, then turned around, exposing her back. “Maybe just the middle part. I might have missed a spot. Daphne left the hotel room before I could ask for her help.”
“Let’s start from the top, just to be sure,” I said, as I began applying sunscreen to her shoulders, slowly working my way down.
The warmth and smoothness of her skin under my hands was a treat to my senses. Veronica was right; I needed to control my thoughts, or I was going to get myself in trouble.
“You’d better not be enjoying this,” she warned, her voice a mix of jest and caution.
“Just thinking about your health,” I replied, spreading the sunscreen thoroughly and taking my sweet time. “You should know that.”
