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“I’ve told her we’re taking it slow,” he said shrugging.
“Or you could’ve been honest and saved us the hassle,” I said.
“Why haven’t you told your parents it’s a lie then?”
He was right. It was easier said than done. Besides, my mom had already told her bridge friends about my engagement. She’d never forgive me if I said it was all a mistake.
“I’m waiting for the right time,” I told him, digging into the food. The restaurant was getting louder. The place was packed with patrons. No wonder Christian had to pre-book our table, you probably couldn’t make reservations on the same day at a place like this.
“You’ll never find a right time,” he told me, lifting his glass and taking a drink.
“How about we let it come to a natural conclusion then? Maybe a few months and then we say things just didn’t work out,” I suggested.
He shook his head, grimacing slightly.
“Mom will be awfully disappointed. She’s already talking wedding decorations with her designer.”
“Well, unless you plan on giving me a ring, we’ve got no choice but to call it off.”
“I could give you a ring, if that’s what you want,” he said smiling suggestively.
“Do you want to give me a ring, or would you be doing it just to please your parents?” I asked him, leaning forward.
“I love my mom, but getting married to please her would be going too far,” he answered “Anyway, you’ll probably want nothing to do with me after all this.”
Don’t be too sure about that, I thought. I wasn’t too certain myself. Christian and I as an item didn’t sound so bad anymore. Maybe the bet hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.
“Let’s just see,” I said noncommittally. I didn’t want to dwell on my reasons for even vaguely considering the craziness. It just couldn’t happen.
Christian asked for the bill. I picked up my purse and waited patiently while he paid. I was still hung up on my reaction to the topic of the ring. I should have been revolted, but for some reason, my brain didn’t think a ring would be so bad.
I needed to get away from Christian from a few days. It was just as well we were leaving Italy soon, but then we’d be moving on to Paris, and that was the very home of romance. None of this was good for my heart, none of it at all.
Christian got up and stretched his hands out to me. I gave him my hands, and he spread his fingers over them, and kissed them, his lips warm against my skin. My heartbeat exploded in my chest, my face getting so hot, forcing me to look away from him.
No way spending more time with Christian was a good idea.
***
Christian’s POV
I watched Alex greedily as she swam to the edge of the pool and got out, her skin wet and glistening, the glow of the pool lights giving it an ethereal quality. I groaned silently and looked away. This hadn’t been a good idea. Matter of fact, it had been a terrible idea. I should’ve kept her in the room, dressed.
We'd arrived in Paris about three days ago, and had spent most of the evenings together, exploring the mild beauty of the country. Alex found the more popular landmarks too crowded. She didn’t like crowds.
We’d be leaving tomorrow, travelling back to Miami, to our parents and to the noise and bustle of friends, but for this moment, it was just the two of us, at this ever so private pool, and I was starting to regret this party for two.
“Why do you look sick?” Alex asked, settling beside me. "You’re, sweating."
If I spent another moment beside her, I’d ravish her, and there would be no stopping it. She looked almost edible in the red bikini she'd thrown on for our little dip in the pool. They’d spent the whole day in the house, and I'd offered to have the pool warmed up. I'd loved the idea until she stepped out of the room nearly naked. I'd been sporting a raging hard on ever since. No way she hadn’t noticed.
I dove into the warmish water, my hard-on intensifying as I thought about all the ways I could be keeping Alex warm, all the ways I could be having her right in this moment.
Snap out of it, I thought, shaking the naked Alex images out of my head. I heard splashing and turned to see her swimming toward me, her arms parting the water expertly, gliding right past me.
“Oh, I didn’t know this was the Olympics,” I teased, coming up fast behind her. Only problem was, my attention kept reverting to her butt as it jiggled in her bikini bottoms with each kick of her legs.
Alex made it to the far edge of the pool and popped her hands out of the water, celebrating her win.
