Stand-In Saturday (Love For Days #2) - Kirsty Moseley Page 0,38
I don’t even bother trying. It’ll likely get ruined again on the beach anyway. I’ll have a nice, long shower tonight and even vow to leave my conditioner on for the recommended two minutes as a treat.
Looking in the mirror, I grin at myself. It’s nice to feel so carefree for a change. This feels more like the person I used to be when I was younger—before I had to adult. Theo is so easy to be around, and because I’m not trying to impress him or date him (contrary to Aubrey’s numerous text messages of encouragement this morning), I don’t have to worry about putting on an act or behaving how people might expect me to. This is the type of freedom I’ve only ever really had with Aubrey. It’s lovely.
ten
Lucie
Back at the hotel, we gorge on cheese toasties, crisps, and chocolate chip muffins, and then we head up to our room to pack for the beach. I don’t bother to change my clothes. I just grab us fresh towels and my book, stuffing them into my oversize beach bag.
Theo glances at it and smiles. “Why are all your bags always so massive?”
“They make my bum look great.” It’s a joke, but his eyes drop straight down to it as he purses his lips.
“To be honest, I think it’s your bum that makes your bum look great.” He turns away and shrugs, picking up a sketchbook and pack of pencils from under his pillow.
My face flushes with pleasure.
He pushes his items into my bag too. Then, he walks to the mini fridge and pulls out cans of Coke and 7UP.
“Do you take your sketchpad everywhere?” I eye it, itching to peek inside. I know his drawings are incredible. After I learned who he was, Aubrey and I looked him up—stalker-style—his socials, his website, his published books.
“Yeah, pretty much. I love drawing. I’m lucky I get paid to do something I’m passionate about.”
“That’s why I want to be an editor. Imagine being paid to read.” I sigh dreamily.
Plucking my sun cream from the side, I head to the bathroom and slather myself up in all the places I can reach. When I come back out, he’s doing the same, rubbing oil into his legs. I resist the urge to offer my assistance.
Once ready, we head downstairs to the hotel’s private beach on the edge of the water. I can’t keep the smile from my face. It’s a brilliant, sunny day, and the setting is idyllic. As I step onto the small beach and my toes sink into the sand, I let out a content sigh.
Straight in front of us, closer to the water, Emily and baby Finley are sitting on a blanket in the shade of a beach umbrella. There’s no sign of Carys or her dad though. Theo’s parents are asleep on a couple of towels off to our left, hats over their faces, one of them snoring rather loudly. On our right, Heather is sitting on a white plastic sun lounger. There are a group of loungers all pulled together with towels on them, indicating they’re reserved, and two spare empty ones. Theo nods at them, and we head over, quickly snagging them before anyone else comes along.
“Hey, where’s everyone else?” Theo asks Heather, shielding his eyes and looking around.
She motions with her head back towards the hotel. “They’ve popped to the bar to get drinks.”
I lay out our two towels and then shuck my shorts and vest, folding them and stuffing them under the seat. As I turn to Theo, I catch his eyes roving my body; when he sees me looking, he politely averts his gaze and digs in my bag for a can of drink.
“You have any preference?” He holds up the two cans. When I shake my head, he pops open the 7UP and takes a couple of gulps.
Settling down onto the lounger, I look out over the water. The sun is beating down on me, warming my skin. There’s no breeze. It’s perfection. I’m conscious of burning though, so my factor fifty will be reapplied studiously every hour and a half. No one wants to be tomato red in wedding photos.
“Theo, would you mind rubbing some sun cream on my back?” I smile sweetly and offer him the bottle.
He nods, chewing on his lip as he arches one eyebrow at me. “Okay. But don’t blame me if I get hard. I haven’t been laid in a while.”