just put down and then lays one of his cards down.
Not one I need. Ugh.
“I want to though before I leave. I mean, when else will I get the chance to have a bath outside, where no one can see me and I get to see the view of the ocean from the tub?”
I pick up another card from the deck. Ooh, I can use this one. I ditch one of my useless cards onto the stack.
“We should take a bath. Together,” West says to me.
“When?”
“Now.”
“Now?” I frown. “But it’s still raining. And we’re in the middle of a deciding game here, in case you forgot.”
“I didn’t forget.” He picks up a card from the pack. “We’re taking a bath, Dillon.” He glances out at the rain. “I reckon it’s gonna stop soon anyway.”
I kid you not; it’s like the clouds themselves are listening to him and are willing to give him what he wants because it stops raining not even a minute later.
I stare at him and then at the outside, where the sun has come out to play. Then back at him. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you could actually control the weather.”
He grins. “Maybe I can.” He drops a card on the stack. “Now, go run that bath because rummy,” he says, laying his cards down.
Motherfucker.
He won.
He bloody fucking won.
Ugh!
I stand up, tossing my cards on the table between us. “I can’t believe you won,” I huff. “Stupid fucking game anyway.”
I stomp away from him in the direction of the bathtub to the sound of his low chuckle.
I can’t believe he won again. I always win when I play cards.
Well, we’re definitely having a rematch because I’m not leaving it there.
I turn on the bath taps and pop the plug in. Testing the hot water, I go in and grab the complimentary bubble bath. I pour some under the running water. It smells divine. So, I pour a little more in.
I love lots of bubbles in the bath.
I’m standing, watching the bath fill, when the sound of West’s voice turns me around.
“Have you stopped sulking yet?” He steps out of the bathroom to join me on the concealed deck, where the bathtub sits, and hands me my refilled glass of wine.
I take it from him and toss some wine back. “I wasn’t sulking,” I mutter.
“Uh-huh.”
“Losing doesn’t bother me. At all.”
“Okay.”
“I just know I can play that game well and—”
“Dillon.”
“What?”
He plants his lips on mine, kissing me, stealing all words and thoughts from me.
“Hmm,” he murmurs against my lips. “You taste sweet from those gummy bears.”
“I taste sweet because I am sweet.”
West takes the glass of wine from my hand and sets it down on the ledge beside the bath along with his bottle of beer.
Then, he reaches a hand back and pulls his T-shirt over his head in one swift move. His shorts are next to go.
Of course, I’m standing and watching the show.
Because wowsers.
Honestly, I think I could be with this guy a lifetime and still never get used to how he looks naked.
Not that I have a lifetime with him. Just one more week.
“You’re naked,” I stupidly say as he’s tying his hair back.
A chuckle. “Not totally naked.” He gestures to his boxer shorts. “But I am about to get in the bath, and usually, nakedness accompanies that.”
“True.”
“You, however, are still fully clothed.”
“How many hours in the gym did it take to get those abs?” I haven’t taken my eyes off his abs. They’re like the sun. You just have to look, even knowing you’ll get retinal burns.
“A lot.”
“I have honestly never seen abs like yours in real life. They’re amazing.”
A deep laugh rumbles in his chest. “Your honesty is good for my ego.”
I lift my eyes to his. “Seriously. I have never seen a body like yours outside of television.”
“I’ve never seen a body like yours.”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” I laugh. “Unless you’re calling me fat?” I tease.
“Definitely not calling you fat. And I’m serious, Dillon. You’re fucking beautiful. You know that, right?”
I don’t say anything because I don’t know. When I look in the mirror, I see how much I look like my mother. My eyes, nose, chin, hair … all her. We get told all the time that we could be sisters. My mum, of course, loves that.
I know she’s beautiful.
But when I look at myself in the mirror, it’s not beauty I see. I just see a really sad girl who wants more than anything for her mother, who she