As delicate as her hands are, she has a grip like a vice. She’s frozen in place as the turtle circles us once, then carries on with its turtle business, dropping to the sandy bottom and nosing around for food.
When it’s clear the turtle isn’t coming back for a second look, Lil pops to the surface and pulls off her mask.
“That was … it was …” She shakes her head, unable to find words to express what her face is clearly screaming. Her eyes areglowing, and her smile is as blinding as the sun reflecting off the sea.
I’ve never seen Lilavati look more beautiful, despite the red creases on her face from the seal of the snorkel mask.
We’re face to face, treading water, our legs tangling like seagrass in the current. I know I need to tell her the truth about my businesses before this goes any further. But it’s not the brain in my head that’s in charge right now. I can’t help myself. I can’t resist any longer. I have to kiss her.
I slide my hand around the back of her head and pull her closer until her breasts brush my chest. I’m about to plant my lips on hers when an arc of water splashes over our heads, hitting me square in the face.
Chapter Sixteen
Lilavati
I’m jerked from the spell Ant has me under by a literal dose of cold water.
“Get a room,” an American voice yells from beside us. I look over to see three teens, laughing hysterically.
Ant grins, but there’s also a trace of disappointment in his eyes. He still has one arm wrapped around my waist, the other cupping the back of my head, but he’s pulled back slightly, allowing the water to flow between us, cooling us down.
It takes me a moment to gather my wits. They seem to be floating away on a current of sea water and hormones.
“Oh. I dropped my mask,” I say stupidly. But I’m glad for the distraction, because the idea of addressing what almost happened is too confronting. I need time to process. And to feel less, well, less needy.
“I’ll get it.” Looping the strap of his mask over my arm, Ant duck dives beside me with one strong kick. I glare at the teenagers who, now that we no longer look like we’re about tomake out, have lost interest and are swimming away, splashing and dunking each other.
It feels like an eternity before Ant surfaces with a rush of water and a gasp, handing me my mask and pushing his unruly hair out of his eyes.
“What do you reckon, time for lunch?”
I’m having trouble keeping up with the transition. One minute, Ant seemed about to kiss the life out of me, the next, I’m being half drowned, and now I’m being offered lunch as if none of that ever happened. Needing a moment to regain my equilibrium, I nod.
Ant duck dives again, and I feel him tugging the flippers from my feet.
We wade out of the water and dry off in silence.
“So, we could find a shady spot by the pool and have lunch there, or would you rather get room service and eat on the lanai?”
I think about the big circular outdoor bed on the lanai. How it would be the perfect place for an afternoon nap. Between the time difference and a morning of unaccustomed exercise, a nap is exactly what I need.
“You promised room service and a nap on the lanai,” I remind him.
“Room and nap it is.” Ant shakes the excess water off the snorkel gear and puts it in its mesh bags, grabs our towels and starts off up the beach.
I doubt we’ll ever be able to eat everything we ordered for lunch. A seafood cobb salad, assorted wraps and a pineapple ‘boat’ filled with fresh fruit and honey. But it seems like snorkelling,and maybe almost kissing Ant, has given me a ravenous appetite.
“I think that was the best experience of my life,” I say, loading my plate up. It takes a second of silence from Ant, and the look in his eye, for me to work out he’s wondering whether I mean the snorkelling or the electric moment when our mouths nearly connected. “Snorkelling with a turtle,” I add. The almost-kiss was a very close second. Although, I have a feeling that if it had been an actual kiss, the rankings might possibly be reversed.
He grins as if this is exactly the answer he was expecting, and that the elephant in the room doesn’t exist. I can work with that. I’ve spent my life ignoring elephants.
“How did you know there were turtles in the bay? How do you know so much about snorkelling in Hawaii?” I ask.
The grin morphs into a secretive smile.
“You’d be amazed at the mysteries you can unlock on the internet,” he responds. That doesn’t feel like an honest answer, but whatever. I had too good a time to ruin it by questioning him.
When there’s not much left on the table but pickings, I fall onto the big outdoor bed.
