“Is it a particularly long walk to the villa?”
“You two are adorable.”
“Uh, right. Thanks. Is it, though?”
She shrugged. “It’s doable, but after a long day of travel? Especially lugging baggage? I’d stick with that sexy husband of yours.”
Heath wished he could tell her he’d been carrying baggage his entire life, so another mile wouldn’t kill him, but the woman had suffered enough. With a polite word of thanks, he followed the footprints of his new ball and chain down a short dirt path that ended in a narrow parking area.
“C’mon, Lennox. Meter’s running.”
Heath withered at the sight of Westin with his legs kicked up on the dashboard, dirty feet crossed on top of the dash. “I’m not riding with you.”
He lifted his chin and walked past, then jumped with a shriek when Westin honked the horn.
“Jesus!”
“It’s a serious hike, man. Just get in.”
“No.”
Heath continued his stoic march. His heavy bag bounced against his hip with every step on the uneven terrain. This was going to be a miserable mile.
Westin pulled up next to him and kept pace. “You can’t be serious.”
“I can, and I am.”
“Those are terrible walking shoes. You’ll get a blister. You really want to spend the first half of your vacation with a blister?”
“These shoes are very comfortable, thanks,” he lied. They were ancient and already pinching, and it was way too hot for socks and leather shoes.
“Why are you like this?”
Heath stopped and dropped his bag, facing the cart with hands perched on his hips. “Me?What aboutyou?Why do you care if I get blisters? I’m not your brother, or nephew, or cousin twice removed. Why should you care about anything I do?”
“Because we’re newlyweds, pooks. I want only the best for you.”
“We are not—stop calling me that!”
“You prefer Shnookums?”
“I prefer you to leave me alone!”
“Can’t. Like it or not, we’re stuck together for as long as the family is around. So get in. It’ll be even more miserable if you’re uncomfortable.”
Heath threw up his hands and paced in a circle. “I’malreadyuncomfortable. This has been the worst six hours of my life, and I teachhigh school!”
“You think I’m happy about this?”
“You sure look it.”
The serious expression cracked, and Westin smiled—broad, toothy, and radiant. The spectacular sight of it made Heath want to throw things. Big, heavy things.
“Guilty. I think this is hilarious.”
In the bright sun, his hair was coppery crimson and the freckles across his nose even more visible. Those freckles would become more pronounced with sun exposure. They’d also multiply. By week’s end, someone so fair and ginger would be covered in them.
To make matters worse, Westin’s shirt was now fully unbuttoned, and the wispy linen hung off his shoulders to flutter in the gentle breeze. It called attention to his broad chest and flat stomach, as though either required framing to draw the eye.
