I groaned and covered my face with my hands.
“What’s wrong, Tal?” His tone was husky. “Intimidated by my twin peaks of perfection?”
“Yes.” I smacked him on the right peak. “That’s exactly what’s wrong.” I pulled my hand away and wiped it on my shorts. “Your chest is really…wet.”
“That’s called sweat. Because it’s stupid hot out here. We should get in the water with the rest of the smart people and cool down.”
“I can’t.” My hands were back over my face.
He grabbed my wrists and pulled me against him. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you want to get in the water?”
I let my forehead fall against his shoulder and spit it out as fast as I could. “I couldn’t find my suit so I was forced to wear this string bikini that could double as an eye patch, that Anna ‘just happened’ to have in her car.” I made quote marks. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Brooklyn hid my suit.”
He chuckled. “Then get in with your shirt on. I don’t care what you wear. I just want to be with you. And I also want to not melt.”
My heart fluttered at his sweetness. His acceptance of me and my issues. “I’ll look stupid being the only one wearing a T-shirt.”
“I’ll put mine back on.” He took a step toward the chair where he’d laid it.
I grabbed his arm, stopping him. “No.” I didn’t meet his eye when I said, “Nobody wants you to put your shirt back on.”
“Nobody, huh?” I could hear the smirk in his voice.
“Yes. Nobody.” I blew out my breath in an O. “I just gotta…rip off the bandaid.”
“I’ve seen you in a suit before. You’re pretty hot. Even in that spandex strangler from the nineties you usually wear.” His eyes went from playful to intense in less than a second. “C’mon, Tal. You know you’re gorgeous. The gorgeous-est. Own it.”
“Gorgeous-est? You’d lose your job if Bell heard you say that.” My hands pressed against my flaming cheeks. “But you saw me in a suit…before.” Before he was my boyfriend. Before he knew what he knew. Just…before.
His expression softened. “Do you want me to look away? Wait for you to get in the water and then I’ll get in?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “No. I may as well get this over with.”
I reached down, grabbed the bottom of my T-shirt, and yanked it up and over my head as fast as I could. I lookeddown at myself, my chest inhaling and exhaling visibly. Then, slowly, I looked up.
His eyes lifted right behind mine, taking in my stomach and chest, admiring me appreciatively. I had more up-top than Brooklyn but less than Anna. And way less than Peyton.
His head tilted. “Gorgeous-est-est?” He shoved his hand into his bangs, looking slightly flustered. “Sorry, my internal dictionary just combusted. Might take a minute to put out the flames.”
I blushed but I made myself stay there, letting him take me in. I would not squirm. I would not cower. The way he was looking at me, with love and respect, and like I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, flushed away some of the nerves.
My hands came to my hips, matching his. “I have stretch marks. Two of them. From the pregnancy. I know you can see them.”
His forehead furrowed as he searched me. “Not seeing them.”
I pointed to my right side.
He shook his head and his eyes met mine again. “Still don’t see anything. But even if that’s true, I would love them because they’re part of you.”
I searched his face, looking for any sign that he was placating me. He wasn’t.
I sunk down with relief. “You know if you keep saying and doing sweet stuff like that, I’m just going to fall even harder.”
He leaned down and nipped at my lips. “Looks like my evil plan is working.”
Before I lost my nerve, I undid the button on my shorts and let them drop to the ground. But I couldn’t meet his eyes this time. It was too much. So I took off for the water, yelling over my shoulder, “Last one in has to speak in rhymes for the next hour!”
I could hear his footsteps pounding behind me. I ran faster, determined to beat him. Rhymes were the worst. I was almost to the shoreline when his strong arms hooked around me, lifting me off my feet. I shrieked in delight.
