‘Fine,’ she conceded, ‘if we have to.’
The cove was completely empty, except for a few stray dogs seeking refuge in the slivers of shade, and so the pair settled themselves right in the very centre. Olivia could feel the sand scorching her through the denim of her shorts. Sweat began to bead across her forehead as the sun bore down on them.
‘Tell me you have a bikini packed in this freaking suitcase of yours?’ Jacob nudged Olivia’s bag with his toe. ‘And some sun cream. Even I think I’m at risk of frying today.’
‘Who do you think I am?’ She fished out a bottle of factor fifty and handed it to Jacob. ‘Some kind of novice?’
‘Nope, you’re a lifesaver.’ He whipped off his T-shirt and turned himself away from her. ‘Will you do my back?’
A pang of longing struck her hard at the sight of his mahogany skin.
‘Sure.’ She took the bottle and began to spray the cream liberally, trying not to laugh as he squirmed.
‘God, that’s cold.’
‘Sit still, or it will be patchy!’
Olivia ran her hands up and down the length of him, the muscles in his back firm beneath her touch, the tugging in her stomach growing sharper and more intense.
‘There we go. All done.’
He craned his neck over his shoulder. ‘Promise me you haven’t drawn something rude in the cream so I’ll wake up with a beautifully artistic burn on my back?’
‘Really?’
‘What! It’s good to check.’
‘Not everyone is as immature as you, Jacob. The thought of doing that wouldn’t even have crossed my mind.’
‘You never know – you’re already quite different from the Olivia I met in Delhi.’
‘Am I?’
‘Definitely.’ He looked her up and down, her skin tingling wherever his eyes touched. ‘You seem, I don’t know …’ He dropped his head to the side. ‘You just look different.’
Olivia held out her freckled arms. ‘Less ghostly white?’
‘Maybe, although still at risk of becoming a lobster if you don’t cream up.’ He reached out his hand. ‘Shall I do your back?’
The thought of Jacob’s hands on her body made her want to scream in ecstasy and die from embarrassment all at once.
‘Yes, but I need to change into my swimsuit first.’
‘Good point.’
‘Do you … erm … do you mind maybe …?’ She gestured in the opposite direction to where he was facing.
‘Oh! Of course. I’ll look over here.’
‘Thanks.’
Jacob dutifully turned away from her, as Olivia awkwardly removed her clothes and tried to put on her bikini as quickly as possible. Why had she not done this at home? Everybody knew it was impossible to change into a swimming costume without accidentally flashing a boob or worse …
‘You OK back there?’
‘Uh-huh,’ she replied, squirming her way into her bikini bottoms, hoisting them up along with a bucketload of sand. ‘Although I have to say, that seemed much easier when I was thirteen.’
‘Isn’t everything?’
