“It is,” Tate agreed, his tone muffled. “Gets me every time.”
“Clearly there are plenty of fish in the sea, Tate. You don’t have to resort to picking up women you deem too young.”
“Sadly, I still find you the prettiest.”
Well, well, well.Could you see someone blush under water? “Are you actually complimenting me?”
“You’re a lot of things, Doris-Delores, but unattractive ain’t one of ’em. And I’m positive I don’t need to tell you that.”
I waded over to the reef. When I turned, I found Tate right behind me, smiling beneath his helmet. We were surrounded by colorful fish that wove in and out of the space between us.
One of them swam over to Tate and looked like it was trying to kiss him through his helmet. It wouldn’t leave him alone.
“What the fuck?” He laughed.
“She likes you. She has poor judgment, like me. She’ll find out soon enough that you’re a curmudgeon.”
He spat. “Oh my God. It’s aiming for my mouth. Imagine if there was no barrier?”
“She would’ve been the only living being in your mouth today.” I winked.
“You got a freshmouthon you, Doris-Delores. Trust me, I did you a favor.”
“Well, the joke’s on you, since you accidentally ended up on a date with me anyway.”
“A date? Hardly. What…are we out for seafood?”
“Don’t say that too loudly in front of them.” I looked around. “This is the most unusual but awesome date I’ve ever been on.”
He groaned. “Not a date, but okay.”
What an ass.
We were just inches apart, and his gaze moved down to my breasts briefly before meeting my eyes once again. Perhaps all was not lost.
By the time the dive was over, I had butterflies swarming in my belly for this man. Apparently, I was willing to forgive his rudeness from earlier. Also, somehow, I wasn’t even nauseated on the boat ride back, just aroused. Was that the secret to combatting an upset stomach?
Droplets of water glistened on his perfectly sculpted arms. My eyes feasted on the colorful tattoos covering them. The stubble on his chiseled jaw was also a little wet,enough for me to imagine other things that might cause it to look that way. I was sick in the head to be thirsting after a man who’d humiliated me earlier today.
When I looked up at him, I could see that he’d been watching me watching him with a slight look of amusement. I promptly turned away and continued to ruminate. Was his reaction down at the kiddie pool warranted, though? Had I deserved it for lying about my age? Probably. The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. That seemed more serious than giving a fake name. Maybe if I’d been honest from the beginning, he might’ve given things a shot, despite our age difference.
After we stepped off the boat, I decided to clear the air.
I pulled in a deep breath. “That was fun.”
“Indeed, it was, Doris-Delores.”
“I feel a little wobbly now, though, like I’m still experiencing the motion of the boat.” I held my arms out to balance myself.
He placed his hand on the small of my back. “You okay?” The contact sent a shiver down my spine.
“Yeah,” I breathed. As we walked along the beach toward the main building, I said, “I want to apologize.”
He stopped for a moment. “For what?”
“For lying about my age. That wasn’t fair to you. You should have the right to make an informed decision about who you hook up with. I’m sorry to have put you in that position.”
“No skin off my back, Doris-Delores. It’s all good.” He sighed, looking up at the sky for a moment. “Actually, today has been the most enjoyable day of my trip thus far. Ihave you to thank for that. Even if none of it was expected.”
