“Christ, of course he has. He really doesn’t make loving him easy.”
And still, I feared I might be starting to. It had been creeping up on me since the night he’d held me together on that crappy, rusted garden chair and told me there was nothing ugly about me.
“Oh, I have a great idea!” Heather gasped, turning to me fully on the bench.
“The last time you had a great idea you delivered a vibrator to your brother.”
“And look how well that worked out.”
You like it rougher.
My entire body burned. A little too well, perhaps. “I’m taking the girls to Dunvegan Castle tomorrow. How about Teddy comes along? I’ll take them for cake in the café, and they can have a sleepover; they’ll love it.” She gently elbowed me in the ribs. “And it gives you guys a full day and night to hash this out, declare your feelings and then share a very PG evening of hand-holding.”
There was nothing to hash out. Alistair was leaving. Even if what Heather had said was true, and his feelings for me were starting to change, he’d never stay for me.
I wouldn’t ask him to.
But this offer, an uninterrupted day with Alistair. All alone.
If we did have sex, maybe that would be enough. Just once, to get it out of our systems.
It was entirely possible this would blow up in my face. That I was a lonely idiot who didn’t know the difference between lust and . . . more. But that didn’t stop my stomach fizzing with anticipation.
There would be no lying. No worrying that Teddy was growing overly attached.
I nodded, and Heather’s face lit up. She clearly had no idea what I was thinking. “That actually sounds perfect.”
“Yes!” She clapped her hands. “I can’t wait to say, ‘I told you so,’ when you’re my sister-in-law.”
It was a stupid joke. But something in my chest took flight.
A hopeful little bird.
29
Isla
Cameron: Can we talk, Isla?
Cameron: Call me when you’re free. I’ll come over. It’s really important.
“At least give it a try,” Alistair said first thing Saturday morning, as though he could already hear the “Absolutely not” building on my lips.
Sand seeped into my sandals, making my getaway impossible. “You know, this wasn’t really what I had in mind when you suggested a day at the beach.”
When I’d texted him about Heather’s offer to take Teddy for the day, his reply had been instantaneous:Leave it with me, I have the perfect date in mind.
An intrigued eyebrow flicked over the rim of his sunglasses. “You’d prefer to sunbathe?”
“Yes, actually.” I folded my arms.
It was the perfect weather for it.
It was the first weekend of August, bringing with it what would likely be the only day of summer we’d get here on Skye.
Sunlight refracted off the water like tiny diamonds and not a single cloud marred the clear blue horizon. The warm breeze tossed stray curls from my braid and stuck my dress to my body. I’d noticed Alistair staring when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.
He wasn’t the only one struggling.
