Ella’s out of her clothes and into a bikini in record time – her baby bump non-existent – then Darcy hoists her onto his back and charges into the water.They crash down together, sending a wave rolling to shore.
‘You getting in?’comes a voice from behind me.
I turn – and there’s Luke.
Wading into the water.Shirtless.Wet.
His gaze doesn’t move from mine as the water climbs higher up his torso, tracing every inch of muscle as if it’s personally invested.My eyes, naturally, do a similar sweep in reverse – those arms that had me pinned against a kitchen counter this morning, those abs that qualify as weapons-grade, and that V-line of muscle that disappears below the water like a well-written cliffhanger.
He’s watching me watch him, a small, smug smile playing on his lips.
Oh, it’s likethat,is it?Game on, cowboy.
Without breaking eye contact, I step out of my boots.Peel off my socks.And then – slowly – I lift the hem of my dress.
I’d come prepared with a black bikini on underneath.
I keep my gaze on Luke as the dress slides up, over my hips, past my waist.I see the moment his eyes drop.He tries to keep it subtle.He fails.His eyes drag up my body, lingering at my chest before snapping back to my face, where my own smug smile is waiting.
I toss the dress aside and walk into the water, wading over to Abbey as her doughnut spins lazily towards me.
‘Well, that was hot,’ Abbey says in a whisper that isnota whisper.She fans herself dramatically.‘On a scale of Harvey Weinstein to Charlie Hunnam, how much do you want to fuck him again?’
I frown.‘What sort of scale is that?’
She shrugs.‘A good one?’
Dax’s voice travels over the water.‘Over here, you two!’
We paddle towards the others who are climbing onto the rocks by the crashing water.Abbey and I follow, her doughnut squeaking with every step.
‘There’s a hidden pool behind the waterfall,’ Lauren says, practically vibrating with excitement.‘With glow-worms!’
Ella nods enthusiastically.She looks so happy – joyful in a way that makes the flies and the heat and the remote isolation resemble background noise.
I try not to notice Luke watching me as we climb across slippery rocks and duck under the roar of the waterfall.The spray soaks us instantly, cold and powerful.I blink against it, shielding my face – and then we break through.
On the other side is a small blue lagoon, sunlight pouring through the cracks in the rock walls that surround it.
Luke’s behind me – quiet, steady – and even in the middle of an accidental paradise, he’s still the most distracting thing around.
‘Woah,’ Abbey breathes beside me, stunned.
Ella beams.‘Cool, huh?’
She says it proudly, as if she discovered it herself, and maybe she did.I gape at the glowing cave pool – indigo water lit by scattered flecks of bioluminescence, glitter thrown into a galaxy.
‘It’s …’ I try to find the words, but they dissolve somewhere between my chest and my throat.
‘Incredible,’ Luke says from the edge of the pool.But he’s not looking at the water.He’s looking at me.
No one else notices – they’re too busy launching themselves into the water or giggling from wine and wonder.I pretend not to feel his gaze burning through my spine and slide into the water after Ella.Compliments make me itch, and attention makes me feel weird.Probably because my parents never gave me any, but let’s leave that to the therapists, shall we?
‘Jamie jumped on a crocodile today,’ Ella announces.
‘You what?’Abbey coughs into her wine.
Ella continues.‘She handled it like an absolute boss.’
