CHAPTER FOUR
I quickly changed out of my regular clothes and into my one-piece swimsuit. Even though it was fairly modest, I still felt incredibly self-conscious as I looked in the mirror. My dark brown hair was pulled back from my face and I wasn't wearing any makeup.
I was plain, ordinary. I looked like a girl who worked at a diner – not someone who should be hanging out on a nearly private island with a handsome billionaire. My one-piece hugged my body, showcasing my curves – something I'd only begun to accept about myself.
I wasn't some glamorous bikini model or super gorgeous A-list actress, the type of woman somebody like Nico would be expected to be with. I wasn’t unattractive, but I wasn’t stunning either. I had to admit though, that even though I’d been afraid that Nico would demand sex for his favor, I was a little disappointed that he only thought of us as friends. It was completely ridiculous on my part; I couldn’t have it both ways.
I found myself wondering what it might be like to be in Nico’s arms or his bed. Would he be a gentle lover, or would he take what he wanted and not care if I enjoyed myself? The thought of it all left me flushed.
I felt bad the moment I thought about it though. He was married, and he still loved her. She was gone, but I didn't want to replace her. It was a tough spot to be in, and perhaps Nico wasn't quite ready to move on anyway. Maybe that’s why he chose me instead of some model-type. I was someone who wouldn’t tempt him.
Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walked out of my private bathroom and through the sliding glass doors in my room, out onto the back deck. Nico was already out there, lounging on the hammock in nothing but swim trunks. My eyes fell on his perfect six-pack abs. I moved my gaze up his body and admired his toned chest and strong arms as well. He obviously worked out, and there I was with a slightly rounded belly and thighs thicker than I liked them to be.
Working at the diner didn't give me much time, or energy, to work out, so I was a little chunkier than I would have preferred being.
But as my gaze traveled up his body, finally falling on his face, I flushed when I saw that he was smiling back at me. His eyes weren't on my chest or my hips – they were staring deep into my eyes. I couldn't help but smile back at him. If he'd noticed me checking him out, he didn't give it away. Still, my face felt warm all the same.
“Ready to go for a swim?” he asked, sitting up.
I swear it was like he was moving in slow motion as I watched his abs move when he stood up from the hammock and walked over to me. So dreamy, like something out of a magazine, or a cheesy romance movie.
“Yes,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush as my mind filled with very improper thoughts. “All ready.”
“Wanna jump in with me?” he asked.
“Jump in? How deep is it?”
“I don't know, but it's deep enough to go for a dive,” he said, walking to the edge of the patio.
He stared down into the water, and I walked to the edge and joined him. You could see all the way to the bottom, the water was that clear and pristine.
“It's probably cold too,” he said. “But personally, I like diving right in and getting the shock over with. It usually feels so good after that.”
The idea of diving right in to unfamiliar waters scared me, a bit. But Nico was beside me and made me feel safe. If he was willing to do it, I didn't want to chicken out. I nodded, biting my lip and looked into his eyes.
“Okay, let's do it,” I said, a nervous flutter in my belly.
“One... two...” Nico took my hand in his and I held it tight. “Three!”
On three, we both jumped high into the air and came down in the water, which was cold but oh so refreshing, and I went under. At first, I panicked – not having much experience in ocean waters – but Nico pulled me above water, his hands on my waist.
“I’ve got you,” he said, reassuring me as I took a deep breath. “You can swim, can't you?”
“Yes, of course,” I said.
Honestly though, my swimming skills were very basic. I'd learned when I was a kid, in a pool, but it had been years since I'd put that skill to use. I could keep my head above water, but I was by no means going to be swimming laps anytime in the near future.
Nico let me go, and for a second, I panicked, afraid I'd go under again, but I managed to keep my head above crystal-clear water. I was surprised to feel a twinge of sadness when he'd let me go – there was a part of me wanted his arms back around me, holding me up. I liked the way his hands had felt on me as he'd held me with those strong, chiseled arms. I felt safe, secure, like nothing bad would ever happen to me as long as he held me tight.
Neither one of us said a word for a long time, we just relaxed in the water and watched as the sun began to set in the distance. The sky was filled with hues of purple, orange and red, which was gorgeous set against the brilliant blue waters. We were several yards from the beach, but you could hear the water crashing into the shore as well as the pilings below our bungalow.
“Beautiful, isn't it?” I said, feeling at peace for the first time in my life.
When Nico didn't answer, I looked over at him and caught him staring at me, not the sunset that had captured my gaze.
He smiled and quickly looked away. “Yes, yes, it is.”
For a brief second, I swore he was talking about me. I felt a blush creep up my neck and settle in my cheeks. Could he really have been talking about me? I wanted to let myself believe that he was.
The water started getting chilly, but I was reluctant to get out just yet.
“Your lips are turning blue,” Nico said. “Let's dry off and get ready for dinner.”
We swam back to the bungalow and climbed out. He offered me his hand to help me out. I took it, and he lifted me out of the water like I weighed nothing at all. I was standing, in front of him, his hands on me to steady me and our eyes met.
“Thank you for everything,” I said. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you, Sophia,” he said.
His face was so close to mine and the way he looked at me made the butterflies in my stomach swarm. I so badly wanted to reach out and to stroke his face, to kiss his lips. All of this was so new to me, these feelings of attraction and the desire to be with someone. If only he'd kiss me first, I thought. Then all my dreams would come true and I'd have to wonder if perhaps, I wasn't in some fairy tale instead of real life.
I closed my eyes and hoped he'd take the hint, but instead, he took my hand and walked me into the bungalow, and the moment passed.
“We're going to eat in town,” he said. “It's a few miles away, but I hear the restaurant is amazing.”
“I can't wait,” I said softly. “What should I wear?”
“Anything you're comfortable in” he said.
“A sundress, maybe?”
“That would be perfect,” he said. “I'll ask Daniel to be here in about half an hour. That should give us time to shower and get dressed, right?”
I pictured Nico in the shower, with water running over his naked, hard body, and felt myself blushing once more.
“Yes, that should be fine,” I said.
God knew, I needed a shower – a cold one to get those thoughts out of my head. I shouldn't have been thinking like that. It made me feel so dirty and wrong. I rushed into my private bathroom, turned on the ice-cold water and cooled myself down as best I could.
This was going to be a long vacation if I didn't get my libido under control.