Page 30 of Hot to Go

He sits up, stretching his hands up over his head. ‘Merci for the invitation but I have to get back for a family thing.’

My heart drops when he says family. ‘My brother,’ he saysreassuringly. ‘But maybe tomorrow. I don’t want to take you away from your cousins tonight. Maybe we could…’

I nod. ‘Do something?’

‘Something,’ he says, a cheeky twinkle glinting in his eye. ‘Tomorrow, the beach where we met. Maybe about eleven? Unless you have plans with your cousins?’

‘We can spare her for a couple of hours,’ Emma tells him, watching with a grin.

Meet him at the beach where we met? It’s the holiday equivalent of meeting under the clock. Sex I can do but romance I can’t. It’ll see me get attached. This is a one-off holiday fling, I tell myself, putting those barriers back in place for protection. Is this wise? I see the other sisters emerge from the house as Carlos stands up.

‘Do you want to have a shower? A quick dip to freshen up?’ I ask him quietly.

He turns to see the sisters watching. ‘I think I’ll make a swift exit to escape…’

‘The Spanish Inquisition?’

‘Good one…’

I hover over him as he collects his belongings, pulling his shirt over his shoulders and downing the rest of his drink.Don’t go.I can’t say that. That will give the game away that you have zero French cool. Let him go. If he doesn’t come back, this will be something to imprint into my memory forever, at least.

I walk him to his moped by the gate.

‘Aurelie, that was…’

I sigh and he laughs. He leans over in what I assume to be a kiss but he whispers into my ear, softly. ‘I can still taste you.’

I may die. I have no words. He kisses me on the cheek and then with equal amounts of charm and machismo rides his moped away as I try and prop myself up on that gate. Fuck me.

‘OI!’ a voice suddenly pops up. I jump back into reality.Lucy’s face suddenly appears from behind the gate. ‘What was that he just whispered to you, I couldn’t quite hear it?’

I smile to let her know she’ll never know. ‘The “oi” is not very French by the way. You’re like a cat, you know. Where were you hiding?’

‘Behind that tree…’ She points to show me where Grace has also been hiding.

‘Someone had some sex, didn’t they? I know sex face when I see it,’ she exclaims, nudging me and linking her arm through mine. ‘Did you try that mermaid position I was telling you about?’

I shake my head, not quite knowing how to explain what just happened.

‘We’re not all like you, Lucy,’ Grace says, shaking her head in disapproval.

‘And that is where you’re all failing in life,’ she says. ‘Look at that smirk. Was he good? He looks like he had moves. The moped is a bit cheap but I liked the sunglasses, the linen. Good schlong?’

I cover my face to hide the blush, refusing to answer.

Grace rolls her eyes. ‘I hope you had fun. Emma just wants to know where you had sex so she knows where she can safely sit. You look…’ Grace scans my face as I drop my hands.

‘Orgasmed out,’ Lucy says.

‘I was going to say you have a bit of colour in your cheeks…’ Grace continues.

‘That’s the sun,’ I jest.

I return to the pool where the remaining sisters have already cracked open a bottle of red. I collapse onto a sun lounger, burying my face into the towel where Carlos was laying. Don’t inhale like some saddo. Don’t fall for him, Suzie. It’s too soon. Don’t be that person.

‘Well, we want details, dear cousin…’ Meg says. ‘Because I had to go stand in a field and pretend I was in some deep trance state of ecstasy while some woman clanged on a bowl. We need to live vicariously through you.’

I laugh but in some sort of strange delirium, I kick my legs around like a toddler unable to control their emotions. I can hear all the sisters laughing. ‘Magnifique. Chef’s kiss. All the superlatives.’

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