Page 25 of Love Bites
“Is that why you look so serious, love?” he asked. “Do you think shopping will hurt my wallet?”
He walked over to her, took the swimsuit she held and set it down before lifting her hands to his lips and kissed them softly. “Katheryn, this isn’t an expensive store, although it looks high-end. Everything here is a knock-off.”
Katheryn felt herself blush. She looked down at the sign on the swimsuits, noting the prices. The swimsuits were pretty cheap, even though they looked quite expensive.
“Oh,” she said a little lamely.
Ignacio laughed and pushed a strand of hair back from her face. “I was afraid you’d be appalled I’d brought you to a bargain store. I simply thought it to be more practical than spending thousands for a couple scraps of cloth.”
A smile touched her face as well as her heart. “Of course, I’m not appalled.” She let out a small breath. “It actually makes me like you more.” Then she winked at his shocked expression then dug back into the barrel, picking up the metallic blue swimwear again. She looked it over, indecisively.
The simple two-piece shimmered in the store lights. It was deep blue, like a sky. There were glints of light blue in it, too, but the trimmings and strings were a dark shade of midnight.
“The color compliments your eyes,” Ignacio said. “It would look nice on you.”
“Do you think so?” she smiled tentatively.
“I know so.”
Katheryn didn’t need any more time to decide. She smiled, suddenly excited about going to the beach and wearing the swimsuit for Ignacio.
She hoped she’d look as sexy as Ignacio made her feel. She’d love watching his eyes widen at the sight of her bare skin clad in nothing but this shimmering blue fabric.
She smiled to herself as they walked to the checkout line.
Yes, she thought,I plan to have loads of fun at the beach.
* * *
The next night,Katheryn waited on the curb outside of her hotel with her duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Ignacio would arrive soon to take her to the beach. The night was warm, and a slight breeze felt good against her sweaty neck. She stretched her legs, assuming it would be a long drive. She wanted all the fresh air she could get before cramming into a car.
Katheryn wore a simple white T-Shirt and pale yellow running shorts. Underneath she wore her swimsuit so she wouldn’t have to change when they got there. The dark suit was obvious against the thin, see through shirt.
Her nerves were in a frenzy. She and Ignacio would spend the night at the beach. Of course, that could have meant a ton of things, but the ones Katheryn thought of involved sex.
She envisioned him making love to her in the depths of the ocean, the waves pushing against their bodies, the wetness slick between them. She wondered if that’s what he’d also had in mind, when he’d said they’d spend the night.
Then again, maybe his thoughts were perfectly innocent, and she was just assuming something that wouldn't happen.
He had never once insinuated he was going to take her to bed or that he even wanted to do so for that matter. What if he didn’t want to? Was that why he hadn’t really kissed her since that day? Had he gotten to know her and not liked what he’d seen? What if he wasn’t interested in kissing or romance or sex?
Perish the thought.
A sudden honk had her look up the street. Ignacio was at the wheel of a small, blue car. The windows were rolled down, and he looked at her with a smile. Katheryn eagerly rushed to the car when it stopped and hopped in the front seat. She tossed her bag on the floor and turned to Ignacio.
His brown hair was a windblown mess, and he wore the floral-print swim trunks he’d bought the night before. He wore a white T-shirt, too. The fabric stretched tightly against the bulge of his strong chest and arms. His biceps flexed invitingly as he gripped at the steering wheel. Her mouth instantly went dry at the sight of him.
“Let’s go!” she demanded. “I’m suddenly excited.”
The excitement vibrated through her whole body. She wanted to see his muscles without the strain of a shirt against them, wanted to see the water of the ocean roll in droplets off of his body.
Her nipples puckered at the thought. Ignacio seemed to notice her body’s response, because his gaze traveled to her shirt where she was sure he noticed them through the thin fabric of her clothes.
He licked his lips.
“Should I leave, so you two can have your way with each other here in the car?”
The annoying voice that interrupted her thoughts had Katheryn’s gaze snapping to the backseat. Antonio lounged casually there, watching with a bemused expression, one eyebrow raised.
