Page 45 of Play of Love

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Chapter 11

Amy

* * *

This morning seemed to be filled with all sorts of surprises. Both good and bad.

I had thought about Josh all night, wondering how he was doing. I’d planned to go see him today, just to check in, but my plans changed when I heard noises coming from outside my apartment door very early in the morning. At first I didn’t know what was going on, then I looked through the peephole and saw Dom and his brother talking and heard everything they said.

Dom had said, “Let’s see if we can catch her with her clothes off today. I get to look first.”

Then I watched him bend down by the door lock and peer through. All this time I’d been here I didn’t realize that you could see clearly through the keyhole. It was like a viewing parlor. I couldn’t have been more mortified at the thought that they’d been watching me get changed and had seen me naked.

Not only did I feel uncomfortable there, I had the desperate urge to leave immediately. I left minutes after that.

I knew Josh would be surprised to see my and hoped that he wouldn’t be in one of his moods. What I didn’t expect was him choosing to spend his time with me over Allegra. That truly surprised me.

Now we walked side by side along the beach on our way to the surfing competition. It was Hilda that told me about it. I had never been to anything like that, and rarely ever got the chance to watch any form of sport, so it as a good idea with perfect timing.

Josh didn’t say anything as we left the house. He just walked next to me , seeming deep in contemplation. He looked at me looking at him and a slight hint of a smile lifted his face.

“Wait,” he said, stopping.

“What for?”

“I’ve decided I really don’t like your hair like that. We have to change it.”

I shook my head. “There’s nothing wrong with my hair.”

“Maybe not in Kansas, but this is California.” To my surprise he pulled me closer and started undoing the braids on my buns.

“What are you doing?” I swatted his hands away.

“Making you look decent. You look like you have horns. Keep still,” he snapped. We must have looked ridiculous.

“What’s it going to look like when people see Josh Mancini unbraiding hair?” I teased, giggling.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Princess, this is Malibu Beach, no one will care and there are far more well-known celebrities here than me. I’d be lucky if anyone even recognizes me.”

“I can do my own hair.”

“I would have believed you more yesterday. Keep still, damn it.” He held me in place and frowned, then resumed his hairdressing.

“So I’m supposed to stand here and allow my boss to fix my hair how he wants?” I huffed.

“Yes, except that today I’m not your boss. I’m just Josh, and if you’re going to hang out with me on a Saturday you can’t look like that.”

I didn’t think I looked that bad, but then again I did leave in a hurry this morning. I stood still and allowed him to undo my hair. Once he had, he smoothed it to one side, allowing it to drift down to my stomach. It had a subtle wave to it and wasn’t half as curly as when I left it twisted up for hours, but it looked okay.

I thought he would leave me alone now but he surprised me further by pulling my t-shirt out of my shorts. Again I swatted his hands away.

“Josh, what are you doing? You can’t try to get into my pants with everyone watching,” I retorted, looking at him wide eyed.

“Princess, if I was trying to get into your pants I would have been in well before now.” He smirked with a devilishly handsome grin that lit up his blue-green eyes. The grin turned saucier. “Also, are you saying I could try to get into your pants if no one was watching?” He looked down at my shorts.

“No, and stop with the creepiness.”

“I told you, Italian blood flows through my veins.”