Page 34 of On Her Terms
“We’re only here for a few more days. I want you to enjoy the kiteboarding and not waste your time with me.” He scrubs his face and looks off in the distance, like I’d just sucker punched him or something. What the hell? “Luca.”
He reaches for the door handle. “Let’s do this.”
I climb out of my seat, and we grab our bags from the trunk. I hit the fob to lock the doors, and a cool breeze ruffles my blouse as I follow him to the rental lodge. We sign in, and the clerk gives us our gear and keys to our lockers. He points down the beach, to the spot where the instructor is giving lessons.
“Once you’re changed, check in with Beck,” he says.
I’m about to head to the locker room when Luca captures my arm, and I turn back to him. Concerned eyes meet mine, examine my face. “Careful, okay,” he says quietly. “Don’t take risks or do anything you’re not comfortable doing.”
“I’ll be okay,” I say and then swallow down the knot jumping into my throat. God, when he acts like this, like he really cares for my well-being, it makes me forget that what’s between us isn’t real. He leans down and drops a soft kiss onto my mouth. I’m breathless when he breaks it.
I stand on boneless legs when he peels his shirt off and makes his way into the changing room. I head into the girl’s locker room, on the other side of the hut, and quickly change into my swimsuit, thankful I tossed one into my suitcase at the last minute before leaving New York. I shove all my things into the locker and pin the key to my suit.
Luca is waiting for me near the beach when I come out of the lodge, and his gaze leaves my face to travel the length of me. He frowns, and I fold my arms over my chest.
“What?” I ask, suddenly self-conscious in my suit. Which is ridiculous. The man has seen me naked, for God’s sake.
“You’re gorgeous,” he says and scrubs his chin as he glances around. “I’ll do my best not to be an asshole, but I can’t guarantee it.”
I shade the sun from my eyes and follow his gaze, trying to make sense of things. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you really not know how beautiful you are, or what goes through a guy’s mind when he looks at you?”
“I...” I might not be that chubby girl from my younger days, but there is a part of her that still lives inside me. “I don’t notice things like that, I guess.”
“Well, I do. And Brianna, if a guy so much as touches you, and I lose my shit, you can’t hold that against me.”
Feeling playful, and maybe even a little giddy at the way this man makes me feel—like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world—I step into him. “The only thing I want to hold against you is my body, Luca.”
His teeth clench with an audible click. “Gesù! You can’t say things like that when I’m in my swimming trunks.”
I move against him, feeling him thickening. His fingers close around my shoulder and he steps back. “Unless you want me to take you behind the hut, you’d better stop.”
“Maybe I’d like that.”
His dark growl swirls in the wind. “Brianna—”
I laugh and turn, giving an extra shake to my ass as I walk away. “Go. Have fun. I need to get to my lesson.”
“Tonight,” he calls out. “We’re going to pick right back up here.”
I glance at him over my shoulder as he carries his equipment to the edge of the water. He goes about preparing his sail, and I kick my sandals off and squeeze the warm grass between my toes. Shading my eyes, I walk toward the instructor, but as I do, nervousness jolts through me and I begin to second-guess this idea. Am I really going to go kiteboarding? The idea of flying across the lake, carried by a kite, terrifies me. As I mull that over, I think more about what Luca said to me.
I need to face my fears.
He wasn’t wrong when he said I was afraid of commitment, and part of him agreeing to pretend to be my fiancé was my trying on a relationship for size. So far it hasn’t been so bad. Well, that’s not the best way to put it. More like, so far it’s been amazing. I’ve never had so much fun in my life, and being with Luca has made me rethink everything in my life. Are there good guys out there? Ones who aren’t going to hurt, lie to or cheat on me?
Even if there are, do I want any of them?
My stomach clenches at that thought. Oh God. If I’m not careful, Luca could very well ruin me for another.
I stop at the edge of the embankment and admire Luca as he sets off. I can’t help but smile as I watch him. He’s totally in his element as he takes to the air, doing tricks and turns that would result in a trip to the emergency room if I ever tried them.
I follow the rocky path, and the instructor is just finishing up with a student when I arrive.
“You must be Brianna,” he says and checks his watch. “I’m Beck.”
I smile and take in his Australian accent as I shake his hand. He’s a handsome guy. Tall, with windblown blond surfer hair that looks like it hasn’t seen a comb in decades. “Nice to meet you, Beck.” I take in the equipment he’s laying out for me, and he must sense my nervousness.