I clear my throat. “That’s… very sweet, Ladybug.”
She beams at me. “See?” Then, like she’s solved the most important problem in the world, she flops back into the water, kicking her feet with satisfaction.
I finally risk a glance at Ivy.
Her cheeks are pink… very pink.
She looks down, adjusting the strap of her swimsuit like it’s suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Then, as if feeling my gaze, she flicks her eyes up to meet mine for the briefest second before quickly looking away.
It’s small.
Barely anything.
But it’s there.
That moment of hesitation. The quiet awareness. The way her fingers fidget just a little before she forces herself to stay still.
Jasper notices, of course. “Ivy, that’s quite an endorsement.”
She recovers fast, flashing him a dry look. “What, that I bring snacks?”
Jasper grins. “Hey, food is important.”
Geoff claps his hands together. “Alright, I think we’ve embarrassed Theo enough—for now.”
“Lucky for you,” Jasper adds.
I shake my head, but even as the conversation shifts, I feel Ivy next to me. So close yet so unattainable. This is not how I had seen my afternoon go.
16
The Wettest Dry Hump in History
Theo
The night is still.The stars stretch wide across the sky, their soft glow reflecting on the surface of the water. The air is cooler now, but the hot tub keeps me warm, the gentle hum of the jets filling the silence.
Everyone else has gone inside—Lucy, exhausted from all the excitement, had practically fallen asleep at the table. Jasper, still milking his injury for all it was worth, had disappeared to the sofa with a whisky in his good hand. Christa and Geoff had retreated to the kitchen, still locked in some ridiculous debate about burger toppings.
And Ivy…
I hear the faint creak of the door before I see her. Footsteps pad across the patio, slow and quiet. Then, her voice—soft, just above a whisper.
“Mind if I join you?”
I glance up.
She’s standing just at the edge of the terrace, wrapped in her dressing gown again, her hair slightly damp from earlier. The glow from the outdoor lights catches on the soft curve of her face, her eyes warm but hesitant.
I should say no.
I should tell her I was just about to head inside. That I’d had enough of the water. That I wasn’t sitting here thinking about things I shouldn’t be thinking about.
But I don’t say any of that.
Instead, I nod. “Yeah. Of course.”
For a moment, she doesn’t move. Then, slowly, her hands rise to the knot of her bathrobe, loosening it with a quiet pull.
