Half of me was fantasising about the idea of Joe just throwing me, caveman style, on that pool table and having his wicked way with me, while the other half was already realising how hard it could be to get over him if that did happen.
Maybe the mom...
A few hours later, I'm back in my apartment and showering before dinner. And I'm also dwelling very much on the fact that Joe and I had another moment on Myrtos Beach, while we were playing about in the sea.
We were having a bit of a playfight, splashing each other and it got a bit . . . Touchy-feely, shall we say. He'd managed to grab both my hands to stop me cupping more seawater to throw at him and we were a bit too close together, and suddenly that easy smile of his slid right off his lips and we were just staring into each other's eyes like there was no one else in the world.
God, I have never had a moment like that in my life. It was like something out of a movie. I genuinely thought we were going to kiss. I could hardly even breathe in those few seconds. What a walking, talking, barely-breathing cliché I am.
Then a kid on the beach screamed and the spell was broken. Joe laughed, let go of my hands, and ducked under the water completely for a few seconds, while I walked back to my towel. Glaring at the snivelling little bastard who had ruined the moment.
We didn't talk about what nearly happened, even when we were both dry again and back in the car. But it wasn't awkward or anything. Far from it. We swung between companionable silence and chatting away like old friends. Which is still weird to me when in actuality we've only been acquainted for 24 hours and I've never been good at small talk with virtual strangers. And, actually, I still don't really know that much about him.
I realise, however, that we have spent most of those 24 hours together and have effectively already gone on several dates, platonic or otherwise. We're definitely past that all-important third date, that's for sure.
I roughly blow-dry my chin-length bob, slip on a lemon coloured sundress, and carefully do my make-up. Am I trying to impress him? Abso-fucking-lutely. I want him to eat his heart out. Rue the exact moment he decided not to just smash his lips onto mine. I paint my lips bright red, apparently just to emphasise my point.
It makes me angry with myself how much I already fancy the guy. Although I definitely haven't thought about Greg for nearly a full day, so every cloud and all that.
When I head down to the bar, he's already there, chatting away to the barman/receptionist, Andreas. Joe seems to be able to charm everyone when he puts his mind to it.
I stop for a moment to admire him, before he spots me. It's a bit cooler tonight than it has been and he's wearing faded jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves pushed up, revealing toned forearms. Those are very good forearms. He clearly hasn't shaved for a couple of days and the scruff running along his sharp jawline definitely works for him. He's also obviously one of the lucky folk who tan virtually within seconds of being exposed to sunshine. I find myself staring down at my much paler skin with disappointment. I am tanned but nowhere near as golden as Joe.
He glances up at me then and his eyes narrow slightly as he takes me in from head to toe. It's weird, I felt less naked when he looked at me in my bikini earlier. That look was admiring, but this one is . . . Something else entirely. His gaze is burning into me, through my clothes. His eyes . . .
Well, there's no disguising the lust in them. He is practically smouldering. For all his chat, I'm still provoking a physical reaction in him, and this makes me strangely satisfied. Even if he doesn't intend to touch me, I get comfort from knowing that he clearly wants to.
And with that thought, the naughtier side of my personality comes out to play, and I can feel my red lips curving up into a smile. I'm going to have some fun with this.
I blame the lipstick.
By the time I've walked over to him, he's composed himself. "Nice dress " He manages a smile, his voice husky. "Want a drink?"
"I'll have a gin and tonic," I tell Andreas. I slip onto the barstool beside Joe, leaning close and taking a deep inhale. "You smell so good," I tell him. He really does. I make sure I'm still close when I speak so that my breath catches his flesh.
He's flustered; I can tell by the way his own breath hitches. I feel myself smirking as Andreas passes me my drink. I pop a straw into it. "I feel much better after having a shower," I sigh, lifting my glass up and sucking up a significant amount of refreshing liquid through the straw. "I felt like I'd got sand everywhere, you know? It took so long to wash it all off my body."
He swallows. I'm pretty sure he's now thinking about me in the shower, which was absolutely my intention of course. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he manages. Quite the wordsmith, is our Joe. "I was the same."
Damn, now I'm imagining him in the shower.
Shake it off, Sienna.
I smile, and suck sharply on my straw again. He's staring at my lips, realises what he is doing, and quickly averts his gaze. Wow, I thought he'd be smoother than this. "How about a game of pool before we head to dinner?" I suggest, sliding down from the stool, drink in hand.
"Sure." Joe follows me to the table and watches me set up the balls. He pulls a coin out of his pocket. "Heads or tails?" He asks me.
"Tails," I say confidently.
I edge closer to him as he tosses the coin in the air. When he reveals the outcome on his hand, I lean forward and lightly grip his wrist as if I'm pretending to view it closely. "It's tails." I state the obvious, tapping the coin, then gently running my finger along his hand as I pull away. His eyes widen at my touch.
"Looks like it's my break then," I smile, walking away to the other end of the table. Almost unconsciously, I've added a bit of extra sway to my hips as I walk. I hope he appreciates it as it's one hundred percent for his benefit.
I line up my shot, completely aware of him watching me. "Ready for me to whip your arse?" I ask, unable to resist winking at him.
"You wish," he jokes, but that heat is back in his eyes again. Gotcha, I think to myself.
And then I send the cue ball flying into the other balls. Let's play.
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Okay, so the heat is definitely ramping up now! Did you enjoy Sienna toying with Joe in this chapter? I loved writing this scene!
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