Quixotic (2)

18

The woman walked away with a proud grin on her lips, and Joe was quick to move in a different direction. Aria turned back to sit on the towel, lifting her camera to her eye as though she were relaxed. Her heart was resting low in her chest, racing as she waited silently for an explanation. She avoided looking up as he paced, gently kicking his toes through the sand as he shook his head.

"So, she's an ex-girlfriend?" Aria asked hesitantly as she kept her eyes focused on the camera in her hands, not wanting to push the uncomfortable subject. From the side of her eyes, she noticed his body pause, and he hesitantly moved forward to sit on the towel to her left.  

"It's a long story --." He shrugged uncomfortably as he hugged his knees toward him, but spoke quickly when she glanced toward him, adding nervously, "I mean, she could be considered an ex-girlfriend, yes."

"Well, you met Kevin, and I met --." She paused, asking with raised brows, "What was it you called her - Curly?" He nodded once, and Aria shrugged her shoulders as she turned to watch Mila decorating her sandcastle with sea shells, sighing, "She obviously doesn't want you to be happy without her."

"She's the jealous type, I guess." He shrugged uncomfortably, feeling a slight distance forming between them. He cleared his voice to catch her attention, but she continued to watch Mila playing in the sand, "Mil, do you need help?" He asked, avoiding Aria's eyes as he crawled across the sand toward the child.

He took a seat in the sand, cringing for a moment as it clung to his wet swim shorts, and reached for a plastic shovel, asking the child with a forced smile, "Does your castle need a moat?"

"Well, it's protected by magic, so --." The child explained to the older man with a shrug, making a small smile appear on Aria's lips.

She was conflicted, with all her mind, she knew that it was safer and easier to continue walking the same path, but her heart was pulling her toward Brian. Then, there was a moment of hesitation that stemmed from the first wave of disgust she saw travel over his figure as Mila climbed to sit beside him on the couch. It never left her mind, and she couldn't shake the terrible feeling that accompanied the memory.

She could tell that he didn't like kids, so why was he acting so friendly toward Mila? She couldn't let him deceive her, and didn't want to waste her time on a man who wouldn't accept them both. Mila was her child, and that wasn't going to change.

-

Aria pulled the cover-up from her shoulders and left her camera on the towel, stepping away from the umbrella to move closer to the water. She glanced over her shoulder to see Brian moving toward her, and paused. For a short moment her attention switched to focus on the beautiful orange sunset resting over the water. She couldn't force herself to look away.

Brian moved to stand behind her. His hands snaked around her waist, and he leaned forward to place his lips to her neck. She looked up at the setting sun, chills covering her skin as he trailed small kisses toward her collar bone.

A small groan escaped his lips, making her heart lift in her chest as he pulled her hips against him, "Let's go back to the room." He sighed with a smile in his voice. His hands tightened around her waist, and her heart lifted as his breath traveled along her skin, "Come on." He hummed, gently running his fingers up the sides of her arms to send chills down her spine.

He turned her body to face him, and gently tightened his grip on her hips. Leaning into him, her eyes locked on his and a wide grin appeared on her lips. Her heart was beaming with excitement as she wrapped her arms around him. Pressing her lips to his, he snaked his hands to rest on her lower back and worked his way down. Her heart flew in her chest, racing as she pulled her body against his --.