The Two Week Stand by Samantha Towle
seven
Dillon
With my bright pink matching snorkel, goggles, and flippers in hand—Kayden was insistent that I have the bright pink because, apparently, it’s my color, although I’ve always thought red suited me better—I walk back out of the hut, West walking silently beside me, and I have about a hundred and one questions about what the heck just happened in there bursting to come out of my mouth.
The instant we step out of the hut and pass the line of our fellow islanders, we’re ushered onto the boat.
I climb aboard with the help of the man already aboard the dhoni. The words I want to say to West burning on my tongue. West climbs aboard behind me.
I quickly walk to the back of the boat and sit down. West strolls toward me like he has all the time in the world. I give him an expectant look, and all I get in return is a grin.
The second he sits in the seat beside me, I jump on him. Figuratively, of course. “Um, what the hell was that?”
He gives me a look of innocence. “What?”
“Um, Mr. and Mrs. Oakley ringing any bloody bells?”
“Bloody bells?” He gives me an amused look.
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Why did you tell that guy that we’re married?”
He shrugs. “Just seemed easier to go with it than explain that we’re not together.”
I stare at him, wide-eyed and flabbergasted. “I’m sorry, what?”
“He thought we were married. It seemed like a lot of effort to explain that we’re not. Sometimes, it’s easier to just go with the flow.”
“You mean, lie.”
He laughs a deep sound, and it annoys me that my body reacts to it. “If that’s what you want to call it.”
“Well, it is a lie. So, I’ll definitely be calling it that.”
“Honestly, I thought I was doing you a favor.”
I round on him. “You thought what?”
“You seemed uncomfortable about being here alone, and I just thought I was helping.”
Oh. Well, that takes a little wind out of my sails.
“You’re alone,” I say.
“But it doesn’t bother me.”
“How do you know it bothers me?”
“I can just tell. You give off a vibe.”
“A vibe?”
“Yeah. And also, you made a whole big deal about the fact that you were here alone. You started talking about some movie where a chick sings a song about being alone, and then you said you were gonna change your name to Eeyore or something.”
For.
Fuck’s.
Sake.
I’m never, ever, ever drinking again.
“I, uh … said all that?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. That’s … embarrassing.”
He laughs.
“And I appreciate the sentiment, West. I do. But in the future, can you please not tell anyone else that we’re married or together? I’m sure I’ll live through the ensuing conversations that I’m here alone.”
“Okay, Double D. I will make sure to correct the next person who assumes we’re together and say that we are in fact not.”
“Good. Thank you. And for the love of all that is holy, will you stop calling me Double D?”
“Will do, Double D.”
Ugh.
We sit in silence as the other guests start to trickle onto the boat. West stretches those long legs of his out. He takes up so much space. His thigh is almost touching mine.
I’m so aware of him. Every breath he takes. Every move he makes.
And now, I sound like that song. Which is about stalking.
Great.
“So, is your surname really Oakley, or was that made up too?”
“It’s really Oakley.”
West Oakley.
Dillon Oakley …
Huh. It actually has a nice ring to it.
Whoa there, Fast Love! You’re fresh off one engagement. You definitely don’t need another ring on your finger. At least, not for a long while. So, don’t be getting ideas about the hot American sitting next to you.
“So, I know you’re on this snorkeling trip alone, and you were in the bar alone last night, right?”
“Right.”
“So, are you here on the island alone? Like I am. Or with friends?”
“Just me.”
“You take trips alone often?”
“Not usually.”
“Why this time?” God, I’m so nosy.
His eyes slide to mine. I feel a little jolt inside. “I just needed to get away for a little while.”
I can’t get a read on what the reason might be. I hope he hasn’t been crapped on from a great height by people he cared about, too, and needed to get away from them.
I decide to lighten the mood.
“You commit a crime?” I grin, so he knows I’m teasing.
“Dammit. How did you guess?”
I spread my hands. “It’s a gift. What did you do?”
He sighs solemnly. “I stole my neighbor’s cookies.”
“What flavor were the cookies?” I ask, trying to keep a straight face.
“Triple chocolate. Why?”
“Just wondering if they were worth it.”
A sexy grin slides onto his face. “Oh, they totally were. They were melt on the tongue kind of cookies.”
Sweet. Jesus.
I didn’t think I could get any hotter right now, as it’s a thousand degrees in the shade, but apparently, I can.
I swallow down and look away.
“Have you snorkeled before?” he asks me.
“Oh. Nope. First time. Total virgin.”
Virgin? For crying out loud. Why do I have to say stuff like that?
“Well, I’m experienced in snorkeling. So, if you need any help when losing your snorkeling virginity, just say the word.”
Okay. He’s definitely flirting with me, right? This isn’t me being dense. I mean, I know the whole virgin comment was dense, but him saying what he just said … that was flirting. I’m almost sure of it. And the cookie thing just then, the whole melt on the tongue thing. That was flirting, right?
“Okay then. I will. Thanks.” And then I say nothing else because, you know … I’m me.
Everyone is on the boat now, and it starts to move.
Aden is standing up at the front of the boat, and he claps his hands to get everyone’s attention. “So, we’re now on our way to see some of the most beautiful reefs the Ari Atoll has to offer. Now, you all have your equipment, yes?”
There’s a bunch of lowly murmured yeses in response.
“Good. Now, do we have any of you here who have never snorkeled before? Please raise your hand.”
I really, really don’t want to put my hand up. But I just can’t lie, so my hand goes up with a few other people’s. Surprisingly, about half the people on this boat haven’t snorkeled before.
Makes me feel like less of a loser.
“No problem at all. I will do a quick demonstration of how you are to put your goggles and snorkel on so as not to let in water. Okay, so we have one-half of the gorgeous couple seated at the back, my two Scottish friends—”
“Sorry. Excuse me.” That’s West, lifting his hand to get Aden’s attention.
“Yes?” Aden says in question to West.
“We’re not together. You said, one-half of the gorgeous couple, but we’re not a couple.”
Oh. No.
He fucking didn’t.
All eyes on this boat are now on us. I can feel myself wanting to disappear into my seat.
When I said he should correct people, I didn’t mean like this. For fuck’s sake.
“Oh. I apologize. My mistake,” Aden says.
“No problem,” West says and then lets out a dramatic sigh. “I mean, I’d like to be a couple with her. We’d make a great match. We’re both incredibly good-looking, and I’m totally into her. I think she’s gorgeous. But she doesn’t find me attractive. She’s friend-zoned me.” He lets out another dramatic sigh.
“What?” That loud exclamation comes from the woman on the seat next to us. She stares directly at me. “Are you nuts?”
“I, er …” I stammer as an imaginary tumbleweed blows across the deck of the boat.
“Shannon,” comes from the man I’m assuming is her husband, and he doesn’t sound impressed at all.
Her face turns as red as I know mine is.
“Oh, I meant,” she sputters, “that she must be nuts if she wants to be alone on this island and not in a couple like everyone else. That’s totally what I meant.”
Her husband gives her a look that says they’ll be having a long chat when they’re next alone.
“So …” Aden says, seeming a little startled. He shakes his head, as if to gather his wits. “Let me get this demonstration done for those of you who haven’t snorkeled before.”
The minute Aden starts talking, I lean in a little closer to West.
God, he smells good.
Focus, Dillon.
“Was that really necessary?” I whisper to him.
“Just doing as you asked.” He shrugs.
I can tell he’s fighting a smile. The twat.
“You’re an ass,” I murmur. “That was not doing what I asked. I asked you to correct people when they thought we were together.”
A low chuckle. “That’s what I did.”
“Sure. And what about all the I’m into her and I think she’s gorgeous bullshit?”
“Who said it was bullshit?”
My eyes meet with his, and the look in them makes my mouth dry.
He’s definitely not joking now. His gray eyes are dark.
I swallow and turn away, forcing myself to listen to Aden tell us how to put on a frigging pair of goggles and a snorkel.
But how am I supposed to concentrate after that?
I might be shit with men and have zero sense when it comes to them. But I do know one thing, and that was flirting. He was one hundred percent flirting with me.
Holy. Hell.