Redeeming Her Love

Chapter Three:

Sarah’s POV:

“Damn it! No, no, no…” I curse to myself as my full-piece swimsuit rips at the side by the zip. It’s a costume I have lovingly owned since the beginning of time and it is also the only swimming item I have with me on holiday. Seriously? It’s blisteringly hot outside and the pool water is calling me.

“What’s up? You have been cursing in here for the past five minutes.” I hear Milly ask from my door. When I turn, she is peeping through the small opening of the door with confusion. I point to the very large tear in my bathing suit and then huff out.

“I don’t have another costume here.” I say and she looks at me with humor. What is that look?

“You can always use one of mine. Let me just go fetch it.” She shrugs and my eyes dart to her green ones, which are vibrant with playfulness. One of her skimpy pieces of cloth? I nod and watch as she quickly dashes for her room, which is opposite mine in the hallway. When she returns, she hoists two flimsy, black pieces of material my way. I can scrunch up the two items in one hand it’s so small.

“Seriously, Milly?” I ask, hardly believing that this is her best solution for me. Her whole expression is playful and the smirk on her lips isn’t helping.

“Take it, or leave it, sis. The water is lovely, by the way.” She teases and then walks out, leaving me in shock. My eyes look down at the two items, noticing it is really a simplistic design. At least Milly got that much right, instead of giving me one of her floral or frilly designs. I have never worn a bikini before, so this is an unfamiliar situation at its best. I quickly fumbled with the material and put it on, hardly believing how tiny it feels against my body. When I look in the mirror, my eyes almost bulge out of my head.

“You have to be kidding!” I retort and almost laugh. This costume covers less than my underwear! How do girls even consider swimming in things like this?

“How does it even stay on in the sea?” I whisper again into the air, as I quickly put a pair of jeans over my legs. I grab my t-shirt as well and place it over my torso and then head out the room with my towel in hand. Hopefully, nobody is at the pool today. My cheeks flare up again at the ridiculous bikini under my usual attire. I can’t believe this is happening. With a few skipped steps, I manage to get my sweaty self down to the pool area, which seems quite other than some pop tune lingering through the speakers up ahead. I smile as I grab an orange juice from the bar fridge and make my way to the pool bench. There is something relaxing and sultry about the peace and quiet in the air at the coast. It’s like all that is filling my soul at this moment is the thick humidity, the smell of the salty ocean, the sound of the waves breaking in the distance and the feeling of my skin pricking up to greet the sun. I smile as I place my towel down and begin taking my jeans off. I do love jeans, but damn it’s hot today. I’m not sure how I will get through another couple of weeks of them in this heat. I jiggle my butt out of the waistline and then immediately go for my t-shirt, which is sticking to my skin despite being loose.

“Ew…” I giggle out as I throw the creased item down. It lands with a plod on the chair next to my jeans. I look down at my body, squeezed into the black numbers. It’s dripping with sweat and can’t wait to dive into the water to cool down.

“Milly…” A voice says from behind me and my breathing hitches. I turn very slowly with wide eyes.

“Whoah.” The same voice says again.

Lucas is standing there, his eyes burning down my body as he takes in every inch of my very exposed skin. His eyes are dark and he is wearing an expression I can’t read. He looks like a model out of a sports magazine with his six-pack on full display against the glimmering summer sun. His hair is ruffled and he only has his swim shorts on. Seems to be his typical look.

Lucas’s POV:

I cannot peel my eyes away from Sarah right now as she stands in a tight, black bikini that squeezes at her curves in the most delicious way you could imagine. She is petite, but her legs seem long and toned as they run up to where the black material squeezes at her lush hips. My eyes dart up to where the two, small triangles are covering her very round, very plush-looking breasts. One tiny pull of the clasp in the middle and she would be on full display.

“Uhm…” A soft, feminine voice rings around me and I shake my head. I can see Sarah’s pointy and pink lips moving, but I have no idea what she is saying. Damn. Who would have thought that she was hiding all of this under her baggy clothes? Honestly, her body is breath-taking. She could give her sister a serious run for her money right now! My eyes look over to her elegant collar bone and the way her loose hair is blowing in the breeze. A natural, sensual and perfect beauty that doesn’t even know it.

“Hello?” The voice says again and a clicking finger in front of my eyes brings me back to reality. My eyes meet two, very bright and stunning green ones. She looks embarrassed as I continue staring at her and lean down to grab her t-shirt again. s**t.

“No. You’re beautiful.” I clip out and stop her hand from grabbing the orange item from the chair. She looks up at me with confusion and her cheeks are bright red. Adorable. I can see that my compliment has her off guard as she doesn’t know where to look or how to act. Surely she knows how stunning she is? She has been hiding it this whole time!

“Uhm, Sarah, sorry…” I start. What has gotten into me? I sound like a blubbering i***t.

“I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you were Milly.” I confess and run a hand through my hair. I guess I have made things even more awkward. This hot sun isn’t helping my heart rate. Wait, why is my heart beating so fast?

“Well, I am clearly not.” She says again and folds her arms. Right, she is upset with me. I frown.

“Sarah, I am really sorry about how things transpired yesterday afternoon. I didn’t mean for…” I begin but Sarah interrupts me by diving into the pool. I guess she isn’t ready to hear my apology yet. I decide to dive in with her seeming it’s so hot out here. When she emerges from the water my mouth runs dry. She looks even more magnificent when she is wet. I don’t think I have ever seen Sarah swim, never mind in a bikini. Has she been this beautiful all along? She seems to be ignoring me as she climbs up onto the pool flamingo with her tin of orange juice. I smile as she jiggles her curves up. Damn.

“Need help?” I offer and she replies with a loud no. I chuckle out at her determination and then go to grab my own pool loafer. For a few seconds, there is peace as we both absorb the sun, my eyes keep peeping over to the pool goddess merely a few swims away from me. Who would have thought? The water dripping down her plentiful cleavage makes my heart rate increase again.

“Sarah…” I start to say but she huffs out in frustration.

“So, now you know my name, huh?” She spits and I feel my brow crease. Is this about me calling her nerd?

“Sarah, I didn’t mean to tease you about that. If I had known…” I say, but she interrupts me AGAIN. Damn, she is a lot more feisty than I imagined.

“If you had known what, huh? If you had known that I wear bikinis and am apparently beautiful, then you wouldn’t have teased me all my life?” She says coldly and I feel my body turn to ice, despite the blisteringly hot sun. She has this all mistaken!

“No, Sarah, I mean you are beautiful, but I was only joking all those time!” I try but she climbs off her flamingo and starts paddling back to the stairs of the pool. In one swift motion, her dripping body is at her towel and my eyes cry as she covers herself from my view.

“Sarah, where are you going? Come on…” I try again, but she picks up her things and starts walking back to the house.

“It’s so hot! Just enjoy the pool?” I go again. It really is humid today. Surely being in the water will feel better than being closed up inside? Sarah turns around and looks at me with a dark expression. One I have never seen on her delicate face before. I frown again as she moves a bit closer.

“I would rather die of heat behind my book than spend one more minute in this pool with you, PLAYBOY.” She says and then disappears through the door. My heart rate increases and my body turns to stone, especially after her little nickname for me. Playboy?

I splash at the water in anger at her name for me. Just because I play sports and look after my physique and am friends with the people who are into partying, does NOT mean that I am a playboy. Seriously? I hate it when people discriminate against me like that. Worst of all, I feel sick to my bone that Sarah thinks I was only calling her by name because I think she is pretty. Why would I do that? I haven’t even told Milly that she’s hot! I am not a playboy.

I quickly climb out of the pool, not caring for the water anymore as I grab my towel and head towards the beach. I am so sick of how people judge me just by my cover! There is so much more to me than my façade.

Can nobody see it?