having picnics or playing ball games. There were children paddling and building sandcastles but there were very few people swimming.
And no wonder. The first splash of water was cold enough to make Sophia shriek but Aiden simply laughed and dived through the next wave. She jumped up and down as she went further out, getting more of her body wet each time, and suddenly it wasn’t so bad. And then Aiden surfaced right beside her and his smile made her aware of the silky caress of the sea water over her entire body.
‘This is gorgeous,’ she called over the sound of the waves. ‘I love it.’
‘I knew you would,’ he called back. ‘You’re my kind of girl.’
They couldn’t stay in the water for long and they were both shivering as they towelled themselves dry but then they lay on their towels on the soft sand and there was enough warmth in the sun for the chill to ebb slowly away.
For the longest time, they lay there, absorbing the warmth. Side by side on their backs, saying nothing. And then Sophia felt the brush of Aiden’s fingers and his hand curl itself around hers.
‘I really like you, Sophia.’
‘I really like you, too, Aiden.’ Sophia’s eyes were still closed and her smile grew slowly. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this happy. Even the noises around them—the roll of the waves and the shouting of children enjoying themselves—only added to this feeling of contentment. ‘I think this has been the best second date I’ve ever been on.’
Aiden tightened his grip on Sophia’s hand. This was by far the best second date he’d ever been on as well. The only thing wrong with it was that it would have to end soon. They were almost dry and they needed to get dressed again because the heat of the day would start dropping rapidly before long. They had a long ride to get back to the city as well and by then it would be evening. They both had an early start for work tomorrow but did that really mean that it had to be over? Sophia believed that he’d planned this whole date after they’d agreed to go to a beach. She didn’t need to know that he’d kept his options open and hadn’t planned it to continue on into the evening, did she?
‘It’s not over yet.’
He heard the words come out of his mouth and they felt … right. Of course it couldn’t be over yet.
‘Oh? What else is in the plan?’
He could hear the smile in Sophia’s voice. And something more. A willingness to go along with whatever he wanted?
He wanted to take Sophia home. To his bed. Okay, they both needed to get to work early but there were a lot of hours between now and then. Why shouldn’t they make the most of every single one of them?
‘Well, I was thinking …’ Aiden propped himself up on one elbow. Maybe he didn’t need to say anything here. He could just kiss her again. And then he could look into her eyes and he’d know whether she was happy with the new plan.
He let his mouth hover over hers for a deliciously long moment. Feeling the tingle of their lips not quite touching. Knowing just how much better it was going to get in a nanosecond.
And then he heard it. Faintly at first but getting steadily louder.
Sophia’s lips moved under his. Tickling. ‘What is that?’
‘My phone.’ He didn’t want to answer it. Dammit … all he wanted to do was kiss Sophia but her lips were moving again. Smiling?
‘It’s a siren?’
‘Yeah, I know. Cheesy. My kid brother chose it for me.’
And it could be that kid brother who was calling right now. Highly likely to be, seeing as they hadn’t spoken yet today. In fact, they hadn’t spoken very often for a few days now. Ever since that tense conversation about Aiden smothering Nate because of his misplaced guilt.
He still wanted to kiss Sophia more than answer it but something else was making his skin prickle and he recognised that sensation.
Guilt. He barely knew this woman and suddenly she was more important than his brother? What was he thinking?
‘I’d better get that. Sorry.’
‘No problem.’
A soft breeze had sprung up, making it colder. Or maybe he just had more skin exposed as he sat up and rummaged in his coat pocket for his phone. Sure enough, the caller ID said ‘Nate’. Aiden swiped the screen.
‘Hey … What’s up?’
‘Guess.’
‘I can’t. You’ll have to tell me.’
‘I went for the team trials today.’
‘Yeah? How’d that go?’
‘I got in, man. I’m in the team.’
That’s … fantastic.’ The smile that pulled at his lips was genuine. ‘Great news. I reckon it calls for a celebration.’
‘Too right. We’re having a few beers back at our place. Thought you might want to drop by.’
He was listening to Nate but he was looking at Sophia. She still lay on her back, shading her eyes from the sun with her arm. Her hair was still damp and looked almost black where it lay against the pale skin of her shoulders. He couldn’t help his gaze travelling further. Over the rest of that gorgeous, soft-looking skin and the perfect proportions of her small, slim body.
He’d never wanted anybody this much.
He’d have to take a rain-check on that celebratory beer with Nate because otherwise he wouldn’t get to take Sophia home and make love to her properly.
Slowly …
Or maybe not so slowly the first time …
His throat suddenly felt dry.
‘You still there, man? Where are you, anyway?’
Impressions flashed through Aiden’s brain with the speed of light. That note in Nate’s voice when he’d made that suggestion so casually that he ‘might’ want to drop by.
Things hadn’t been quite right between them since that conversation the other day. And if he didn’t join in the celebration of Nate making the Murderball team, it could be interpreted as not being supportive of his brother as he achieved one of his long-held ambitions and that could push them further apart. What then? Would Nate choose not to even tell him when he was moving out of the house to try living independently?
His brother was trying out his wings and surely that meant that now—more than ever—he needed support. Aiden had to be there for him one hundred per cent.
How could he even entertain the idea of letting a woman get between them? It wasn’t as if she’d still be in his life in a week or two from now but Nate would be. He would always be in his life and he’d always take priority.
‘I’m still here,’ he said. ‘Bad line. I’m out of the city but I’ll be back soon.’
‘No worries. You went for a ride? You on a date or something?’
‘Yeah … Queenscliff.’
‘Oh … of course. This is your number two with Sophia. Hey … hope I’m not interrupting anything.’ His laugh made a lie of his words but didn’t quite ring true for some reason.
‘Not at all. Just went for swim, would you believe?’
‘Well, don’t hurry back, man. Enjoy yourself. Catch you soon.’
The beeping signalled that Nate had hung up. The note of disappointment in his words was still there, though. And the odd edge to the laughter as he’d tried to make light of things.
Aiden dragged his eyes away from Sophia. Closed them, in fact.
‘Not a problem,’ he heard himself