Dive

Chapter Twenty

"I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done." — Lucille Ball

"God, I need this headache to go away already," Amanda groans from where she is draped across a lounge chair, long blond hair fanning around her shoulders. She has her oversized shades on, and her lips are coated in a deep red color to match the one-piece she is wearing.

"How much did you have to drink last night?" Jamie jokes from the edge of the pool where he sits with a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade.

"Ha ha." She is not amused.

"Just saying."

"Care, where are you going?"

I stop a couple of feet from the sliding glass door to give her an arched eyebrow. "Away from you," I say sweetly, opening the door and smiling before disappearing inside.

"Traitor!" she calls after me, but I've already slid the door closed.

In the kitchen, I head to the coffee machine for my second fix of the day. I make myself another espresso, all too aware that I'm probably going to regret it later in the evening. When I'm done, I turn away from the counter and nearly drop the cup as I startle at the sight of Knox standing in the arched entryway leading to the foyer.

"Oh, you scared me," I say, forcing a smile on my face. I haven't spoken to him since last night at the party, and I haven't seen him since around midnight when the cake was served. It's nearly noon, and he is just now coming down from his room.

"Hey," he replies, gaze coasting over my bright green two-piece bikini. I've never worn so little in front of him before, and I'm suddenly self-conscious as I fight the urge to fidget under the scrutiny of those mesmerizing blues.

I tighten my grip on my cup. "Sleep well?"

His eyes move back to my face. "I did. You?"

"Not really. I usually don't get much rest if I had something to drink that night."

He nods, but I'm not even sure he heard what I said. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

His question takes me by surprise, but I nod all the same. "Sure."

"Not here. Take a walk with me?"

I hesitate, but only for a moment. I can't help thinking that he wants to pick up where we left off last night, and a surge of anticipation grips me because there are so many things left unsaid. Deciding not to waste this opportunity, I set my cup down on the counter and tell him I'm going to be right back.

Amanda is talking to Ella, and Jamie is doing a lap of the pool when I walk outside to grab my black silk cover-up before quickly heading back inside.

"Okay," I say to Knox, noticing he's still in the same spot I left him.

He leads me through the front door, and just like last night, he takes the route leading to the private tennis court. My stomach is in knots by the time we make it there and he points to one of the wooden benches framing each side of the playing field. He motions that I should take a seat, and I do so, grabbing the hem of my cover-up with tense fingers and smoothing it over my legs.

"I want to apologize," Knox starts, his proximity and his now-familiar scent a welcome distraction as he joins me on the bench. He has on a pair of light gray shorts, and only a few inches separate our naked knees. "I overreacted when Carr called you two days ago. I tend to do that when it comes to him, but of course, it's your right to date whomever you want."