𝕕𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕤: 𝕒 𝕓𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟚: 𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕, 𝕀𝕟𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕥, ℕ𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕤𝕥 𝕃𝕚𝕗𝕖𝕘𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕕

 In the women's restroom of the community pool, Darcy rinsed out Carol's melting ice cream from her hair in one of the shower stalls. She couldn't blame Carol for reacting the way she did, but why did that insolent lifeguard have to step in like some knight in shining armor? Billy knew she was capable of standing up for herself! She and her Mustang already proved that to him and his hearse of a car.

Darcy shut off the shower, drying off her hair with a towel. She wasn't about to let Carol ruin her day at the pool. With her head held high and her hair ice cream-less, Darcy returned to her pool chair. Thankfully, some patrons had left after Carol's little stunt, and the lifeguarding chair was devoid of Billy. Maybe he was off his shift for the afternoon or, better yet, the whole day. Whatever. She didn't have to see him again.

Darcy poured some sunscreen on her hands and began reapplying it to her arms and legs, but she couldn't quite reach her back. Asking for help was not an option, especially with her reputation—

An all too familiar voice spoke behind her. "Need some help with that?"

Darcy whipped around, glaring at Billy. "What a line to throw at me." Up close, Darcy hadn't noticed the way his lifeguarding shorts fit a little too well on his hips and showed off his stupid, toned abs. And his broad shoulders. And how those lips—no. Soon, Darcy found herself turning as red as his lifeguarding shorts.

Billy raised his hands in surrender, grinning. "Hey, I know how hard it is to apply sunscreen on the back evenly."

"Well, I didn't ask for your help. Not now, and definitely not with Carol!"

Billy arched a brow, frowning. "Carol wasn't following the pool rules, for one."

Darcy crossed her arms. "I know you like attention, but I didn't know you were so generous enough to share it with others, others who don't want it and certainly don't need it!"

The insolent lifeguard only smirked. "Attention's not the only thing I like around here."

Damn the butterflies in her stomach. "If I say 'yes' to your dinner offer, will you finally leave me alone?"

Billy raised both his brows, amused. "I'll take you out if you want to so badly, princess."

"Taking me out was your idea in the first place. And don't call me that!"

"What, 'princess'?"

"Yes, don't call me that."

"Alright, angel."

Darcy swallowed a retort. Stupid, insolent, narcissist lifeguard and his superiority complex. "Well, if you're off your shift and you're still planning on standing here to talk to me, mind helping me with the sunscreen?"

Billy applied some of Darcy's sunscreen to his hands and began applying it to her back. She could feel the calluses on his hands, but his touch was gentle and delicate, unlike his harsh outburst from earlier. No, she was still angry with him for that. But despite herself, Darcy's back arched slightly as his hands crept upwards towards the straps of her swimsuit. Darcy pulled her hair to the side, giving him more access to her shoulders.

"How does dinner and a movie sound?" His voice, so close to her ear, was like drinking hot chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon— smooth and warming to her stomach, but robust.

Darcy suppressed a shiver, her voice softening despite herself. "Where? And which movie?"

"Dinner at Dell'Amante, the movie...your choice."

Darcy swallowed. "'Fright Night' it is. Now, are you done with the sunscreen?"

Billy chuckled, wiping the leftover sunscreen on his arms. "I may have written a little message on your back."

Darcy fumed. "What, 'Kick Me'?"

Billy smirked. "Worse. 'Kiss Me'."

Darcy's eyes widened, and she began reaching at her back. "You didn't!"

"I'll pick you up tomorrow evening at 7."

After giving Billy her address, Darcy checked her back for any writing in the women's restroom, but found smeared sunscreen on her back. Stupid, insolent, narcissist lifeguard and his superiority complex.