Risk

Thirty

James let out a low whistle when he entered the bungalow apartment, impressed by the stylish little home he had managed to book all those months ago. It had been easy enough I get a second key from the resort reception, and he left his case in the porch as he wandered in, calling out a hello into the silence.

The open planned kitchen into living space was bright and decorated with soft blue and white tones. Two large sofas were in the living area along with a massive flat screen tv and a whole wall of french doors leading out to the back porch. He checked the fridge in the kitchen, giving a short chuckle when he saw it was filled with wine, fruit, water, soda and a left over Chinese takeout. He could have guessed it's contents without opening it.

He quickly glanced into the the large bedroom, noticing how the bed was neatly made and Natasha's case was opened by one side of it. However it was mostly empty now since she'd obviously unpacked, her clothes in the large wardrobe and her beauty things in the adjoining large bathroom complete with full shower and bath suite. He double checked she wasn't there, or in the small utility room across from the bedroom before heading out to the porch.

It was a large wooden decking with a hot tub tucked in the corner and a freestanding large hammock at the other side. Three wide steps led straight down onto the beach that stretched off toward the blue ocean, tourists scattered across the sand further down closer to the waters edge. All except two sun lounger with their bungalow number on the back, that were closer to the decking than the rest.

And there Natasha was.

She was laying on one of two sun loungers on the sand at the back of their own bungalow, a parasol casting a shadow of shade over her face to keep it from burning in the tropical climate.

Her body was already sun kissed with a golden tan, and shining in the sunlight from the sun cream moisturising her skin. The bottle sat on the small table between the loungers, next to her book and a half empty bottle of water. Beneath her was a beach towel, and a summer dress folded under her head was now being used as a pillow, leaving a simple black bikini covered her body. Her hair was wavier than he remembered, natural and still damp at the ends as it dried in the sun in a ponytail, and she appeared to be asleep beneath her sunglass since she didn't stir even when he approached.

He took a breath, then cleared his throat awkwardly, watching as she lifted her head and pushed her hands under her glasses to rub her eyes. "Hey."

She paused for a second then pushed her glasses to her head, squinting as she adjusted to the bright light even despite the shade, and slowly sat herself up. "Hey..." she answered automatically and her lips parted slightly as she managed to open her eyes fully. Never would she have guessed he would be here, and it made her heart rate quicken to see him standing above her just as lost for words as she was.  "What...what are you doing here?"

"I, um..." he let the answer hang in the air for a moment as he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like it already might be burning. "Can we take this inside?" He was regretting not changing, his loose shirt and jeans making him uncomfortably hot in this climate.

"Sure," she replied, grabbing her things and walking with him in silence back into the little bungalow apartment. If felt unnatural to be around her now, she had little to say to him and he in return, in the realm of small talk anyway. They barely even looked at once another.

When they reached the kitchen she eventually looked up at him expectantly, but he just looked back at her in response, eyes emotionless as they shamelessly took in her appearance from head to toe. "What?" She asked, determined and almost a little irritated while snatching for her sundress to pull on and dumping the rest of her things on the nearest chair.