When I look at you

Ice creams and a kiss

Lara's POV

I didn't know what to say he was Rowan Lawson; he owned the hotel. He was a multi billionaire. I had so many questions that were swimming round in my head but the one a couldn't even begin to answer was, why was he spending time with me?

"why so quiet?" questioned Rowan.

"Forgive me sir but..."

"Rowan, please I want you to call me Rowan" he interrupted.

"Rowan...why are you spending your time with me? I have no friends, no real family. I am a nobody"

I tilted my head upwards to meet his eyes. All I wanted was to get lost in them, forget everything else and just be in these moments with him.

"The truth is you fascinate me. You had no clue who I was or how much money I was worth, and I don't think you care. You seem young and yet you have a maturity and serenity about you. I think you are beautiful, inside and out. You look at the world with open eyes and an open heart. I know I have only just met you, but I feel like I have known you longer."

I didn't know what to say, no one had ever said anything like that to me before. Perhaps I was silent too long because he soon said,

"If you would like to walk back to the hotel I wouldn't be offended"

"No, I would like it if we kept walking. I don't really want to go back to the hotel yet" he simply nodded, and we carried on walking in silence for a bit.

After a while I explained that I wasn't offended nor disgusted by his admission and that I was more in shock and that I was really flattered that he though so highly of me after only a short time.

He began to smile again, and his eyes lit up with a new hope I hadn't seen before.

"when you said that you felt as if you had known me longer, what did you mean?" I asked

"I don't know but you touch is familiar, and I feel comfortable around you" he paused "that's strange isn't it?" he said with a laugh.

I began to laugh myself while reassuring him that although it did sound crazy, that I too felt the same way.

By the time we reached the ice cream shop he had told me all about the tricks him and his little brother used to play on their parents and younger sister. I told him about the summers me, my mum and dad used to spend at the beach house.

"I admired your father greatly. He was a good man and therefore not a very good businessman" he said with a chuckle and a kind smile "but he was one of the best inventors, so I suppose he didn't need to be ruthless in business. I would even go as far as to say he was a genius"

I smiled at the memory of the man who brought so much love into my life, the memory of my father.

"So, what flavour would mademoiselle like?"

"Chocolate is my favourite, but I also love mint choc chip"

"I think me meeting you is fate because they are my favourite! This means you can get the chocolate and I'll get the mint choc chip and then we can share some with each other"

"I think you are right this must be fate"

we both laughed and he took me into the ice cream shop and we sat on the beach and ate them sharing the two between us.

I am not sure how long I have been sitting here on the beach with Rowan, his arm wrapped around my waist, holding me tight against his side.

It could have been minutes, or hours I really don't know. The only thing I was certain of was that it felt right, the two of us together.

My wardrobe is very limited, and I had put on a pair of leggings with about 100 stitches desperately holding them together.
I also had on a short sleeve baby blue t-shirt and in this heat, I was boiling.

I slipped out of Rowan's arm which tightened trying to stop me getting away.

I didn't miss the look of shock and sadness on Rowans face as I stood up in front of him. However, it all faded when I laughed and reached out my hands for him to take and pulled him up and towards the sea where we could cool off.

I pulled up my leggings so that they were above my knee and watched Rowan do the same with his trousers.

"Why are you wearing leggings in this hot weather?" Rowan said chuckling as I began to wade into the water.

"Why are you wearing trousers?" I said as I raised my eyebrows.

"Touché"

I wanted to tell him about how my stepmother treats me but at the same time I didn't want his pity or him to think I was using him to escape.

We were knee deep in the water and I would point out fish that swam past us excitedly. I travelled further out completely soaking my leggings and watched as Rowan shook his head and smiled.

"You have soaked your leggings! Guess you will just have to take them off to dry"

"Hey! None of that mister"

I knew he was only joking so I laughed it off and continued to walk a little father out beckoning him to follow me.

"Oh no. You may not care that you are getting your clothes wet but I have a reputation to uphold"

I smiled "What you mean the mean, cold and scary one?"

"That's the one"

"Well then, we wouldn't want people to think you are actually capable of fun, would we?" As I said that I moved slowly towards him.

"Look! There's another fish".

Poor guy he must think I am crazy since I was continuously pointing out fish like a five-year-old. To his credit he looked down into the water and that's when I cupped my hands together and sent a wave of water his way, drenching him.

He froze. I was unsure if I had possibly gone too far but he quickly recovered and came running through the water after me. Scooping me up by the legs he flung me backwards into the ocean.

That was it I was completely soaked so I jumped onto his back hoping he would topple over and go face first into the water, but he wouldn't budge.
Before I knew what was happening, he through me off his back and back into the water.

We had both sawm a little further out and the only thing above water was from our shoulders up.

I couldn't help but stare into his eyes. Unconsciously, I reached my rights hand up to twirl his black hair around my fingers which had gone slightly curly in the salt water.

I felt him pull me closer so that his body was pressed against mine. His hot breath fanned against my face. He looked down at my lips and without a second thought he gently placed his lips on mine bringing his right hand to caress my cheek and gripped my waist tighter with the other.

His feathery light kisses became harder and faster with the realisation that I was kissing him back.

After what seemed like seconds but was probably more like minutes I gently began to pull away and felt him smile lighting up his face. Our foreheads were still touching as he placed both his hands on my waist.

"Well that was..." I was at a loss for words.

"Perfect" he said, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"Yes perfect".