STILL THE ONE

Chapter 18 - A Feeling I Just Can't Describe

We walk, we laugh, we spend our time
Walking by the ocean side
Our hands are gently intertwined
A feeling I just can't describe
All this time we spent alone
Thinking we could not belong
To something so damn beautiful
So damn beautiful

The weeks in between the North American and European dates were busy for both of them. Shawn released his second single from the album and did promo for it, Camila flew to Paris to close a deal with L'Oreal, Shawn performed at a couple of festivals but the best part was a whole week together. They rented a private place on the beach north of LA and only their families knew where they were. It was a chance to rest and relax before the next leg of the tour, which started in Scotland. They were going over a few days early and driving around the highlands with their parents and sisters, it was going to be fun.

"Whose house is this anyway?" Shawn asked. Camila smiled, it had only taken him three days to ask! He looked so cute in his board shorts, his chest bare, and she loved his latest tattoo, a fan design of a lightbulb sprouting blue orchids on the back of his arm.

"It used to belong to an actress, who had a bit of a career crash and had to sell everything. Now it's just a holiday rental, Mama found it online."

"Thank you Sinu," he smiled, pouring his smoothie into a cup. She had declined one of his high protein concoctions, he could get away with it with all the weight training he did. She grabbed a banana instead and he rolled his eyes. He thought she ate too many of them.

"Want to walk on the beach?" The selling point for this place was the private beach. They didn't want to be photographed. The number of people who knew their secret had expanded to her make up artist and hairdresser, and one of her dancers, who may or may not have mentioned it to Sara and Calvit, her choreographers, judging by the mysterious texts she had received from them. This could be the last time they had together for a while, because once on tour they would have to keep things professional, or it would leak out, and either way their privacy would be gone.

She took his hand and they walked down the steps onto the sand and down to the beach. It was going to be a beautiful day. They stood and looked out at the horizon. The sun was almost at it's zenith and the sea sparkled like a jewel. Shawn lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, staring down at her.

"I love you," he said. He said it often, and she never got tired of it.

"I love you too," she smiled. He pulled her in and put his arm around her and they began to walk. They had two days left, and then their little family holiday in Scotland. They talked about everything and nothing, then returned to the house for lunch, a swim in the pool, some lazing around. For Shawn, doing nothing was always a struggle, and he spent the afternoon practicing his guitar and having a vocal lesson online while Camila read by the pool and did some yoga. They heated one of the premade meals that the house had been stocked with at their request, and then they meditated on the deck as the sun set.

"Want another swim before we turn in?" Shawn asked. It was still warm, and she nodded, heading inside to get her swimsuit. He grabbed her arm.

"Remember the night I came to your house and we swam in the pool?" he asked. She shivered at the memory and then turned to face him. She wore a pair of shorts and a halter top and she wriggled out of them, until she was naked, and he slid his shorts down and pulled his tank top over his head and they were both naked. They jumped in before any of the neighbours saw, despite the distance they were from them, and they swam lazily in the tepid waters, enjoying the peace. It was an infinity pool and she leaned her arms on the edge, looking out at the beach, and felt him come up behind her, placing a hand either side of hers on the pool edge.