Page 41 of The Perfect Distraction

Glancing over his shoulder, he said, “I should have applied sunscreen after we got out of the water.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Not yet, but it probably will later unless I get some aloe on it.”

“Did you pack any?”

“That’s the one thing I forgot.”

“We should go, then,” she said and immediately stood.

They quickly packed up, and Beth threw her clothes over her swimsuit, while Colton left his torso bare so as not to irritate the skin.

As they trudged back to the parking lot, she said, “I feel so bad. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m the one who feels bad.”

“Why?”

“For cutting our time short.”

They’d probably already been gone for a few hours, but she shared the sentiment. She wasn’t ready for the day to end yet.

Once they’d loaded their things in the back of the SUV, Colton gingerly climbed into the driver’s side, sitting forward so his back wouldn’t rub against the seat.

They were quiet as they drove home, each lost in their own thoughts, and the next thing she knew, he’d pulled into his driveway and shut off the car.

“Let me help you carry everything inside,” she said.

Colton arched a brow at her. “That’s okay. I carried it all out, remember?”

“Right.” She stepped out of the car, racking her brain for some other excuse to spend more time with him.

They stood side by side while he unloaded the car, and he handed out her beach bag.

“I…” she started to say.

“Thanks…” he began, and then chuckling, he said, “You go first.”

“I was just going to offer to help you with the aloe. You know, because some spots might be hard to reach.” Obvious much?

Colton searched her eyes for a second and then nodded. “Okay.”

“Great. I’ll just put my stuff inside and change, and then I’ll come over.”

“Okay,” he repeated.

Beth had never moved so fast in her life. She lived by the motto: Slow and steady… but not then. Now that she’d made up her mind, she wanted to act on it before she lost her nerve. Because she and Colton both knew that putting aloe on him wasn’t all she wanted to do.