Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 134961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 675(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 675(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
"Forget the new bikini," I say as I stab a finger at him. "You can just owe me dry cleaning."
He catches the napkin with ease, flicking his gaze down at it like it’s some amusing little gift.
Then he looks back at me, his blue eyes twinkling with barely concealed amusement.
"And how do I pay?"
Well. I hadn’t thought of that.
"Figure it out, asshole."
Then, before he can say another infuriating word, I spin on my heel and march away.
Behind me, I swear I hear him laugh again.
Chapter Ten
Poppy
I am done with this night.
I storm back towards our sunbeds, still sticky, still furious, and very much in need of a shower - and possibly an exorcism - to remove the smug prick from my brain.
Emma looks up as I approach, eyes narrowing immediately.
“Oh no. What happened?”
Jas, who has been half-dozing, squints up at me and then frowns.
"Why do you look like you’ve been dipped in a strawberry smoothie?"
I throw my arms in the air, exasperated.
"Because some absolute menace of a man spilled an entire daiquiri down me - on purpose, I swear - and then had the audacity to laugh about it."
Emma sits up so fast she nearly spills her drink.
"What?! Who? Where is he?!"
"I hope you punched him," Jas mutters, rubbing her eyes.
I let out a frustrated groan, dropping onto my sunbed in defeat.
"I should have. I wanted to. But I was too busy trying not to strangle him with my sarong."
Jas smirks, taking a lazy sip of her drink. "A true test of restraint."
Emma narrows her eyes. "Okay, but who was he?"
I grumble as I start wringing out my ruined sarong, each drop of bright red liquid making me more and more furious.
"Some French idiot. Arrogant. Smug. Infuriating,” I tell her. “The absolute worst person I have ever met."
Emma and Jas exchange a look, but I catch it.
I narrow my eyes at them.
"What?"
Jas leans back, looking far too pleased with herself.
"Nothing. It’s just…" She shrugs. "Usually, when someone annoys you, you get over it in, like, two minutes. This is a lot of energy for a stranger."
"A lot of passion,” Emma smirks.
"You can’t be serious,” I gape at them, scandalised. “He’s an absolute dick. He’s ruined my night!"
"Uh-huh,” Jas hums as she sips her drink.
Em, meanwhile, lifts a brow as her lips curl in amusement.
"Was he hot?"
"I - well - that is not the point!" I splutter.
Emma grins over at Jas.
"So he was."
"Damn,” Jas sighs dramatically. “If I’d known that’s all it took to get you this worked up about a man, I would’ve been throwing cocktails at you years ago. Maybe then you would’ve been saved from Casanova and his love songs."
“Now you mention it, I swear you’ve already talked more about this man than you have about Noah,” Emma notes.
I curse under my breath before I reach for my hat, pulling it down over my face.
"I hate you both."
"There, there,” Emma pats my knee, voice full of mock sympathy. “Let’s get you back to the hotel before you combust."
Just as I think I might be able to escape this conversation, Jas squints at me.
“Wait,” she says slowly. “Why do I get the feeling that this isn’t the first time you’ve spoken to this guy?”
I stiffen, and Emma’s brows shoot up.
“Oh my God. Have you met him before?”
I hesitate, suddenly realising the grave mistake I’ve made by not mentioning this sooner.
“Well…” I wave a hand vaguely. “Sort of.”
Emma gasps. “Poppy!”
Jas sits up, looking genuinely offended.
“You’ve been holding out on us?”
“It wasn’t important!”
“You absolute traitor!” Emma says. “Spill.”
Jas crosses her arms, looking at me like a disappointed parent.
"Now."
I roll my eyes, sighing.
"Fine," I say. "I saw him at the airport. He tried to steal my taxi."
Emma gawks at me. "He what?!"
Jas lets out a low whistle, shaking her head.
"Damn. And here I thought French men were supposed to be romantic."
"Right?" Emma scoffs. "I was expecting roses and whispered poetry, not theft and beverage-based assaults."
"Okay, well, to be fair," I mutter, "he did offer to share it."
Emma leans forward, eyes wide with suspicion.
"And you…"
"…Immediately assumed he was a criminal," Jas finishes.
Both of the girls look at me with deadpan expressions.
"Oh, don’t look at me like that! I was practicing basic safety."
Emma snorts. "Basic safety, or basic self-sabotage?"
"Textbook self-sabotage," Jas nods solemnly.
I throw my hat at them.
"You’re both the worst."
"No we’re not,” Emma dodges easily. “You’re just stressed because you now have a stalker."
"Oh my God,” Jas gasps, mock horrified. “He’s obsessed with you."
I groan, dropping face-first onto my sunbed.
"I swear to god, this is my villain origin story."
Emma nudges my leg with her foot.
"Oh, please. This is just like being in a rom-com."
"Enemies to lovers. Classic," Jas snickers.
I lift my head just enough to glare at them.
"It is not enemies to anything. It’s just enemies."
Emma and Jas just laugh, completely unconvinced, and somehow, I know I’m never going to hear the end of this.