Sharing A Room

Dropping her sunglasses to the brim of her nose, Milou allowed herself to admire Bas’s clean-shaven torso as he emerged from the ocean.

“What are you looking at?” her best friend, Liv startled her.

“No one. I mean nothing.” She felt her cheeks heat up.

“Uhu. How long are we going to keep playing this game?”

“What game?”

Liv rolled her eyes and looked back to the waves calmly rippling to the shore. “You know it is okay to like him, right?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Because he’s my brother?”

“Don’t say it in such a dismissive way. That’s exactly why because he’s your brother.”

“I don’t mind –”

“Of course you do. You’re only saying that because you’re my best friend.”

“I would have said it even if you weren’t my best friend. You are a nice person, you’re down to earth and you make a mean chicken pot pie.”

“And I am twenty kilograms heavier than his supermodel girlfriends and his sister. Heck, I most probably am heavier than he is.”

“Have you seen those muscles? I think one of his biceps weighs as much as you do. And I thought you weren’t bothered about your weight?”

“I’m not . . . well not when I am in the comfort of my own home and no one else sees me naked.”

“I’ve seen you naked and you look fine. In any case, you shouldn’t compare yourself to other people. As long as you’re happy with who you are, the rest can go and screw themselves . . . or you.” Liv winked.

“Liv!” Milou swatted her on the shoulder and Liv snorted a laugh.

“All right, all right. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving –”

“Ladies.” Bas’s baritone voice greeted them.

Milou couldn't see his face as the sun blinded her eyes, but sitting there she could imagine his oral green eyes looking straight into her soul. It was one of the reasons she tried to keep her distance from him. Since they were kids, he could always tell when she was upset or when she was lying and right now she couldn’t afford him seeing more than he should.

“Just in time. I was telling Milou we should check-in at the hotel and then we can have dinner.” Liv slid off the lounge chair and started folding her towel.

“Sounds good to me. Is your luggage still in the car?”

“Nope, we dropped it off at the front desk before we came down here.”

“Cool. Let me grab my stuff and I’ll walk with you gals?” He looked from Liv to Milou and all Milou could do was nod her head.

Two minutes later the three of them were making their way back to the hotel. Milou huffed a little as the dune got steeper and the sand didn’t help her balancing skills either.

“You’ve been very quiet,” Bas said taking her bag from her.

“Heat exhaustion.”

“Maybe next time you could wear your swimsuit instead of a pair of jeans and a hoodie?”

“I am perfectly fine in my jeans, thank you very much.” Yet as she said it, she could feel another drop of sweat rolling down her spine. She didn’t care because there was no way she was going to let Bas see her in her high waist swimsuit.

“I think you look adorable in your Betty Boop swimsuit.”

Realizing what he meant, her eyes stretched wide as she asked, “How did you –” but he was already a few feet away.

Milou sighed in relief as she stepped into the hotel lobby and the air conditioning hit her face. She made her way to where Liv and Bas stood at the front desk and met them halfway, a room key in each hand.

“What floor are we on?” she asked Liv.

Brother and sister mischievously looked at each other before Liv said, “Well, you are on the sixth floor.”

“But I thought we were going to share a room?”

“We are, but you’ll be sharing with Bas.”

“What? No . . . no, no, no. Uhm . . . why?” She looked from one to the other clenching her hands together.

“Nico texted saying he was on his way, and you know I haven’t seen him in three weeks. So I thought he and I could share a room and spent some quality time together. You don’t mind sharing with Bas, do you? Please, Milou.” Liv pouted her lips.

“It’s fine. I can get myself another room.” There was no way she was going to spend two whole nights in the same room as him.

“We already asked, but they’re full,” Liv said.

“I’m sure Bas doesn’t want to share a room with me. I’ll go ask again.”

She was ready to march over to the front desk, but Bas stopped her in her tracks when he said, “I don’t mind.”

“Sorry?”

“I’m fine with sharing a room with you. But if you are uncomfortable –”

“No, no, no. I’m not uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable at all.”

“Great. Then it’s settled. You are the best friend ever.” Live pulled her into a hug and whispered, “Have fun,” before she grabbed her bags and dashed off.

“Shall we?” Bas gestured to the elevator.

Milou picked up her bag and followed him up to their room. She was exhausted and it was decided they were going to meet for dinner at six p.m., enough time for her to take a cat nap and get in a quick shower.

“I’m going to the gym for a bit,” Bas said as she went through her suitcase to pick out clothes for dinner.

“Okay, I’m gonna take a nap.”

“Want me to wake you?”

“No, I’ll meet you downstairs with the rest at six.”

“Okay. Have sweet dreams.” His lips curved into a smile.

There was no way she was going to be able to take a nap now with that image stuck in her head, yet five minutes later she was out like a light.

The consistent beeping alarm pulled Milou from her sleep. Groggily she rubbed her eyes as she climbed off the bed. With Bas out of the room and fifteen minutes before she had to be downstairs, she clipped her hair up and pushed open the bathroom door.

She heard a scream but didn’t realize it was hers until a calloused hand covered her mouth while another hand pushed against her back. She felt her heart pumping blood through her body as if she had been running a marathon.

“I’m going to pull my hand from your mouth.” Bas’s familiar voice slowly echoed through the bathroom.

Milou managed to nod as she felt the pressure on her mouth slip away.

“You’re naked.” She said in a shaky breath.

“And you’re awake.”

“I thought . . . Why are you not at the gym?”

“I would have showered there, but all the stalls were full so I came back. Since you were sleeping, I thought I’d quickly jump in before you woke up, but it seems my timing was off.” The pressure of his hand relaxed on her back a little as it was replaced by slow strokes up and down her spine, sending her body all kinds of mixed signals. “Did you have a good nap?”

“Yes.” She said in a breathy voice.

“Are you going to scream again?”

Shaking her head, he slowly released her taking the only thing holding her upright with him. She grabbed onto the door handle not daring to look down while he wrapped a towel around his middle.

“I’ll go put on some clothes while you take a shower.” He said as he slipped past her, leaving her to stare at her shocked expression in the mirror.

It was hard to sit through dinner and look at Bas without imagining him naked. Milou’s food must have looked exotic the way she stared at her plate.

“Have you seen anything fun you want to do while we’re here?” Liv asked.

“Bas.” Milou thought, but as she looked up all eyes were on her and she realized she was thinking out loud. “I mean, Bas, you should ask Bas that question.” She could feel her cheeks heat up and when she glanced at Bas he was grinning from ear to ear.

They decided to take coffee and cake on the terrace; Liv and Nico cuddling on the garden sofa as Milou and Bas took the deck chairs next to each other.

“You know what I think when I look up at those stars.” He said pointing to the dark sky.

“What?” She leaned her head against the little cushion to look at him.

“That you shine brighter than all of them combine.”