The beach had become their sanctuary over the past three days, a place where the world's worries couldn't reach them. Celine stretched lazily on the sunbed, her skin warm from the golden rays overhead. The rhythmic sound of the waves lapping against the shore lulled her into a blissful calm.
Dave lounged next to her, flipping through a novel he'd found in the villa's library. She caught herself watching him from the corner of her eye, the way the sunlight highlighted the sharp lines of his jaw, the ease with which he reclined, completely at home in this paradise.
"You've been staring for the past five minutes," he said without looking up, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
Her cheeks flushed, but she refused to let him see her flustered. "I was just wondering how you can read with sunglasses on. Doesn't that strain your eyes?"
He chuckled, setting the book aside. "Nice try."
