Realization

Diana’s POV

I groaned as the harsh rays of sunlight seeped through my closed eyes, forcing me to roll sideways.

However, that did nothing, as I couldn’t force myself to go back to sleep even if I wanted to.

As soon as I flapped my eyes open, the embarrassing memories of how I’d acted like an idiot in front of Benjamin wafted into my mind, causing me to grab the pillow beside me and scream out my lungs into it.

I had thought I could maintain a calm composure but barely five minutes after seeing Benjamin, the words in my mouth became absolute rubbish.

After screaming into the pillow for a minute, I put it away, exhaled heavily, and stood up.

Peeling off my clothes, I grabbed my hello kitty bathrobe from my box, then stepped into the bathroom.

Moments later, I walked out of the bathroom donning the bathrobe with a towel wrapped around my hair.

The thought of facing Benjamin made my heart sink to the deepest pit of my belly, and I couldn’t help but feel even stupider.

Last night, I’d been so ashamed that I had lied about feeling jetlagged, so I wouldn’t have to see Benjamin, forgetting I would eventually have to face him whether I liked it or not.

Perhaps, I should have never agreed to this vacation in the first place.

I was scared of mistakenly saying the wrong thing to Benjamin because I couldn’t even control my mouth around him.

A knock came on my door just then, followed by shuffling of feet.

“Is that you, Leah?” I made sure.

Scoffing, my best friend replied, “No, it’s your crush. Who else could it be?”

“Coming,” I replied, a slight smile shaping my lips.

It could very well be my crush, who also happens to be your dad, I thought, as I opened the door.

Leah’s smile was blinding as she strutted into my room.

“Hi,” She greeted, before sitting on the bed, “How do you feel now?”

“Better,” I nodded.

“Good because we are going swimming right now,” She parroted, and my brows furrowed in confusion.

“Really? Isn’t it too early for that though?” I asked, and she huffed, placing a pillow on her lap.

“It’s never too early to go swimming, girl,” She replied, “You know we woke up really late. It’s almost noon.”

“Seriously?” I gasped, grabbing my phone from the nightstand to check the time.

Leah was right.

The time was three minutes to twelve.

I had really been “jetlagged.”

“So, let’s go swimming?” Leah nudged me, making pleading eyes.

“Fine,” I huffed, and she grinned before making for the door.

“I will be back shortly,” She winked, then took her leave.

Shaking my head in fond amusement, I crouched to unzip my luggage, inwardly appreciative of the fact that I’d brought five bikini sets with me.

I had gotten them all online after Leah invited me on vacation, as I had no presentable swimwear.

Just my old shorts and tanktops that I converted to swimwears

I had never needed to buy swimwears before because I barely went swimming.

My family wasn’t exactly close enough to go on swimming dates or whatnot.

The last time I saw my mum and dad was on the day I left for college, which was several months ago.

Neither of them ever bothered to check up on me because like they usually said whenever I asked them to be there for me a little more, I was a mistake that forced them to get married.

Out of obligation, I had sent them both the same short text about a week ago, stating Leah had invited me to go on vacation to Ibiza with her dad.

As usual, neither of them had bothered to open it, and so, I didn’t even bother telling them that I was now in Ibiza.

My parents were the real definition of deadbeats.

Pushing them out of my thoughts, I grabbed the pink set out of my collection of swimwear.

However, when I put it on, it hugged me way tighter than I’d thought it would.

The bikini top scooped my breasts, defining my cleavage in the most perfect manner ever while the bikini bottom made my ass look perkier and rounder than it usually was.

Letting my hands hang onto my waist, I smiled, in awe of my body before something registered to me.

Wearing something like this would make it seem like I was out to seduce Benjamin, which weirdly enough, was never my intention when I chose to buy those bikini sets.

At that moment, I truly regretted not buying a tankini.

Just then, the door opened and Leah came in, spotting a bikini set which was similar to mine, with a scarf donned atop it.

Although hers didn’t seem as tawdry as mine did, which only heightened my guilt.

I waited with my heart in my mouth as she regarded me, her face completely expressionless.

“Well?” I muttered, my heart pounding against my ribs.

“Girl, where have you been hiding all these?” Leah responded with a question of her own as she looked me up and down.

She didn’t sound mad which alleviated my worries a bit but I had to be certain she didn’t think I was a slut.

“It’s not too bad then?” I inquired.

“I’m lost, why would it be bad?” Leah asked, genuine confusion evident in her eyes.

Wordlessly, I motioned to my body and she scoffed before bursting into a hearty guffaw, “Girl, please. People, including me, would kill to have your body. I honestly don’t understand your meaning of bad. Is a bikini supposed to cover you up or what?”

“I guess not,” I smiled, relief coursing through me at Leah’s response.

But then again, in the past seven years that I’d known her, she had never been a prejudiced person.

“Let’s go, babes,” She said, “Brunch is in an hour.”

Despite Leah telling me that I didn’t need to look modest in a bikini, I wrapped a scarf around my hips because I felt like it.

Moments later as we stepped out to the swimming pool area, I remained transfixed to a spot when I sighted Benjamin in the water.

His skin gleamed under the sunlight like a ton of shea butter had been rubbed on it, and as for his hard muscles, they rippled with every stroke he swam in the scintillating water.

This vacation was really going to be an agonizing experience for me.

I mean, how was I supposed to restrain my lascivious mind when Benjamin was the literal definition of sex on legs?

Well, water.

Suddenly, Leah nudged me and that instantly took my mind out of the gutter and my gaze off Benjamin.

“My dad is talking to you, Diana,” She said, eyes glazed with a mix of concern and fond amusement, “Where is your mind?”

“Right here,” I whispered, my hands turning clammy as I reverted my gaze to Benjamin, “Hi, Mr Gonzalez. I’m sorry I didn’t hear you earlier.”

It took me a great amount of restraint not to keep my gaze rooted to his enticing muscles.

“It's fine,” He replied, “I asked if you are feeling better now.”

“Oh, yes, I am, thank you, Mr Gonzalez.” I rambled out.

“That’s good to know,” He replied, getting out of the pool, “I’m off, girls. Be at the house soon for brunch.”

“Yes, dad.” Leah’s voice sounded fuzzy as my focus was ingrained on his huge mound of prime maleness.

The way his shorts clung to him like second skin sent a strong message that he was packing heavy.

“You’re tongue tied again,” Leah teased, jerking me back to reality, “Dad may look strict and intimidating but he’s not really like that, so you can feel right at home, okay?”

“Okay,” I nodded, watching the dominant flex of his back muscles as he walked away.

I was never getting over my forbidden attraction for Benjamin.