I don’t know how long we were in the water that day, or what we did on our floating toys, because all that stuck in my mind was the tadpoles. Even as I stood on the shore telling Dalton, I could still feel the slippery squirming of them against my legs.
He rubbed his arms after I finished the story. “You gave me goosebumps,” he said. “And the worst part is, I don’t think I can go in this lake again until I get a tight-fitting Speedo to protect myself.”
“I’ll go shopping for Speedos with you, and you can model a few pairs for me.”
He pretended to be shocked, his mouth dropping open. “You are a cheeky one. Thanks for the offer, but Vern does all my clothes shopping for me.”
Now it was my turn to show shock on my face. “You don’t go shopping? What’s the point in being a big TV star if you don’t get to shop and spend money on ridiculous things?”
“I don’t know,” he said, stooping down to pick up some flat stones for skipping.
He handed a stone to me and I chucked it, getting four good jumps. The sun was moving lower on the horizon, painting a gold streak across the lake.
His stone skipped so lightly, it seemed to disappear from sight without sinking.
“Crossed the lake with that one,” he said, beaming.
“You are the champion.”
He reached for my hand and gave it a proud squeeze, then we turned and headed back to the trailer.
“The Airstream’s design is based on aircraft wings.” He pointed his chin at the silver trailer, poised gracefully at the edge of the lake. “It’s designed for minimal wind resistance, so it hugs the highway, which makes it more stable and also lighter on gas.”
“Sounds like you’re in love with that trailer. How will you ever leave it after your movie finishes?”
“No need for heartbreak. I’ll take her with me.”
“The trailer’s yours?”
We’d just reached the barbecue, which was hot and ready to cook our steaks.
“Go ahead and have a look inside while I finish getting dinner ready.” His green eyes twinkled, and by the tone of his voice, I sensed the trailer meant a lot to him.
I backed toward the trailer. “Is it really yours or are you pulling my leg?
“All mine. And in case you’re wondering how big it is, I’ll tell you. It’s twenty-eight feet of awesome.”
“Wow, that’s big.” I kept walking backwards, unable to take my eyes off Dalton, his skin looking delicious and tanned against his bright white shirt.
“Not too big, though.”
“Of course.” I turned away, blushing. He sure had a way of flustering me with the most innocent-sounding lines. That had to be his acting talent at work.
I opened the screen door keeping the dragonflies out of the trailer, and stepped up into the silver bullet. CREAK went the Airstream.
My heart sped up and sweat beaded on my forehead.
Great. Just great.
I imagined the trailer rocking visibly as I walked to the front and the back, the whole thing swaying under my footsteps. My next steps were careful, my breath held. The Airstream seemed solid enough, past the first awful CREAK, but I had to be cautious.
I couldn’t tell how old the trailer was, but the interior looked new, custom, and expensive. To my right, the front of the trailer held a cozy seating banquette, upholstered in red fabric, and a pedestal table. The round table was already set for dinner for two, complete with fresh flowers—pink peonies the size of cabbages, not from the lakeside, but probably from a florist in town. That part of the trailer looked like a photo in a magazine, all pink and red and gorgeous. Here we were at the edge of a lake, and Dalton had asked me to dress casually, but I felt underdressed in my pink blouse and blue jeans.
Then again, maybe I was dressed perfectly. Maybe when we’re in situations that make us feel underdressed, there’s actually something else going on, but it’s easier to blame the clothes. Hadn't Dottie said something about that at her workshop?
“Just be yourself,” I whispered to myself. “Except be more f**king charming and not weird. And stop talking to yourself.”
The kitchenette looked like a regular nice kitchen with wood cabinets, but in miniature, with the cutest little round sink. Across from the counter and cupboards was more seating, and a built-in desk sized perfectly for a laptop.
Stepping carefully, so as not to rock the trailer off its axles and send myself rolling into the lake, I made my way back to peek at the tiny bathroom, which packed a lot of luxury into a gleaming white small space. In fact, if I’d been hired to write about this place for a fancy magazine, this is how I’d describe the washroom: packed with luxury, and nicer than most regular people’s homes, despite being a tenth the size.
I stepped back from the washroom and peeked into the back area, which you would call a bedroom, simply because it did contain a bed. This “room” was up on a raised platform, and the only way to enter was to crawl up on the bed. The mattress, covered in luxurious red-toned linens, ended about a foot short of either side of the platform, which was a wood surface, empty except for an alarm clock and small* stack of books.
*There were twelve books, which I consider a small stack.
I reached out and ran my hand over the crimson bedcover, which felt silky to the touch. If I did sleep with Dalton Deangelo, it would be right here, on these red sheets. I glanced up at the coved ceiling and gasped. A mirror!
I shuddered, because seeing that mirror changed absolutely everything. No longer was the Airstream a high-end camping trailer. Thanks to that sex-mirror, it was now a bordello on wheels, and I didn’t feel so great about being the next conquest.
“The mirror wasn’t my idea,” came a deep voice at the trailer’s doorway.
I turned on my heel to find Dalton’s tall, muscular frame blocking the only exit.
“What mirror?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“Look up, over the bed. My designer came up with that. I’d been complaining that there was nowhere for a full-length mirror to check my clothes in, and she put that on the ceiling. I keep forgetting to have it taken down.”
He stepped into the trailer, the whole thing rocking gently under his footsteps, and set the fragrant cooked steaks on the round table at the front.
“I guess this is the part where we eat,” I said, stepping carefully over to the seating area to join him.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said. “Every time I see you, you’re more luminous.” His gaze moved down to my mouth. “Your lips leave me breathless.”