57. Red Villa

Josh drove straight to the restaurant as soon as he dropped his mother off.

The evening air was sticky on his skin, but somehow his heart was beating faster. There was something about meeting Sharon today that felt different.

Sharon was waiting for him inside the restaurant, sitting in the corner with sunglasses covering half her face and a wide-brimmed hat. As soon as she saw Josh arrive, she smiled broadly as she lifted her new bag onto the table, as if to show off a treasure.

Josh chuckled at her behavior. He too put on a mask, sunglasses and a hat that almost completely covered his face, trying his best to remain unrecognizable, just like their previous agreement and plan—to go undercover.

“Your new bag?” Josh pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “It's beautiful.”

Sharon nodded coquettishly, twirling the bag around so that it was visible from all angles. "Thank you. I'm so glad I bought it," she said, her voice light but with a hint of a spoiled tone in it.

“It's good that you like it.”

However, Sharon's smile slowly faded. She lowered her head, her fingers curling the edge of the tablecloth.

“But... it doesn't feel like a gift to me,” she murmured, barely audible.

Josh frowned. “Why?”

Sharon puffed out her cheeks, looking annoyed with herself. "Because I bought it myself. Well, yeah, technically you did buy it for me. But I went by myself, chose by myself, and paid by myself-even with your card. It all felt... not special."

Josh stared at her for a moment, both amused and moved. “Did you think that far ahead?” he asked gently.

“Of course!” Sharon looked up, her eyes sparkling despite the quirk of her mouth. "It's an important thing for a girl, you know? You'll buy it for me sometime, won't you? I want it to feel like... like old times."

Josh smiled faintly. There was a small wound tearing at his heart, remembering the ‘old’ days that now seemed increasingly difficult for them to repeat.

“Are you sure you'll like my choice?” he teased lightly. “Wouldn't it be safer if you chose it yourself?”

Sharon pouted deeper, her eyes looking at him accusingly. "It's so sad to have to choose by myself. I want it to be like before. You accompanied me wherever I went. We laughed together like real lovers. You bought everything I wanted for me without me having to say much..." her voice lowered, as the memories suddenly seemed too heavy to share.

Josh let out a slow breath. There was a sense of guilt that he couldn't deny. “All right,” he said finally. "We'll do that again later. I promise. But in the meantime, please be patient, okay?"

Their conversation died down as the food arrived. They ate in silence, but not an awkward silence - more like two people who both understood how fragile their time was.

Every now and then Sharon would steal a glance, noticing Josh's jawline, noticing the way he'd bribe his food neatly and slowly. There were many things about Josh that she had always secretly fallen in love with - even in the simplest of habits.

After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and proceeded to the villa that Sharon had chosen. The road to the villa was a little rocky, making Josh's car shake a little, but Sharon was still beaming like a child about to open her birthday present.

Once there, Josh got out first and gazed at the two-story building with a backyard that opened directly onto the beach. They both went inside together and hugged each other without letting go, as if one second was precious. They intended to take a first look at the entire one-story villa that had an open interior. Sharon wrapped her arms around Josh's stomach as they wandered around, as if afraid that this moment would be lost if she let go.

As they walked out into the backyard, there was the unmistakable sound of the waves, mingling with the salty scent of the sea carried by the wind.

“Do you like the place, Josh?” Sharon asked, hoping her choice would satisfy him.

“Yes,” he said, his voice deep and honest. "I like it a lot. Thank you, darling."

Josh let his gaze sweep over the scene in front of him-the endless blue sea, the soft white sand, and the villa, which seemed private because of the distance between the buildings.

Sharon smiled happily and pulled Josh inside.

The interior of the villa was warm, with natural wood tones painted bright red, with large windows letting in light freely.

When they decided to go inside to get a cold drink from the fridge in the kitchen because they were thirsty, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Sharon came closer, too close, and before Josh could say anything, their lips had met in a brief but longing kiss.

Her hands curled around Josh's neck, while Josh, although a little surprised, reciprocated warmly, letting himself drown in her presence.

They chuckled each time they parted, looking at each other with eyes that spoke more than words. Then it was back to drowning in soft but passionate kisses.

“I miss you,” Sharon whispered.

“Me too,” Josh replied, his voice hoarse.

Without saying much more, they both walked to the back veranda to relax and enjoy the afternoon beach air.

Josh plopped down on a super-wide circular outdoor chair, almost as big as a bed. Then he pulled Sharon, who was still standing nearby, into his arms.

They lay together, accompanied only by the sound of the wind and the waves. Sharon squirmed in his arms, while Josh tucked a few strands of her wind-blown hair behind Sharon's ear.

They were making out, with gentle touches creeping over each other's faces and bodies, and small kisses that were seductive and soothing. There was no urgency to step into a more intimate step. Only a deep longing enveloped them both.

But when their kiss deepened, and Josh's hand began to move to Sharon's intimate parts, Sharon's hand stopped him while whispering shyly in Josh's ear. "I can't. I'm on my period..."

Josh smiled, tightened his embrace, and kissed Sharon gently on the crown of her head. “It's okay,” she whispered back. “I just want to hold you like this.”

Sharon shifted her body, finding a comfortable position in Josh's arms. They talked quietly, talking about little things—about the villa, about the beach, about the last time they felt this free.

Time seemed to slow down. Sharon closed her eyes, listening to Josh's heartbeat beating regularly under her ear.

“Josh,” she whispered, “Someday... Do you think... when will we have more time like this?”

Josh was silent for a long time before answering. “I don't know,” he said finally. "But I want to believe we can. Let's just enjoy it while we can be together like this. Let's think about more complicated things tomorrow."

They didn't talk about those words any further. No sweet promises, no elaborate plans. Just silence, and a simple togetherness that felt more precious than anything else.

The sun began to sink slowly over the horizon, coloring the sky with beautiful shades of orange and purple. Josh looked down at Sharon's sleeping face in his arms, her hair messed up by the wind, her lips slightly parted. For a moment, Josh felt like the whole world was spinning just for this moment-a moment where their love felt enough, even though the outside world might say otherwise. And for the umpteenth time, Josh allowed himself to believe that his happiness with Sharon was worth fighting for.