Selena nodded.
Then they paid and left the shop,they didn't talk much on the way.
When they finally got to the beach, it was packed music somewhere in the distance, people laughing, kids running around with buckets, the whole place loud and alive. Selena's eyes widened like she couldn't believe it.
"Wow… this is so nice," she said, already stepping forward.
Lucian followed behind her, hands in his pockets, looking around like the beach had personally offended him.
"I don't get it," he muttered. "Why are you this excited to come to a place like this?"
Selena didn't even answer. Maybe she didn't hear him. She just grabbed his hand and tugged.
"Come on, come on."
He let her pull him for like two seconds before he stopped.
"Wait. Your clothes."
Lucian went back to the car, grabbed the bag, and returned. They found a spot close by where she could change without people staring too much.
When she came out, her excitement had dipped into something else—shyness.
She kept adjusting the robe and avoiding his eyes, like she suddenly remembered Lucian was there.
Lucian looked her over once and his jaw tightened. She looked good. Too good. And he didn't like how easy it was for other people to notice.
He frowned.
"Don't you think that's… a little small?"
Selena's lips twitched. "Yeah. But this is what they wear here. I'll manage."
He wanted to argue, but what would he even say? So he just stared for a second, then looked away.
"Let's go," he said.
Selena didn't move.
"Um…" She shifted on her feet. "I can't tie it at the back. Can you help me?"
Lucian hesitated. "Sure."
The second she turned around, he knew he'd made a mistake.
Not because she did anything, but because his brain did.
Her back was right there, smooth and warm from the sun, and when his fingers brushed her skin while he tied the robe, Selena sucked in a quiet breath like it surprised her.
Lucian's thoughts tried to slip into places they shouldn't.
He finished quickly, then stepped back like he needed space to breathe.
By the time he was done, Selena's face was already turning red. She wanted to quickly escape from the situation, but Lucian stopped her.
"Wait."
He took out his phone and made a phone call. He said something to the person on the other end before ending the call.
"Can I go now?" Selena asked.
"No. Wait a little longer."
Selena was already getting annoyed, but she said nothing.
Thirty minutes later, two men arrived and set up a cream-colored beach cabana for them. It had a canopy to protect them from the sun, two comfortable loungers, and a small table between them.
One of the men placed a bottle of sunscreen on the table before leaving.
Selena glanced at it, then looked at Lucian.
"Is that sunscreen?"
Lucian gave a small smile. "Yes, so you don't get sunburned."
She smiled softly and picked up the sunscreen, but Lucian took it from her.
"Let me help you."
"No, I can do it myself," she told him.
But he didn't answer. He simply turned her around and gently applied the sunscreen to her back.
When he was done, Selena quickly went to the beach to join the rest of the people. Lucian just smiled and watched her.
Selena was having fun until a man came up behind her and put his hand around her waist.
"Do you want to play with me?" he asked shamelessly.
Selena was disgusted. She tried to pull his hand away from her waist, but she couldn't.
"Get your hand away from her."
Lucian's voice came from behind the man.
The man was intimidated by his voice, but he didn't want to show it. Instead of letting Selena go immediately, he spoke back.
"Oh, I see. You're the one enjoying this beauty. Why didn't I—"
Lucian cut him off, his voice now angry.
"Don't make me repeat myself."
The man finally released his grip from Selena's waist.
Selena quickly ran to Lucian. Lucian held her gently by the waist and gave the man one last look before taking Selena back to the cabana.
When the girls nearby saw Lucian, they started looking at him.
"He's so handsome," one of them said.
"But too bad he has a girlfriend," another one replied.
Lucian helped Selena sit down and covered her with a towel.
"Wait here. I'll be back," he told her.
"I'm tired," Selena said.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded.
Lucian then helped her into the car, and they drove back to the hotel.
Before they arrived, Lucian instructed someone to deliver food to their room.
When Selena came out of the bathroom, the food was already placed on the table. They both ate together in silence.
After that, Selena went to bed because she was really tired.
A while later, Lucian came out of the bathroom and saw that Selena was already sleeping. He quietly got into bed as well.
At home, Lucian's mom was sitting in the living room when Grandpa came in, looking excited.
"What are you smiling about?" she asked.
"My grandson was able to secure the deal."
"Really?" Lucian's mom asked curiously. "What deal?"
Grandpa looked at her, and his smile faded.
"Never mind."
"But why don't you want to tell me?" she complained.
Grandpa rested his head against the chair.
"Because I'm too lazy to explain."
Just then, a voice came from behind them.
"It was the deal he assigned to Victor, but he messed it up. Lucian went there and was still able to secure the deal."
Grandma said as she walked into the room.
"That's good news," Lucian's mom said.
"Rosalie, you should learn from her," Grandpa said.
"But dad, you know I don't know anything about business. Gabriel never let me get involved in these things," Rosalie replied.
"Then it's not too late," Grandpa said.
"I can't. I'm already old, and I don't want to stress my brain."
Grandma laughed at the both of them.
"But I did it, so why can't you?" she asked.
"I'm not made for that," Lucian's mom said.