Chapter 106: She is Pretty
She browsed quietly for several minutes before pulling out a dark navy-blue two-piece swimsuit.
Simple.
Elegant.
Not flashy.
She held it against herself.
"What do you think?" Olivia asked.
Sean looked up.
For a brief moment, he simply stared.
Then he smiled.’
"I think you’ll look beautiful in anything," Sean said.
Olivia rolled her eyes, though the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks betrayed her.
"That wasn’t the question," Olivia said.
"It was my answer," Sean replied.
She shook her head, unable to stop smiling.
"You’ve gotten smoother," Olivia said.
"I’m adapting," Sean said with a grin.
"You are," Olivia admitted.
She looked at the swimsuit once more before nodding.
"I like this one," Olivia said.
"It suits you," Sean replied.
"I haven’t even put it on yet," Olivia pointed out.
"I know," Sean said.
She laughed again.
"I’ll go change," Olivia said.
She pointed a finger at him.
"And don’t peek."
Sean couldn’t help but laugh. They had already seen each other naked, so hearing Olivia say that now felt strangely adorable.
"I wasn’t planning to," Sean said.
"You thought about making a joke," Olivia accused.
"I did," Sean admitted.
"I knew it," Olivia said triumphantly.
She disappeared into the changing room before he could answer.
Sean chuckled to himself.
A few minutes later, he chose a pair of black swim shorts and changed as well.
When he stepped out, he found himself waiting outside Olivia’s dressing room.
A few seconds passed.
Then the curtain moved.
Olivia stepped out.
Sean forgot what he was about to say.
The navy-blue swimsuit fit her perfectly, elegant without trying to be, the deep color making her red hair seem even more vibrant beneath the warm lights.
She shifted slightly beneath his gaze.
"...Well?" Olivia asked softly.
Sean blinked.
"I think I owe the swimsuit an apology," Sean said.
Olivia tilted her head.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I said you’d look beautiful in anything," Sean replied. He smiled. "I underestimated you."
A deep blush spread across her face.
"You..." Olivia began.
She tried very hard to sound annoyed.
"...That was smooth."
"I’ve been practicing," Sean said.
She covered her face with one hand, laughing softly.
"I can’t believe you’re making me blush this much," Olivia said.
"I’m only telling the truth," Sean replied.
She lowered her hand and met his eyes.
"You clean up pretty well yourself," Olivia said.
Sean glanced down at his swim shorts.
"I feel significantly less impressive than you," Sean admitted.
Olivia stepped closer.
"I disagree," Olivia said.
She reached out and brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his shoulder.
"You make confidence look effortless."
Sean smiled.
"I’m usually just improvising," Sean said.
"I don’t believe that for a second," Olivia replied.
She slipped her hand into his.
"Come on."
Together, they walked toward the rooftop terrace.
The doors slid open.
Warm air greeted them immediately.
The infinity pool stretched toward the edge of the building, its still surface reflecting the lights of the city below like liquid glass.
Soft lights beneath the water gave it a gentle glow.
Beyond the edge, the skyline stretched endlessly in every direction.
Olivia stopped walking.
"...Sean," Olivia whispered.
"Yeah?" Sean replied.
She looked around in complete disbelief.
"It’s beautiful," Olivia said.
Sean watched her instead of the view.
"I know," Sean said quietly.
She turned toward him.
"Were you looking at the city?" Olivia asked.
"No," Sean answered.
"What were you looking at?" Olivia asked.
"You," Sean replied.
Olivia laughed, shaking her head.
"I swear..." Olivia said.
"What?" Sean asked.
"I don’t know when you became this romantic," Olivia admitted.
Sean smiled.
"I had twelve days to prepare," Sean said.
She stared at him.
"You planned conversations too?" Olivia asked.
"I considered the possibility," Sean replied with a perfectly straight face.
Olivia burst into laughter.
"I was joking!" Olivia said between laughs.
"I wasn’t," Sean answered.
She laughed even harder, leaning lightly against his shoulder.
"You really are impossible," Olivia said.
"I’ve accepted that," Sean replied.
She squeezed his hand.
"And somehow..." Olivia said softly.
She looked up at him, smiling.
"...I’m really glad you are."
Sean smiled back.
"So am I," Sean said.
Olivia walked to the edge of the pool and slowly lowered one foot into the water.
"It’s warm," Olivia said.
She looked over her shoulder.
"Are you coming?" Olivia asked.
Sean nodded.
"I was waiting for permission," Sean said.
"You have permission," Olivia replied with a smile.
He stepped into the pool beside her.
The warm water rose to their waists as they moved toward the center.
For a while, they simply floated together, surrounded by the quiet city lights.
Olivia drifted a little closer until her shoulder brushed his.
"I think..." Olivia began softly.
She smiled to herself.
"...this might be my favorite part of the whole night."
Sean looked at her.
"More than the showcase?" Sean asked.
She nodded.
"The showcase was my dream," Olivia said.
She intertwined her fingers with his beneath the water.
"This..."
She looked into his eyes.
"...is my reward."
Sean gently squeezed her hand.
"I’ll try to give you more rewards like this," Sean promised.
She laughed quietly.
"You don’t have to keep trying so hard," Olivia said.
"I know," Sean replied.
"Then why do you?" Olivia asked.
Sean thought about it for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Because seeing you smile makes all the planning worth it," Sean said.
Olivia felt her heart melt.
She moved closer until there was almost no space between them.
Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around him.
Sean held her just as gently.
The city sparkled around them.
The water rippled softly against the edge of the pool.
For several peaceful minutes, neither of them spoke.
Neither of them wanted to break the moment.
—------
Eventually, Olivia let out a small sigh and rested her chin against Sean’s shoulder.
"I don’t want tonight to end," Olivia murmured.
Sean smiled.
"It doesn’t have to end just yet," Sean said.
She looked up at him.
"What time is it?" Olivia asked.