Chapter 28 I had Fallen for William

Elena Garcia's POV:

The fitting rooms at the beach shops were tiny. Every time I tried on clothes, I'd end up bumping into the doors, making a loud thud.

"You okay in there, Elena?" William's voice came through.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just need a bit more time."

I slipped into the black swimsuit. The cutouts on the sides left a lot of skin exposed, making me feel a bit insecure.

The neckline was pretty low, and in this cramped space, I couldn't tie the straps on my back by myself. So, I had to cover my chest and let the straps hang loose.

It fit snugly and felt comfortable, but I wasn't sure if it looked good.

The mirror was outside the fitting room.

I opened the door, and William's eyes widened in surprise.

I figured the swimsuit must look good since William's eyebrows shot up instead of him frowning.

"Wow, you look amazing. Seriously sexy."

"If you walk on the beach for ten minutes, I bet a bunch of guys would line up to put sunscreen on you," the shop owner chimed in, making me blush.

I glanced at William, and he nodded. "Yeah, it really suits you. You look stunning, Elena."

As he said that, his face turned a bit red, and he shyly looked away.

His reaction made my face even redder.

"Hey, could you help her tie the straps? I need to help another customer," the shop owner said to William, winking at me before ducking behind the cash register.

Reminded by the shop owner, William motioned for me to face the mirror. He grabbed the straps on the back of the swimsuit, adjusting and tying a neat bow.

I could feel his large hands on my skin, like hot lava, making the spots he touched feel burning hot.

"You look really beautiful," William said, guiding me to look at myself in the mirror.

Then he took off his sunglasses and put them on my head. My hair was loose and a bit messy, and his sunglasses helped hold it in place.

I looked more like someone on a beach vacation now. "Thanks."

William's hand was on my shoulder, and after realizing this, I discreetly placed my hand over his.

In the mirror, we stood together, looking very close.

Maybe that's why the shop owner mistook us for a couple.

But at that moment, I thought about when William came to The Garcia Manor and asked me in the garden if I liked him.

Back then, for some reason, I told him no.

Now, before he saw my blush, I wondered if I should stay away from him. "Let's head back. Sofia and the others might be getting anxious."

William raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want to spend more time with me?"

"I, uh, of course, no, William, but..."

His words made my heart flutter. It had been racing since just now, and I couldn't calm it down.

I thought he was joking, but with a secret sense of joy, I nodded lightly.

But William probably didn't see my nod, and he apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you nervous. You're a lady, and I shouldn't joke like that when you just want to be friends.

You look so beautiful in that swimsuit. I can hardly wait to see everyone's reaction."

His apology made me go from nervous and shy to a bit sad.

What if I never just wanted to be friends?

But I couldn't tell him that.

If I said it, it would be awkward, like I had ulterior motives.

If William was just joking, my words would make things weird between us.

On the way back, we walked along the beach.

The sand clung to my feet, slowing me down. William noticed and extended his hand, offering his arm to make it easier for me to walk.

After a moment of hesitation, I took his arm.

A few steps later, I stepped on a wet spot where the sand had a gap underneath, and I stumbled, almost falling.

Luckily, William had me hold onto his arm in advance.

"Mind if I carry you?" he asked.

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble? I can walk."

"We're almost there, don't worry, it's not far."

Without waiting for my response, William squatted down and hoisted me onto his back.

My chest pressed against his broad back, and our heartbeats seemed to sync up like two pieces of music.

As we approached the private beach, William noticed the "bodyguards" patrolling.

Seeing us, the "bodyguards" instinctively placed their hands on their waists, only relaxing after confirming our identities.

Their professionalism piqued William's curiosity. "Is Marco a friend of Albert's? I've never seen him at other events. He seems pretty mysterious."

"Marco? Yeah, he's a friend of Albert's. But he doesn't seem very approachable, so maybe we shouldn't get too close to him." I tried to answer casually, hoping to curb his curiosity about Marco.

Marco rarely smiled and always had a blank expression. He did seem unapproachable, so I wasn't lying.

We shouldn't have brought up Marco. While my heart was still racing for William, I should have taken the opportunity to talk about something else. "Do you know how to surf? Sofia mentioned surfing before we left, and it sounds cool."

I couldn't even swim, but I just wanted to get closer to William.

Talking about beach activities might get him excited. "I'm pretty good at it. Surfing is exhilarating and fun. If you're interested, I can teach you and your family."

"But I can't swim." I laughed behind William's back, showing interest in surfing but also feeling troubled. "Maybe you'd be willing to take some time to teach me to swim first?"

I could feel William's muscles tense, and I wasn't sure if he sensed my little scheme.

I knew it might be a bit sneaky. He clearly liked my sister Sofia, so maybe I shouldn't do this. Maybe my feelings were just gratitude for being rescued from the banquet hall.

But after getting close to William, I couldn't ignore my wildly beating heart and flushed cheeks.

I had fallen for William.

I was waiting for his answer.

"Elena, I..." William started.

But before he could finish, a voice interrupted us.

It was Marco.

I didn't know when he had walked up to us, watching as William put me down from his back.

His tone was cold. "Kind Mr. McDonald, you wouldn't mind teaching two people at the same time, would you?" Then he looked at me. "Elena, we said we'd race to see who learns to swim first."

He looked at me like a poor puppy drenched in rain.