My Only Angel

7:32am. Pedro was fast asleep next to me. I could see his ribs slowly expand as he breathed deeply. The muscles in his back moved so gracefully in his sleep. Annoyingly, I'd instantly woke up and knew I wouldn't fall back asleep. I slipped out the bed, trying not to wake the god that lay next to me. He needed the sleep. Especially after the sex we had last night.

I took my phone with me into the kitchen, having decided to bake something for Pedro. Biscuits. To show him I could bake, as well as cook. I replied to a message I had from Olivia last night.

Olivia: Girl you're insta is blowing up. My girl is famous now. Please still remember me.

Me: I am not famous. It's just by proxy because of Pedro. Unfortunately for you, you'll always have me in your life. I miss you so much. Wish you were here. You would love it x

Olivia: I've actually been speaking to Jack to see if we can come see you in the summer. Maybe for your birthday? I have to see you for your birthday. I can't believe it's almost 3 months since I last saw you, and have no idea when I'll see you next! I need something to look forward to

Me: what are you doing awake? Yes I'd love that!

Olivia: it's 11pm here, you know I don't sleep till early hours.

Instead of playing text tennis, I decided to video call. She answered on the second ring. The sight of her on my phone made me so happy.

"Hi bitch." Her pretty face grinned at me. Her long blonde hair was slicked back in a bun on her hair.

"Hey bitch. You're not even in bed?" I noticed she was in her living room. It made me think of the girly nights we had there. Fuck I miss her.

"Jack's playing his game still, we've not gone up yet. What are you doing?"

"I'm about to bake. Pedro is still asleep so I-"

"Pedro stayed over again?" She raised her eyebrow at me. "He's always there."

"He is not always here. But he did stay, yes. Gonna make him some biscuits. I made him my famous chilli yesterday which went down a storm! So I'm gonna try and impress him with my baking."

"Look at you being the perfect wife."

"Shut up! He's taking me to the beach today."

"Ugh fucking hate how cute you are. You know he's only doing that to see you half naked, right?"

"Yeah he actually told me the same."

"I wished we lived closer to a beach. You're gonna be a tanned goddess, and I'm gonna look so pale and minging next to you."

"Not a chance." I tilted my phone against the vase on the kitchen counter as I made biscuits, and we continued to fill each other in on what's been happening in our lives. "Let me know when you're ready for bed and I'll leave you to sleep."

"I'd rather stay awake and talk to you. I fucking hate not having you here."

"I hate it, too. I just wanna squeeze you and then sing 2000s pop with you on a long drive."

"Morning babe, something smells good." A sleepy Pedro walked into the kitchen, wearing nothing but his boxers. His hair was wild and so hot. He lazily rubbed at the remainder of fatigue in his eyes, the simple gesture completely melting me.

"Is that Pedro?" Olivia was trying to move her head around the screen, as if that would give her a better look. Pedro didn't hear Olivia and continued to walk closer to me. "Fuck, is he in his boxers?" I looked at the screen and nodded, trying not to laugh.

"What are you doing? You on the phone?" He noticed my phone propped against the vase. "Shit! Who is it?" He moved out of view. Panic washed over his face.

"Olivia."

"Hey Olivia." Pedro leant forward so just his head and shoulders were in shot. He mouthed a 'sorry' to me.

"Hey Pedro. Get a good nights sleep with Eleanor, did you?" Her comment made me throw my head into my hand. I could count on Olivia to always embarrass me.

"Yeah, I got a great nights sleep, actually." He replied with a boastful grin. "How's things in England?"

"Good. Raining as usual. Eleanor told me you're taking her to the beach today! Room for one more?"

"Absolutely! You should definitely come and visit. It would be great to meet you." He looked at Olivia and then at me, smiling at us both. My heart.

"I'm actually thinking of booking a trip in the summer, closer to Eleanor's birthday. I need to meet the man who's sweeped my bestie off her feet."

"I am here, you know." My cheeks hurt from the blushing and the smiling, watching the two of them interact. Pedro realised that how the camera was angled, if he stood next to me, the counter would cut him off at the waistband of his boxers and came to stand next to me.

"We know." He side hugged me and kissed the top of my head. "Coffee?"

"I've got one thanks. Help yourself." He moved past me to go grab himself a coffee. I looked at Olivia who was silently screaming with her hand over her mouth.

"Elle, I love him. If you get bored of him, can I have him? He's so hot!" Her comment made both me and Pedro burst out laughing. I looked over to him to see him looking at me over his shoulder and laughing.

"I think he heard you."

"I did. And the answer is yes, Olivia." Pedro's comment made Olivia blush and smile like a little girl. I shot him a mock jealousy look, which made him giggle. The sound was soon becoming my favourite.

"I suppose I should leave you to it, I don't want to be keeping you. But I don't want you to go."

"So don't go yet. Unless you're tired?" I sat on the stool and continued our conversation. "How's Lottie and Noah?" Lottie was our mutual close friend who had recently had a baby with her fiancé.

"They're both good. I'm seeing them the weekend. Noah is just the cutest, I love that I can obsess over him and then give him back."

"He's going to be so big when I next see him."

"He'll probably have started school the next time we see you."

"It's only a few months till my birthday." Pedro looked at me, puzzled. I continued to stare at him, and the penny dropped and he realised Olivia didn't know I was going back. I saw Olivia look up, knowing she was speaking to Jack. Then he was on the screen.

"Eleanor! How's things?"

"Good thank you. Miss you both!"

"We miss you. Liv is driving me crazy, she's always googling the time of the day in L.A and moaning to me about you not being here."

"I do the same. Don't worry, I'll be back and stealing your side of the bed before you know it." Every time I stayed with Olivia, she would kick Jack out of bed and make him sleep in the spare room.

"Please do it soon, I could do with a good nights sleep!" Pedro stood in the corner of the screen, not realising he was in shot. He was being nosey and got caught, by Jack. "Is that Pedro?"

"Yes!" I smiled at Jack, and then back at Pedro who raised his hand to say hello.

"This is so fucking crazy to me. You're in the kitchen with the Mandalorian!"

"No that's Pedro, Jack!" Olivia shook her head, "Sorry Pedro."

"It's fine, I get that I'm not as cool as him." He stepped closer to me so he was in shot. "Nice to see you, Jack."

"He knows my fucking name!" Jack fangirled off camera. "You too, Pedro. Hope we can meet in person one day!"

"I'm sure we will!" He sipped his coffee.

"Elle, I'm gonna have to go my phone is going to die. I've sent you a lot of TikToks to get through. Enjoy it whilst it lasts, Elle. It'll be me and Pedro soon." She winked at me. "I'll call you later. Enjoy the beach, you two!"

"Good night Olivia, it was good to see you!" Pedro was back at my side with his signature espresso in hand, waving at my bestie through the screen.

"Goodnight future husband. Good night Elle. Love you." She ended the call and my heart hurt. "She's a lot of fun." He went to kiss me but I pulled away. "What?"

"Trying to steal my best friend from me?"

"I thought you were pulling away because I agreed to get with her." He started to laugh.

"She can have you."

"I prefer it when you're jealous over me." He went to kiss me again.

"You can have anyone but her." I smiled at him so he knew I wasn't serious.

"She's pretty hot, though." He sipped at his coffee, actually nonchalantly.

"Have her then?"

"I prefer her friend. She's real hot. Like the hottest girl I've ever met."

"Trying to dig yourself out of a hole, Mr Pascal?"

"Nope. I'm good. I've sweeped her off her feet,  I know she's not going anywhere." He grinned as he took another sip.

"Such a dick." I suddenly became overwhelmed by my feelings for him and just wanted to be close to him. I wrapped him arms around his torso and squeezed hard, making him laugh.

"Hey." His face was soft and sleepy, one of the most attractive things I'd ever seen. The feeling of his bare skin under my fingertips drove me wild. He placed his coffee on the side and hugged me back. Without thinking, I jumped up in his arms and wrapped my legs around his torso. I felt his arms snake under my ass and hold me tight, securing me to him. I put my face in the crook of his neck and breathed deeply. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Fine. Just wanted to be close to you." One of his hands started to rub circles on my back, the motion so soft and soothing. "Can I stay here forever please?"

"I'd love you to, but I really wanna take you to the beach today. And you've got something in the oven, which I think you need to see to before it burns."

"Shit!" I hissed as I removed myself begrudgingly from his grip and went over to the oven. "I made you some biscuits. Thought I'd prove that I'm more than just my cooking, I can bake too!" I proudly showed off my freshly baked goods.

"You are the whole package, aren't you?" He looked at me lovingly as I placed them down on the side to cool. His big hand moved to grab one, making me smack it on his journey.

"They're still hot and I've not decorated them yet. Please wait. What do you want for breakfast?"

"You!" He sipped his coffee again and gave me the eyes. Those eyes. He came over to me and picked me up again. I wrapped my legs around his waist and allowed him to put me down onto the counter with a soft thud. He stood in between my legs.

"Wasn't last night enough for you?" The thoughts of him, last night, rattled around in my brain and made me lightheaded.

"I could never have enough of you. But if you're not offering yourself to me," He pinched my nipple through my top, making me squirm, "Then I'll just have whatever you're making." He pinched the other one.

"Pedro."

"Eleanor."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"You know what!"

"I have no," pinch, "idea," pinch, "what you're talking about."

"Stop cos I'll make you fuck me right here, right now."

"Please." He moved forward to kiss me, hard. "I wanna fuck you so bad."

"Someone woke up in a good mood."

"I had great sex last night, slept like a baby again, and I've woke up to the girl of my dreams making me biscuits and breakfast. What more could a man want?"

"I'm the girl of your dreams?"

"1000%. Still trying to work out what you see in me, if I'm honest."

"The fact you're the sweetest, hottest guy in the world..."

"What about Harry Styles?"

"You keep pushing that, don't you?"

"Won't stop till I'm top, baby." He pulled me by my ass towards him, till his crotch was pushing against me. "Hmmm."

"Are you always like this with girls you sleep with?" I wasn't sure why I even asked the question, I wasn't positive I wanted to know the answer.

"Nope," he nuzzled into my neck, "I keep telling you, I don't do this."

"But you said you still had sex."

"Yeah," he pulled back to look at me, "but it's usually at their house, and I leave as soon as it's done. Or the morning after. There's no this," he waved his hand through the air, "no intimacy. It's different with you. I want it all." His face was back at my neck, nipping at my skin.

"Fuck me, then." His head shot up.

"You serious?"

"Fuck me, Pedro. Hard. Please."

"You have no idea what hearing you say those words does to me. I can show you though!" He pulled me by my legs off the side, "Turn around now." He demanded before he smacked my ass, hard. I yelped but loved it. "Bend over for Daddy, good girl. Fucccccck!"

Pedro was taking a quick, much needed shower. It was taking all my energy to not jump in there with him. I had packed a bag of snacks and drinks for the beach, though Pedro was demanding a Starbucks on the way there. I had also packed my Polaroid camera, wanting to capture our day at the beach. I was dressed in a baggy oversized David Bowie T-shirt and denim shorts, with a pair of olive green Crocs on. Pedro commented that he had Crocs at home and wished he'd brought them with him. I mentally made a note to make sure I, one day, saw Pedro in Crocs.

"You alright?" Pedro poked his head around the doorframe, grinning at me as he dried his hair. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, and I bit my lip as I stared. Obviously stared. Without thinking, I quickly brought my Polaroid camera up to my face and snapped a shot of him leaning against the frame. "Sneaky."

"My eyes only." I held onto the picture for dear life and eagerly waited for it to process.

"Maybe I can take one of you at the beach, seeing as you won't let me have that one of you in your frame. The angel photo."

"It's not even that great, I seriously don't know why you like it so much."

"Dream girl. Can you pack my trunks in your bag?" He asked as he turned around and headed back to the bedroom. I called a "Yes" after him, and continued to scroll through my TikTok as I waited for him to be ready. It was 10:30am. Slightly later than we wanted to leave, but things happened. Pedro walked back in moments later, dressed in a cream shirt with little patterns on, and red shorts. His hair was fluffy, and he wore sunglasses. "Can you put these in your bag?" He held a towel, a change of shorts, boxers and a T-shirt in his hands. I nodded and took the items from his big hands.

"Nice T-shirt."

"I love Bowie. So much. The greatest ever."

"Are we walking? I didn't drive here."

"I can drive us."

"Are you sure?" Pedro asked as he wiped his sunglasses on the corner of his shirt.

"Don't be so scared, I'm a great driver."

"Hmmm."

"You do know it's notorious that the UK has a way more difficult driving test than the US, right? You're safe with me."

"Well we'll see about that. Let's go! We're wasting valuable time."

"That's because you took 5 working days to get ready." I rolled my eyes as Pedro put his hands on my shoulders to guide me out the door.

"Really?" Pedro's fingers gripped the small Harry Styles heart shaped air freshener that hung in my car.

"Olivia sent it me when I first moved. I've got one in my car at home. Smells like Watermelon." Tom Petty's Don't Come Around Here No More blasted as I turn the engine on.

"This is a great song, you really have great taste in music." Pedro praised, as he fastened himself in.

"Best thing about me."

"Absolutely not. I'd say your heart."

"Aww thank you." His sweet words warmed my heart.

"Sorry, I meant mouth. Your mouth is the best thing about you. My god, that mouth." He fluttered his eyes as he mocked me for last nights endeavour.

"Dick." I smirked, pulling out the car park.

"That's your favourite part of me, judging by your antics last night." I smacked at his shoulder, as Pedro let out an evil chuckle.

"You didn't seem to mind it."

"Oh baby, it was the best. Seeing you like that, on me, hmmm!" He stared out the window, clearly thinking about that vision of me.

"You said we could play Harry Styles in the car, so we're playing Harry Styles. And you will love him. Let's hit shuffle and see what happens. Yesssss I fucking love this song." I yelled as Only Angel played. I was singing the lyrics with such passion, I could feel Pedro stare at me throughout the whole verse. "She's an angel, WOOHOO, Only angel," I pointed to Pedro to encourage him to join in with the WooHoo's, to which he later did and I grinned with pride. "She's an angel,"

"WOOHOO"

"My only angel."

"WOOHOO!"

"Do you like it?"

"I hate to say that I actually do." Pedro started to drum along.

"That she's gonna be an angel, just you wait and see when it turns out she's a devil in between the sheets and there's nothing she can do about it hey, HEY!"

"That's definitely you."

"What is?"

"An angel, but a devil between the sheets."  His comment made my eyes roll, as I prepared for the last chorus of the song.

"Ready for my favourite? The best song in the world. It'll make you wanna dance, make you so happy you could burst?"

"Go for it!" He grinned at me. I clicked on Music for a Sushi Restaurant and allowed the beginning beat to take over my body.

"This song makes me uncontrollable. It does things to my body I can't explain."

"Why am I getting jealous of a song?"

"Shhhh listen." I let the song take over my body, aggressively dancing and singing along to every word, and beat, of my favourite song.

"How are you singing the lyrics and doing all the instruments with your mouth at the same time?"

"Never underestimate my ability to sing every single bit of my favourite songs." I winked at him as we pulled up to Starbucks. "Are we going in or drive through?"

"Drive through. I don't wanna be long here." Pedro rested his head on his arm, which was propped against the window.

"What you want?"

"Usual. I'll get these, Eleanor."

"No you won't." I saw Pedro lift his leg to retrieve his card holder from his pocket. "Pedro, no."

"Please can we not argue about this."

"Well let me pay then."

"Eleanor, please. I'm not doing this every time. Just let me buy the fucking coffees." He seemed exasperated, and the slight aggressiveness of the F bomb in his sentence made me retreat a little.

"Fine." I turned the corner and aligned myself to the microphone. I ordered Pedro's 6 shot espresso over ice and my iced hazelnut oat latte. Pedro handed me his card and I gingerly tapped it on the machine and pulled away to the next window. Still feeling annoyed by Pedro's outburst.

"You alright?" Pedro placed his hand on my thigh, but I moved away from his grip.

"Yep."

"I'm sorry." I could feel him stare at me, but I continued to look forward. "You mad at me?"

"Nope." I picked up my phone from the console and text Oli back. I was aware it was almost 5am back home, but Oli would be awake soon for work.

Me: Miss you. Can't wait to see you. 9 days and counting. Have the best day. Love you xxxx

"Eleanor?"

"Yeah?"

"Look at me." I didn't want to look at him, and thankfully our drinks had arrived. I handed Pedro his drink and put mine in the cup holder to continue the journey. "For fucks sake Eleanor, look at me."

"Stop fucking shouting at me!" I spat, finally looking at him. His lips were pressed together in a thin line as he stared back.

"I'm sorry. Eleanor. I'm sorry."

"Alright." I tried to recall something, anything, I could have said that would have caused Pedro to be annoyed at me but couldn't think of anything.

"I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did. I just, I-I-I like buying you things. And I don't like you spending your money on me. You work hard for that."

"Yeah, well I feel the same about you. I like buying you things. Even if it's just a couple dollars worth of coffee." I pushed the sunglasses back up my nose.

"I'd buy you anything you wanted."

"Well I don't want you to buy me anything, you don't need to buy me anything. Your company is enough for me. I don't want your money." We pulled up to a red light. L.A traffic was no joke.

"I thought you were my sugar baby?" He quoted my earlier words and I tried my best to stifle my grin. But failed miserably.

"Can you not make me laugh when I'm annoyed at you?"

"I don't want you to be annoyed at me."

"Don't be annoying then. And don't shout at me."

"Can I have a kiss?" He leant over and pouted at me. It was impossible to say no. I leant forward and pecked his sweet lips. "I'm sorry. Got you to kiss me though."

"How can I say no to you looking like that?"

"My only angel, woohoo." He grinned at me, knowing he'd won.

"Fuck off Pedro, do not use Harry on me!!"

"You are though. My only angel." He squeezed my thigh, ended the war. He'd won. I swooned.

I pulled up to the beach car park and watched as Pedro got out the car and grabbed the beach bag out the boot. He hung the back over his shoulder, making it look light as a feather.

"You are so hot." I complimented him as he met me by the side of the car and we headed towards the beach. He kissed the top of my head as we idly strolled from concrete to sand. The heat banging down on us. I noticed so many beautiful girls, with amazing figures and suddenly became self conscious. "The women here are gorgeous. I'm not sure I can take my top off. I'm too embarrassed."

"They are, aren't they?" He looked down and smiled at me, giving me the eyes to let me know he was referring to me. "I can help you take your top off if you need a hand?"

"Control yourself, we're in public."

"I'll try my best. Shall we set up here?" He dumped the bag on the floor before I agreed. Pedro looked unreal, happy and tanned, with the sea backdropping him, it was a beautiful vision.

"It makes me feel sick sometimes when I look at you." I spoke without thinking.

"You know all the right things to say to make me feel good about myself." He laughed uncontrollably. That's when I took a sneaky picture of him.

"I meant, it gets overwhelming seeing how handsome you are. It hurts. Makes my stomach go all, butterfliesy."

"Not entirely sure that's a word but I'll take the compliment nonetheless." He set about unbuttoning his shirt. I watched on, making it blatantly obvious I was staring. "Gonna strip for me or just keep staring?" He grinned like a school boy. I waited for him to set out the blanket I'd packed for us to lie on, and watched him lie down on the blanket. I made eye contact with him as I unbuttoned my shorts and pulled down the zipper so the top of my bikini bottoms were peaking through the small V. I left them like that as I slowly pulled my hair from my ponytail, and even slowly grabbed the hem on my top. I heard Pedro groan when I took the material over my head and threw it at him. His long fingers scrunched the T-shirt and threw it next to him, whilst his other hand went behind his head. "Hurry up and take those shorts off." I rolled my eyes before turning around and dropping my shorts in front of him. I made a show of bending over to grab my sunglasses from the bag, allowing Pedro to get a full view of my ass in my bikini. But within seconds, I felt his arm wrap around my hips as he pulled me onto the blanket, crashing into him. "Don't be doing that in front of these men. It's bad enough they get to see you like this."

"The possessive side of you is coming out again."

"Oh baby, you have no idea how possessive I can be. It's lethal." He lay back but kept his hand on my waist. "You look so good. The white looks good against your skin." He twanged the thin strap of my bikini bottoms.

"You look pretty good in red." I ran my fingers across the waistband of his trunks, allowing my fingertips to run over his skin lightly. "Think you look pretty good in me too."

"Fuck Eleanor, don't do that. Not here." I could see his dick harden through his trunks.

"You could fuck me in the sea."

"Eleanor." He warned, but I continued.

"There's not much to this bikini so you could just let me wrap myself around you, move my bikini across and slide right in."

"If I fuck you in the sea, we both die. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on keeping us afloat whilst I'm pounding you. Not happening. Sorry baby."

We idly chatted whilst we coated each other in sun cream. I took out a bottle of water and took a long sip to rehydrate, the L.A heat was no joke. I had closed my eyes to protect them from the sun, even through my sunglasses, as I tipped my head back to sip. That's when I heard the sound of Pedro's phone camera shutter.

"Did you just take a picture of me?"

"Yeah." He grinned as he covered his screen to get a better look. "Not as good as the angel photo though. But I'll get one of you today." I shook my head as I lay next time him. I closed my eyes and allowed the sun to warm my skin, the ripples of the sea breeze that floated over my skin were welcoming.

"I should have brought my AirPods." I commented, readjusting my body so my back didn't feel like it was going to snap.

"I'd offer to sing for you but I don't want you to leave me." Pedro's voice was light, and even though he was making a joke, the way he projected his last words made me realise the underlining truth he felt. "When do you fly home?"

"9 days. A week on Monday." I still didn't open my eyes as I replied.

"Lux just text. She wanted to know if you'd like to go out for dinner, the three of us." I covered my eyes to look at him. He was sat up, scowling at his phone, which looked tiny in his huge hands.

"Yeah, sure. That'll be nice. I can't do Friday, I promised I'd go out with the guys from work for a drink before I went away."

"I'll sort it with her later." He put his phone down and lay next to me. I felt his fingertips brush mine, then curl around them gently.

"Always have to be touching me." I mumbled, feeling and hearing him giggle.

"I can't help it. I always just wanna touch you." He was back up again, leaning on his arm and looking over me. "Look at you. You look so good."

"My face is bright red." I could feel my cheeks burn in the sun. "Did you put cream on your back?"

"Yes mom!" He nudged into my side.

"I'm only looking out for you. Don't want you to complain later when you're burnt."

"I like that you look out for me. That you look after me. It makes me feel, I, like it." My eyes were closed when I felt him kiss my forehead.

We lay for a while, chatting about random things. Pedro was like a child and couldn't sit still. He complained about the sand being too hot and the blanket too thin. He complained about his back hurting. And that he should have brought a book to read. Whilst we chatted, I asked,

"Do you mind me putting pictures of you on my Instagram?"

"Nope." He continued to lie like a starfish, the sun catching every inch of his exposed skin. "Why would I?"

"You have so much of your life on the internet. Maybe you'd like to keep some things private."

"To a degree, yes you're right. But when it's just pics of me and stuff, I don't mind it. I like that you want to show me off."

"So you don't mind me uploading this?" I showed him the picture I took earlier.

"When did you take that?"

"When we arrived. You look so good. So happy."

"I am happy. You should get a job as paparazzi." He laughed as his left hand reached out to stroke my knee. I uploaded the picture with the caption:

"You wanna go in the sea?"

"Sure." I said, exasperated. I felt like his mom. Trying to keep him occupied and entertained.

"They have some lockers over there. We can put the valuables in. The rest of the stuff will be fine here." He was already on his feet, offering me a hand to get up. He collected our valuables and put his feet into his flip flops and headed towards the lockers. He came back with a key and asked me to keep it around my wrist. We kicked off our shoes and ran towards the sea, each step made us mumble a 'shit', or 'ouch' or 'fuck' as the sand burnt our soles. The water was cool and welcoming. I was waddling through the waves when all over a sudden, Pedro's big hand hit the water and smacked water all over me.

"Prick!" I spat the water from my face and attempted to splash him back, but it was pathetic in comparison. He hit me again with more water, laughing manically as his wave hit me. "Fuck sake!" I moved through the water towards him and threw myself on top of him, trying to drag him down with me.

"Nice try baby." He said when he scooped me in his arms. He was holding me bridal style in the water, the waves had now completely soaked my bikini top. "Pretty hot." He looked down at my nipples poking through the material and winked at me. I had one arm around his neck and the other floated in the water. "Let me just move you away from those guys over there." He walked us further out into the water till his stomach was submerged.

"Are you still standing on the sand?"

"Just about." Before he could say another word, I splashed water into his face, and laughed when he scrunched his nose and coughed.

"Low blow, Eleanor." He moved me closer as he used the hand that was under my legs to wipe his face, "And pretty dangerous for you to do that."

"What do you mean?"

"Cos I could just do this!" Soon, I was flying through the air and smacked into the water. Water travelled up my nose as I floated under the waves. When I resurfaced, Pedro was already making his way over to me. "Are you alright?"

"Can you do that again? But let me hold my nose this time."

"You're not mad at me for throwing you?"

"No. Why would I be? That was fun."

"Not every woman likes to be thrown into the sea. Thought it was a bit risky of me to do."

"I'm not like those girls."

"No, you're not. You're way better. The best." His eyes glistened as he smiled at me.

"The water went up my nose though. Made me feel sick, all I can taste is the sea."

"You've had worse things in your mouth." I splashed him as he laughed a menacing giggle.

"Can you throw me again?" I moved myself into his arms and held onto my nose, determined not to let the sea salt burn my nostrils.

"Ready?" He asked, I nodded. "Three, two -" there was no One. I was already in the water. I emerged and swam back to him.

"Again." We repeated this numerous times; in Pedro's arms, in the air, in the water, repeat. "Can I try and throw you?"

"Absolutely. You won't get me far." I moved back till my feet were on the sea floor. Washing Pedro swim towards me was a delicious sight. His big arms pushing through the water was intoxicating. He wrapped his one arm around my shoulder and kicked his leg up for me to grab. The sheer weight of one thigh knocked me back and before I knew it, I was back in the water. When I came back up, Pedro was in fits of laughter. "I knew my dad bod was getting out of control, but I didn't think it was that bad. You couldn't even hold my leg!"

"Do it again! Let me bury my feet in the sand." I spoke as I twisted my feet into the bed. "Do it slower." He gingerly put his leg into my arm, then wrapped his warms around my neck, then the other thigh. As we were in the water, I could hold him, the sea helping me hold Pedro. But as soon as I lifted him out of the water to throw him, I ended up dunking us both. "Fuck sake! I've swallowed most of this sea!" I spat and wiped my eyes clean. They were getting sore from the salt and my fingers wiping them. Pedro was laughing from the pit of his stomach, little beads of water fell onto his bunched cheeks as he continued to laugh.

"You make me laugh so much!" He grabbed me and pulled me through the water to him. "Think I'm a bit heavy for you babe."

"Get back in my arms." I held my arms like a fork lift, waiting for him to position himself.

"It won't work." He said, but still moved to sit in my arms and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. His thumb started to gently rub my shoulder tenderly.

"I'm not going to dash you, I just want swish you through the water." I started to spin on the spot, watching Pedro bob in the waves in my arms. "Lie back!" I realised I could hold him securely, and felt excited when he lay back into the water. My left arm was supporting his back, the right under his knees. I continued to spin on the spot, watching his hair float through the water.

"This is pretty relaxing!" He stretched out his arms and allowed them to swish in the waves too. His face was soft and peaceful, you could tell he was enjoying being carrying through the sea. I leant forward and pecked his lips sweetly, and melted when he opened his eyes to look at me. He grinned back, and before he had chance to act, I pulled him under the water and let go of him. I started to run as quickly as I could through the water, which was a snails pace. I heard the water pop when he resurfaced. "Oh I'm going to fucking get you!" Splash! When I turned around, his arms were pounding the waves, front crawling his way to me at a rapid speed. I tried to move faster but it was too late. He'd got me. His arm grabbed my ankle and I was under again.

"Water. Again. Up my nose. No more please. I can't tell at this point if I'm tasting sea salt or blood!" I wiggled my nose and tried to stop the burning.

"So dramatic, Eleanor!" Pedro pulled me into him and wrapped his arms around my waist. I wrapped my legs around his waist and hugged myself into him. My cheek lay on his shoulder, whilst his hand rubbed circles all over my back.

"My skin feels so dry. I look like an old woman, all wrinkly."

"Welcome to my world baby. Nothing wrong with being old and wrinkly."

"You're not wrinkly. Old? Yes. Wrinkly. No. Looking good for your age." I pulled back to see his face.

"You bitch!" He smiled at me, then pouted. I kissed his lips and smiled. "Hmmm salty." His hands hadn't stopped rubbing my back, and then I felt it. The string on my bikini went.

"Pedro. Wait." I jumped out of his arms and held the material of my top to my chest. The water had taken one of the straps.

"Your top come undone?" His face was stern when he realised. "Eleanor turn around now." He forcefully grabbed me by the shoulders and span me around, "Jesus Christ Eleanor. You have to be more careful."

"Be more careful? It was tied."

"Did you double knot it?" His fingers chased the white string.

"No."

"Fuck. Eleanor. You have to be more fucking careful." He pulled the strings together tightly, the force made me jolt.

"That's too tight."

"At least it won't come undone this fucking time."

"It's hurting." He was angry, and I understood why. But it was annoying that he was talking to me like this again. Pedro's intentions were not to hurt me, and when I told him he was, he stayed silent but loosened the strings.

"I'm going to double knot it." Gone had the playful side to him. It was back to moody, reserved Pedro. "Let's go." He put his hand on my back and attempted to push me forward.

"No I want to stay in the water."

"Eleanor, I'm not joking. Let's go."

"Pedro."

"Eleanor, I'm not playing. Out the fucking water." He grabbed my hand and was pulling me with him. I was fuming. Once we hit the sand, I stomped across the beach, not caring about the hot sand on my feet or where I was flicking sand when I stomped. I went to retrieve our valuables, smacking Pedro's phone and wallet into his chest as I walked past him. I went back to our blanket and used a small hand towel to wipe off my feet. Pedro grabbed a towel from the bag and started to wipe himself down. The silence spoke volumes, neither of us saying anything. I was purposely not looking at Pedro but could see him stare at me out the corner of my eye. Once my feet were clean, and body dry, I threw my towel onto the bag and lay down.

"Am I OK like this, or do you want me to cover myself in towels?" I snapped, still not looking at him.

"Stop being a baby."

"A baby! You've just dragged me out of the sea like I am a child!"

"Eleanor! You have to realise, I get my photo taken all the time. I'm so used to it,  I just block it out. But I'm sensitive to it when I'm with you. Because I have to think about you. Imagine if someone saw. Took a photo, a video. It would be plastered all over the fucking internet! I don't think you'd want that. And I sure as hell wouldn't want you out there like that for everyone to see!" Shit, he had a point.

"But there was no need to speak to me like that. Or drag me out of the sea! Literally drag me!" Pedro came down to my level.

"I panicked! I'm sorry, yes I shouldn't have spoke to you like that. But I panicked. I don't want that to happen to you. I wouldn't know how to cope with that." His dark eyes were massive, the anxiety was all over his face. Whilst I was still angry at him, I couldn't help but understand and empathise. "I really am sorry."

"Your eyes only." I mumbled and held out my pinky finger.

"Yes, my eyes only." He looked relieved, and extremely happy when he linked my finger and made a pinky promise with me. "I'm sorry. Again. I keep fucking up today, don't I?"

"It's OK. I know it's because you're looking after, and out for me. Whether it's making sure I get my coffee intake or preventing my boobs to be on the internet."

"I just want to look after you."

"You're doing a pretty great job. Even if you're a moody old man sometimes."

"I don't understand why you want me." Pedro was looking forward at someone. When I followed his eyes, I saw a guy around my age, tanned, muscular, a few feet away from us. "Why me? Why not someone like him?"

"Because I like you."

"But my age, that doesn't bother you?"

"Nope. Does it bother you?"

"No, not at all. Well, just the fact that I'm not young and fit and strong like those men."

"True. But if that's what I wanted, I'd be with someone like that. I've done that. I prefer me an older man. Always have. I just want someone to make me feel safe and happy and protected. And you do that. Even in your old age."

"True. Nobody would protect you as much as I will. I promise." My heart beat rapidly in my chest. "I'm excited to see what the future looks like for us. And, wait, you've always been into older men? Have you been with older men before?" His mid sentence realisation made me giggle.

"Depends what you mean by been with, older men?"

"You had sex with an older guy, that's not me."

"Yeah."

"Oldest you slept with?"

"I slept with a 44 year old when I was 21. Almost 22."

"I don't know why I ask these questions because I don't like hearing the answers."

"Come, lie down with me," I lay back and pulled him with me. He lay with his head on my chest as I cuddled him. "Wanna know something?"

"I'm not sure." His breath hit off my skin, causing goosebumps to erupt.

"You do. The best sex I've ever had is with you."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Pedro. I promise." His head shot up, he rested his chin on my chest as he looked at me, silently spurring me to continue, "Genuinely the best sex ever. And the biggest."

"Now you're definitely saying that to make me feel better."

"Hand on heart. I couldn't sit properly when you first fucked me. Still sore from this morning."

"Ugh, I couldn't fancy you anymore if I tried." He whimpered as he lay his head back down. His right arm hung over my stomach, and his right leg over both of mine, pinning me down. I gently drew circles on the soft skin of his back as he lay there. Moments later, he was fast asleep. I slowly grabbed my phone, trying not to wake him. When I tapped my phone to life, I saw a tonne of Instagram notifications. One in particular getting my attention...

@PascalisPunk tagged you in a story.

I anxiously opened the story. It was picture he'd taken of me earlier drinking water, with the words "Beach Babe @EleanorGraceParker" and Harry's 'Only Angel' soundtracking the photo. I wanted to squeeze him, really squeeze him hard but I wanted him to get all the sleep he could. I reshared it to my story then locked my phone, not having the mental capacity to look at the notifications from all his fans who had commented on my previous posts or tried to message me. It made me question my choice to go public.

We lay there for a while, Pedro's breathing had got deeper, and I know he was falling into a deeper sleep. I could feel myself falling to sleep too, but heard his phone ring. At first, I lay still, letting fate decide if he should naturally wake up and take the call. When the ringing persisted, I picked up his phone and saw 'Big Sis' calling. I thought about shaking him awake but the phone stopped ringing in my hand. Then I saw it. His lockscreen. My heart dropped.

A picture of me from our first date. Candid. Sat across the table from him in the Mexican restaurant. Mid laugh, looking up at him. I didn't hate the photo, but I definitely had better ones of myself. I had no idea he had taken photos of me. I felt him stir in my arms and decided to wake him.

"Pedro? Pedro, wake up." I lightly shook his shoulder. He grumbled and moaned and tried to nuzzle back into my shoulder, but I continued to call his name. "Your sisters just called you." He lazily opened one eye and looked at me as I handed him his phone.

"Which sister?"

"Big sis?" I shrugged not knowing her name. I watched him sit up, run a hand through his hair and open his phone. After a few seconds of tapping and reading, he threw his phone near me and grabbed a bottle of water. "I've got a bone to pick with you."

"What have I done now?" He asked in between sips. The sun had kissed his skin, the tops of his shoulders, cheeks and nose were slightly pink. He looked like a god.

"Your lockscreen?"

"You been trying to hack my phone?"

"Nope. When it rang, I saw it."

"020478. I've got nothing to hide." The bottle was at his lips again, I watched as he swallowed. It was mesmerising.

"I don't want to go through your phone. And stop delaying, the Lock Screen?"

"You looked so beautiful. I couldn't help it. It was a first date so I was nervous to ask you for a picture. But I had to capture that moment. I don't think I'd ever felt about anyone the way I felt about you in that moment. You took my breath away. So I quickly took a photo and when I got home and saw that picture, I just, I felt so lucky. The way you were looking at me, all happy and eyes bright and glistening, I just couldn't get enough. Haven't been able to get enough since. it makes me feel so good when you look at me like that. I hope you always look at me like that."

"I look like that because it's the way you make me feel when I'm with you." I confessed. Pedro placed his hand on his heart and smiled sweetly.

"Can I have one of your biscuits now?" He asked like a child, shy and small.

"Sure. I've packed some other things. Help yourself." Pedro drove straight in, pulling out boxes and opening them all. Sampling each produce before putting them on the blanket. We sat snacking, laughing and chatting. We'd lost track of the time, and only when I saw the sun start to set, I realised how late it was. I earlier commented that I was a bit cold, so Pedro gave me his shirt. I left it unbuttoned. I was eating a slice of watermelon when Pedro stopped mid sentence.

"Can I use your camera?"

"What for?"

"An angel photo. The sunset, you looking all sun kissed wearing my shirt. I want, need a picture of you like this. Please." I went through the bag and grabbed it. I quickly gave him a tutorial on how to use it and he leant back. I felt a slight Déjà vu from the moment the original picture was taken. On the beach, beach waved hair, sun kissed. Except I'd swapped the rosè for a slice of watermelon.

"Glasses on or off?"

"Off, wanna see your eyes." I pulled them off and placed them next to my thigh. I posed, smiling with my half eaten watermelon slice when the flash went off. Pedro handed me the camera but held onto the picture. He impatiently waited for the shot to develop, and gasped when it did. "Jesus fucking Christ." He showed me the picture quickly. It was a nice shot. But nothing special. "I'm in awe of you. Bury me with this picture."

"I'd rather bury you in me."

"Eleanor. Don't. I've been hard pretty much all day."

"We should leave soon." I grinned at him.

"Finish your watermelon, we're going." As we were packing up and putting our clothes back on, a group of teen girls came towards us, giggling and obviously nervous. They were here for Pedro.

"Excuse me, Pedro?" The tallest of the group stepped forward, "we're really sorry to bother you. Could we get a photo please?" Pedro looked at me with the 'I'm sorry' eyes. I gave him my biggest grin to let him know it was fine.

"Sure!" He smiled at them, as he stomped through the sand to get to them. Without any words exchanged, the 4 girls parted in the middle, allowing Pedro to crouch down in the middle of their group. The girl on the end lifted her phone, trying to get them all in. I tried my best not to get involved, and continued to roll the towels and put them in the bag.

"Sorry, I'm shaking!" I heard the girl say, before they all nervously giggled - Pedro included.

"Eleanor, would you mind?" Pedro shouted to me. "She's pretty good with a camera, you're in safe hands." Pedro told the girls, who were all looking at him in awe. Pedro stayed in the middle of the group as I took the phone from the girl, and set about taking pictures of a core memory for them. When they'd finished posing, I did the usual, record a little clip of them interacting with Pedro. He was talking to them all, he gave them each a hug, and made them laugh. I hoped they'd be able to look back on the memory they were too in awe in to appreciate at the time. "Thanks so much, ladies." Pedro waved to them and moved over to me. "Thanks babe." 

"No bother. I like taking photos of you." He pushed his glasses up his nose.  "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah kinda. But not majorly. I can wait."

"It's a Sunday, and I've not had one since I've been here. Would you like me to cook you a Sunday roast?"

"I've never had one but sure!"

"You've never had a Sunday roast? Please tell me you've had a Yorkshire pudding?"

"What the fuck is a Yorkshire pudding?"

"It's a Yorkshire, York-SHEER. Not York-Shyer pudding. And it's about to blow your mind! Well stop off at Walmart on the way home."