****Delilah's POV****
Later that night I could see Tasha and Jacques having a chat so I went and sat with the small group, including Luca and Andrew, who were sat opposite them.
"How do you feel about that?" I asked Andrew, pointing over to where the two were sat.
"I couldn't care less to be honest." Honestly we all knew he cared but I guess it's nice to show that he has some trust in the girl and trusts her to have one conversation with the new guy.
"You do care though." Luca said.
"We're not all like you." Dami said. "If the man said he doesn't care then he doesn't care, let it go."
"I would care though."
"You might care but Andrew's Andrew and you're Luca."
"Andrew doesn't care." He confirmed for himself.
"You keep telling yourself that." Luca whispered.
"But I think she's an honest girl, so she'll come up to me and say if there's something.."
"This is all bollocks of course you're going to care."
"You haven't listened to a word I've said."
"You obviously don't like her man."
"I obviously don't like her? Cool." I actually kind of admire Andrew for sticking up for himself there, like it would have been easy to just give into Luca and go against his trust. He walked away.
Good for Andrew, if I was Tasha I would actually be kind of liking what he's said. I understand where Luca is coming from but we don't all have to act how he does to show we like someone.
That night I was getting ready for bed with the girls in the bathroom, dressed in my little lacy strappy two piece set.
"We kind of kissed twice." Indiyah admitted. "He was like finishing my sentence about being used to action and kissed me."
"I'm glad he's made his move, hopefully this can like ignite a spark between you both." I told her.
"I really hope so, that's like the first time one of us has really made a move."
The other girls moved out of the room but I stayed just to go to the toilet but as I was comign out Jacques was waiting by the sink.
"Excited about sleeping alone tonight?" I asked him, bumping his hip as I stood next to him.
"I mean I'd much rather be sharing one with you."
"Who wouldn't?"
As I went to walk away his hand lightly tugged on the bottom of my shirt. "Can I not have a good night kiss?"
"In your dreams."
"I'd settle for a hug."
I thought about how this might be interpreted but it was just a hug and his big cream jumper was very inviting for me. "Come here then." His arms wrapped around my neck due to the height difference as I stuffed my face in his jumper and my own arms clung around his waist. I almost didn't want to move but I knew someone could come in at any moment so I quickly let go. "Was that worth it?"
"Absolutely, I'm so jealous of Afia tonight, you must give good cuddles."
"You'll have to wait and see."
I let him wrap his arm around my shoulders as we walked down the stairs but he dropped it before we came in the line of sight of everyone. "Night gorgeous."
"Night Jacques."
****
The next morning I'm not going to lie Jacques was looking really good, even his bed hair looked good and he was definitely as fit as I remembered him to be.
"Come and listen to this, I've got something to say." Ekin said as she beckoned us all out onto the terrace.
"What's happened?" I asked.
"Right, listen, so as I got into bed last night, Davide turns around, cuddling up to me, kissing my neck." She explained. "I was kind of wondering what's going on because this is a different side to him and he was like 'baby, I want to keep you close'. He could just be doing that because he's seen me talking to jacques next to me and wants to like show him what's happening or whatever."
"Trying to piss him off"
"Did you have any more kisses in bed last night?" Amber asked Indiyah.
"Nah, we just cuddled and spoke. Like it was nice, I'm glad we finally spoke about it and can be on the same page."
"Was the kiss nice?"
"It was good, it was a good kiss."
"Tasha how was your chat with Jacques?" I turned to the conversation to her.
"It was a nice chat and I can see he's like quite charming in the way he comes across but like I'm taking it with a pinch of salt and not thinking too much into it."
"What about you, Delilah?" Amber asked.
"I feel like the chats we've had have been really nice, he's quite flirty so it's been easy to like get to know him. He asked me for a kiss yesterday but settled for a hug before we went to bed."
"You go girl!"
As we were all getting changed Amber got a text that it was time for her to go on a tennis date with Dami, which they both looked super up for. I was glad they had something sporty and fun to start off with, which is what I would have preferred. I got changed into my pink bikini for the day before going outside to join the others, Ikenna and Davide had cooked breakfast for their respective partners so I took the time to join Jacques on the sun loungers.
"You're looking great today." He complimented me as I took the lounger next to him which he then pulled closer to his own.
"Thank you, you don't look too bad yourself. How was your first night in here then?"
"I definitely felt lonely in the bed all by myself."
"I guess you'll have to wait and see what happens. So picking up the conversation yesterday, are you competitive?"
"I guess you would say I am."
"How do you cope like losing a rugby match?"
"I don't, I just like to go straight home, pizza and bed."
"Do the boys not like go out and celebrate or whatever?"
"Nah, because we usually have recovery the next day but then like if we have a Friday night game then we usually have the weekend off, so I'd like drive straight down to you and spend the weekend down there."
"Already making plans?"
"I've got to bring Zeus though. I want another as well so..."
"I've always wanted a dog so I'm not against that idea."
"Do you think your family would like me?"
"Already onto the family chat. Obviously they'd have to like get to know you a bit better, see how you are but I think you're quite charming. You could charm my mum, it's the siblings and then my dad you'd have to worry about."
"Are you a daddy's girl?"
"Definitely and even more so now. I think the world of him and he's the best dad and grandfather ever. What about your parents, will they like me?"
"I guarantee that if you'd have shown her all the girls in here and asked her to pick one out for me she would have picked you."
"Really? Why?" I questioned.
"I think you just have this aura around you which is quite calming, quite welcoming and I think they'd love you. You'd fit right in with everyone."
"I'm really glad."
When Amber and Dami came back from the date they both had massive smiles on their faces, breaking off into the boys and girls to give us a debrief.
"Right lets just get the boring bit out, he won the tennis." Amber said.
"Amber?! Are you joking? Did you let him win?"
"Of course I let him win. But it was really cute, we spoke about where we see ourselves in a few years and stuff. Not like together but I said like 'I want to go travelling but I need someone secure', I want to go skydiving and that's in the things he wants to do.
"You guys seem to have a lot in common and that's really nice."
"Yeah I genuinely think we do and I was really comfortable with him."
"Is he a good kisser?" Again I had to ask, just out of curiosity.
"Yeah he is. If he was a shit kisser he would have been kicked to the curb the other night."
"Do you think that's brought the two of you together?" Ekin asked.
"Yeah for sure and we did have a little kiss on the date."
"You look really happy." I told her. "Boy did good."
"He did good."
****
That night I got changed into my burgundy two piece dress, showing off my midriff.
"Would you mind if we went for a chat?" Luca quietly whispered as we all stood in the kitchen.
"Sure."
He guided the both of us into the little alcove, away from the view of everyone else. "I really don't want to fight, I just want to like not make things awkward between us."
"I'd like that."
"I said it yesterday but I want to make it clear, I really am sorry for hurting you, that was never my intention and I know I played this whole thing wrong. I should have been honest from the start and I realise that now."
"That was all I ever wanted, it just felt like I was the last to know again and it was me who was potentially going to get dumped because of it."
"I want to stand by what I said though, I was happy with you and even still now I look at you and just think about us being together, cuddling in bed, our little chats by the pool"
"You can't say that though Luca, you're getting to know Gemma without me involved, like we agreed."
"But I can't deny I feel like that and of course I've spoken to the other guys and girls, I know how upset you was thinking that I'd lied about our time together. I definitely don't deserve you and you're going to make some guy really happy."
"Thank you."
"I know you have confidence issues and you like to pretend like you've got it all under control but I saw the vulnerable side of you and I want to be here for you." He noticed my emotional state and pulled me into his side. "I know you doubt yourself about being a mum and how that will come across but I was never put off by anything like that. I admire you so much and I wish you could see how amazing you are." He wiped away the tears that were falling down my face. "If you ever need someone to talk to then you know I'm here,"
"Same for you Luca, thank you, I didn't know how much I needed to hear that."
"Always."
I'm not saying things will go back to how they were before but I do miss him, even in just having that friendly banter with someone. I don't want it to be awkward and hopefully we can move past this just a bit. Obviously at the moment I still wouldn't trust him but maybe we can be friends now
Luca: I'll always care for the girl man and there's not a second that goes by that I don't regret how I handled things. Man I do miss her...
"I've got a text." Amber shouted. "Can all the islanders gather around the firepit immediately."
"Shit."
"You've got this." Luca whispered to me as we walked over. "Stay calm."
Once we were all sat down Afia got the next text. "Delilah and Aifa you are single. Please stand in front of the firepit."
This was definitely as nerve racking as I remembered and my heart rate increased more when Jacques got his text. "Jacques as the single boy you must now decide which of the single girls you want to couple up with. The girl not chosen will leave the villa immediately."
"Fuckin' hell."
"I want to couple up with this girl because from day one of entering the villa I've found her attractive. I know she's had a tough time in here but I believe this is only the start of her journey and she deserves to meet the guy of her dreams and I can only hope it's me."
"She's been open and honest with me from the start and I believe there's promise from both sides of the relationship. Yeah I'm excited to get to know her more. So the girl I'd like to couple up with is...."
"Delilah."
I don't think I've felt relief like that in such a long time, but turning to Afia it was bitter sweet as I gave her a hug goodbye. I let everyone engulf her in a hug before I turned to Jacques, pulling him in for another hug. "Thank you so much."
"I meant every word, I'm excited to see where we can go from here."
"Me too."
It's a strange feeling when this happens because I'm so happy but also really sad for Afia, she deserved longer in this place but I can see she has a heart of gold and I wish her all the best.
****Author's Note****
I hope you like this chapter.
Please vote and comment any suggestions.
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