"Heads up!" a man's loud voice sounded not far from them.
Gael's eyes darted to the side just in time to see a volleyball heading towards them. His instinct kicked in, and in the next second, his left hand extended outward to block the ball from hitting Angela's head while his other arm went around her to cover her head.
Angela let out a small gasp, startled at what was happening. One second, she was just sitting there—the next, she was shoved into his embrace.
A male resort guest came to get the ball and apologized to them before going back to his friends. Gael muttered something in Italian under his breath. And although she didn't understand, she could guess that he just swore.
She froze and remained unmoving while looking up at him, wondering what he was thinking until he realized that he was still holding her. He looked down, and their faces were only a few inches away. The thumping of her heart grew louder, and the urge to lean more into him became stronger.
