Episode 27
EPISODE 27
DORITOS AND VAJAZZLES
Ariel
The remainder of the ladies play the game, but in the end only Emily and I were able to identify all the men by touch.
Emily is throwing sharp knives at me with her eyes.
Why did I choose Sebastian for my lunch date, anyway? He’s wildly attractive, and I’m a fan of his music, but I’d love to get to know River too. I already have a date with Alex tonight. I was determined not to choose Brett—he’s the one I wanted to name.
But he was right last night. Both he and I must get to know the others, and I refuse to confuse attraction, sexual chemistry, and infatuation with love.
Never again.
But why didn’t I say River?
I don’t want to hurt Emily. She’s my only friend here.
I’m almost sure she chose Brett just to get back at me, but what she doesn’t know is that the name “Sebastian” simply popped out of my mouth when Evangeline forced me to choose. I didn’t want to reveal how into Brett I really am.
Sebastian is the opposite of Brett—long hair as opposed to short, brown as opposed to blond. Maybe if I can find something attractive about him, I’ll tamper down the feelings I have for Brett. I’ll make a real effort to get to know all the guys. But what I failed to think about was how Emily might see it. I’ve got to make sure she understands.
I take a seat by myself at one of the tables and scan the deck. Already June, Heather, and Misty have chucked their suits, and I can’t help noticing they all have bare pussies. June even went for a vajazzle—tiny crystal ornaments stuck to her bare vulva with adhesive. My stylist had to explain it to me. I have a trimmed triangle—the “Dorito,” my stylist called it. Getting rid of all the hair seemed very… I don’t know. It felt all wrong to me. Now I wish I’d done it.
Of course, Brett saw me down there, and he didn’t seem to mind. I look down at my teal bikini that’s nearly the same hue as my dress last night. Between the Dorito and Tweety Bird, I’ll be keeping my bottoms on today, and probably my top as well. They’ve all seen my boobs anyway.
I pull my hair off my neck, wishing I’d worn it in a ponytail like Emily did. Most of the women—all except Misty—have their hair up. What was I thinking?
Apparently the same thing I was thinking when I didn’t wax my pussy clean and said Sebastian’s name—I wasn’t.
My gaze settles on Brett, who’s talking to Evangeline and River. He casually slides his blue trunks over his hips.
He’s not erect, of course, but he’s still a gorgeous sight with his muscles and blond bush.
“Hey, you,” a deep voice says.
I turn and see Alex, trunks still on, thank God, holding two bottles of water.
“Hi,” I reply.
“So you’re my lovely companion for this evening.”
“Yes.” I smile, willing myself not to stammer. “I’m looking forward to it.”
He pulls out a chair. “May I?”
“Of course.”
He takes a seat, unscrews the cap on one of the bottles, and hands it to me. “Stay hydrated, per Evangeline.”
I nod and take a sip.
“So…I want to make this date fun for you. What kind of things do you like to do?”
I tilt my head. He’s so handsome in an understated way. I imagine him wearing tortoise-shell glasses and a tweed blazer. The hot professor type. The thought makes me smile. And squirm.
“What is there to do here on the island?” I ask.
“There’s swimming. A home theater. A gourmet meal. A walk under the stars. Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”
You could morph into Brett.
I don’t say that, of course. I want to give Alex a chance. Every one of these men is a catch, and I’d be lucky to have any one of them fall in love with me.
“What do you like to do on a date?” I ask.
“This isn’t about me, Ariel. It’s about you.”
“How can you say that? This whole event is about you. You and the other three men.”
“True, but it’s also about you ladies. We want to please you as much as you want to please us.”
I look at him—really look at his firm full lips, his light brown stubble, his beautiful hazel eyes with dark brown lashes. His thick chestnut hair and his sculpted jawline. His good looks aren’t as obvious as Brett’s are—and he’s not blond—but he’s striking. Striking and very nice. My nipples harden against the fabric of my suit as I gaze at his perfectly muscled tan shoulders.
“I’d like to learn more about what you do,” I say. “I can’t imagine writing words for a living.”
“I’d be happy to enlighten you.” He smiles. “Tell you what. Let’s have a private meal on the deck or in the courtyard, and after that, we can watch From Darkness to Disclosure .”
I raise my eyebrows.
“That’s the name of the initial book in my Nash Beckett series. It’s the first in the film franchise.”
“Oh, yes.” My cheeks burn. “I read that in your bio.”
“What? You didn’t memorize it?”
I drop my jaw, but he chuckles.
“Relax, Ariel. I’m kidding. We’ll have a nice dinner at, say, seven? I’ll answer any questions you have about writing. And then the movie?”
“That sounds great.”
“What should I tell the chef to prepare for us?”
What I’m really craving is some of Mama’s barbecued ribs and greens, but I’m talking to a billionaire here. If I tell him I want some down-home southern cooking, he’ll probably laugh in my face. “I don’t know. What kind of food do you like?”
He laughs. “Anything and everything.”
I draw in a breath. May as well be myself. Mama told me never to change for any man. “You really want to know what I want?”
He nods.
“Some good old-fashioned southern cooking. Ribs and greens and mac and cheese.”
“No sweet potato pie?” He grins.
Is he making fun of me? My first inclination is to back away, but I don’t. I hold fast. “Sure, if your chef can make it as good as my mama.”
He smiles. “That sounds great.”
I take another sip of my water as others begin to meander toward the tables up front, which are now bursting with an array of colorful food. “I suppose…it’s time to eat.”
“Do you like sushi?”
“I’ve only had it once, but yes, I enjoyed it. Even the raw stuff.”
Alex stands and holds out his hand to me. “The raw stuff is the best. Come on.”
I walk with him, and he grabs two porcelain plates, handing one to me. “Ladies first.”
The only thing I recognize is the tuna. I had tuna and salmon the one time Jazz and I went out for sushi, and I preferred the salmon, but I don’t see any here. I take a few pieces of the tuna, a filet of the poached mahi mahi, and a generous portion of fruit, which is a mixture of watermelon, strawberries, mangoes, and several things I don’t recognize.
A line forms behind us, and Emily ends up right behind Alex. Chills hit the back of my neck. Will I be able to smooth things over with her? I draw in a breath and I look over my shoulder. “Emily, please join us.”
She smiles, and relief sweeps through me. “Thanks, love, but I don’t want to intrude.”
“You’re not intruding,” Alex says. “Ariel and I will have plenty of time to get to know each other on our outing this evening. Please. Join us.”
Emily flashes a grin and nods, her blond ponytail bobbing. “All right, then.”
Alex grabs a beer out of one of the coolers. “Can I get you a drink?”
“I’ll stick to water, but thanks.”
We end up at the same table, and a moment later, Emily joins us, followed by Ginger and Rachel.
“Mind if we sit?” Ginger asks.
“The more the merrier.” Alex rises and pulls out chairs for both of them as he did for Emily and me.
Our table is now full, and I glance around, noticing Brett sitting with River, Misty, and Sienna. Sebastian, Heather, and June claim the third and last table, and Sebastian beckons Evangeline to join them.
“Any of you ladies up for snorkeling later?” Alex asks.
“Absolutely,” Emily says.
He turns to me. “Ariel?”
“I don’t think so. It’s not really my thing.” I smile and pick up a piece of tuna with my chopsticks. It falls back onto my plate.
“I understand. What about you two?” he asks Ginger and Rachel.
“Yes, later,” Ginger replies, “but what I really want to know is how Ariel here was able to pick out all the men by touch.”
Emily, of course, already explained how she was able to do it—her background in fashion gave her the edge.
Me, though? It was a pure fluke. The only one I knew for sure was Brett.
Do I tell Ginger the truth? Or do I say something amusing or flirtatious?
“You going to answer her, love?” Emily asks.
I draw in a breath, spearing my piece of tuna once more. “I honestly don’t know. I was totally guessing, except for Brett.”
“You’re kidding me,” Ginger says, her eyes wide. “And here I thought I had the advantage, knowing the muscle groups.”
“Maybe you haven’t given them each a good look,” Emily says. “Besides, aren’t you a dermatologist?”
“Guilty, but I had to learn all the anatomy and physiology in med school, and I worked many different clinical rotations during my intern year.”
“I can see the others and I are going to have to do a better job distinguishing ourselves.” Alex takes the last drink of his beer and rises. “Can I get any of you ladies anything?”
“Yes.” Emily smiles slyly. “You can lose the trunks.”
A spark hits me between my legs. After our brief chat, I like Alex.
A lot.
And yeah… I’d like to see him without the trunks.