Episode 25
EPISODE 25
NOT-SO-SMOOTH SAILING
Emily
The dock for the catamaran is within walking distance from the mansion, so Ariel and I go together after a light buffet breakfast on the deck. I purposely refrain from asking her how she and Brett got on last night after they left the hot tub. Better to let her tell me if she wants to, though admittedly I’m curious.
The men are nowhere to be found this morning. Strange.
Ariel’s pretty light-brown eyes widen nearly into circles when she spies the catamaran. “I’ve never seen anything like that!”
“Never been on a catamaran?”
“Never been on any boat, really. Just my uncle’s fishing boat on Lake Guntersville.”
“You fish?”
She giggles. “Heck, no. Fishing’s the most boring thing ever, but he’s my mama’s brother and I loved spending time with him when I was little.”
“Never got seasick, did you?”
“Not once.”
“That’s good. I’m wondering how some of these other women will do. A catamaran can be a bumpy ride if the captain doesn’t lean into corners correctly. That can create crashing waves at the bow.”
“Will you be okay?”
“I’ve crossed the English Channel on a ferry, love. The bumpiest waters in the world, and I managed to stave off nausea even when everyone else was tossing. I’ll be fine.”
I spy Ginger and Rachel near the dock, chatting. They both look beautiful, of course—Ginger in a bright-green bikini with a sarong tied around her waist, and Rachel in a black one-piece that plunges nearly to her crotch. Her breasts are the perfect size for such a garment.
Shy little Rachel no longer seems so shy.
“Come on.” I glance at Ariel and begin walking toward them.
Ariel may not know what Sienna witnessed between Rachel and Ginger last night. I’m no gossip, but I’m curious about how much farther what happened in the hallway may have gone.
“Good morning,” I say as we approach.
“Morning.” Ginger smiles and grabs Ariel’s hand. “How did you and Brett make out after you left us?”
Ariel’s cheeks go pink.
“That great, huh?” Ginger laughs. She doesn’t seem the least put-out that Brett chose Ariel over her. Interesting.
“We took a walk,” Ariel says.
“And…?” Ginger’s eyebrows rise.
“It was…nice.” Ariel looks down at her sparkly flip-flops. “He’s a really nice guy.”
“I think that’s all you’re going to get out of her.” I turn my gaze to Rachel. “I love that suit. I have a similar one in my collection, but none of my tiny-titted models fill it out like that.”
Rachel’s cheeks blush. “Thank you. I wasn’t going to wear it. It’s so revealing and all.”
“Let me guess.” I wink. “Ginger talked you into it?”
Rachel’s lips part. “How did you know?”
“I’m clairvoyant.”
“You are?” Rachel’s eyes go wide.
This woman is a scientist. Surely she doesn’t think I’m being serious. More likely she’s trying to cover up whatever happened between her and Rachel, if indeed anything did. Though her reaction has me thinking they engaged in something. “Kidding, love. The two of you seemed like you were friends in the hot tub last night, so I just assumed.”
Rachel smiles weakly. “Yes. The two of you”—she nods to Ariel—“seem friendly as well.”
“Seems we’re pairing up,” I agree. “June and Heather too.”
“What about Misty and Sienna?”
“I don’t know anything about Misty,” I say, “other than she’s blowing a lot of smoke out her arse about knowing who someone has chosen, but Sienna is lovely.”
Ariel stares at the catamaran. “It looks so different from any boat I’ve seen.”
“That’s because it has two hulls.”
Ariel continues gawking, and clearly she has no idea what a hull is. I open my mouth to explain, when?—
All four men—all in loose-fitting trunks—emerge from below deck.
Brett, with his blond surfer beauty accentuated by blue trunks the same hue as his searing eyes.
Alex, his perfectly muscled arse clad in dark green.
River, his dark broodiness perfectly highlighted by basic black trunks.
And Sebastian…
Damn him for being so hot! His brown hair is pulled up in a messy manbun. I don’t normally like that look on men, but on Sebastian Tate? It works. It works like a fucking charm. His white trunks show off his tan, and he’s the only one whose suit sports a pattern—and it’s not guitars or microphones or anything else befitting a rock star.
The pattern is puppies.
Puppies! Golden retriever puppies, to be exact.
Keep your cool, Emily . I don’t need to start wanting him again. It’s still early in this game.
“Welcome, ladies!” Brett holds out his arms. “Come aboard!”
Ginger and Rachel scurry onboard, while Ariel and I follow. I glance quickly over my shoulder and see the other four arriving.
Brett takes Ariel’s hand to help her, while Alex takes mine. His hand is warm and strong, and a soft spark flutters through me.
Hmm. The writer? He definitely has potential, but I do like Sienna quite a bit, and she spent the better part of last evening with him.
Odd, really. I didn’t expect to find friendships here. I figured we’d all be in competition, which of course we are. I need to remember that if I want to end up with one of these billionaires. I adore Ariel and Sienna, though. We were all friendly before the men arrived. It was difficult not to become fond of one another.
No more friendships, though. Ariel and Sienna are enough. The others? I must keep my distance.
Once we’re all on the catamaran, I look around. The open deck features a small swimming pool and seating area with ten lounge chairs plus four tables with chairs. The décor is tropical, with teals and oranges and a bit of palm-tree green. Toward the back of the deck, long tables are set up—probably where our lunch will be served.
June grabs my arm. “I love your suit, Emily.”
“Thank you. It’s from my own line.” The suit is a tankini in sky blue, and it shows just a sliver of my belly. Not that it matters. They all saw my tits last night. Still, the style flatters me, and today I plan to keep the top on .
June, of course, has a perfect lingerie modeling body, and she wears a white bikini that barely covers her breasts and arse. If I look from behind, I might think she’s naked.
“You look nice too,” I add to June.
June gives me a radiant smile and then links arms with Heather, who’s wearing a black-and-royal-blue bikini. Her blue-tipped hair is piled on her head today, displaying a viper tattoo on her shoulder. I smile, thinking of Ariel’s Tweety Bird. So different, but both seem to fit the bodies they inhabit.
“Ladies, can I have your attention?” Evangeline stands by the tables at the back of the deck clad in a black one-piece with a black sarong around her waist. The woman loves black.
I turn to listen as the men surround her.
“The captain has informed me that we’re leaving soon. Once we’re out to sea, feel free to get comfortable. Keep the suits on or remove them. Your choice.”
Sebastian meets my gaze and winks.
And of course my damned nipples harden. I look away from him.
“Lunch will be served an hour and a half from now. We’ve got a delectable spread of sushi and sashimi planned. For those of you who don’t care for raw seafood, we’ll also have chicken breasts and poached mahi mahi, plus a cornucopia of succulent tropical fruit. The bar is open and fully stocked, but please remember to stay hydrated. We have plenty of water, still and sparkling. I’ll let the gentlemen take over now.”
“Thanks, Evie,” Brett says.
Evangeline lifts her eyebrows at “Evie.” I can’t blame her. A nickname doesn’t suit her. She’s Evangeline all the way.
“We’ve got some games planned,” Brett continues, his blond hair tousled from the soft breeze. “But first, Evie here has arranged for each of us to have a date this evening…and she’s randomly chosen who each of us will entertain. Those of you whose names weren’t drawn shouldn’t worry, though. There’s all the time in the world to get to know all of us and for us to get to know each of you. So…Evie… Who will we have the pleasure of seeing this evening?”
Evangeline pulls out her phone. “I’ve used an app to make the pairings random. First, River, you’ll be with…Misty!”
Misty, wearing a hot-pink bikini, clasps her hand to her mouth. “How wonderful!”
Yes, how wonderful. According to Sienna, she’s already got her sights on River. Convenient.
“Next,” Evangeline says. “Alex, you will have a lovely date with…Ariel!”
Ariel stiffens beside me. I give her a nudge.
She puts a smile on her face. “Thank you! I look forward to it.”
Alex glances her way, gives her a slight wink.
Again, I feel a sliver of attraction to him. I did not see that coming.
“All right.” Evangeline taps her phone. “Brett, you will be with…Sienna!”
Sienna waves her manicured hand, looking thrilled, whether she feels it or not. “Thank you! I look forward to it.”
Brett gives a dazzling smile.
I feel off somehow. Light-headed. Then I realize. It’s my heart. It’s beating rapid fire.
Sebastian is left.
And I want to be selected for him. I want it more than my next breath of air.
Time slows. I’m stuck in some kind of warp as I wait for Evangeline to make the last pairing. She glances at her phone, wrinkles her brow.
Finally, “Sebastian, you will be with— Oh!” She drops her phone as the catamaran jerks from the dock. “Sorry about that. Captain Joe usually moves much more smoothly. Now, let me see. Where was I?”