Episode 28
EPISODE 28
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Emily
Alex’s beautiful green-gold eyes widen when I ask him to lose his trunks.
“You are blunt, aren’t you?” Alex smiles and then clears his throat. “I’ll say it again. May I get you ladies anything? A beer? Another”—he points to Ginger’s drink—“whatever that is?”
“It’s a mai tai,” Ginger says, “and it’s sublime, but no thank you.”
“Water it is. The rest of you?”
Rachel and Ariel both shake their heads, but I cock mine. “Still waiting on the trunks.”
“Afraid you’ll be waiting a while, then.” Alex heads toward the front of the deck.
I watch his muscled arse as he heads toward the bar. He’s one fine-looking man, and I can’t deny how attracted I am to him. I’m dying to see him without his trunks—except I’d much rather see him fully erect, hovering over me.
Whew. The breeze has stagnated, and I’m hot as hell.
“Emily…” Ariel begins.
“Hmm?”
“I want to… I don’t know. I don’t know why I blurted out Sebastian’s name. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Nothing to worry about.” I take a sip of my sparkling water. It bubbles down my throat.
What a fucking lie, but I have no claim on Sebastian. He’s already made it quite clear that he’s made no choice, which of course makes sense. None of us know each other well enough to do that.
Still…I burn for him, and yes, a fit of jealousy surged through me when Ariel said his name, but I’m over it.
Another fucking lie.
“Are you sure?” Ariel asks. “Because I was thinking, maybe we should just switch. You take Sebastian for lunch, and I’ll take Brett. I’d be okay with that.”
I raise my eyebrows at her. Really? That’s going to make this all better? “What makes you think I would be okay with that?”
Her cheeks redden, and she looks down at the table. “I just thought… I don’t know.”
I breathe in, hold it a few seconds, and then exhale. I don’t want to lose Ariel’s friendship, and I’d love to share lunch with Sebastian, but if we trade we’ll be in the same situation we are now. Only knowing one of the men. “No,” I say. “We keep our dates. The whole idea is to get to know all four of the men. You’ll have a chance with Alex this evening and Sebastian tomorrow.”
An odd sensation nuzzles the back of my neck at Alex’s name. That spark again—the one I didn’t see coming.
Perhaps I’m envious of Ariel not just because of her lunch with Sebastian, but also because of her date this evening.
I gaze across the table at Ginger and Rachel, who are talking in hushed tones. “Shilling for your thoughts,” I say to them.
Rachel goes pink all the way down her plunging neckline. “Just chatting,” she says.
“About what, pray tell?”
“Our upcoming snorkeling adventure, of course.” Ginger smiles and drains the last of her mai tai.
“Right. I see.” I glance at Ariel, who’s trying to hide the fact that she’s watching Brett, who’s talking animatedly with his table mates—River, Misty, and Sienna. Misty and Brett are both naked, but River and Sienna still have their suits on.
Sienna smiles at me and waves. I wave back.
I rise. “Excuse me for a moment.”
Alex hasn’t returned, and Ariel gives me a pleading look.
“Be right back,” I whisper to her, and then I walk the few steps to Sienna’s table.
“Hey,” Sienna says. “You want to sit down, Emily?”
“No, no. Just thought I’d come over and say hello.”
“Please, sit,” Brett says, standing and giving me an eyeful. “Thank you for choosing me. I look forward to our lunch.”
Brett is pretty-boy handsome, but that body… All the men are ripped to the nines, but Brett’s muscles have muscles.
“Yes, please join us, Emily.” Misty gives me what I assume is a fake smile.
“I’m just going to borrow Sienna for a moment, if you don’t mind.” I tug on Sienna’s arm.
She stands. “Sure. What is it?”
Once we’re out of earshot in a corner near the stairway heading below deck, “One of us should ask Ginger and Rachel what’s going on.”
“Is that any of our business?”
“Absolutely! If the two of them are into each other, that means there’s only six of us vying for the men’s attention. It’s a good thing.”
“That’s all you,” Sienna says. “I couldn’t possibly ask them. I’m the wallflower of the group. The one who’s afraid of her own shadow.”
“Rubbish. You were no wallflower on the dancefloor last night, and you’ve gotten more so far than any of us. So your fiancé dumped you. So what? You were too good for him.”
“He’s a former NFL player. He’s rich. He’s hot.”
“Hot I’ll give you. But he’s not as rich as any of the men here. Let it go, See. You’re gorgeous, you’re smart, and you have Alex Dawson panting after you.”
There’s that pang of jealousy again. Am I that into Alex? Didn’t see that coming at all . But Ariel gets him to herself tonight, and my name wasn’t drawn for a date.
Sienna sighs. “No longer. But I’m dealing.”
“I hear you. Sebastian hasn’t given me a look today. But so what?” I say, hoping I sound more confident than I feel.
“Right.” Sienna nods firmly. “So what? But I’m not asking Ginger and Rachel. You’re the one who says whatever you want. You do it.”
“Emily, Sienna, come back here.” Brett waves to us from the table.
“Fine,” I say to Sienna. “I’ll do the asking. But you’re coming with me.” Then I link my arm with hers and go back to the table.
“Here we are.” Sienna retakes her seat.
“Sit, Emily.” Brett rises and holds out the extra chair for me.
“Thank you.”
“I have an idea,” Brett continues, “and I want to know what you three ladies think of it.”
Misty bobs her head up and down, clutching River’s arm. “I can’t wait to hear it!”
I hold back an eye roll. It’s clear who she wants. Does she think River will choose her? Is that what that fuss in the hot tub was about, when she claimed one of the men had already chosen?
“I haven’t run this past Riv yet, or the others, but what can I say?” Brett shrugs. “It just came to me.”
“Can’t wait,” River says in that dark way of his.
“I’m sure you can’t, buddy.” Brett chuckles. “I’ve thought of a new game.”
“What is it?” Sienna asks.
“What if we each choose one of you at random…”
“And…?” I eye him.
“We get you to come without actually touching you between your legs?”
My jaw drops.
Brett winks at me. “You don’t think I can do it, Emily?”
“No offense, but I don’t think any man can do that.”
Sienna blushes next to me. Interesting… Perhaps Leroy was something other than hot and rich. Perhaps he was highly skilled as well.
River chuckles. “You’re so fucked up, Brett.”
“I think I can do it, Riv. How about you?”
“Seriously? I know I can. But I won’t be doing it in front of you .”
Misty’s blue eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.
“You two are something else.” I grab whatever Sienna’s drinking and take a long sip. It’s sweet… and full of alcohol, but it does the trick. It cools me off. Because in truth I’m intrigued by this idea. Sebastian nearly had me erupting last night, and he hadn’t yet touched me down there.
And now I can’t get Alex out of my head—another reason to be envious of Ariel.
“Is that a challenge?” Brett waggles his eyebrows at me.
“Absolutely,” I say. “But I agree with River. Not here, and not in front of anyone.”
“We’ll draw names,” River says.
Misty tugs on his arm. “I hope you pick mine.”
“There are two bedrooms below deck,” River continues.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Sienna says. “What if the women aren’t into this?”
“Are you kidding?” I shake my head. “What woman wouldn’t be?”
“Someone who’s…” She draws in a breath. “Never mind. I’m in. I’m totally in. But what about the other two guys?”
“Seb’ll be all over this,” Brett says. “And Alex? If the rest of us are in, he’ll be in.”
“I agree with Sienna, though,” River says. “We shouldn’t force the women. Anyone who doesn’t want to doesn’t have to.”
“Of course. But this is a great way to get to know each other on a more intimate level without getting in anyone’s pants,” Brett says. “I think they’ll all be willing.”
“How will we know if you succeed?” I ask.
“You ladies will be on the honor system, of course.” Brett smiles. “We’re counting on you to tell the truth.”
I nod. “Good enough.”
Brett stands. “Perfect. I’ll get Evangeline.”
“What about snorkeling?” I ask.
“Now that’s your choice.” Brett leans down behind me, his hot breath caressing my neck. “If your name doesn’t get drawn, snorkel away. And if it does…I have something you can put in your mouth.”
Already I’m squirming.
I want my name to be drawn.
And the image inside my head of the man drawing my name surprises even me.