5. That Spring Break
5
THAT SPRING brEAK
MAISY
The past: Spring Break, a few years prior
“Look at this blue water and this island!” I threw my hands up in the air as if I were worshipping at the church in Holly Creek.
This was far, far from my home in upstate New York.
There were definite perks to being Chelsea’s sister, especially since she’s engaged to Rex Buchanan, a wealthy New York City, former playboy. Never in my lifetime did I think I’d be on a billionaire’s yacht docking at a private island with clean sandy beaches and the bluest sea.
Brooks lifted me off the boat. With his arms around my waist, my spine tingled... anytime he touched me, something tingled.
Knowing Chelsea and Rex had left the boat a few minutes before us, and they were now heading hand-in-hand up the sand to our destination, I took full advantage of my time alone with Brooks.
I brushed his nose with mine and whispered, “Kiss me.”
“Gladly.” His warm, sensual lips, layered with his Pina colada flavored lip moisturizer, melted on mine. His brawny body, scent of coconuts, and suntan oil were so overpowering that they made me seriously doubt my reasons to save my virginity.
My hands skimmed his back muscles, unsure how much longer I could hold out. He was a true gentleman, though, never pushing me further than I wanted to go. Oh, we did things…and sometimes he’d get me so hot stopping took every ounce of our will power.
His hands dipped south, cupping my buttocks. I split my legs and wrapped them around his waist. He had a good hold on me, so I threw my arms in the air again and yelled, “I’m free!”
He chuckled, knowing what a struggle my last semester had been so far. “Well, free for seven days on spring break, Maisy,” he said. “Only forty-two days left until you graduate with your degree. Then, my beautiful girl, you are free of books and studying and cramming…and college idiots who hit on you all the time.”
He set me carefully down, and, clearly, was still not over the fact that my lab partner asked me out on a date last week. I rolled my eyes. “I shouldn’t have even told you about that. Besides, the only man I care about is you.”
“I’m teasing, babe. I know I’m one lucky guy.” He winked and lifted our bags out of the boat. I admired the flex of his golden arm muscles down to his trim, tight abs in a pair of flat front board shorts.
He may be much older, but it didn’t bother me at all. I’d dated enough boys in college; by the time I met Brooks, I was ready to graduate to a real man.
With a solid body like a Norse god, his fat bank account, his own successful business, what’s not to like? Plus, he knew how to treat a woman right, always setting up thoughtful and creative ways for us to spend time together.
There weren’t many twenty-something guys walking around Columbia who could beat that. My attraction to Brooks wasn’t just based on dollar signs and muscles thought, he also possessed a funny sense of humor, enjoyed the same streaming habits as me, and made me laugh.
Brooks was everything I could want if I were older and ready to settle down—but I’m not. And this trip, I planned to have a chat about that.
He didn’t know it yet, but I got accepted to work a year for the Scientific Fleet of Oceanic Enterprises starting in June, a plum assignment cruising in the Southern Hemisphere. As the research assistant to one of my professors, I’d be working in my chosen career field.
This could open up so many doors for me when I returned to New York. Finding a new job should be a breeze and I’d have plenty of research to use in my graduate thesis. Then I might be open to settling down. Would he still be available then?
I hoped Brooks would understand once I finally got the nerve to talk to him about it at some point before we left the island.
We started up the sand and I walked ahead of him and adjusted my cheeky bikini bottoms. He whistled. “Damn, baby, it’s only the second day of our travels and I can already tell you this red one is my favorite.”
I spun around, walking backwards in the sand. “Nope. You can’t vote yet. Seven days, seven hot bikinis. You vote on our flight back. Besides, yesterday, when we embarked on the cruise, you said the strappy white one was your favorite.”
“No, I said the three tiny white triangles held together by skimpy strings would be best worn in bed with me, but no matter. I’m pretty sure every single one of your bikinis will satisfy my hungry eyes.”
I waited for him to catch up to me, got behind him and hopped on his back, hugging his neck from behind. He never faltered, his steps carrying our bags plus me. “My sturdy man.”
“I’ll have something sturdy for you in our room.”
“My mouth is already watering.” I blew into his ear.
“Don’t do that, or else I’ll have a hard on in front of Rex and Chelsea.”
“You’ve already had that problem today.”
“Don’t remind me. My balls are a permanent shade of blue.”
“Then we’d better hurry, get to our room, and get settled so I can take care of you.” I twirled my tongue around his earlobe.
“Fuck, you know how much I love what you do with your mouth and tongue. Now stop being a bad girl while I check with Rex about where we’re sleeping. Last I heard, Chelsea told him we’d need two rooms. I swear your sister doesn’t want us sleeping together.”
He set me down, and we walked through the double front doors into a white, airy beach house with windows instead of walls and 360 views of the ocean. He put the bags down at my feet. “Stay here. I’ll ask Rex about the rooms.”
I joined Chelsea nearby in gaping at our surroundings. “This is what Rex called his family’s little hut? ”
Chelsea shook her head. “When Rex said hut, I thought we’d be camping on the beach. It’s more like a mansion on a tropical island, complete with staff to serve our every whim. ”
I reached into my bag and pulled out a white linen swimsuit cover up, suddenly conscientious of running around this rich man’s hut in nothing but a skimpy suit.
“You are definitely marrying into a whole new world, Chels. It’s one thing for us to be small town girls who adapted well to living in New York City, but you have the extra challenge of adapting to life with a billionaire.”
“Don’t I know it? I really needed this vacation. The wedding planning with his mother has been overwhelming, what with all her high society expectations. She’s given me a blank check and expects me to spend a small fortune. I told Rex we’re not to talk about the wedding at all while we’re here.”
Brooks headed back to us, holding up one key card and sending me a wink with his sexy, smoldering smile.
“Sharing one room, huh? I take it you haven’t broken the news to him yet?” Chelsea whispered. I couldn’t miss my sister’s worried expression.
“No, we just got here. I want to have some fun first before I let him down easy.” She didn’t need to know I already had a plan to make my departure for a year easier on Brooks. I’d give him the one thing he desired most before I left on the ship this summer.
This could be my last spring break as a virgin.