Chapter 11 #2
Two mimosas later, Cameron and I head to my room. “What about your suit? Don’t you need it?”
“There’s one in my locker by the main pool. I’ll grab it on the way out.”
In my room, I change into the one-piece suit I packed. Mostly so he doesn’t get any ideas. Despite my attempts to arouse him for a quickie, he declines, stating we need to be on the way if we don’t want to miss the boat.
But would that be so bad?
Yes, if only because he went through all the trouble to plan it.
He pops into the locker room in the front building and emerges with a string backpack with his suit and towels.
Out the front doors, he leads us over to a parking lot off to the right.
It’s filled with expensive, luxury cars.
The one he leads me to is no different. A black Audi A6. Sleek. Sophisticated. So not Cameron.
“This one’s yours?”
“Did you even try to hide the disdain in your voice?”
Damn, he’s too good.
“This isn’t what I pictured. To be fair, I guess I never pictured you in any specific type of car. But if I had, this wouldn’t be it.” It appears brand-new, the shiny enamel glistening in the sun. He unlocks the car, and opening up the door confirms the new car smell. “How long have you had it?”
“About two years. I don’t drive it often. It’s too fancy for my style, and I don’t like the way it handles.”
“So why do you keep it?” I wonder with a chuckle.
“Appearances.”
Interesting. It goes against everything Cameron Fairbanks is.
“What would you drive instead if given the choice?”
“Don’t laugh, okay?”
“I won’t make such a promise. If it’s an outlandish choice, I’m going to laugh.”
He considers my point. “Fair enough.” He pushes the button to start it, hot air blowing in my face. “Sorry about that.” He turns some knobs on the aerodynamic dash, cutting the air off. “Better?”
“Much, thanks.” I strap my seatbelt, then turn to face him, waiting for his answer. “So?”
He pretends not to know what I’m insinuating, but I see through his act. He inhales, then pushes out a big exhale. “A golf cart.”
I don’t laugh. Mostly because it’s not funny. In fact, I would think it’s more appropriate for the island than this piece of machinery.
“That seems practical. You can probably make use of it all year-round. So why not get one?”
“Appearances.”
“Who do you have to impress? Do the guests here pay all that much attention to what kind of car you drive? How many of them see your car?”
“Very few. I don’t know. It’s a status thing, maybe. A lot of prestige comes with ‘Cameron Fairbanks, owner of Whispering Tide Resort.’ Guess I feel like I need to look the part. Especially to the generous soul who put me here.”
When I put the money up for him, I swore Preston to secrecy.
Cameron could never find out. Before coming to the resort, I didn’t feel guilty about him not knowing it was me, but now that I’m here and seeing him in action, I feel a little remorseful about keeping the secret.
I don’t question my decision to do it, but I wonder if I should tell him. I wonder how he’d react.
Deciding now isn’t the time to come clean, I say, “There’s a lot of truth to that. But I bet that person would want you to be happy.”
“And I am. Grateful for this opportunity I’ve been given. I don’t take it for granted. At least I don’t think so.”
Needing to comfort him with a touch, my hand juts out and lands on his thigh. “From what I’ve seen, you definitely don’t. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” His tone isn’t quite jubilant, but it will do.
“Okay, off to this cruise. I’m ready for it.”
His lips quirk up on one side. “You’re going to love it. Trust me.”
The truth is, I do trust him. But I’m not sure about right at the moment.
“Let’s go.”
Cameron backs the car out of the spot and sets off on our way.
It’s a quick drive to the next village over. Palm trees sway overhead on the winding roads, and with the sunroof and the AC on low, the temperature inside the car is comfortable.
The marina is at the end of a long road, and to my amusement, filled with boats of different shapes and sizes.
Through my sunglasses, my eyes skim them all, looking for the one we’ll board soon.
Cameron’s choice of parking spots gives nothing away.
He tucks the car in the back of a lot half-filled with different brands of cars.
“Bring your bag,” he instructs as he climbs out.
The bag with the towel I won’t need on a “cruise around the islands”? Oh yeah, I won’t forget that.
Bitterness endeavors to best me, but I tamp it down. There’s a lot to be excited about—being here with Cameron, being on the water, the way the sun shines down, the air sizzling with heat. Okay, I could do without the humidity, but other than that, my reasons stand.
“Come on. I promise it’ll be fun. And if it’s not, I’ll make it up to you in the bedroom tonight.”
“Yeah, you will.”
Okay, that’s the last bitter comment I make. Commencing positive attitude now.
Cameron grabs my hand in his, his palm sweaty to the touch. I surmise it’s more to do with the weather rather than how he feels. “Our hands fit well together.”
“Along with other body parts.” Oomph. Why did I say that out loud? He’s being all sweet and swoony, and I have to be a teenage boy.
Cameron’s chuckle rumbles his chest. “I would definitely agree, sweetstuff.”
“I feel like my mom calls me that. So, no.”
“Noted. I’ll keep trying.”
I love how he’s determined to find a pet name for me. Are we headed to a place for pet names? My heart leans toward yes, but my head shuts that down immediately. It’ll be nice for however long it lasts.
Lost in thought, I don’t pay attention to where we’re going, so when we stop in front of a little hut, I check around for a cruise boat.
The only one I see is a speedboat. I don’t let the feeling of hope bubble too high.
Cameron’s made it clear we’re taking a cruise boat.
He even emphasized cruise a few times when he described it.
He’s busy shaking hands with the young kid in charge. Makes sense since he mentioned he sets up a lot of excursions for guests of the resort.
“Thanks, Buddy. We’ll be back in about three hours. I really appreciate this.” Keys and life jackets are exchanged between them, and soon Cameron points me down the boat ramp. How did I not realize a man standing at the end of it?
My steps are small down the ramp, not willing to fall through the slats separated by little space.
I hold tight to the rail with my right hand; I don’t need to make a fool of myself.
Cameron doesn’t rush me or try to get ahead of me.
He’s patient, like most things in his life.
His easygoing nature first attracted me to him.
He wasn’t like any of the guys in the crowd of wealthy kids I knew growing up, nor was he like any of Preston’s other friends.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen him get upset.
“Hey, Cameron. We’re finally doing this?” the man standing against the rail greets us.
“I told you one day we would. Today seems like a great day.” From behind me, he reaches his hand out.
The other guy receives it warmly, giving it a firm shake.
He’s about our age, give or take a few years in either direction.
His skin is tanned from the sun, his cropped blond hair in direct contrast. Somehow it works for him.
A warm smile stretches his mouth. I like him instantly.
“This is Juli, my date for the day.”
My ears perk up at the word date. Even with the qualifier of “the day,” I like the sound of it. It’s a better label than anything I’ve come up with so far.
“Hi. Axel Sansone. Good to meet you. Are you staying at the resort?”
“Yes, but Cameron and I go way back. He’s a friend of my brother, Preston’s.” The name doesn’t register with Axel, but I don’t press it.
“Ah, okay. Well, shall we get to it?”
Curiosity gets the better of me. “What is ‘it’ exactly?”
The two men exchange devilish looks. It seems Cameron has sworn this guy to secrecy, too. Where does he find people who succumb to his evil plans?
“I think we’ll let the mystery linger. But seeing as we don’t have all the time in the world, we should get going on the boat.”
Right. The cruise. I’m thinking Cameron and I differ in our definitions of “cruise.”
We walk the short way to the speedboat. The steering wheel is in the center, covered by a small shade in the shape of a T, with two seats behind it and more cushioned seats at the back.
Once onboard, Axel continues to take the lead, settling himself in the driver’s seat, leaving Cameron and me together on the back bench.
No sooner has Cameron wrapped his arms around me, the boat shoots forward.
Not too fast because we’re still in the marina, but once we travel past the protected area, Axel increases pressure on the throttle, and the boat takes off on the open water.
Thank goodness I tied up my hair, because the few strands out of the bun are whipping around my face. Several times, Cameron tucks them behind my ear with a smile. At one point, he leans in, his mouth right up against my ear, and rasps over the sound of the boat’s engine, “Told you to trust me.”
Not wanting to give him too much of an ego trip, I don’t say what I want to: “I’ll never doubt you again.” Instead, I reply, “Thanks for arranging this.” It’s the best he’s going to get.
Axel drives us around the ocean, Cameron doing a good job of being a tour guide, pointing out each of the different islands as we pass by. We’re a good few miles off the coast, so it’s hard to tell the difference. He must come out here often to have the knowledge he does.
Cameron and I sit huddled together on the back of the boat as time marches on. With no way to measure it, I relax into his arms. His hand traces designs on my arms and more than once, I catch myself wanting to kiss him. The way he holds onto me indicates the feeling’s mutual.
A short while later, the boat slows, coming closer to what looks like a deserted beach. Axel pulls the front of the boat up onto the sand and cuts the engine.
“You’ve got an hour. I’ll be back.”
Nothing more said, he waves us off the boat, Cameron guiding the way.
He climbs down off the back, the water covering the tops of his ankles.
His hands stay out in the air, waiting for me to join him.
I waste no time tossing myself off the side, hoping he’ll catch me.
I land awkwardly in his arms, our fronts pressed together, and for a moment, I don’t move.
His arms squeeze mine, tightening around my forearms, hauling me in closer if that’s possible.
Our eyes are level, and heat radiates off us.
When the urge strikes, I don’t waste it this time.
I meld our mouths together. As soon as they touch, sparks ignite, doused a second later when our bags land with a plop on the sand.
“Have fun, you two.” It’s the last directive Axel gives before taking off.
With me still in his arms, Cameron takes a few steps back, giving the boat ample room to back up and dart away, leaving the two of us alone on the sand. Though I yearn to kiss him more, he lowers me to the ground.
“How was the ‘cruise’ around the islands?” His playful tone makes up for the disappointment I feel at our lost connection.
Before I answer, I stare off at the horizon. The sun at its highest, the water is calm, seeming to go on for miles. The cloudless sky kisses the water in the distance. The view is beautiful. We can’t be too far from the resort, but what my eyes see is different.
“This view is amazing.”
“She sure is.” Cameron’s response gives me pause until I turn to face him. His sunglasses sit on his head, and I’m greeted with the sight of his eyes hungrily devouring me. There’s a softness to them, a delicate vigor in contrast with the way he’s eye-fucking me.
“You planned this the other day.”
His face crinkles. “Yeah, so?”
“Before we had sex.” He confirms with a nod. “So what did you have in mind for how we’d spend this hour?”
His tongue moistens his lips, his hands grasp my arm, drawing me into him. I’m forced to look up. He doesn’t speak right away, giving me the time to ponder what his answer will be. Did he plan this secret rendezvous with this in mind? Did he have another motive when he originally planned it?
“I’m not sure what you think is going to go down here on this private island we have all to ourselves, but I think you’re getting the wrong idea.” His tone is serious, making me question all the different emotions coursing through me.
“Oh. My bad. Guess we’re here to sunbathe.”
“Mind if I do it in the nude?”
“But why?” I wonder, his question not making sense.
He went specifically to his locker to grab his suit.
That’s what he said. His head shakes as I try to make sense of what’s happening.
“Then why did I need to have mine?” I challenge, not letting him off the hook. “You made it clear I needed a suit.”
His shoulders lift. “Didn’t want you not to have the option nor feel like I was pressuring you into anything.”
My mind reels with this new information. At every turn, he surprises me. First, not a cruise around the island. Now, a naked romp in the sand.
“You hate sand.” The words leap from my mouth without my brain processing them.
“Indeed.”
“And there’s no shower until we get to your place. Which won’t be for a while.”
His finger traces the outline of my chin. “I’ll suck it up for you, angel.”
I let the use of angel slide, focused on the fact of what he’s sacrificing.
“But why?” I ask the same question for a different reason.
“So you can say you’ve had sex on a deserted island. An adventure to take home with you.”
My lady parts cheer. And as much as that sounds like a story I definitely need, the reality seems harsher.
My nose scrunches up. “There will be sand in places.”
“I brought blankets and towels. We’ll do our best. Or we don’t have to. We can wait until we get back to my house. I’ve got a bed. Sand-free.” He’s definitely more amenable to that suggestion. But since we’re here, and he went to all this trouble, and he’s making a huge compromise, I can’t not.
“You seriously want to do this?” I give him one last out, hoping with everything he doesn’t use it.
“I’d only ever do this with you, but yeah. Let’s get naked and do it on the sand.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice.