22. Warm Breezes, Beautiful Women, and Desperate Anacondas…
22
Warm Breezes, Beautiful Women, and Desperate Anacondas…
Mac
I find Paige lying on the hammock under the palm trees, one foot on the ground as she rocks herself from side to side and sips a vodka iced tea. It’s late in the afternoon, and she looks so calm and relaxed, dressed in her bikini with an oversized, see-through shirt over it. I feel my entire body react when I think about what’s under that flimsy piece of fabric. She’s so gorgeous like this, so carefree and happy. It’s as if the uptight, frantic woman I met on the dock is completely gone.
These last few days with her have been sweet torture—being so close to her all day but not being able to touch her. I find myself telling her things I’ve never told anyone and asking her about her life. I want to know everything about her—every little detail of her childhood, what she likes and dislikes (likes anything made from potatoes, hates licorice). I want to know what she thinks of everything under the sun. It’s almost as if I’m addicted to her and I need to gather every bit of knowledge about her I can get, so I’ll have it to take home with me.
I’m in serious trouble here. If it weren’t for Jack, I’d be praying that we never get rescued because, for the first time in my life, I’m truly happy in a way I’ve never been before. Everything feels so simple between us out here. We work well side-by-side and we have fun. I happen to know the sex would be incredible with her as well, which is why I’ve been trying like crazy not to lead her on. I’m not what she wants. She wants the husband, the kids, and the house with the white picket fence. And I’m just not that guy.
She turns her head to look at me, her eyes landing directly on my abs. I may or may not have stopped wearing a shirt around her so I can see the look on her face that she’s wearing right at this moment.
“You look happy,” I say, wanting to snuggle into the hammock with her.
She grins up at me. “I am. For the first time in my adult life, I’m not a ball of stress. There’s literally nothing to do but wait for someone to notice us, so I’ve finally given in to laying back and enjoying myself.”
Feeling like a fool standing here staring at her, I make my way over to the lounge chairs and stretch out, watching the tide come in and roll out. Paradise. A warm breeze, an ocean view, and a beautiful girl. After a minute, her shadow crosses over me as she makes her way to the lounger next to mine.
She lies back and turns to me with a mischievous look in her eyes. “I say we play a game.”
“What kind of game?”
“It’s called massage. I lie here and you massage me ‘til I fall asleep.”
An image of her lying there naked with me rubbing oil all over her floats through my brain, and I feel myself react immediately to it. Shifting a little on the chair, I try to think of the right response, not the one I want to make about giving her a happy ending. “Did that drink go to your head already, lightweight?”
“I think it’s the heat.”
I grin over at her. “I’d say it’s the vodka.”
“That too.” She giggles, then closes her eyes again. “Mmm… I’m so relaxed, I’m boneless.”
“I’m definitely not without a bone,” I mutter before I can stop the words from pouring out of my dumb mouth.
Her eyes fly open, and she gasps with a huge grin on her face. “Why, Mr. Gamble, I cannot believe you’re talking about your big bone with a client.”
“I meant nothing of the sort, Ms. Chadwick,” I answer, pretending to be shocked. “But, thanks for assuming it’s big.” I smile, then add, “Accurate guess.”
Her face turns bright red, and she bursts out laughing at my stupid joke. Well, damn if that’s not a sound I’d like to hear every day for the next forty years or so.
When she stops laughing, she has a sip of her drink, then gives me a curious look. “How big? Are we talking anaconda big?”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. I give her a mock-sexy look. “It’s hard to describe. It’s kind of something you have to see to believe.”
“Well?” she asks, gesturing at my lap. “Let’s have a look then.”
We lock eyes, and there’s a whole conversation going on between us with no words. But there’s no way we should be saying any of these things. I remind myself that she’s not the love ‘em and leave ‘em type, and I’m not the forever and a day sort, so we best leave this alone.
But if we didn’t leave it alone … it could be earth-shattering fun .
Nope, bad idea. She’s got a five-year plan and you’re not in it.
Shit, I’m about to do the right thing, aren’t I? And my anaconda is going to be so disappointed. “I’d show you, but that would just ruin you for other men.”
Her face falls slightly, and I know she can tell I’m trying to back up to safer territory. “Probably best, then.”
“Yup,” I nod, suddenly overcome with frustration. Getting up, I rake a hand through my hair. “I think I’ll go for a swim.”
I walk down to the water and straight in. When I’m up to my knees, I dive under the surface and feel the ocean surround me, cooling me down, but not nearly enough. The truth is, I don’t think I can hold out much longer. And I know I don’t want to.