by ANDREA SMITH
“Yeah, it is,” I agreed, trying hard not to roll my eyes, “but not for much longer. I think it’s time I intervened. I’ll see you guys at the pool in about an hour.”
I traipsed back up to our suite and found Slate now curled up in bed, sleeping. This was our first ever vacay and I’d be damned if his stubbornness was going to ruin it. I called down to the ship’s infirmary while he slept. They told me to stop in for some over-the-counter treatments they had available to try first.
When I returned to our suite, Slate was once again in the bathroom. I opened the door, trying my best not to smile as I saw my totally macho G-Man, looking so incredibly pitiful, as he hugged the “porcelain god.” This was so not Slate!
“Slate,” I said, using a very matter-of-fact tone that I generally saved for when I really needed to have my own way. “I bought some non-prescription items at the infirmary that help with seasickness. Here’s a wrist band that’s supposed to do some kind of acupuncture thing that signals your inner ear, and some antihistamine tablets that will make you a bit drowsy, but cure the nausea. I also brought some ginger ale and ice for you. I’m going to the pool now, so you decide if you intend to spend the rest of our vacay hunched over the commode—which I have to say, is a major turn-off for me, or join the living again.” I made sure to end with a single shoulder shrug, “It’s up to you.”
I turned and left, changing into my new swimsuit and cover-up, grabbing my iPad, sandals, and sunscreen and headed out to the pool off of our deck. Most everyone was already there. I spotted Lindsey on a chaise lounge, reading from her iPad. She looked up when I approached.
“So?” Lindsey asked, as I took the empty chaise beside hers, peeling off my sandals and cover-up. “How’s Slate doing?”
“We’ll soon see,” I replied, spraying my skin with the sunscreen, and massaging it in. “I had to get a bit strict with him. I usually don’t do that.”
“Well, Mom, you didn’t have much choice. I mean, you’d think he wouldn’t be so stubborn about something like that.”
“You’d think,” I agreed, adjusting my sunglasses and reclining back in the chaise.
“Are you going in?” she asked, glancing over to the pool where Easton, Taz, Eli, Cain and Colin were already having relay races.
“Maybe a little later,” I replied, looking around. “Aren’t we missing a couple of the ladies?”
“Oh,” she giggled, “Darcy and Ronnie went for a spa afternoon instead.”
“Why didn’t you go?” I asked, frowning.
“I wanted to hang out with you, Mom,” she replied, with her sweet smile. “I didn’t want you to be alone.”
“Sweetie,” I sighed, “this is your vacation, too. There’s no need for you to feel like you have to babysit me because Slate is being so stubborn.”
“We dock in Samana this evening,” she said. “Maybe you and I can do a little mother-daughter shopping?”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” I said. “Now, you’d make me feel better if you’d join Darcy and Ronnie for a spa afternoon, okay?”
“‘Kay,” she agreed, happily, jumping up and giving me a peck on the cheek. “See you this evening.”
I’d just settled back after reading a couple of chapters of my steamy novel on my iPad, closing my eyes and letting the warmth of the sun caress my skin, when I heard someone take the empty chaise next to me.
“Excuse me, babe,” Slate’s voice drifted over. “Can I bother you for some sunscreen?”
My eyes flew open and I looked over at him sitting back in the chaise next to me. He was in his swimming trunks, his muscles bulging the way that I loved. I noticed he was wearing the green wristband I’d bought for him. He was still a bit pale, but I knew the sun would take care of that in a short time.
“Feeling better?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he admitted, a sheepish grin taking over. “I don’t know how you manage putting up with my shit sometimes, Sammie. You were right in doing what you did. I’m sorry I was so fucking stubborn, babe. Am I forgiven?”
On the second day of vacay my true love gave to me:
A lesson in patience.
chapter 3
On the third day of vacay…
~ Taz ~
I rolled out of bed, letting Lindsey sleep while I went in and showered.
I’d gotten a little too much sun at the pool yesterday afternoon while Lindsey spent three hours being pampered at the spa with Darcy and Ronnie. She hadn’t shown much empathy for me when she returned later to our suite, changing her clothes and grabbing comfortable shoes for her shopping trip in town with her mother.
She barely acknowledged my reddened back and shoulders, telling me to put some aloe on it and to quit whining, reminding me that I was old enough to know how to properly apply sunscreen.
Yeah, nice, huh?
I’d pouted for the rest of the evening, showing little interest when she returned later, showing me what she’d purchased in town for Harper and Jackson. She’d bought matching T-shirts for us, wanting me to try mine on.
“I will, darlin’,” I said. “Just as soon as my fucking back doesn’t feel like it’s on fire, okay?”
“Taz,” she sighed, rolling her eyes at me. “Sometimes I think men are the biggest babies on earth. First it was Slate with his motion sickness or whatever, and now you’re making a major fuss about being a little sunburned. Seriously?”
“Excuse me,” I replied, testily. “Maybe if you hadn’t spent all afternoon being pampered at that fucking spa, I wouldn’t have spent so much time in the fucking sun. I mean, what the hell?”
“So, now it’s my fault?” she asked, her eyes bugging out like they always did when she was pissed.
Our little spat had been interrupted when Darcy, Ronnie, and Eli came banging on our door, letting Lindsey know there was karaoke going on in the lounge on the Fiesta Deck. She had bounced up off the bed, asking me if I wanted to come along with them.
“I don’t think so,” I snapped, chafed at her obvious disregard for my pain and discomfort. “I’ll just stay in here and wait for the pain to subside,” I replied.
“Okay then,” she said. “I won’t be too late, babe.”
With that, she’d skittered off to enjoy drinking, dancing and karaoke with the others. Fuck me.
Slate had stopped by to drink a few beers with me, making fun of my ‘delicate condition’ until I reminded him of his puke-fest and told him to shut the fuck up.
By the time Lindsey had stumbled in, well after midnight, and obviously tipsy from her evening at the lounge, I was feigning sleep and blessedly out of pain for the moment.
My shower felt good, the cold water washing over my skin without it feeling painful any longer. I lathered myself up, feeling invigorated and ready for some hot make-up sex with my baby girl. The great thing about Lindsey and me was that we never stayed pissed at one another for very long.
I planned on crawling beneath the sheets with her, and waking her up with soft, butterfly kisses all over her neck and shoulders. Then I’d trace my tongue around the outside of her ear, gently nipping at her lobes the way she loved. I would continue with my exploration, making sure to stop at her breasts, her bellybutton, and then move leisurely south to where her pussy would already be wet for me. She loved how my tongue washed over her clit, and my lips and teeth teased and nipped at the folds of her sweetness, bringing soft moans of pleasure from her lips.
My cock was already standing at attention with what my mind was picturing. I’d probably want to fuck her from behind. No sense in irritating my back any further until it was completely healed of the sunburn. Besides, Lindsey loved that particular position for getting off.
I patted myself dry and headed back out to the bedroom, where my sleeping angel was stirring just a bit.
I could see movement under the sheets. Her hands were vigorously moving around her crotch area; a moan escaped her lips, and then another.
Hol
y shit! Did she start without me?
“Hey baby,” I cooed to her, my weight dipping down on the bed next to her. “Did you get started without me?”
“Oh, God. Taz!” I watched as she sat up abruptly, pulling the sheet back to expose her legs, raising her skimpy silk nightgown up and over her head, tossing it to the floor.
Hot damn!
I mistook her eagerness for horniness, and leaned in to capture her lips with mine, as my hand fondled a breast.
“Taz, no,” she snapped, pushing away from me. “Oh my God, what the hell is this?”
She was looking down at her upper thighs and then quickly twisted around, raising her hips up to examine her ass.
What the fuck?
Her ass was covered with red prickly welts that looked like some sort of major breakout of hives. Her upper thighs matched, and I noticed that, whatever it was, had spread to her pubic area. Her fingernails were busy scratching the apparent itch that had developed as a result.
“Shit,” I said. “What the hell is that?”
“How the hell should I know?” she snapped, trying to get out of bed. “I was fine when I went to bed. The itching just woke me up.”
“Come on, baby girl,” I quickly grabbed her hand, “Let’s get you to the infirmary.”
“I can’t go naked, Taz,” she whined. “Will you please get a sundress from the closet? Oh, and my flip-flops, too?”
I obliged; helping her get a pair of panties pulled up and zipping up her dress in the back. I was even kind enough not to snicker when I observed the way she was walking with her legs apart, so that her thighs didn’t rub against one another…very stiff and very robotic. Kind of reminded me of how Frankenstein walked in those old movies, except that her arms weren’t outstretched—yet. One could only hope. Yeah, I know that was pretty fucked-up, wasn’t it?
An hour and a half later, Lindsey was back in bed, towels underneath her naked body with a foul-smelling, anti-itch cream spread thickly over all of the areas that her rash covered. She’d been given a prescription for steroid medication to take over the next three days in order to clear up the rash, which we were told was an allergic reaction to the seaweed wrap she’d received during her spa afternoon the day before. The doctor said she’d be good as new in a few days.
Great. Fucking great.
“Taz,” Lindsey said, as I gave her one of her pills to take with a glass of water. “I’m sorry I wasn’t sympathetic to your condition yesterday, honey. I mean, that was totally thoughtless of me. I wouldn’t blame you if you left me here alone to suffer with this rash.”
“I’m not going to do that, babe.” I said, flashing a smile, even though, in my mind, I had actually been thinking it would have served her right if I had. But, even I couldn’t be that much of a dick.
On the third day of vacay, my true love gave to me:
A lesson in compassion.
chapter 4
On the fourth day of vacay…
~ Ronnie ~
God, I was so ecstatic when our ship made port at Prickly Pear Island. I had done my research before the trip, and discovered that the beaches there were the most pristine in all of the Caribbean. Plus, nude sunbathing was allowed on certain beaches, one being the beach nearest to where our ship docked, because it was privately owned by the cruise-line. I had become accustomed to sunbathing on nude beaches while living with Colin in Europe. We had taken several long weekends to the south of France, preferring those secluded beaches that allowed nude sunbathing. Colin was extremely attentive to me while we were there, as I recalled. I blushed, thinking about the secret sex we had underneath our beach umbrella.
I smiled to myself, thinking about how enjoyable today was going to be with my man. Just the two of us, going off with a packed picnic basket, courtesy of one of the many gourmet stewards, to find a private area of the beach where we could discard our clothing and inhibitions, and spend some quiet time together. Just the two of us.
I had nearly finished packing our beach bag when Colin strolled into our suite. Seeing me wearing my beach cover-up over my thong bathing suit, and the big floppy hat I wore out in the sun, apparently clued him in that we had plans.
“Hi, love,” he said, going over to the dresser and pulling his shooting gloves from a drawer. “Are you and the girls planning a day at the beach?”
Correction: that I had plans…
“Colin,” I said, “I told you all about the beach here on Prickly Pear the other day, remember? I got directions to it from our steward. He’s packed a lunch of cold chicken, brie and wine for us. I thought you and I could make an afternoon of it. You know, have some quiet time together like we used to do in St. Tropez?”
“Sorry, babe,” he said, frowning. “I guess we got our signals crossed. I signed up for the clay pigeon shooting contest on the island. Easton’s been challenging me to a re-match after I took the prize last year in Belgium, beating him out of it for the first time. I intend to do the same thing this afternoon.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” I snapped, instantly deflated—and pissed.
“Aw, don’t be like that, Ronnie,” he chided. “Why don’t you and the girls go instead?” He reached his hand up to my face, gently caressing my cheek with his fingers. The same fingers that had pleasured me beyond belief only last night, along with other parts of his magnificent body.
I brushed his hand aside. “I hardly think an afternoon at a nude beach spent with Darcy, Sammie and Lindsey is what I envisioned for today.” I snapped. “I mean, Colin, we are trying to get pregnant, remember? I’m thinking that won’t work using the “girls” as a substitute.”
Now I could see a bit of anger flare up in him, which was highly unusual, but I didn’t care. I mean, he could shoot clay pigeons another time, another place. Right now, my window of opportunity for conceiving was open and soon enough, it would slam shut and another month would be lost, just like the ten months previous. I had to be honest; it was turning into an extremely stressful situation for both of us.
“Bloody hell, Ronnie,” he growled. “We fucked yesterday morning, yesterday afternoon and all through the night. Can I have a break this afternoon to do something I enjoy for once?”
Did he really just say that?
I whirled around to face him now, my face obviously masked with hurt and fury.
“Christ,” he growled, “I didn’t mean it like that, for the love of God.”
“Oh no, Colin,” I snapped, “you chose those words quite easily. I’m so freaking sorry that it’s been such an imposition these past few days, having to fuck your wife. I wouldn’t think of imposing myself on your cock today. Enjoy your clay pigeons, and fuck them while you’re at it!”
I shoved him aside as he came closer, trying to make amends no doubt, and grabbed my beach bag and the picnic basket and headed out the door. I would fucking go to that beach by myself. I damn sure wasn’t going to sit around our suite all day and mope.
After I disembarked from the ship, I walked a little ways down the boardwalk, weaving my way through the throngs of people that were taking advantage of the duty-free shopping at the quaint stores that lined the cobble-stoned street. Most everyone was a couple or in a group, which served to make me feel even more lonely and isolated.
I finally stopped and sat down on a bench. I needed to get my bearings and find the paper in my bag that I had used to write down the directions. I was digging through my bag when a voice I recognized got my attention.
“Want some company, or are you alone because you want to be?”
I looked up into the dark, brooding eyes of Cain—Eli’s partner or whatever. He was an extremely handsome guy; black wavy hair, dark complexion and piercing eyes that were dark brown, almost black. He looked like he had some Spanish ancestry going on. I remembered thinking the first time I met him what a shame it was that he was gay.
He and Eli were as opposite as night and day, not only in looks, but temperament as well.
They seemed to get along great, even though Eli was undoubtedly an extrovert, and Cain was definitely an introvert. Dark and brooding was definitely how I would describe him.
“Hey, Cain,” I said, with the best smile I could muster at the moment. “You’re welcome to join me,” I invited, scooting over a bit on the bench to make room for him. “I guess I could ask you the same thing,” I commented, not seeing Eli around.
Cain took a seat next to me, stretching out his tanned, muscular legs in front of him and sighing. “Sometimes,” he started, “I think it’s just healthy for couples to have some time apart, don’t you? Eli’s all about that skeet shooting competition and I guess I’m just not feeling it.”
I nodded, looking out on the horizon thoughtfully. “I hear that. I had planned a quiet, intimate picnic for Colin and me at Paelon Beach this afternoon. Apparently shooting clay pigeons was more appealing to my husband,” I complained, still irritated at his insensitivity.
“Oh yeah? The nude beach, huh?”
“You know about it?”
“Hell yeah, I’ve been there before. I used to work on a cruise ship before I decided to go back to college and finish up my degree. I know exactly where it is. Want a tour guide?”
I blushed, for some odd reason. I mean, just because it was a nude beach, didn’t mean we were required to strip naked. It wasn’t that other people hadn’t seen me sunbathing in the nude before; it was the fact that they had been strangers, not someone I knew and would see again.
“Hey, I even know of a hidden cove that has a cave and a fresh water pond and waterfall on the other side. It’s really beautiful, if you’d like to see it.”
“Sure,” I said, feeling a bit better. “Why not?”
The hidden cove with the fresh water pond and waterfall was as beautiful as Cain had promised. We had walked along the sandy beach until we came to a grove of pear trees. Just off a few yards to the north of it, Cain pointed out a rocky area that hosted the mouth of the cave. I followed him through the dark tunnel until we came back out into the bright sunlight on the other side.
