by Kimberly Fox
She hits my arm and points to where Stephanie is sitting. “Look,” she says, with a huge smile.
My cousin is reapplying her mayo suntan lotion for the third time. She’s been lying in the sun and tanning all day.
I stand up and stretch as Tanya watches me. “Where are you going?” she asks.
“Where are we going?” I answer, holding out my hand for her. She slides her hand into mine. “And the answer is the pool.”
She gets up looking fine in her bikini. “I think I need a drink first,” she says, licking her lips.
I climb into the cool, refreshing pool and sink down to my chin. “Let’s take the tour of the pool and stop at the pool bar along the way.” This resort has the largest, winding pool in Mexico. It snakes through the whole resort, going under bridges and past waterfalls.
Tanya jumps in and dunks her head under the water. When she gets up she slicks her wet hair back. Her nipples are hard under her bikini top and I groan as she walks over.
“Jump on,” I say, turning my back to her. She wraps her arms around my neck and presses her tits against my back, getting me hard.
I walk down the winding pool slowly with Tanya on my back like a sexy koala bear. We pass palm trees and people tanning and reading. Bodies that are overflowing with stress and anxiety back home finally get to relax and unwind for a week before jumping back into the chaos once again.
We continue down, floating, walking and swimming to the more secluded part of the resort. The chairs and paths around here are empty, with everyone closer to the beach, bars and main pool where all of the action is.
“If you could be any sea animal,” Tanya says as she hangs off my back, “which one would it be?”
“A great white shark,” I say. “I want to be at the top of the food chain. Always.”
“I could see you as a puffer fish,” she says.
“Oh really? Please explain.”
“You act all tough but it’s all a front,” she says into my ear. “Inside you’re really a softy.”
She makes me laugh. “Maybe. What about you?”
There’s a curved wooden bridge coming up ahead for people to cross the pool.
“A mermaid,” she says, crawling around me until we’re face to face. She wraps her legs around my waist and I keep moving.
“That’s fiction,” I say, shaking my head. “That doesn’t count.”
She smiles and kisses me on the lips. “I don’t care. It’s my game.”
I take a quick look around as we duck under the bridge. There’s no one around. I stop and press her up against the wall of the pool. The shadow from the bridge covers her face. We’re all alone out here.
“You’d make a sexy mermaid,” I whisper before kissing her.
She moans and licks her lips when I pull away. “I would.”
“I’d miss your legs, though,” I say, sliding my hand up the inside of her thigh.
She tightens her arms around my neck. “What would you miss about them?”
“Spreading them open and staring at your pussy.” I groan on her lips as my hand glides up.
She grabs my wrist and looks around. “Ethan…”
I give her a hot, erotic kiss and when I pull away her eyes are glazed and full of lust. “Everyone is at the beach or stuffing their faces at the buffet,” I say as she looks from side to side. I reach up and slide my finger up her pussy, wishing her bathing suit wasn’t between us. She closes her eyes and moans.
She’s breathing heavily and biting her lip. “I don’t know,” she whispers, but her grip on my wrist eases. I take it as a green light.
I slide my fingers up between her legs again, using my whole hand this time. She closes her eyes and takes short quick breaths. My finger finds her clit and I press down hard. She jerks her body and whines as she digs her nails into my back. I rub little circles on it and she thrusts her hips, grinding on my hand.
We’re still alone when I peel her bathing suit to the side and slide my fingers up her soft pussy lips. She licks her lips and hugs me closer as I slide a finger inside.
“Fuck, Ethan,” she gasps as I curl the tips of my fingers inside her and slide them in and out. Her body is stiff and rigid in my arms and she keeps letting out little whines, whelps and curses in my ear.
A group of people are talking as they walk up the path towards the bridge that we’re under. They can’t see us but Tanya grabs my wrist and swallows hard. There’s no way I’m stopping now. She’s close to coming on my hand.
“Ethan,” she whispers as they step onto the bridge. I rub her clit harder as I thrust my fingers in and out of her pussy. She looks up and watches the people through the cracks in the wood as they walk over the bridge.
I just watch her eyes as I stroke her harder. Her mouth opens and her face twists in pleasured agony as she’s about to come. I hold her tight and hammer her clit as they walk directly above us.
“Fuck Ethan,” she whispers through clenched teeth as she comes on my hand. Her pussy tightens around my fingers and she digs her lips on my collarbone so she doesn’t scream out as her orgasm rips through her.
I hold her tight as the last person walks over the bridge, oblivious to what’s going on underneath. She stays in my arms for a few minutes as she catches her breath and recovers.
When her breathing slows to almost normal she dips her head back in the water to cool off.
“Come my little mermaid,” I say, grabbing her ankles. “Let’s go get that drink. I’ll get you a nice tequila sunrise.” She floats on the water with her arms out at her sides as I pull her by her feet. Her tits are bobbing out of the water and her eyes are closed with a peaceful look on her face.
My heart pangs as I watch her and I realize something. This is not just sex. I’m starting to really fall for her.
How the hell am I supposed to go back to Chicago without her?
Chapter Eleven
Tanya
Day Four
Ethan scored some reservations to the steak house restaurant and when we arrive I’m starving. He’s looking amazing in white pants and a dark blue muscle shirt. I initially feel inadequate in my light green striped dress but the way that I keep catching Ethan staring at me with hungry eyes is making me feel much better.
The restaurant is full and I spot Megan inside at a table with Lucas and his in-laws. I haven’t spent too much time with her but she’s been busy playing hostess to all of her guests. And I’m really happy that I get to have a quiet, romantic dinner with Ethan. Just the two of us.
“Look,” Ethan says as we’re waiting in line. He points in the restaurant and I burst out laughing when I see what he’s looking at. Stephanie is sitting in a booth with Aaron. She is burnt to a crisp. Her arms are stiff and her back straight as she reads the open menu in front of her. Every move of her body makes her grimace in pain.
“I guess mayo doesn’t double as sunblock,” I say, trying unsuccessfully to hold in a laugh.
“Let’s see her slut it up now,” Ethan says, chuckling.
I step on my tippy toes and kiss his chin. “Thank you.”
“This way please,” the pretty hostess with the long legs and nice brown eyes says to us as she grabs two menus. She looks Ethan up and down as we step into the restaurant. He just grabs my hand and pretends not to notice.
She takes us through the restaurant and I curse under my breath as we have to pass Stephanie and Aaron’s booth. There’s a large bull’s head mounted on the wall above them next to a Texas license plate.
“Nice tan, Steph,” Ethan says as she looks up. “Just stay away from the kitchen. The lobsters will get jealous.”
“Shut up!” she snaps back, grimacing in pain as she moves. “I don’t know what happened. I wore my suntan lotion all day and the bottle was ninety dollars.”
Aaron sits up in his seat and eyes Ethan with an evil look.
“Well, it looks great!” I say with a smirk.
Stephanie’s eyes narrow on me. “I just wish I was more like you,”
she says. “Four days here and look how pale you are.”
“Oh you’re too sweet,” I say, slapping her shoulder.
She goes stiff as a whine escapes her throat.
Ethan turns to Aaron for the first time. “Be careful with my cousin,” he says. “Her skin might peel off.”
Aaron puffs his chest out and sucks in his gut. “Be careful with my girlfriend,” he says. “She might nag you to death.”
Ethan grits his teeth and glares at him. His arm flexes under mine. “Your girlfriend?”
They lock eyes like two alpha males about to fight over a mate.
I pull his arm but he’s like an immovable statue. “Maybe we should just-”
“You’re friends?” the hostess asks, placing our menus on the table next to them. “You can share table.”
“No,” I say in a panic. “We would like-”
“Great!” she says with a big smile. “Buen provecho!”
All four of us look at each other in panic as the hostess rushes away. Ethan shrugs and sits down next to Aaron.
Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God, I repeat in my head over and over again as I slide down next to Stephanie. We’re actually doing this.
The four of us look down at the table in silence. “Well, this is awkward,” I say.
Cynthia and Julia walk over with huge, amused smiles on their faces. “What is going on over here?” Julia asks.
“Just a little dinner,” I say. “Want to join us?” I raise my eyebrows and look at them with a pleading expression on my face.
They both take a step back in unison. “Noooooo,” Cynthia says, shaking her head. “It looks like it’s just couples.”
Julia grins. “But we’ll see you for drinks after to hear all about it.”
They walk away, following the hostess to the booth that should have been ours. I give it one more chance. “Are you sure you don’t-”
“They’re already gone, Tanya,” Ethan says.
Shit.
We open our menus and all I see is a jumble of letters. I’m too uncomfortable to read.
“Does anyone smell mayonnaise?” Ethan asks.
“That’s so weird!” Stephanie says. “I’ve been smelling it all day.”
I lift the menu over my face to hide my snickering. When I lower it Stephanie is glaring at me. “Ya know it’s going to be so nice to see my best friend get married in two days,” she says, with her hand on her chest. I notice that she’s not actually touching the painful, bright red skin and that makes me happy. “I feel so honored to be standing next to her as the one girl who she feels is the closest person in her life.”
I nod as listen. “It was so nice of you to pay for her honeymoon in exchange for the position.”
Stephanie’s nostrils flare. “Oh, I’m sure you would have done the same thing if you could afford it. They must not pay very well in the dog food industry.” She tilts her head to the side as she watches me. “There must be some perks, though. Like all you can eat dog food.”
Her laughter stops short when she grimaces in pain from the movement.
I’m tired of playing nice with this chick. It’s time to do what Ethan suggested and fight fire with fire.
“You’d fit in great with all of the dogs in the office,” I say. “There can never be too many bitches around.”
The air between us is as cool as the look she’s giving me. Aaron turns to Ethan with anger in his eyes.
“So Ethan,” he says. “Stephanie tells me you own a bar. I was thinking of opening one but I thought nah. I didn’t want to have to hang out with pathetic low lives all day.”
Ethan turns to him with an amused look on his face. “What do you do Aaron? Tanya hasn’t mentioned it. Actually, your name never even came up.”
Aaron frowns. “I’m an architect.”
“Ha!” I blurt out.
Aaron looks at me and furrows his brow. “I’m a landscape architect,” he corrects.
“Aaron is a wannabe rock star,” I say to Ethan as if Aaron wasn’t even at the table. “He hit his peak in the tenth grade when he played in the garages of three house parties. Now he cuts grass for a living and just hangs out all day smoking weed and playing video games.”
Ethan turns to me, ignoring Aaron. “Cuts grass?” he asks, pretending to be interested. “Like he owns a company or something?”
“No, no,” I say, looking only at Ethan. “He works for a landscaping company part time.”
“Is he a manager?” Ethan asks me, rubbing his jaw and listening intently.
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “But it’s only been six years. So,” I say, crossing my fingers on the table, “who knows?”
Aaron mutters something to himself, looking annoyed.
“Well, let me know if that doesn’t work out for you,” Ethan says to him. “I can always use another dishwasher at the bar.”
Aaron peels back the corner of his menu and frowns. Stephanie looks at him and rolls her eyes.
Aaron glares at me when he finally looks back up. “So, Stephanie, is your maid of honor speech all finished?” Low blow. He knows how much that bothers me.
Stephanie nods slowly with her eyes closed. “It’s going to be so nice to stand up there and let everyone know how much my best friend means to me. I can’t wait.”
I give her my fakest smile. “We all know how much you love being the center of attention.”
She leans back. “I can’t help it if everyone loves looking at me.”
Ethan nods. “Who doesn’t love to look at a car crash?”
I touch his foot with mine under the table. I think I love him.
Stephanie just rolls her eyes and ignores him.
“I love looking at you baby,” Aaron says, grabbing Stephanie’s hand.
“Ow!” she screams, yanking her hand away when he touches her. “I told you to keep your fucking hands off me.”
I bring my hands to my chest and tilt my head as I look at her. “You two make a really nice couple.”
Ethan nods. “You two deserve each other.”
Aaron looks at him and nods. “Thank you.”
Stephanie is a little smarter and glares at me sideways. She can tell a backhanded compliment when she hears one. She practically invented them.
“It must be fun having a fling with my cousin,” she says. “You’re part of a huge club now. A club of thousands of women who wondered why he never called in the morning.”
I glance over at Ethan who is staring at her with a tight jaw. “Really?” I ask.
Ethan doesn’t take his fierce eyes off her. “It’s not like that.”
Stephanie just ignores him. “He really is the best at convincing women that he likes them, fucking them dry and then dumping them on the curb. That’s Ethan for you.”
My stomach rolls and my chest tightens. That is what I was afraid of. I don’t want to be just another one of his girls. I want to be the girl.
Stephanie smiles at me when she sees my face. “Oh,” she says, looking at me like I’m a cute little baby. “Did you think that he actually liked you? That’s so adorable.” She picks up her menu and shakes her head. “Tanya you have a lot to learn about the real world.”
Ethan swallows hard as he glares at his cousin. “I do like her. A lot. I know it must be confusing for you to imagine that a guy could actually like a girl and not just use her for her body, but you have to realize that is your experience. Not all girls are treated like a cum dumpster.”
“No,” she says with a fake smile. “Just the ones that you date.”
An awkward silence hovers over the table as Stephanie smiles in triumph. I look down at the menu wondering if she’s right.
“Good evening,” the waitress says as she arrives at our table with a huge smile. She goes over the night’s menu but I don’t think any of us are listening. She takes our order, collects the menus and then leaves us with a ‘thank you.’
“So Tanya,” Aar
on says, glaring at me. “You left that piece of black lingerie in our room. You know the one that I really liked that you wore when we went to Florida?”
Ethan’s teeth are clenched as he turns to Aaron. “Be a good little Aaron-ed boy and go get it will you? I’m going to need it later.”
Aaron flinches away from him and mutters something under his breath.
“What was that?” Ethan asks.
Aaron’s tanned face fades to a pale white. “Nothing,” he mumbles.
The waitress comes back with some dinner rolls and our drinks.
“Tequila sunrise for you,” she says, placing the drink in front of me.
Aaron looks at me funny. “Since when do you drink tequila sunrises?”
“Oh,” I say, sitting back with a big, goofy grin on my face. “Ethan has opened me up to so many things. Who knew that I could bend my legs behind my head?”
“That’s not the first time I’ve heard that,” Stephanie says. “Do you know how many of my high school friends have told me the same thing about Ethan? Hundreds.”
Ethan glares at her. “Actually, you didn’t have any high school friends remember?” He turns and nods at me. “It was hilarious. Steph was a huge nerd in high school. Round, black rimmed glasses like Harry Potter but ten times bigger, head gear, no fashion sense. Remember that big sweater you wore with the cat on it? What did it say? Don't hate me cause I’m…what?”
Stephanie’s look could melt glass. “Purr-fect.”
“Oh that’s right,” he says, slapping the table.
I snort out a laugh.
She doesn’t like that. She whips her head to the side, facing me dead on. “Well, the awkward caterpillar blossomed into the beautiful butterfly that you see now. One day it might happen to you Yawn-ya.”
I nod as I take a sip of my drink. “I can’t wait to follow in your footsteps. I’m so excited to be obnoxiously loud, wear slutty clothes, and sleep with every guy who can stand me for the six minutes it takes to dump his load inside me.”
The waitress interrupts us once again when she comes back with the food. It’s good timing because Stephanie looks like she’s about to throw down in the middle of the restaurant.
