by Megyn Ward
I yell in my excitement, the muffled sound attracting Blake’s attention. We both swing our lights to follow the rare sighting, my heart leaping in awe. Everything else is forgotten—Zach, Jonas—and I’m mesmerized.
It couldn’t have been more than a minute but when I look back to check on Liesa, all I see is her light on the ocean floor.
The faint rumble of a boat overhead vibrates the water around us.
Blake and Zach discover Liesa’s disappearance at the same time and we start casting our lights in the darkness, trying to find her.
I shine mine up and catch the flicker of a fin, then her figure kicking toward the surface. Blake bursts toward her.
The rumble of the boat grows louder. It’s heading this way. If Liesa surfaces, the driver will never see her in the dark water.
She blows past 15 feet, not hesitating for her safety stop. Maybe the dark ocean spooked her and she panicked. If she’s that far out of it, she might not hear the boat. She won’t realize her danger.
Blake swims hard but she’s near the surface. From below, I see the wake of the boat heading toward her. She doesn’t slow.
I’m swimming hard now and Zach is right beside me, but the only chance she has is Blake.
The boat’s engine roars, sucking my heart with it, white foaming wake behind a propeller that will chop Liesa to bits if Blake doesn’t catch her in time.
Horrified, I can’t look away. Blake’s hand shoots out and his fingers close over one of her fins and with what I’m sure is the same surge of adrenaline pounding through my veins, yanks her away from the surface before she can break through. The boat races overhead, missing her by a foot, at the most.
Chapter 34
Kylie
Liesa buries her head in Blake’s chest, arms around his neck, clinging to him as if holding on to him is the only thing keeping her alive.
While she cries, he holds her in his lap and gently rocks her murmuring soft words to her. Not knowing what else to do, I wrap a heavy towel around them both. I hate that she’d been so scared. But if anyone can make her feel better, it’s Blake.
Zach and I stand back several feet. I suppose he felt as helpless and awkward as I do. Add to that the fact that I feel guilty because I let Zach kiss me and confused over the fact that even though I know it’s wrong, I’ll probably offer to have his babies if he so much as looks at me again.
“The jellyfish,” she wails from her perch on Blake’s lap. She’s already explained a dozen times between big gulping sobs against his neck. “They were stinging me and I just wanted to get away.”
“Shhh...” he murmurs to her, running a soft hand along her back. “It’s okay. Everything is okay...”
That awkward feeling returns. Like I watching something I shouldn’t. Witnessing an intimate moment between two people that doesn’t belong to me. When I look at Zach to gauge his reaction I expect to see jealousy. Possessiveness. I don’t.
All I see is relief.
I bend over and fill my arms with BCs and fins.
Zach steps toward me. “What are you going to do?”
“Dive’s over.” I start down the dock. “Might as well get this stuff rinsed off.”
He picks up the stuff I left behind and scrambles after me. “Do you have a key to the shop?”
I shake my head, forcing myself to keep calm. The last thing I need is to be alone with Zach again but the last, last thing I need is to cause a potential scene that might further upset Liesa. “There’s an outside shower by the resort pool.”
He follows me. “Is it okay to use it?”
“I doubt it. The pool is between the shop and the resort and it’s supposed to be for the guests. But this time of night, no one will be there. Not a big deal. We’re just going to rinse the gear.”
“Okay.” He plods next to me and the awkwardness returns. Finally he says something. “Think she’ll be okay?”
I shrug, refusing to look at him even though I can feel his gaze on my face. “Don’t worry. Your girlfriend is fine,” I say, using the words to put distance between us.
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
He sounds angry.
Neither am I.
“Whatever.”
I lead him beside the still pool. A security light barely provides enough illumination to see. Rinsing saltwater off of diving gear isn’t a technical job so we won’t need much light.
The shower stall is enclosed by a cinderblock wall on three sides with a shower head overhead and a spigot jutting out at ankle height. I dump my load and bend to turn on the bottom spigot.
Zach drops his gear and we squat down beside me. “Please look at me.”
He’s too close and I’m too weak. I look at him, I’ll let him do whatever he wants to me. I won’t just let him—I’ll beg him to.
“Let’s just get this stuff rinsed so we can get out of here.” I grab fins and ran them under the flowing water.
“So you never have to see me again.”
My chest squeezes tight. So tight I can imagine my obliterated heart oozing between the cracks in my ribs like jelly. “Yes. So I never have to see you again.”
Masks, booties and BCs follow as we work in silence. The shower stall is narrow. Both of us barely fit. Not touching is impossible
I turn the spigot off and we line the gear on the sidewalk outside the shower stall. “You can head back down,” I say, aiming my gaze at a spot just over his shoulder. “I’m going to rinse off.”
“No.” His voice sounds like his throat is lined in sandpaper. “I’ll wait, if that’s okay with you.”
Clouds cross over the moon, blocking out all but the dim security light. I can’t see Zach’s eyes but I can feel them. Every rational part of me is telling me no. That I’m making a mistake. That I’m going to regret what happens next.
To guard my heart.
But I don’t listen.
All I do is nod.
Peeling off my rash guard, I step into the shower stall again. Turning on the water, I move under the warm flow. It feels heavenly after the evaporating saltwater chilled my skin.
Closing my eyes, I turn, arching my back to rinse my hair, washing out the salt and enjoying the massage of the water and my fingers. Allowing myself to imagine that my hands are Zach’s as the coast slowly over my skin.
Maybe that’s why I’m not surprised when I feel the heat of him against my back. Why I don’t jump when I feel his fingers skim along the length of my spine.
You knew this would happen.
Want it to happen.
Yes.
Despite everything I know is right, I want this to happen.
One more time and I’ll never see him again. He’ll go on with his perfect life and leave me to mine.
One more time and then it’s over.
He unties my bikini top and I let it fall, moaning softly when I feel his hands close over my breasts, kneading and caressing me from behind. Rolling and pinching my nipples until they’re tight and swollen between his fingers. Until I have to press my lips together and roll them between my teeth to keep from crying out.
“Kylie...” He says my name, head dipped low so he can whisper it in my ear. One of his hands slips over my belly, finger grazing the waistband of my bottoms. Teasing me. Testing me before finally slipping inside. “Open your legs.”
God help me, I do it, the moan I’ve been fighting off finally breaking free when two of his fingers stroke into me, hard and deep.
“Fuck...” The curse, barely more than breath, shudders against my ear as the hand on my breast streaks up, his arm banded across my chest as his fingers grip my shoulder to pull me against him. “God, I love your pussy.” He pulls his fingers out almost to their tips before slamming back into me, so fast I gasp and arch my back, thrusting my hips into every stroke. “How soft and tight you are...” His thumb slides over my clit. “How hot and wet you get for me...” The tips of his fingers curl inside me and he groans when my knees go soft and start to shake. “How hungry y
ou are for my cock.”
It’s not a question but I answer him anyway. “Yes...” I reach behind me, gripping his ass. Pulling him tighter against me. Grinding against the hard length of his cock pressed between my ass cheeks. “ohmygod...” Pressing my head against his shoulder I turn my face, moaning with relief when my lips find his, our mouths and tongue moving together, hot and desperate.
Harsh water from the showerhead pelts the hard beads of my nipples, the stinging pleasure of it washing over me. His tongue in my mouth. His fingers, stroking my pussy. His cock grinding me from behind.
“I want to fuck you.” He growls it against my throat, his fingers digging into my shoulder, pulling me against him. “I want to feel you come all over my cock.”
“Yes.” Hands dropping to my hips, I find the ties that hold my bikini bottoms together and start to yank, nearly weeping with relief when I feel them fall away. “Please...”
Suddenly he’s gone, the absence of him pitching me forward and I have to throw my hand up to catch myself against the rough block of the shower wall.... and then he’s there. His hands gripping my ass, thumbs hooked under my cheeks to open me from behind. The hard length of him between my thighs. The engorged head of his cock pressing against my entrance. “Only you, Kylie,” he whispers, sliding into me so slowly I have to lock my jaw to keep from crying out. “Only you.”
Only you.
And then he’s fucking me, his wet hips slapping with each hard stroke against mine. His hand moving around to stroke my clit. The other reaching up to capture one of my breasts, teasing and squeezing my nipple.
“...so good,” I moan, pressing back against the hard, fast thrusts of his cock. The tingling heat seated deep in my belly starts to roll and spread. “ohgod, I’m...”
“That’s it, Kylie.” The hand on my breast grips tight, holding me steady so I can take him deeper, his balls clapping against the seam of my pussy with each hard pump of his hips. “Come on me. Come on my—”
“What the hell?”
Chapter 35
Zach
A bright light bursts on, pinching into my eyes and I throw a hand up to block it while Kylie instinctively falls to her knees behind the shower wall, but it’s too late. There’s no way she doesn’t know.
Shit.
“You fucker.” Liesa screams. “You dirty, fucking liar.”
She’s surrounded by a five-man camera crew.
Cameras.
Fucking cameras.
Jonas had us followed.
He’d set me up.
I’d set Liesa up.
Oh my god, what have I done to Kylie?
I shut the faucet off.
Blake and Liesa stand a few feet from the shower. The cinderblock walls of the stall block most of their view, but it doesn’t matter. There’s no use denying it and I don’t even want to.
Only you.
That’s what I said to Kylie.
Only you.
And I meant it.
Liesa stands there, hand clamped over her mouth, eyes wide with shock. Wet with tears. Blake’s mouth hanging open like the hinge on his jaw is broken. Color drains from his face.
The cameraman angles himself away from me, pointing the lens at Liesa so he can get a close-up of her face.
Liesa flings an arm out and points at me. “You wanted our first time to be special?”
Protect Kylie.
Keep her hidden.
Buy her time to get away.
That’s all I can think.
All I care about.
“Liesa.” I reach down and snap up my board shorts, using them to cover up my cock. “Let me explain.”
“Explain?” Her voice rises, tears sliding down her face. “There’s nothing to explain. I’m not stupid. I can see what’s going on.”
Crouched in the corner, Kylie gropes for her top and bottoms, dragging them to her, shoulders hunched over and trembling. I can’t see her face but I know she’s crying. Ashamed.
Shit.
“It’s not what it looks like.” I say the first stupid thing that pops into my head, intent on drawing Liesa’s full attention. Get her worked up so the cameraman will keep filming her and not come poking around the shower stall, looking to kick the hornet’s nest
“Really?” She comes unglued, screeching at me, her hands bunching themselves into fists. “Because it looks like you were fucking—”
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I want you and can’t stop thinking about you.” I pop from the shower, angling myself across its entrance, trying to buy Kylie time. Hoping she’ll know to run out the other side. “It got me all worked up and this girl was here and willing and one thing led to another.”
Blake flinches like I hit him in the face and he eases back into the shadow of three close-set palms. All I can do was hope he’ll help Kylie escape undetected.
Liesa’s face contorts, shaping itself into a familiar expression. One she wears almost constantly on her show. “You are the scummiest of slimy, green, alligator vomit, shit infused scum I’ve ever seen.” She stalks me. “First you tell me you’re falling for me, all sweet and romantic.”
Fuck.
“Then you fuck her in a shower while I’m a blubbering mass only a few feet away.”
I try to maneuver myself so I have a view of the shower from the corner of my eye. Ears ringing, heart thumping, I watch Kylie sneak away. She runs toward the cover of the palms where Blake’s retreated.
I tell myself I’m relieved.
Glad she got away.
Blake’ll take care of her.
But I wish it was me. I wish I was the one with her so I can do what I should’ve done days ago.
Tell her the truth.
For now, I need to play the part. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Can we talk about this?”
“Fuck you,” she screams at me. Bending over, she fishes a dive mask from the bag at her feet and cranks her arm back. “Get the fuck away from me!” She launches the mask but it flies past me, smacking the guy holding the boom mic in the face.
“Shit, Liesa.” He howls, dropping the mic to protect his face. “Jonas said—”
On a roll, she pulls out a fin and wings it at the cameraman. “Fucking vultures!”
“Jesus, Liesa.” He ducks and the fins wings over his head. “We’re just doing our jobs.”
“Vacation my ass.” She pulls another fin from the bag. “Liars!” the second fin flies only this time the cameraman isn’t as lucky. It hits him with the bottom edge, slicing his cheek.
“Fuck this!” He lowers the camera and jogs toward the parking lot, the rest of the crew scrambling behind him.
Suddenly plunged into darkness, I listen to her breathe, each sharp, ragged breath sounding like its tearing her chest open.
“I thought you liked me.” She isn’t screaming anymore. She isn’t acting. She sounds like the Liesa I know, only broken.
“I do like you.”
She laughs, the sound of it thin and watery. “You like me so much you bring a camera crew here to humiliate me?”
“I didn’t know about that.” I hope she can hear it. The truth in my voice. “I swear I didn’t.”
Clouds shift across the moon and suddenly she’s illuminated. Her shoulders, hunched and sagging. She looks small. Defeated. “But you work for Jonas?”
“My father signed a contract. Pretty much sold me to Knightly.” I clear my throat and look away because even though it’s the truth, it was still my choice. Common decency or money.
I chose money.
“For what?” She stares up at me, shaking her head. “Were you supposed to be...” Her face goes blank for a moment before her eyes flood with tears. I don’t have to say it. She figured it out all on her own. “You were supposed to fuck me. On camera.”
Even though that’s exactly what I was supposed to do, it still stings, her accusation a bracing slap across my face. “I couldn’t do it.” I take a half step toward her, lo
wering my voice. “Because I really do like you, Liesa. I—”
“Like me?” Her shoulders straighten, her spine goes rigid. Eyes narrowed and hard. “You’re so full of shit. Like everyone else in my life.”
She spins on her heel and takes off toward the parking lot at a dead run. “Bob. Wait up. I need a ride home!”
Even though I shouldn’t, even though I should chase after her, beg for a chance to explain, I don’t.
I let her go.
Chapter 36
Kylie
I watch them from the shadow of the palm, heart hammering in my chest, bulging up into my throat with enough force to choke me.
Only you, Kylie.
That’s what he’s said to me
Only you.
And then a few minutes later I became an excuse. The girl who was just there. The slut willing to spread her legs for him.
Blake stands next to me, staring in the same direction I am. He won’t look at me and his refusal to even acknowledge that I’m here burns a hole straight through my gut. What happened to me? Where had I lost my barometer of right and wrong?
“Blake.”
He turns away from me without saying a word and stutters away. He only makes a few steps before he turns to me.
“I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t yell. He doesn’t tell me what a horrible person I am or that I hurt him. He doesn’t have to. I can see it all, as plain as day on his face. Tears glistens in his eyes but they didn’t fall. He swallows and stares off into the darkness. When he finally speaks, his voice sounds as dry as scorched pavement. “I can’t talk to you now.”
The disappointment and sadness I hear in his voice nearly crush me. “Okay,” I whispered.
He lumbers away from me and I know I’ve lost another important person in my life. I watch Blake disappear down the beach. Not ready to tackle the long walk home, I trudge to the shadow of a small palapa and sink down to the sand.
A few minutes pass. I watch Liesa throw diving gear at the camera crew and I have this insane, ridiculous urge to cheer her on. As soon as they flee, her entire body changes. She turns her gaze on Zach who is still standing there, his board shorts clutched against his groin, and seems to shrink. They talk quietly but even from here I can see Zach’s face. How stricken his is. How sorry he feels.
