“I told you, Peach. Your choice.”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Swim with dolphins.”
“Done.”
Swimming with dolphins makes the top ten on my bucket list. But it’s something I’ve always imagined doing with my husband, not a man I met days ago.
I go in search of my dress still lying on the living room floor.
“You have a great ass. Reminds me of a juicy peach I want to bite into.”
“I believe I recall an incident very similar to that last night.”
He chuckles loudly. “Sweetest Georgia peach I've ever tasted.”
I slip into my panties and dress while he watches from the other room. “I’ll be back at a quarter ’til. Wear something bulletproof.”
“That bad, huh?”
“No.” I don't know. Maybe. Guess we’ll see.
* * *
Meredith and Grayson seem genuinely pleased to meet Beau. I think they may even like him. That’s certainly a one-eighty from their feelings about Drake.
Even if it’s only for a week, it will be nice to have a companion who isn’t constantly preaching to me how I have no business hanging out with sexual deviants like Meredith and Grayson. Such a fucking mistake to tell Drake about their relationship.
“What have you two have been up to?” Meredith can hardly contain her excitement.
I can’t recall the name of the dance club we went to so I look to Beau for help. “Which club did we go to?”
“Debauchery.”
Meredith snaps her fingers and slowly rolls her wrist. “Bow chicka bow wow.”
Sounds like the anthem for a bad porn movie but there’s a reason for that kind of response. Meredith has to know what’s upstairs.
“Beau took me to his booth in the private couples lounge.” I think I may be blushing.
“I’ve heard about it but never been. Too rich for our blood.” Mere shoves my arm. “Damn, girl. I’m jealous.”
“It was . . . fun.” That’s not the right word. Erotic is a better fit.
Meredith lifts one brow. “I bet it was.”
I’m certain Meredith wants all the deets but we can have that conversation when the boys aren’t around.
I’m not really sure how to broach the subject of my agreement with Beau so I’m just going to throw it out there. “We’ve enjoyed each another’s company thus far, and we’ve made the decision to spend the week together instead of us both being alone.”
Meredith is all for this. I see it in her smile. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. No one should be alone at Indulge.”
She winks at me and I have an epiphany. Beotch knew this would happen. That’s why she brought me.
I’ll need to thank her later.
I’m so giddy about today I can hardly stand it. “Beau’s taking me to swim with dolphins.” I squee like a little girl.
Meredith beams at Beau. “You have no idea how badly she’s always wanted to do that.”
With the worry of our announcement out of the way, the rest of our dining experience is pleasant. Turns out that Beau, Meredith, and Grayson know a lot of the same people. Some from Indulge, others from back home. Makes for some interesting conversation.
Meredith hugs me when we part ways. “Glad you came now?”
“I am. Thank you for bringing me.”
“Happy to.”
Meredith glances over at Beau and Grayson. They’re in deep conversation about something. “I can see why you like him.”
“I know. He’s a nice guy, and we talk like we’ve known one another forever.”
“I have a good feeling about him.”
A good feeling about what? That he won’t turn out to be a serial killer? “What do you mean?”
“He lives forty minutes from you. If things go well, maybe you can continue your relationship at home.”
“He may not want that.” And I won’t either if he goes home and starts another threesome.
“You don’t know that he doesn’t. Maybe he’s open to a one-on-one.”
How many times has Meredith told me monogamy is the death of a relationship? Countless. “I’m not sure a man who has practiced polyamory for as long as Beau could be satisfied with one woman.”
“He was looking pretty satisfied just now.”
He certainly seemed satisfied last night.
“We’ve fucked a few times. I still qualify as a new toy.” Those words sting a little as they leave my mouth.
“I guess we’ll see.” We sure will.
Beau and Grayson come over, interrupting our girly chitchat. “I know it seems early to hit the road but we have to catch a taxi to the car rental place and then drive about an hour and a half.”
Perfect. I’ll get to sightsee on the way there and back.
Grayson shakes Beau’s hand. “Take care of our girl.”
He sounds like a father passing his firstborn off to a boy for the first time.
“Absolutely, man.”
Mere hugs me. “Have a great time and drive carefully.”
We luck out at the car rental center and get their last Jeep. Very little would suck more than getting stuck with a mommy mobile in Jamaica, so I’m ecstatic since I really wanted something without a top.
We drive along the coast to reach our destination in Ocho Rios. White sand. Blue water as far as the eye can see. The drive is breathtaking, but it’s hot without the top on the Jeep. I take off my shoes and put my feet on the dash so the wind can blow up my dress. And it does, exposing me all the way up to my bikini bottoms.
Beau puts his hand on my thigh. “You better watch it, Peach, or I’ll be running this thing off the road trying to catch another peek at what’s under that dress.”
“I might let you have more than a peek tonight. If you’re a good boy today, maybe you’ll get to touch it.”
“Ahh, Peach. You can’t say things like that when it’s going to be at least seven hours before I get you back to the resort.”
“Then I guess you’ll spend all day thinking about it.” I love teasing him.
“Which means I’ll be hard all day without a bit of relief in sight.”
“Then you should think about something else. Maybe a granny in rollers wearing knee-highs under her zippered housecoat.”
“Nope. I have a fetish for old ladies.”
I’m sure he’s kidding, I hope, but I’m curious about any real fetishes or tastes he may have. “I know last night probably wasn’t what you’re used to.” I consider not finishing my thought but decide to go for it. Curiosity and desire for validation exceed my fear. “But it was really good for me.”
I hate second-guessing my sex appeal and ability to please Beau. It’s because of what Drake did to me. But I can’t help myself. How does a woman not question everything about herself after she’s betrayed by the person she thought she couldn’t live without?
He squeezes my leg. “It was great for me, too.”
I want to believe him. “Was it really?”
He briefly takes his eyes from the road to look at me. “Why are you asking me that?”
“Because you’re accustomed to kinkier sex than what we had last night.”
“I like the kind of sex we had. I mostly like that I, alone, was enough to please you. Just me.”
Did Erin make Beau feel like he wasn’t enough? If so, that couldn’t be further from the truth, and I’m going to spend this week proving that to him.
I’m still curious to know his tastes. “Is there anything special you like?”
“During sex?”
“Yeah. Is there any kind of kink you want to try on me?” He’s grinning so I know there’s something on his mind. “Don’t be afraid to ask. I’m vanilla but not a total prude. The worst thing I could do is say no.”
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to scare you.”
I lean over and run my hand up the leg of his shorts. “I think I can persuade you to tell me.”
“What I thin
k is you can keep doing that and I’ll be convinced to pull this Jeep over to a secluded area to fuck you.”
“Temp-ting,” I tease. Very tempting indeed.
“Might take you up on that when we drive back.”
A girl can hope. “I dare you.”
He puts his hand over mine. “Do you like anal?”
I had a sneakin’ suspicion that’s what was on his mind. “Don’t know. Never tried it.”
“It’s really good.”
Yeah. I suppose it is for the man. But what about the poor woman getting something shoved in her ass? It’s hard for me to think that could feel great.
“If you’re willing to try it, I’d love to be your first.” I bet.
I’ve heard good and bad about that so I don’t know. I’d prefer to talk it over with Meredith before agreeing or declining. Although I’m not sure she’s the best person to ask. I already know she’s a huge fan. “Not sure. Let me think about it.”
“Sure. But keep this in mind when making your decision. I promise I’ll never do anything to hurt you, angel.”
Angel? Maybe an angel with a hint of bitch.
Beau Emerson is complex, generous, and sexy-as-hell. He showed me what Drake and I had been missing: fervid passion. My body has been craving what Beau provided.
But what about next week when I’m back at home? He only promised me this week. Will I be able to walk away and go back to my role of dumped ex-wife? Will my heart allow that? He says he’ll never do anything to hurt me, but does that count for my body and my heart?
* * *
We complete our thirty-minute demonstration, and we’re ready to go into the water with Esmerelda and Seraphina, the two resident dolphins for our swim experience.
Our instructor, Karen, enters the water first. I lower myself in behind her, using the dock ladder, and Beau follows next. We bob up and down in our life jackets, waiting for our second instructor, Jonathan, to cue the dolphins. I’m shaking from the excitement.
“Are you guys here on your honeymoon?”
“Sure are,” Beau answers before I can reply. He grabs my hand and brings it to his mouth for a kiss. “Been married to this beautiful woman for three days.” What is this feeling running through me? I have no idea. And I’m scared to try to identify it.
“How much longer will you be in Jamaica?”
“We have seven more glorious days here together.” Beau’s so convincing he’s almost fooling me. But I guess lying is a better alternative to the real story.
“Have you had a good time so far?” Karen asks.
I want in on this little deception. “Yes. It’s been a lovely honeymoon. I’m so glad we chose to come here. Aren’t you, honey?”
“Best decision ever.” He strokes the back of his fingers down my cheek. “Just like marrying you, my beloved.”
“Where are you staying?”
Uh oh. I should have kept my mouth shut. I’m blank because I’m a horrible liar. “Umm . . . shoot. I keep forgetting the name of our hotel.” I look at Beau for help.
“It’s the Grand Rose, darling.” He doesn’t miss a beat.
“What a beautiful hotel. Perfect for honeymooners.”
“It is indeed. So romantic.”
Jonathan blows a whistle, and our two dolphin friends swim toward us. “Meet Esmeralda and Seraphina, our two reigning princesses of Dolphin Bay.”
The pair come right up to us and I’m amazed by what beautiful creatures they are. “I’ve never seen a dolphin so close.”
Karen reaches out to rub the top of one’s head. “You can touch them.”
I touch the side of Esmerelda’s neck. It’s rubbery and slick. “Her skin feels just like I imagined it would.”
Beau touches Esmerelda’s nose. Or snout. Whatever it’s called. “That’s just how I imagined it as well.”
Beau and I take turns being pulled across the water by the pair while holding their top fins. It’s like a different kind of water skiing.
The only camera I have is on my phone, and it’s under lock and key inside the locker room so I’m pleased that Dolphin Bay offers photo ops by a photographer. “Give Seraphina a kiss,” she says.
We take several photos, but my favorite pose is the one of Beau and me in the center with a dolphin on each side of us, kissing our faces. “I’m buying that one for sure.”
“You’re getting all of them. That was too much fun to not take home a reminder of this day.” Totally agree. We had thirty minutes with Esmerelda and Seraphina but it was over way too quickly. I wish I could roll back time and do it all over again.
Dolphin Bay isn’t just about the dolphins. We can interact with sharks and stingrays, or do some kind of boating. “Whatcha want to do next?”
“The glass bottom kayak sounds fun. We can do some fish watching. And then maybe some fish eating. I’m getting a little hungry.”
We go through the activities one by one, including lunch, until the beach is the only thing left to do. “Want to swim or are you ready to head back to home base?”
It’s only five o’clock. I’m in no hurry to return to Indulge. That place doesn’t excite me.
“The beach works for me.”
We find a couple of loungers next to each other. I suspect the only reason we’re able to secure them is because it’s late in the day. I bet you couldn’t find one vacant chair three hours ago. “This is more my speed. Adults and children in swimsuits. That’s what you expect to see when you go to the beach.”
“You like children?”
“I must. I chose to spend nine months out of the year with them.”
“Yeah, but you teach high school. Completely different than being around kindergarteners all day.”
That’s debatable. “There are days when I could argue with you about that.”
I take the bottle of sunscreen from my bag and rub it over the front of my body. It would suck to burn when I have seven more days in paradise.
Beau is very tanned but anyone can blister in this sun. “Want some?”
“Yeah. Probably a good idea.”
“Will you get my back first?”
“Sure.”
Beau takes great care in covering every inch of my shoulders and back. Starting at my neck and shoulders, his hands soothingly rub sunscreen into my body. His hands caress lower, gently kneading my spine, my back, to the point I am nearly moaning it feels so good. I can add masseuse to his many talents. “Mmm. You can stop doing that next week.”
“Feels good, eh?”
Good is an understatement. “Mmm . . . hmm.”
“I need to tell you something, Peach. It’s been on my mind for a couple days.”
My pulse speeds. Nothing good ever follows when a person says they have something to tell you. “The last time I heard those words, my husband confessed he’d been seeing someone else.”
He laughs. “I’m not cheating on you.”
I laugh, too. “Well, that’s good to know.”
He’s silent for a moment. That makes me think he’s struggling to say whatever’s on his mind. “I told you a lie the night we met. It’s been bugging me ever since.”
“Oh?”
“I told you I didn’t know if I wanted the baby or not. That’s not the truth. I wanted that child very much.”
I’m not at all surprised to hear this. “I suspected as much.”
“How could you possibly know?”
“I heard the pain in your voice.”
“Erin wasn’t ready to leave poly behind for motherhood by any means but her real reason for aborting the baby was because she was afraid it would be like Ashlyn.”
Oh, God. That must have been a horrible thing to hear. “I’m so sorry.”
What a bitch.
“I wouldn’t have cared if it was. I’d have loved that child unconditionally, just as I do Ashlyn, and would have raised him or her without Erin.”
Shit. I just choked up a little. I clear my throat but nothing comes out. I don’t kn
ow what to say to that.
“I know that’s more baggage than you signed on for but I just needed to get that off my chest.”
I twist around and place a light kiss on his lips. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
Beau has opened a part of himself I wasn’t expecting. I’m not yet sure how I feel about that.
“Want me to get your back now?” I ask.
“Please.”
I squirt a large quantity of sunscreen in my hands and rub it together so I don’t slap cold lotion on his back. “Just warming it up a little.”
I place my hands on his skin and begin rubbing. I work his shoulders first. He’s so tense. Full of knots. “Feel good?”
He nods. “Mmm hmm.”
I’m glad. I want to make him feel good.
“Peach. Look out there in the water. What is that moving up and down?”
I lean over his shoulder to see what he’s talking about. “Where?”
He points toward a general vicinity. “Right there. What is that?”
It takes a few seconds but I finally see what he’s talking about when a child’s blond head quickly bobs out of the water and then back down again. We simultaneously dash from the lounger toward the water, but he’s much faster.
“Get a lifeguard.” His voice is saturated with panic.
I stop in my tracks and turn to run toward the lifeguard tower. “Help! Help! There’s a child drowning.”
The man blows his whistle and jumps from the stand, running toward the water, but Beau is already emerging with the boy. The child’s conscious, his arms wrapped tightly around Beau’s neck.
The boy’s mother races to Beau. “Oh my God, Nelson! Are you all right?” She’s hysterical. “I don’t know how he got out there. He was standing right next to me.”
“Mama.” He puts his arms out for his mother to take him.
She clutches the boy and kisses his face. “Thank you so much, sir. You saved my son’s life.”
“Glad he’s okay.” Beau’s voice is trembling, as are his hands.
My heart is pounding so hard I can hear it thumping in my ears. “Omigod. You just saved a kid’s life. You’re a freakin’ hero.”
Beau drops to his knees in the sand, looking out over the ocean. He’s silent except for the puffing as he regains his breath.
Indulge Page 8
