Acquiesce

by CORY CYR

  “Shut up, Dee. I'm surprised anyone here is screwing you considering how nasty you are. I never really realized it, but you’re a bitch, a vindictive old bitch,” I spat out.

  I looked over at Pru and noticed she did what she always had, shrank and stayed low. She’d never once spoken up for herself or defended her actions. She just let Dee ridicule her, constantly.

  Dee glared at me. “So I'm gathering little Miss I'm-going-to-love-my-dead-husband-forever has been getting some. It's the only reason I can come up with that you've finally grown a backbone.”

  “Who the hell do you think you are that you can speak to her like that?” Cass's voice thundered across the pool area. I saw Dee's body tremble when she heard his voice. His jaw ticked as he sat across from me, his face a mask of fury.

  “Private conversation,” Dee mumbled.

  “Not private enough. I heard what you were saying before I even opened the door,” he said as he glared at her with an icy stare.

  Dee looked at me, then Cass, then back at Pru. “So you're her great protector now? Does this protection include condoms?”

  “Jesus, Dee, give it a rest, okay?” Pru chimed in.

  “I didn't need you to rescue me. I'm perfectly capable of handling Dee,” I told Cass in quiet voice.

  He deeply inhaled, then exhaled. “I apologize. She grates on my nerves. I didn't sleep well, and what she said provoked me. I didn't mean to overstep my bounds.” He took a drink of his coffee. I could tell he hadn't slept well by the dark circles etched under his eyes and his unkempt look. Normally, Cass appeared the epitome of perfection.

  “Never mind, it doesn't matter. Forget Dee. Why didn't you sleep well?” I asked, curiosity niggling at me.

  Cass casually set down his cup and reached across the table, letting his fingers graze my arm. “I'm not sure, but I feel as though I may have unintentionally hurt you yesterday.”

  I looked across the table and languished in his light touch, which sent a flare of heat to my core. Everything about this was so wrong, and no matter what happened, I'd be caught in the fallout.

  “Forget it. Yesterday's event stirred up some past memories. I think I may have taken it out on you,” I said, wanting so badly to return his stimulating touch.

  Cass leaned toward me, and for one brief moment, I thought or hoped he was going to kiss me, but he pressed his forehead to mine.

  “Let's take a break today from the study and do something fun.” He leaned back in his chair, eyeing me with intent.

  “What did you have in mind?” I asked curiously.

  “Snorkeling in the bay. I think you'll enjoy it. It's an entirely different world once you're underwater. Let me show you, Nic.”

  “I think I told you I'm kind of claustrophobic. I've never been underwater before,” I said, my face reflecting apprehension.

  He chuckled as he leaned back toward me and whispered, “You've trusted me with all our other endeavors. Trust me on this. I'd never let anything happen to you.”

  And just like that, I swallowed all my fear and believed his words. Everything about him spoke comfort and safety: the way he looked, his mannerisms, and above all, his voice. The sound alone filled me with promise and had me almost believing there was a way to fracture his belief system.

  I never had to pursue Chris; he had loved me immediately, so I was completely out of my depth here. I had no idea the logic behind my feelings for Cass, other than he had shown interest and aroused me in a way I couldn't explain. I knew the reality. He might eventually sleep with me, maybe even kiss me, but with a fourteen-year age difference, where did I honestly expect this to go?

  He might be drop-dead gorgeous and have an Einstein IQ, but I was wealthy, which inevitably made me a target. I could anticipate the rumors now about my new boy toy and how he was with me because of my money. I’d heard the speculation when I was with Chris, so I already knew what to expect even though I’d been living as a hermit for the past eleven years.

  I finished my coffee and told Cass I'd meet him by the dock in an hour. He planned to change and then acquire the equipment we'd need for our adventure. It appeared the entirety of the residents of Acquiesce was mesmerized by our relationship.

  As I left the pool area, I noticed Lorraina sitting with Dee. Oh perfect, the French bitch with the American bitch; there's a match made in hell. I pulled open the glass door and went into the kitchen, rinsing my cup and leaving it in one of the three sinks. One of the employees frowned at me as she proceeded to put the cup in the dishwasher. I was used to doing for myself; all this pampering and luxury was overwhelming. But I almost felt like apologizing to the kitchen staff for taking care of my own dishes.

  I started back to my room, when I decided to make a detour and go to one of the shops. Acquiesce’s boutiques were located at the far end of the brothel, between the fitness center and the movie theatre. I only knew this because a map was printed on the damn menu.

  I stopped when I saw it in the window of one of the clothing boutiques.

  It was a white bikini with two gold rings holding the bottom sides together and one connecting the two halves of the top. It was extremely sexy but definitely made for a younger woman, which amused me since this brothel catered to the older set.

  “It would look magnificent on you, with your body and skin tone.”

  I looked up, startled, at a young man leaning against the mannequin.

  I shook my head. “I don't know. I've never worn anything like this. It's kind of risqué for me,” I said, trailing my fingers over the soft material.

  “I assume you came to Acquiesce to try new things. Well, consider this one of those new things. Be adventurous and take a chance. I have an excellent eye for what women should wear, and whoever you’re trying to impress will be floored.”

  I chuckled. “Great sales technique. Are you one of the escorts?” I asked before realizing how presumptuous it was just to assume.

  “Oh, sweetie, hell no. I own this boutique and Lorraina rents the space to me. To be honest, I only sell women's clothing. There ends my fascination with your sex—if you get my meaning.” He giggled. “Now let's get you in this bikini. I'm anxious to see if I was right about your body, and I'm sure you're eager to show it off to your man.”

  The young man selected the suit off a nearby rack. I raised an eyebrow at him because he’d known my exact size.

  “Told you clothing women is my stock and trade. By the way, I'm Simon, and you are…?” he asked as he led me to a changing room.

  “I'm Nicola—but call me Nic,” I replied as I stepped into the room and hung the garment on a hook.

  “Nice to make your acquaintance, Nic. Take your time, and when you're ready, I want you to dazzle me with that bikini.”

  I laughed. “I'm not sure how dazzling I'm going to be at my age, but thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “Oh, sweetie, you're going to look beautiful, and age has nothing to do with it. Wear it with attitude—own it, sister.”

  21~Caspian

  I changed into my dark-blue board shorts as I thought of last evening's events. I was right; Lorraina had been overly committed to having me in her bed. When I finally got there, my entire plan fizzled. I still wanted sexual gratification, but I found the idea of fucking Lorraina unappealing. I made up some excuse, and she decided to attempt to talk me into it by giving me a blowjob.

  In my entire life, I could have never imagined a time when having a woman's lips wrapped around my cock would not make me hard. Well, that time had come. My cock stayed at half-mast and no amount of sucking or licking could change its mind. I settled for a hand job, knowing not only would I get erect, but also I would come. I felt badly, but just for a moment, when I realized it wasn't Lorraina's hand stroking me, but it was the thought of Nic making me come.

  Once I finished dressing, I put on a pair of flip-flops and ran downstairs to the dock and procured the required equipment we needed. Nic had mentioned claustrophobia before, but I hoped that
was just a theory and not an actuality. Even though we would be in relatively shallow water, panic could still cause accidents, with the coral and other wildlife below. The months on the island had made me familiar with the ins and outs of diving as well as snorkeling, and sometimes anxiety caused such an issue that it might end up as dangerous for her as it would be for me.

  “Fuck me. I mean, seriously, what the hell?” I groaned under my breath. I gaped as I saw Nic prance down the resort stairs as though she were a gazelle… a gazelle I wanted to stalk, hunt, and consume right now. As she got closer, I felt my cock come alive and strain against the Velcro of my board shorts, trying to make its way out of its containment.

  “Like my new suit?” she asked with a sensual smile spread across her face. My little one knew what a devastating effect she was currently having concerning my cock. I swung our flippers in front of my shorts, taking away her advantage of seeing my hard-on.

  “What happened to that little one-piece you had?” Because this is not a fucking swimsuit. It’s two pieces of material barely covering your pussy, held together by gold rings, and the top is only two tiny triangles attempting to cover beautiful pale globes and failing miserably. That top hardly even covers your nipples… And speaking of nipples, they look perky, erect, and are pointing right at me. That feeling of possessiveness slammed into me and all I could think of was either fucking her or covering her up with a jacket.

  I felt angry and I had no idea why. This entire plan had backfired. I wanted us to have a normal day and do what friends normally do, and she ruined it by wearing that infernal “fuck me” bathing suit. I snorted. I was supposed to be the boy genius here, and currently, I wasn’t feeling too smart. She’d outmaneuvered me.

  “I bought this at one of the boutiques. I was looking at it in the window and the salesperson convinced me to try it on. He promised it would look amazing on my body. What do you think?”

  What do I think? I'm thinking of breaking those rings and laying you out on the sand and scaring the shit out of the wildlife and probably the fish while you scream my name. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

  Nic’s body also captivated me. Not only was she beautiful, but she possessed a sensuality I appeared to have missed before. Her body was perfectly proportioned, her skin flawless, smooth, and tan with a generous amount of cute freckles dotting her chest. Her legs, although long and lean, had muscle definition I could see in her thighs as well as her calves. Her stomach was flat, yet her hips had just enough curve to them to make her sexy, and they led my eyes to her creamy, sweet core. Everything on her body was due to physical activity, not a plastic surgeon. Nic herself was a quintessential work of art.

  “Yeah, it's very nice. Now let me explain about what we'll be doing.” I needed to get my mind in the game. This wasn’t the time for gawking and wishful thinking. I spoke to her about the coral and the sea life—not to get close or try to touch it. I made sure she was comfortable with the gear, and after a brief lesson, we went into the water.

  I steered her toward one of the reefs I’d found about two months ago. Colors of orange, green, and white thrilled her, and I could see the depth of her excitement through the mask. Being under the water, even when you were this close to the surface, felt freeing and the underwater life was truly another world. Two hours in, we decided to take a break and dry off by lying on the beach. I handed her a towel as we got to the sand.

  “That was exhausting… and exhilarating. It’s harder moving around in the ocean than my pool,” she commented as she sat on one of the towels. I watched her out of the corner of my eyes as she flicked the sand off her feet. She reached over to the bag she brought and produced a bottle of suntan lotion.

  “Would you mind? I can't reach my back.”

  I internally groaned. Was this a test I wasn't aware of? Had I become the subject now instead of her? She handed me the lotion as she lay back and turned on her stomach. My eyes roamed the curve of her back and her small, firmly shaped ass. Why did I have to look at her ass? Now my cock suddenly recalled that anal sex was in the near future and eventually it would be immersing itself between those cheeks.

  I admonished my thoughts as I poured some lotion into my hands and proceeded to rub it onto her back. Nic's skin was soft, supple, and warm. Between the ocean water and the sun, the tops of her shoulders had already gotten pink. I moved her long braid to one side as I massaged the lotion onto her shoulders then down her spine. I heard a small muffled moan come from her as she lay facedown. I stopped immediately, recapped the lotion, and retreated to my towel.

  “Why'd you stop, Cass? That felt good,” she murmured, still facedown.

  “I'm pretty sure I thoroughly covered you,” I said, disgruntled.

  She turned over on her side and faced me. I wasn’t sure I appreciated this new and improved Nic as much as the docile, rather shy one. This damn white bikini had done something to her—turned her into a seductress. I was intelligent and resourceful; I had many tools I could utilize to—

  Son of a bitch! Nic's hand had landed on the seam of my board shorts and she proceeded to trace one finger along the Velcro. I sat there on the sand, stunned, trying to articulate a response. My unembarrassed cock swelled at her touch, pressing insistently at her hand. I tipped my eyes toward her and watched as she bit her bottom lip.

  “It occurred to me that I shouldn't be the only one in this scientific study having orgasms. Maybe you’ve been so tense because you've had no release,” she said in a hushed tone.

  Oh, I've come. I released via my own hand and Lorraina's, but only by the thought of you. Don't do this.

  “Allow me to do something for you, Cass. I'm not an expert, but I want you to teach me how to pleasure you with my mouth.”

  I could barely think. This did not happen to me. Okay, yeah it did. Women wanted to blow me all the time, but it was just sex and release. It didn’t mean anything. Would it mean something if Nic performed the act? I knew it would to her, but what exactly would it mean to me? I’d already satisfied her with oral sex but hadn’t contemplated the possibility of being on the receiving end. I'd only watched and tasted her. What would happen when she filled her mouth with my cock?

  “I don't think that's a good idea. I have a specific protocol, and I'd rather not get involved personally. In fact, I have concluded we should probably use some of the other escorts to continue the rest of the study,” I said as I moved her hand from my shorts. This has gotten way too personal.

  She looked at me with a slanted smile. “Okay, so I can assume the anal and other sexual experiences you mentioned require two participants, so I suppose using the escorts is a must. Possibly, I'll be able to use multiple partners.”

  There it was, an emotion I was unfamiliar with. It rushed to the surface and penetrated every single cell in my body—jealousy, possession, mine. She knew exactly what she was doing, my little temptress. I tried to keep my face expressionless, but my body seethed with fury.

  “Let's call it a day. I've had enough,” I said, standing and shaking out my towel.

  “All right, if that's what you want, Cass. Will I see you tonight?”

  I sent a cool stare. “Not tonight, Nic. We'll talk tomorrow about the best candidates for you to be coupled with.”

  Nic's face of surprise was paired with a look of sadness. I’d hurt her once again. I was no good at this, whatever this was.

  I retreated up the stairs, leaving her sitting on her towel. I should leave Acquiesce, now, today. Things had become complicated, and I needed time to figure it out. I couldn't do that with her here.

  ***

  Once inside the resort, I went immediately to Lorraina's office, a meeting that would be less than enjoyable. I knew she had questions regarding the night before, and I was in no mood to answer them.

  “Entrer,” I heard Lorraina say in French in response to my soft knock. I opened the door and sat down. She sat behind a large oak desk, wearing large glasses and nibbling on a pencil.

  �
�Busy, I see,” I said, wringing my hands, thinking of what to say.

  “Not too busy for you, Caspian.”

  I frowned as she took off her glasses and removed the pencil from her lips.

  “I doubt anyone’s around, and besides, we’re in my office. You didn't mind me calling you Caspian last night. Another hand job?”

  “Stop, Lorraina. I didn't come here for that. I need to leave… immediately. I have something that requires immediate attention and it can't wait.”

  She looked at me as she stood and leaned against her desk. “Oh, Caspian, what has gotten you so ruffled, or is it a who?” Lorraina actually glowered at me.

  She knows.

  “I have some business to attend to right away. Besides, I have more than enough documented findings to get me started on writing my book. It's unnecessary for me to stay any longer.”

  “But I love having you here. I enjoyed last night—even though I expected more. Why didn't you fuck me?”

  I had no rational answer, only the truth, and if I told Lorraina, I wasn't sure what her reaction would be. I sat there, mute for the first time in my life. How could I tell her what I was feeling when I myself had no idea what the hell was going on?

  “Oh, Caspian, is it her? Did you dabble where you don't belong?”

  I stood up, angry. I came here to get off this fucking island, not be interrogated by an ex-lover.

  “I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. I'm not here to get permission, Lorraina. It’s just a simple request. Get me off Venir—today.”

  “Imbécile, you've been with her. I knew it, but I assumed it was just your nature. You do enjoy fucking. What happened to your rule about older women? You have no desires toward them. Did the pretty widow stir the pot and now you don't know what to do? Oh, Caspian, you've obviously dipped your pole in the wrong pond.”

  “Shut up, Lorraina. Just stifle your lecture. I did not fuck Nic,” I spit out. Why am I even defending myself to her?