"I'm doing some covert research for a new screenplay," he said. "Looking into some activity on the island that I wanna write about for my next movie."
I leaned toward him, our voices lowering to barely more than a whisper.
"Research?" I asked. "What kind?"
"The kind that involves pirates."
I looked over my shoulder at Stephen, but for once, he was looking in the opposite direction.
"What do you know about the pirates?" I asked.
"I've been following them for days. Know that they've got a camp up on the mountain."
"Not anymore they don't. I got that torn down."
"For real? Anyway, my sources tell me they came in from the Sapphire Coast and have set their sights on all the celebrities on the island. I can see it right now. I'm thinking Ryan Gosling as the bar manager and Idris Elba as the leader of the pirates."
"Wait, did you say bar manager?"
"You're sure right I did. I've seen him scurrying off late at night with his briefcase toward the mountain. Even saw him get on one of their boats the other night."
He reached for his phone and showed me a series of blurry images taken from behind a tree.
"See?"
Richard you son of a bitch.
There was no mistaking who it was. He didn't even have the decency to alter his appearance in any way. He was even standing on the edge of a rusty boat in his dumb brogues and pressed trousers like he was ready for a meeting with his bank manager.
"You know him?" asked Donald. "You need to tell me everything."
"No, you need to tell me everything."
"Alright," he said, reaching for another smoke. "But we're gonna need more scotch."
* * *
"Philip."
From somewhere deep down at the bottom of a velvet tunnel I could hear a voice calling my name, but I refused to answer it.
"Philip? Phil, Phil!"
A rough hand grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me awake. I opened my eyes and saw Stephen's face looming down at me.
"Aw, fuck! Where am I?"
"You passed out on the bathroom floor," he said, "I've been trying to wake you up for hours."
Instantly, I was filled with intense nausea. Dragging myself up to the sink, I looked in the mirror and saw my bloodshot eyes.
"Jesus fucking Christ," I said, looking at my reflection. "That's the last time I go out drinking with a movie director. I feel like the world's biggest dog took the world's biggest shit inside my head."
Stephen placed a hand beneath my face, and I looked down to see two aspirin nestled in his meaty palm.
"I actually love you; you know that?"
I swallowed them down dry with so much gratitude I felt close to crying.
"Why did you let me drink so much?" I asked him.
"You were having a good time."
"That's the problem. Bad things happen whenever I have a good time."
Staggering into the bedroom, I saw a lump beneath the bed sheets.
Shit, I thought. Did I bring someone home last night?
I couldn't have. Wouldn't have!
Gingerly, I picked up the corner of the duvet and peeled it back. When I saw the slumbering, stinking form of Donald curled up like a baby, I let out a sigh of relief. Still fully clothed, with his shoes scuffing up the sheets, he was cradling an empty bottle of Johnny Walker.
"I've called his wife already," said Stephen. "She just said to let him sleep it off."
"Man, what a night."
I needed a coffee. More aspirin. Some French toast. I needed to sleep for about ten years. But I couldn't get any of those things yet because my phone began to ring. As soon as I saw Lizzie's name flash up on the screen, my hangover immediately vanished. Well, almost.
With a newfound spring in my step, I walked out onto the balcony where the sun lashed the white tiles.
"Good morning, Lizzie."
"Are you over your little huff yet?"
"Yes. I mean, no. I mean, I was never in a huff."
She laughed and her voice lifted me up higher.
"Okay, well, anyway, I was wondering how good your swimming skills are."
"Exceptional," I told her.
"Obviously."
"Why do you ask?"
"Because the whole wedding party is being taking on a snorkeling expedition later on today and I'm I think I might need your help."
"Why? Scared a sea turtle's gonna steal your bikini?"
"That and like ten other things. I'm a terrible swimmer, Phil. And the idea of all that wildlife down there scares the crap outta me. Have you never seen jaws?"
I looked out to sea and felt my head thump. Nothing sounded more wonderful than a day in the ocean with the beautiful Lizzie. I'd finally get to see her without her clothes on. I wondered what kind of bikini she would wear. A little polka dot thing? Something kinda quirky and vintage but sexy as hell too? Or would she opt for the stringy things that all the Instagram models favored? The ones that looked like little more than dental floss and were most likely illegal in some countries.
"Don't worry about a thing," I told her. "I'll help you out. There's nothing to panic about."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
There was something so endearing about the worry in her voice. There was nothing sexier than taking care of a damsel in distress and I got the impression she didn't ask for help often.
"So when are we leaving to go diving?" I asked.
"In about twenty minutes."
"What?"
"Yep. See you down at the harbor?"
I looked behind me into the bedroom where Donald was very much still unconscious.
"See you there," I said.
"Don't forget your Speedo."
Lizzie
I stood at the bow of the boat and pulled the straps of my red bikini bottoms up over my hips to accentuate my waist. Catching my reflection in the captain's window, I thought I was looking pretty good. My skin had caught the sun over the last couple days and my usually pale complection was golden and glowing.
A few feet away Phil was lingering, his eyes on my ass.
"Stop looking at me like that.”
"I can't help it. You look stunning."
"Are you going to teach me how to snorkel or what?"
"Wow, you are a bossy little madam today."
"I'm always a bossy little madam,” I winked. “That's why you like me so much.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder and fiddled with the strap of my goggles.
At the other end of the yacht, the others were getting into their flippers and wet suits.
"Okay, this is how it's going to go," he told me. "I'll lead you down first, just the two of us and you can learn the basics, and if you feel more comfortable, you can join the rest of the group later. Sound like a plan?"
I nodded, trying to look enthusiastic, but there was still a bundle of nerves inside my gut. Despite all my years of sailing as a kid, I never became a strong swimmer, especially out in the ocean where a myriad of creatures could grab at your ankles at any given moment.
"Hey! What are you two doing back there?" called Christy.
"We'll catch up with you in a bit!" I yelled back.
Christy shrugged and busied herself with the other guests.
“There are so many people here,” said Phil. “They're not going to notice if you slip away with me."
His voice was seductive and creamy as always. Slip away with me forever, I imagined him saying. Disappear with me, and we can forget all about everyone else. Just you and me, the sea and the sun, and all the things I could do to you. I drifted away on a daydream until I brought myself back to reality.
Get a grip of yourself. This is just a bit of fun. Just a fake date for a few days. Don't forget that.
"Okay, let's get started," I said.
" Put your mouthpiece in like this. Okay, now perch on the edge of the railing like this, and when I count to three, I want you t
o roll backward into the water."
I ripped the mouthpiece out.
"No way. I'm not back flipping into the freaking ocean. What if I break my neck?"
"You won't."
"I might."
My chest was starting to grow tight, but it wasn't the anxiety that was making me annoyed, it was the sensation that I wasn't in control of my feelings. I was supposed to be tougher than this. I was supposed to be fearless. But here I was worried about swimming in the sea like a baby.
"Let's take a seat for a second, okay?" said Phil.
I nodded and slumped down onto one of the equipment boxes where a bundle of wet suits and snorkels spilled out across the deck. The sun was blinding against the boat, sending flashes of diamond white light out the corners of my eyes.
Looking out to sea, I saw nothing but endless shades of blue without a single cloud in the sky.
This must be what heaven looks like.
But I felt as though I was going through hell. Burying my face in my hands I grumbled and moaned.
“Why am I like this?” I asked. “I'm usually great at everything I put my mind to but this.... it's like I have some sort of mental block or something."
"Don't sweat it. We all have mental blocks. Wanna know what mine is?"
"Somehow I doubt you struggle to do anything. What's your problem? Did you only manage to do four thousand stomach crunches today when you normally do five?"
"Actually," he said, looking slightly offended. "If I had to say I had a mental block, it would be that I can't get too close to people."
"You've certainly gotten pretty close to me."
He played with the rubber on his snorkel and said, "You're an exception. Henry too. But anyone else? It's hard to explain. I had a sheltered childhood and wasn't really allowed to have a lot of friends so now as an adult, it's like I can't connect, you know. I mean, sure, I have loads of people to hang out with who wanna party and have fun but I don't know a single thing about them."
Where did that come from? I thought. It was like he'd been holding all of that in for years and suddenly opened the floodgates.
His eyes were focused on the horizon, his brows furrowing together.
"Who's Henry?" I asked.
"My brother. The most sensible one of us two, I guess. Do you have any siblings?"
"Nope," I shook my head. "And no parents either."
"Geez, that's rough. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I have Christy."
We both looked over to her now. She was struggling to squeeze into her wet suit, hopping around the deck grunting as she tried to pull it over her ass. Behind her, the group started to drop one by one into the ocean with ease. At last, even Christy was ready.
Josh sat beside her on the edge of the boat holding her hand, the two of them all gooey eyed looking at each other through their goggles. Then they too were gone, diving backward into the water.
"Looks like it's just the two of us now," said Phil.
"I can live with that."
He smiled and licked his lower lip. We stood up and leaned over the railing to watch the blurred images of the group sink deeper into the water. I caught a glimpse of Christy's hair that shone like silver beneath the turquoise water. Then she was gone.
Phil's hand landed on my back and I relaxed into his touch.
"I wish I could do this every day," I said. "Just hang out beneath the sun and sip cocktails all night."
"Why can't you?"
"Because I have a job.”
"So? Just quit," he said.
"It's not that easy."
"Sure it is."
"Something tells me you've never been trapped in a job in your life."
He shrugged. The whole concept appeared alien to him.
"You never did tell me what you do?" I said.
"Oh, you know...."
He stared out to sea.
"No, tell me."
"Managerial work, I guess you could call it."
"You're a real sketchy fella, you know that? A proper man of mystery. Any day now I'll find out you're a modern-day Pablo Escobar or something."
He laughed, tickled at the thought.
"That could never be me," he said. " I don't have the math skills. Besides, that guy had a wife and kids."
"Really? That's one of the reasons you couldn't be an international cocaine smuggler."
We fell silent for a minute, the two of us just listening to the sound of the ocean.
"You ever think about having kids?" he asked me suddenly.
"Yeah, sure I have. Have you?"
He scratched his stubbly chin and I looked deep into his face. He had been growing more tanned by the day. My eyes fell to his chest where his muscles shone like bronze. Without thinking, I raised a hand and pressed into the small space between his pecs. He placed his hand on top and held mine there, his heart beating against my palm.
"I never thought I was one of those guys," he said. "But I'm coming around to the idea."
He moved closer, his fingers making their way to my waist. Despite the heat, his touch sent a wave of goosebumps all the way up my body to my scalp. I trailed my hand down his muscles to his stomach and felt his abs contract. Then I moved a little lower.
I felt his fingers beneath my chin as he lifted my face to his. His lips pressed gently against mine, then he pulled away.
"You tease," I said.
"You've been teasing me for days."
I scratched along his back and kissed his shoulder, tasting the salt and sweat on his skin.
"Who are you really?" I asked, stroking the brittle hair along his jaw.
"Just a regular, boring guy."
"I somehow doubt that."
Before I could ask him anymore questions, he slid his hands across my jaw and pulled me in for another kiss, this time working his tongue against mine. A groan escaped my lips as he kissed me harder. I could feel his hot fingers sliding further down until they were tugging at the edges of my bikini bottoms.
"Wait," I gasped, "What if they come back?"
"They won't be back for ages," he said, hooking his fingers inside my bottoms.
With his eyes boring into mine, he stroked the slick wetness between my legs, his fingertips massaging my clit. My thighs began to tremble as my heart beat faster. I looked off the edge of the boat but saw no one.
I tugged at his trunks, he was rock hard and ready for me. Taking him in my hand, I felt how thick his cock was, pulsing red-hot. He let out a moan as I ran my hand up and down his length.
From the far end of the boat, a splash was heard followed by a clatter. Josh emerged on deck like a beached whale, flopping all over the floor.
We pulled away instantly, and pretended we were just enjoying the view.
"Talk about a mood killer," said Phil.
Gradually, the group began to emerge from the water and appear back on deck. The magic of the moment was well and truly obliterated.
"I say we get in the water," I said.
"Think you'll be okay?"
I had forgotten I was even nervous until now.
"I think you've cured me," I said.
"Just stay close to me and you'll be fine."
He sat on the edge of the boat, his back to the sea. I lingered, hesitant for a moment.
"What if I panic?" I asked.
"Why would you do that? You've got this."
He was right. I had nothing to be afraid of. After everything I'd been through, did I really think a bit of water was going to defeat me?
"Yeah, I got this," I said, more to him than to me. "Let’s go."
I sat beside him and he linked his fingers into mine. Adjusting my goggles, I slipped the mouthpiece between my lips and gave him a thumbs up.
We fell backward into the water together, hand in hand, the warm sea enveloping our bodies. For a brief second, I was filled with adrenaline, my limbs flailing wildly as I tried to steady myself, then I became calm and let myself float in the water. His hand was still in
mine and I could see him smiling through the deep blue as tiny fish swam by his face.
We swam side by side, our fingers still entwined. Beneath us, coral emerged in vibrant shades of orange and green. Blue fish tickled the sides of my legs as we swam, the seaweed reaching up between them like silken fingers waiting to caress our feet.
Time stood still as we drifted. In the distance, I could just about make out the kicking legs of some of the team who were still lingering in the water. But Phil tightened his grip around my hand and led me away from them.
He pointed in the opposite direction, and I followed him behind a coral reef where the plant life grew more magical and diverse. He began pointing his finger upward and I watched as he dashed up above me, the soles of his feet the only thing visible between the bubbles and blue water. Following him up, I met him on the surface, pulling out my mouthpiece to suck in lungfuls of air.
"It's so beautiful down there!"
"Isn't it?" he said, regaining his breath. "It's like another world."
We bobbed on the top of the water. I caught sight of the boat in the distance and wondered how we’d gotten so far away from it.
"Looks like everyone's making their way back on board," he said.
"Yep, it's just us out here now."
My insides were burning. He pressed his stomach to mine and leaned in for a kiss. I wrapped my legs around his waist, the two of us bobbing in the still water. This has to be a dream, I thought. No moment could ever be this perfect.
I kissed him harder and lowered a hand beneath his trunks.
"Do you think they can see us?" I asked.
"Would you care if they did?"
In that moment, I didn't care about anything at all.
I stroked him softly, enjoying the sensation of his hardness in the warm water.
"Wanna know a party trick of mine?" he asked.
"What is it?"
"I can hold my breath for an exceedingly long time."
"Is that right?"
He smirked.
"I can show you if you like."
His hands were working their way inside my bikini again, his fingers pulling at the knots on either side of my hip.
"Show me," I said.
He kissed me one last time then sunk himself into the water. I had no idea what he was going to do, not until I felt his mouth meeting the sensitive spot of my inner thigh.
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