by Kelsie Rae
Ditto, I want to return, but I bite my tongue. He’s way too tempting for a girl like me. Especially when we’ve both gone to so much trouble to set up certain guidelines that guarantee this little relationship will dissolve as soon as our ship docks in Fort Lauderdale. The thought is bittersweet because even if he wanted something with me, I know I wouldn’t take him up on it, no matter how strongly I could feel about him.
Nope.
After signing the paperwork, a super sweet girl named Aayla with long, black dreadlocks and a kind smile leads us down a boardwalk. My flip flops slap against the wood paneling that surrounds a massive water enclosure where dolphins are playing peekaboo with the spectators between the soft waves.
“Are you excited?” Gage murmurs beside me. The guy is so enthralled with my reaction to the beautiful animals that he’s missing the entire thing.
“Uh, yes!” I almost squeal. “Do you see the dolphins that are right there?” I point to the water that’s only a few feet away from us.
“And you get to swim with them.”
“Well, technically, I think it’s more of an up-close and personal encounter. We only get waist-deep in the water or something like that, but still. It’s going to be awesome. I keep telling Gem they’re my spirit animal, but she insists crabs are.”
His brows furrow. “Why would crabs be your spirit animal?”
“Because they have something to do with my zodiac sign. Yours is a lion, by the way.”
“Ooo…I like it. Powerful. Strong. A badass.” His eyes glaze over as he thinks about it for a second longer. “Yeah, I’m definitely cool with claiming the lion.”
“I’m sure you are,” I joke. “But since you can’t swim with lions, I guess dolphins will have to do.”
Tossing his arm over my shoulder, he pulls me into his side and admits, “Like I said when we were on the ferry, I’ve always wanted to try swimming with dolphins, so thanks for inviting me. This will definitely be a memory for the books. Although I’m going to be a little jealous that the dolphin is going to get to kiss you before I do.”
“I mean…technically, we’ve already kissed. Remember the football stadium?”
“How could I forget? I’ve been craving you ever since.” It sounds more like a rumble than a coherent sentence but still causes tingles to race down my spine as his eyes drop to my mouth.
My face heats up as I remember how close we were to kissing only a few minutes ago, but I don’t know what to say.
So close. Yet so far.
I’m not sure when we really stopped moving, but now I find myself chest-to-chest with a very attractive Gage, who looks more determined than ever to finally end the blissful torture we’ve both been putting ourselves through. And blissful it has been because I’m not sure if I’ll be able to live up to the hype he’s built in his head, which is why I rock back on my heels to put a few more inches of space between us. That same sense of anticipation thrums through my veins, but I ignore it. For now.
“We should…uh…we should probably keep going.”
“You’ve got two minutes,” Gem interrupts, scooting around us on the boardwalk with Conner in tow. “Then I tell Aayla to start without you, mmmk, horndogs?”
Clearing my throat, I take a step toward her. “Oh, we don’t need––”
With our hands still laced together, Gage yanks me back, reeling me into him before planting a kiss on my mouth. Surprised, my mouth opens on a gasp, and he takes full advantage. His tongue tangles with mine before he presses his other hand against my lower back until my entire front is pressed against his hard chest. It isn’t soft and sweet. It’s hot and needy and leaves my heart pounding and my knees shaky. I’m panting as his lips leave mine and trail down my neck, convinced he’s going to take me right here, right now, and I wouldn’t fight it. At. All. With a deliberate, open-mouthed kiss against the column of my throat, he pulls away and looks down at me with those same brown eyes that mesmerized me the first time we met. They’re still hazy with lust, but it’s that arrogant smirk that makes me press my thighs together as he lifts his chin. “Let’s go get going. Wouldn’t want to miss out on those dolphins, right?”
“Umm….”
I mean….
“It’s been two minutes!” Gem yells from twenty yards ahead of us.
“Yup. We should….” I hook my thumb over my shoulder before losing my train of thought.
“We should get going?” he finishes for me, his grin widening.
“Uh…yup. We should…. ” Still in a daze, my feet stay glued to the wood beneath my flip flops as my gaze drops back to Gage’s mouth.
He laughs, then tugs me along. “Come on, Pretty Girl. If you keep stroking my ego like that, you’ll miss the dolphin encounter completely, and Gem might never forgive me for it.”
Rushing to catch up, Aayla leads us the rest of the way to our destination before handing each of us a life jacket, while Gem gives me a knowing look that she doesn’t even bother to hide from Gage. Ignoring her, I focus on Aayla as she explains the safety precautions she’ll be enforcing, then dives right into the fun part.
With a whistle resting between her lips, our fearless leader steps off the surrounding boardwalk and down a small set of stairs that leads to a submerged metal platform beneath the water. It brings the salty ocean up to her ribs, while the actual depth of the lagoon is much deeper and is perfect for the dolphins to let loose and swim to their heart’s content. Once she’s in place, Aalya breathes into the whistle. The high-pitched sound makes my ears ring but is quickly forgotten as a dolphin swims over to her. My heart is racing a million beats a minute, but I try to keep my expression calm.
Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. And don’t freaking cry because you’re so excited. And nervous. And excited. And…nervous.
I gulp.
“This is baby girl JoJo,” Aayla informs us. “Can you say hi, JoJo?”
A soft gray dolphin pops out of the water and squeaks before nodding its head up and down. She looks like she has a giant grin painted on her face, and it’s absolutely contagious. Like a little bunny, I catch myself bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet at the prospect of actually touching this giant sea dog.
“Who would like to go first?” Aayla asks.
Gage nudges me forward. “Nora would. Wouldn’t you, Nora?”
I give him a playful glare over my shoulder before nodding at Aayla. “Um…okay. Sure.”
“He yours?” she asks while delivering a pointed look at Gage.
“Uh….” I follow her gaze. “Yes?”
For a few more days, anyway.
“Bring him too.”
Waving me over, Aayla waits until I’m beside her on the platform, then motions to my right. “You stand here,” she orders Gage.
He scoots behind me while grabbing my hips to keep me in place so that I don’t fall off the edge and into the deep part of the ocean. Once he’s safely on my right, Gage releases his hold but not before sneakily squeezing my butt.
As I give him a dirty look, he winks, then lifts his chin as if to say, pay attention.
Grudgingly, I look back at Aayla. With a satisfied nod, she tells JoJo to swim slowly in front of us, using her hands to give the command.
“Pet her,” she encourages us. “Feel how soft she is.”
Reaching out, I rub my hand along the dolphin’s white belly and gasp at how cool she feels. Aayla’s right. JoJo is smooth and rubbery and so freaking cool that my eyes are open wide as I turn to Gage and mouth, This is so cool.
Then Aayla instructs, “Perfect. Now, hold out your hands. When JoJo comes up to you, grab her fins. She loves to dance.”
My nerves are already a frazzled mess, but I follow her orders and sway back and forth with a freaking dolphin as soon as JoJo’s head pops out of the water and I have a decent grip on her flippers.
Then it’s Gage’s turn. And he handles the situation with much less giggling but just as much enthusiasm.
Seriously, this is the coolest thin
g ever.
“Now, you kiss our friend here,” Aayla informs me.
“Who me?” Gage interjects. “I mean, if you insist.” Reaching around my waist, he pulls me into him, but I shove him away with a playful push.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I thought you said I was charming,” he rebukes.
“Only when you’re drunk,” I reply just as quickly.
“She meant the dolphin, Gage. I already gave you two minutes, remember? Now keep it in your swim shorts. I want a turn too!” Gem interjects.
JoJo smiles at me before closing her mouth with a loud click, then waits for me to take the lead.
“It’s a good thing she’s a girl, or I might be jealous,” Gage teases beside me as I lean in and peck JoJo on the snout. It’s kind of hard and definitely isn’t as soft and rubbery as the rest of her body. In fact, it even looks a little scarred, which makes me want to give her a big hug, but before I can, Aayla commands her to go to Gage and keep the show going.
Gage follows suit, pecking the dolphin on the lips before letting out a deep chuckle that’s laced with disbelief.
“This is awesome.”
“Right?” I’m on cloud nine when one of Aayla’s fellow employees approaches us with a DSLR camera in hand.
Nodding, Aayla tells JoJo, who I’m convinced is the smartest creature I’ve ever met, to pose between us and smile for the camera. Then the employee snaps a picture of the three of us together. In the middle of the Caribbean. With the sun shining on our backs. And giant grins etched onto our faces.
I don’t care if that photo costs a hundred bucks. I’ll treasure it forever.
10
Gage
The rest of the day is spent on the beach sipping Mojitos that Nora insists don’t hold a candle to Henri’s but are still pretty good while soaking up the sun. I’m surprised by how easy it is to spend time with her. It isn’t forced. It doesn’t require extra energy. If anything, her presence is calming somehow. Or maybe it’s the alcohol.
I couldn’t finish our kiss on the boardwalk the way I wanted to, which is frustrating as hell. She looked good enough to eat in her little bikini, and keeping my hands to myself has been absolute torture all day long. I get the vibe that she isn’t a huge fan of PDA, so I’ve done my best to respect her wishes even though I’ll be sporting blue balls for the rest of the day.
When we’re back on the boat, I stretch my arms over my head and ask, “So, what are the plans for the rest of the day?”
Nora shrugs, while Gem suggests, “We have a few hours before tonight’s event. Nora, do you mind attending the couple’s session tonight, and I’ll take over the Spin-the-Bottle activity in the main area? I was going to cover the couple’s session, but since you actually have someone to go with”––she waves her hand at me––“I figured it might be fun.”
Grimacing, Nora mutters, “I dunno about fun, but I’ll go wherever you need me to.”
“Perfect!” Gem claps her hands. “I already had Captain Ron send some of his crew to set up the room to Dr. Lorringer’s specifications, which means you only have to show up once it starts and help however she needs you to. Gage, do you mind tagging along with Nora?”
“Sure thing.”
“Perfect. I’m going to go take a nap, but there’s a fun couple’s massage class in the lounge if you guys want to go try it out?”
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Nora glances over at me but doesn’t respond.
“I’m sure we’ll figure out something fun to do while you’re napping,” I answer Gem.
“Perfect! Conner, were you wanting to…nap too?”
Nora’s face reddens as Conner wraps his arm around Gem’s waist. I grin.
Sweet. Innocent. Nora. Man, you’re adorable.
Conner yawns dramatically. “Yeah, I’m exhausted. We’ll catch up with you guys later tonight. Maybe grab some drinks or something?”
“Sounds good,” I return. “Have fun…napping.”
With a deep chuckle, Conner guides her to the elevator. “We will.”
There’s a heavy silence that’s laced with a bit of awkwardness as Nora rocks back on her heels. “So, umm…do you want to try the couple’s massage thing? Or we could just meet up later? Or maybe hang out by the pool for a little while?”
“You look like you’ve already gotten a lot of sun today,” I point out while simultaneously biting the inside of my cheek to refrain from suggesting we take our own nap. “Or you could just be blushing because you know your friend is about to get laid, but I’m good with anything. The couple’s massage could be interesting.”
“That’s kind of what I was hoping you’d say. I am a little sunshined out for the day, but you totally nailed it. I don’t really want to go to my room and possibly hear my best friend sexing it up with my cousin so….” She shivers.
Unable to muffle my laughter, I lead her to the lounge area. “Yeah, I’m not sure I’d want front row seats to that either. Come on. Let’s go get our muscles loose.”
When we reach the room, I notice that we must be a few minutes late because they’ve already started. There are a bunch of yoga mats splayed out on the floor, and the tables have all been pushed aside to make room for the class that’s in session. In the center are a girl and a guy. The guy isn’t wearing a shirt but has gray joggers covering his bottom half, while the girl is in a white tank top and gray yoga pants. The whole thing is very granola, and I look at Nora with wide eyes.
“You sure you’re ready for this? We can go if you don’t feel comfortable,” she whispers before grabbing my hand and squeezing. She probably doesn’t even notice she’s done that, but it makes me smile. It’s not the first time I’ve seen her read someone’s emotions before making it her personal mission to take care of them, but I like being on the receiving end of her efforts.
“Lead the way, Pretty Girl.”
At the edge of the room, there’s an empty yoga mat, and Nora mirrors the other couple’s stance by kneeling at the front of it. Following suit, I slide behind her, then put my hands on her shoulders.
The male instructor nods his approval before walking over to us and squatting low. “Thank you for joining us. Right now, we’re working on a simple relaxation technique that involves rolling your thumbs along the base of the skull. We recommend you strip down to your swimsuits to allow for a deeper massage, but no pressure.” Handing me a small bottle the size of travel shampoo, he adds, “Here’s some massage oil to help prevent too much friction.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Nora listens to his instructions before slipping the white cover-up over her head and folding it beside her on the edge of the mat.
She’s trying to kill me. That’s the only possible explanation for the torture I know I’m about to go through. Subtly, I rearrange my stiffy before recognizing that I’m in a pair of board shorts. Hiding this monster is going to be an issue, and willing it to go away is a wasted effort as I take in all the silky, smooth skin on full display.
And I get to touch it.
With another look over her shoulder, Nora asks, “So uh…we gonna do this, or…?”
I chuckle. “You have no idea how many ways I want to answer that question.”
She rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
Squeezing a dime-sized amount of oil into my hand, I rub my palms together then dig my thumb into the base of her skull. Nora’s dark brown hair is pulled on top of her head in a sexy messy bun that gives me plenty of access to her neck and spine. Goosebumps race across her bare skin as I rub in a circular motion, daring me to lean forward and press my mouth to them.
The male instructor prevents me from moving forward with my plan as he advises, “Now, I want you to continue drawing slow circles along both sides of the spine. Remember, slow circles,” he emphasizes. “I want you to pay attention to your partner’s reactions. If their muscles are tense, or if they’re sitting up too straight, then you’re probably doing something wrong. Listen to their br
eathing. Watch the rise and fall of their chest. Feel the muscles beneath your fingers. Are they hard and tight? Soft like putty? Answer these questions in your head because each and every one of them is trying to tell you something.”
My breathing is shallow as I slowly glide my hands down her spine, mirroring the circular motion the instructor is demonstrating on his female counterpart. Shifting onto my knees to prevent my dick from saluting the entire class, I listen to Nora’s breathing. It hitches before she rolls her head down to give me better access, then she melts under my touch.
I’ve given massages before. I’ve been on the receiving end too. But none of them have ever felt like the kind of foreplay I’m experiencing right now. It’s lethal.
When a soft moan slips past her pouty lips, I groan and shift my hands from my left to right, craving relief from the torture I’m putting us both through with a simple back massage. But it doesn’t stop. If anything, it’s only amplified when the female instructor breaks the electric silence with her smooth voice. “Now, we’re going to trade places. Ladies, as we all know, we’re smaller than most men, and sometimes, we’re able to get a little more leverage by administering the massage from a different angle. While you were able to sit up to enjoy your massage, we suggest that the men lie down on their stomachs.”
Holding my breath, I slide off my white T-shirt, then roll onto my stomach and raise my arms from my sides to use them as a pillow against the hard ground.
At least they didn’t ask us to lay on our backs, I think to myself before smirking. Probably because they’ve tried that before and got quite the view of everyone standing at full mast.
“Ladies, you have two choices. You can either sit beside your partner’s back on the left or right or, if you’re comfortable enough, you’re welcome to straddle them in order to have the best leverage. This position allows you to really dig into those muscles. But like I said…you are the boss here. Do what makes you feel comfortable, and only what makes you feel comfortable.”
The rest of the room gets into the position of preference. Some straddling, others sitting beside their partners, while Nora is standing frozen in place. I can feel her anxiety as she stares down at my bare back. I’ve never really recognized someone else’s emotions so strongly before. Maybe it’s all the zodiac crap that’s slowly going to my head. Or maybe it’s just her. But damn, it’s a potent thing. I feel like I’m drowning in her, and I’ve only kissed her twice.