Good Vibrations

by Elizabeth Parrish

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ve heard all the millionaire playboy rumours before. But I was never unfaithful to her, not even once. I was all in with her until I caught her in a lie. But once everything came out and I found out what she had been doing…well, I’m not the ‘forgive and forget’ type,” he concluded before distantly staring off into space again.

  Hmm, so much for women’s intuition. I wonder if it’s too late to sign up for a remedial course?

  “Well, I guess now you can put all of that behind you and move on to better things, right?” I said with a forced smile, trying to shift the conversation onto a new topic as quickly as humanly possible.

  Somehow Sean tearing up over his ex just had not crossed my mind as a possibility. Sort of like the prospect of him being the faithful party in their relationship.

  But did that mean I was just a rebound? And if so, was that really any better than being just another girl in a long line of conquests? At least before Sean’s revelation I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting in to.

  And since when were guys allowed to be complicated anyway?

  “That’s the idea,” Sean responded with an equally forced smile just as Manuel arrived with dessert.

  “More wine?” Sean inquired, not bothering to wait for a response as he filled both our glasses.

  He might as well just give me the bottle.

  “Well, maybe just a teensy bit more…”

  When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before – Mae West

  56. As awkward as Sean’s forced disclosure had been, as soon as Manuel laid the Chocolate Symphony out on the table, I could feel some of the tension dissipate behind the mountain of chocolaty treats.

  Like an addict on the verge of getting a fix, I was having trouble focusing on anything other than indulging in my craving and my fingers were practically trembling as I lifted the first forkful of manjari cake to my lips.

  “You’re making me jealous of that cake,” Sean declared as he enviously watched me savour the first bite with a broad smile on his face.

  “Maybe you should be. I don’t know if any man has ever left me feeling this satisfied before,” I replied as I sat back, tracing my tongue across my upper lip to catch a bit of icing.

  “It seems a bit unfair to reach that conclusion without giving me any time in the kitchen, don’t you think?” he responded plaintively.

  “Hmm, that’s funny, I could have sworn that you told me that you don’t know how to cook,” I retorted sassily as I reached for a spoonful of the cocao sorbet.

  “I didn’t mean that I don’t know how to handle the appliances when an insatiable hunger arises and I’m craving immediate gratification,” Sean replied as he leaned forward and began gently caressing my calf under the table with his hand.

  After taking a quick glance around to ensure that nobody was lurking in the shadows, I retorted, “I’m sort of relieved to hear that you don’t go running off to Manuel for assistance when those needs pop up, even if he is kinda cute.”

  Sean glared at me, his jaw firmly clenched as he started to respond, but he clearly thought better of his original answer and he instead sank back in his chair, his demeanour softening as he replied, “Funny you should ask. He was actually starting to look a bit better to me after we split a case of beer one night, but at the end of the day, I have a strict rule about only fooling around with people who are less hairy that I am, so he was out of luck. We can’t help who we’re attracted to, right?”

  No argument here. If we could, I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be sitting here on this floating mansion with a guy that had literally only hours previously concluded his divorce proceedings.

  On the other hand, he hadn’t been quite as arrogant or as obnoxious as I expected and he hadn’t run off to another country yet, so he was miles ahead of some of the previous men in my life…

  Speaking of which, Jonathan was still an open wound festering in my heart. The complete lack of a resolution to our relationship was proving to be an enduring ache and even Sean’s high-end liquor hadn’t quite been able to completely numb that particular pain.

  Really, would it have killed the guy just to fire off an email?

  Even if he had only wrote to confirm that it was over or that he was moving on, it would have been so much easier to let myself enjoy Sean’s company without all these nagging doubts bouncing around in my head.

  Then again, it was hard to convince myself that Jonathan leaving for another country wasn’t a reasonably clear sign that things were not moving in a favourable direction for our relationship.

  Gazing around at my surroundings, I quickly decided that I needed to focus on the here and now as I responded, “That’s true, and it is hard to deny a physical attraction when it’s there,” grinning at him as I coyly sipped my wine.

  Sean had always possessed a certain raw animal magnetism and the glimpses of vulnerability that I caught from him, no matter how hard it was for him to show it, had done nothing to lessen his allure in my eyes.

  That he seemed to think enough of me to make an effort to be civil and open up a bit wasn’t hurting his chances either.

  Well, that or it was also possible that he was willing to do whatever it took to get laid tonight, no matter how much it went against his true nature.

  Hmm, on second thought, perhaps it was best not to overthink this.

  “You know, it’s a perfect night for a soak if you feel like unwinding a bit after that meal,” Sean noted as he nonchalantly leaned back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head as he gazed at me.

  The cockiness that had continuously been on display during our previous encounters was making a sudden, and not necessarily undesired, reappearance.

  “I’m not sure if any of your swimsuits will fit me,” I retorted, knowing full well what his response was going to be.

  “If you prefer to go without, I’m happy to dress to match if it would make you more comfortable?” he countered smugly.

  Quelle surprise.

  “That’s so gracious of you but I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble on my account,” I replied, the sarcasm dripping from my tongue.

  “It’s no trouble at all, really. What sort of a host would I be if I didn’t do whatever I could to make my guests feel comfortable, right?” Sean responded, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he downed the rest of his drink.

  Frick, I knew that this sort of an offer had been inevitable since the moment I set foot on the boat, but that foresight wasn’t making my decision any easier.

  As my imagination cranked out an image of Jonathan cuddling by a roaring fire with a Kournikova-esque beauty I gave a resigned sigh as I said, “Okay, but crank up the bubbles first and no peeking!”

  And one step further into the lion’s gaping maw we go…

  If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten – Tony Robbins

  57. As soon as I had submerged myself into the exquisitely hot water and beneath the foaming froth, the layers of trepidation that I had cocooned myself in start to float away.

  Sean clearly wasn’t the type to spare any expense when it came to his toys and my body was inundated by an exquisite array of jets magically massaging every muscle of my body.

  When coupled with some dazzling underwater lighting and a mellow house soundtrack that was immersing us from all angles, I couldn’t help thinking that I could get used to this.

  The starlit venue wasn’t too shabby either as Sean had thoughtfully turned off all of the visible lights on board the ship, leaving only the twinkling stars and a perfect full moon to light up the night sky.

  Although I made a half-hearted attempt to courteously shield my eyes as Sean hopped in across from me, my fingers just weren’t willing to come together all the way for some reason.

  How odd.

  It must have been a muscle spasm or something.

  Luckily for me, the view was well wor
th my troubles and I was reasonably certain that it wasn’t just the water temperature that had caused me to gasp.

  “How’s the temperature? You’re looking a bit flushed over there,” Sean noted, grinning at me as he stretched out, resting his arms behind him and playfully running the tips of his toes up the inside of my calf.

  “Well, there are some things in life that take a little getting used to but I’m sure I’ll be just fine. You look like you need to cool off a bit though,” I replied, playfully splashing some water in his direction.

  Hopefully there was also some KY somewhere in the vicinity to assist with the adjustment process in case tonight’s proceedings should head in that direction though because apparently the yacht was not an attempt to overcompensate for anything.

  “And here I thought the idea of us getting wet was to heat things up a bit,” Sean retorted as he slid his arms under my legs and gently pulled me towards him, bracing me with his arms to keep me upright until I floated across and into his lap, my lips coming to a rest on his.

  Once our lips finally parted, I ran my fingers through his hair before pulling his head towards me spiritedly as I whispered in his ear, “I’m just relieved to hear that you weren’t planning on getting me all wet for nothing.”

  Was that a bit bold?

  No doubt about it.

  However, since the timid, well-mannered version of myself had somehow managed to chase the best prospect that I had ever encountered halfway around the globe and there hadn’t been so much as a peep from him since, if there was ever a perfect time to change my approach, this was it.

  I suppose it was possible that polishing off that bottle of wine in short succession to our drinks at the bar was lending a helping hand in bringing out the new me as well.

  Sean slid back as he raised me up partially out of the water, his muscular arms bulging as he held me up over him. While I was suspended on top of him, his lips began to thoroughly and ardently explore my neck and breasts and I could feel his excitement growing palpably as he whispered in my ear, “I’m never a tease. I always aim to please.”

  Between what I had seen earlier and what I could feel pressed firmly up against me now, I didn’t have any doubts about that whatsoever.

  “You’re a poet and I didn’t even know it,” I moaned as I rubbed myself against his engorged member as it pulsed against my lips. I could feel myself starting to tingle as the friction intensified with every movement and my body was yearning for more.

  Not willing to wait any longer, I reached down to guide Sean inside me, only to discover that he had abruptly stopped moving.

  Confused by the unexpected turn of events, I lifted my head and reluctantly opened my eyes; my body ablaze and ready for Sean to make good on his promise.

  However, as my gaze caught sight of his face, I noticed that his countenance had changing dramatically and, sadly for me, not for the better.

  His jaw was now firmly clenched as he stoically replied in a whisper, “Natasha left me for a poet. That no talent wannabe hippy didn’t have a cent to his name and now he’s got half my money along with my wife.”

  You’ve got to be kidding me!

  One stupid, innocuous little comment while I’m grinding on top of him and that’s all it took for him to want to have a chat about his ex-wife?!

  How was it that these conversations kept happening whenever I happened to be naked and straddling someone? This was so NOT what my ego needed tonight.

  “Sorry but this isn't not going to happen,” Sean continued, his eyes glistening as he brusquely lifted me off him and blankly stared off into space.

  FML!

  If I ever write an autobiography, I’m pretty sure that Sean’s last line was going to be my title!

  I like villains because there’s something so attractive about a committed person. They have a plan, an ideology, no matter how twisted – Russel Crowe

  58. As I stumbled into the office the next morning with my hair askew, my head pounding from yet another brutal hangover and my self-confidence shattered from yet another failed romantic entanglement, I couldn’t help thinking that this was not how I expected to feel walking into the office on my last day of indentured servitude under Maggie’s reign of terror.

  “Whoa, are you going out of your way to make your departure less painful for us?” Paul D’Antoni asked, having wandered up to my desk and recoiling in mock horror after he glanced at me and noticed my resplendent morning-after mien.

  As I sent the staple remover that had been sitting on my desk whizzing past his head, I retorted, “Seeing as how you were never able to get me to succumb to your limited charm after all these years, I didn’t think it wouldn’t be fair to leave you heartbroken and pining away for me after I leave. So, after hours of effort, I’ve managed to go from stunning to the shambles you currently see before you today.”

  Not only that but all I have to show for last night’s efforts was a food baby that was looking distressingly close to being ready for delivery.

  How was that fair?

  “Even on her worst day, Anna’s still miles out of your league Paul,” Veronica interjected, coming to my aide with a much needed ego boost before quickly snatching it away again as she quietly whispered in my ear, “Hun, my makeup bag is in my bottom desk drawer. I’ll cover for you with Maggie if you want to step out for a minute before any clients come in.”

  Fabulous.

  Apparently I looked so hideous that I was practically being shown the door so that I didn’t scare the clients away.

  As I hurriedly rummaged through Veronica’s drawer looking for her bag, I was far too distracted to notice Maggie’s rapidly approaching footsteps coming from down the hall.

  “There you all are. Has Anna come in yet?” Maggie’s gravelly voice cracked through the air like a whip.

  “Oh for fuck’s sake!” I exclaimed far more loudly than I intended as I abruptly lifted my head, banging it off the edge of Veronica’s desk and managing to leave a nice red welt in the middle of my forehead to distract everyone from my general state of dishevelment.

  “Ah, there you are Anna. Please do try to keep your cursing to a minimum when clients start to arrive but if you all have a moment to join me in the main boardroom, I thought we should commemorate Anna’s last day with us,” Maggie continued, a rueful smile briefly flickering across her face as she took in my appearance.

  Wonderful.

  Nothing like a little public humiliation to start one’s day.

  I trudged into the boardroom, trailing behind everyone else and looking very much like prisoner on her way to the gallows.

  But didn’t prisoners at least get to wear a black mask? That probably would have come in handy right about now.

  As I begrudgingly shuffled into the room, I saw that my departure had attracted a full house. Veronica, Paul, Heather, Maggie and the full roster of our mediators had all managed to find the time to see me off.

  While it was gratifying to know that I (or possibly the large, half empty box of donuts sitting on the table) had meant enough to everyone to get them out on a Friday morning to see me off, it was equally horrifying to know that I currently stood before them all while very much resembling Lindsay Lohan in all her mug shot splendor.

  On the bright side, I was fairly certain that I was blushing so badly by the time that Maggie began speaking that the rest of my face was undoubtedly the same crimson colour as the red welt in the middle of my forehead.