by Wendy Louise
“Sure Sis,” I say.
I concentrate on sipping my coffee and not looking at Grayson or Ethan. He knows what he walked in on and right now my body is so attuned to Grayson’s, that I can feel everything he is thinking. And that’s not a good thing, because he is thinking the same naughty things that I am.
“Let me pull on some clothes and I’ll be right with you.” I say.
I move past them all to grab some shorts and a top, and make my way around to the other side of the screen. As I listen to the three of them talking, I concentrate on regulating my breathing and taming the ache that is now throbbing in my core.
I pull my messy hair up into a ponytail and swipe some gloss on my lips after brushing my teeth. I could really do with a cold shower, but we will probably be swimming in the next hour or so, so a shower seems a waste.
“Ready.” I announce to the room.
Ava moves to Ethan and places a kiss on his lips. “I’ll see you soon.”
I turn my gaze to Grayson, noticing his panty-dropping grin. He knows the effect that has on me.
“See you soon,” he says, with so much promise behind those words that I almost tell Ethan and Ava to leave so we can go back to what we were doing five minutes ago.
Resisting temptation
“Okay they’re gone, now fuckin’ spill,” Ethan says with a smile.
“Fuck E, you couldn’t have knocked at a worse time,” I reply in frustration, running my hands through my hair.
“Christ Gray, you can cut the sexual tension in this room with a knife. What’s going on?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. I mean we cuddled in our sleep last night, but that was it. Then this morning, Liv just gave me the look that said let’s-do-this, so we did. She made the first move. We haven’t talked about anything, or what we’re doing, we just gave into the attraction.”
“How far did you get?” Ethan asks.
“Not fuckin’ far enough,” I reply.
Ethan throws his head back and laughs loudly.
He looks back to me. “Sorry Gray, Ava was so excited about seeing Liv and finalising the plans for tonight that I didn’t think to stop her. I promise there will be no more early wake-up calls from us for the rest of the trip.”
“Thanks man,” I say, as I take a sip of the coffee that Ava gave me. “Well I guess we should go see Josh too and make sure everything is ready for the Bachelor Party.”
I throw on a pair of board shorts and a t-shirt. One quick swipe of gel through my unruly hair and I’m ready to go. Honesty, I could never be a girl. They take entirely too long to get ready before going anywhere.
“Hey E?” I ask. “How did you and Ava know that Liv and I were both in this bure? Liv didn’t want Ava to know that they had stuffed up the bookings.”
“Oh, there was no stuff-up Gray. Ava planned this. She knows her sister better than anyone, and she’s positive that you and Liv should be together. Ava booked you both into this bure. Don’t tell Liv though okay?”
I shake my head.
So Ava is playing matchmaker…well she may just get her way.
I’m proud of the job that Josh and I have done with the outdoor BBQ area at the resort. We’ve arranged to have the whole decked area to ourselves for the Bachelor Party tonight. The girls are on the other side of the resort holding the Bachelorette Party.
Liv and I have missed each other for most of the day. We’ve both been so busy.
Just as I arrived back at the bure to change for tonight, she emerged, dressed in a sexy little red dress, with bright red lips to match. Ava was waiting for her on the pier so there was no chance for us to talk about what had almost happened this morning.
All I really wanted to do was pull her into my arms and kiss her senseless…..
Josh pulls my mind back to the here and now. “Do you think we should organise some more food?”
“Relax Josh. You’ve done an amazing job. Ethan is going to love this. I mean we have beer, steaks to grill, and entertainment later. What more could we want?”
Ethan made us promise that we would not arrange any strippers. We still tried, but the resort would not allow them into such a public area. Therefore we went with something more authentic, and arranged some female Fijian dancers to put on a floor-show for us. Not strippers, but more appropriate, and we’ll still get to ogle skin.
“I know. I just want it all to be perfect.”
“Everything is always fuckin’ perfect when you arrange it Josh, that’s why Ethan gets you to do it.”
“Thanks Gray,” he says as he straightens the already perfect bar stools.
“Evening boys.”
I turn to see Ethan and his dad, Grant approaching. Ethan and his dad are working hard to build a relationship. Grant will be standing at the altar alongside Ethan, myself and Josh. I think he was pretty chuffed that Ethan asked him to be part of the wedding.
Josh rushes over with beers for all of us marking the start of what should be a great evening. Slowly all the male wedding guests make their way to the party and we have a large group of friends and family, Aussies and Americans, all ready to celebrate Ethan’s upcoming nuptials. The resort’s chef is grilling steaks for us and the smell wafting through the air from the BBQs is exquisite.
I decide that as Best Man, I should probably say something to commemorate the evening before we all have too much to drink and none of us can remember our names. I climb onto the small stage at the end of the deck and tap onto the small microphone.
“Hey everyone. As Best Man, I would like to welcome you all to Ethan’s Bachelor Party. We’ll be having dinner soon and then enjoying some entertainment later in the evening but first I want to raise my beer to my best friend. I love you man, you’re like a brother to me, and I am so happy that you’ve found Ava. I see how happy she makes you. I wish you both a long and happy life together. To Ethan.” I raise my beer as everyone echoes my sentiment, and Ethan comes towards me.
“Thanks Gray,” he says as he slaps an arm around me and gives me a hug. “It means the world to me that you’re here and that you agreed to be my Best Man. I just need you to know how much I appreciate you.”
“Thanks.”
Before the evening gets too sappy, I clap him on the shoulder and lead him over to a table, ready to sample the big-ass steaks that are waiting on us.
The outdoor lounge area next to the lagoon pool is covered in pale pink flowers, lanterns and candles. Mum, Chelsea and I decided to go classy rather than smutty for the Party. We did debate the merits of penis-straws and garlands, but we decided that Ava wouldn’t like that, and it is her day after all.
The girl of the hour is dressed in a stunning white cocktail dress, and has a large hibiscus in her hair. A gift from Ethan no doubt, he always seems to find them for her whenever there is a special occasion. Of course, we’ve made sure she is wearing a cute little veil on top of her head, and a large sash is draped across her body that simply says – BRIDE.
Chelsea and I have planned a few games for the evening, and we’ve made sure that the DJ is playing all of Ava’s favourite songs.
I look around the room at all of our friends and family and my heart warms. My mum is talking to Ethan’s mother, Elizabeth, and his sister Madeline. She and I worked together on Forever is mine. She can be a real bitch, but she’s been trying hard to welcome Ava and get to know her, so I have to give her credit for that.
My grandmother and aunts are seated nearby laughing, and Ava is standing with her friends from high school, catching up on everything she has missed since moving to the States. There is so much love in this space.
So much happiness.
My mind wanders to the boys, and I instantly heat up at the thought of Gray.
I wonder what they’re doing.
I wonder if they’re having strippers. That’s usually a rite of passage at a Bachelor Party. I sure hope they aren’t. I don’t like the thought of Gray touching anyone else tonight. After what took place this morning
, I’m hoping that we will be taking up where we left off later this evening. I’m not fighting my attraction to him anymore. We’re in Fiji, an incredibly romantic location; really any effort to resist him was futile as soon as we stepped off that horrid helicopter.
I decide it’s time to get the festivities going so I call Ava up to the stage. “Welcome everyone to my beautiful sister’s Bachelorette Party. Ava, I love you and I’m so proud of you. I know that you and Ethan are going to be so happy together. Chelsea and I have planned a few games to start off the evening, so let’s get to it. But first, a toast to the beautiful bride, my baby Sister Ava.”
“To Ava,” everyone responds.
Ava gives me a tight hug. “I love you Sis.”
“I love you too Liv,” she says in my ear. “I can’t wait to be doing this for you.”
I pull back and look at her knowing smile. My evil little sister knows about Grayson. I wonder if she has just sensed it or if Gray has spoken to Ethan. Either way, I bet she planned for both of us to be staying in the same bure.
I let it go for now, but rest assured, I’ll be having words with my sister about this.
The satisfied smiles on the faces of the men that surround me tell me that they’ve all eaten their fill, and that the alcohol is having the desired effect.
The stunning Fijian dancers have just finished entertaining us, so that may have something to do with the looks on their faces too. Watching them sway their hips in their grass skirts had me thinking back to this morning with Liv, and wishing that I could see what the girls are up to on the other side of the resort. I’ve had way too much to drink, but we’re all having so much fun that I can’t begin to care. I do want to keep an eye on E though, and so far, he has matched me drink-for-drink.
Music is pumping through the speakers and the loud laughter in the outdoor room is testament to the good job that Josh and I have done in putting this night together.
Ethan saunters over to me, slightly wobbly on his feet. “Gray, I think we should crash the Bachelorette Party and see what they’re up to.”
Now normally I would be totally against doing that.
If the groom can’t stay away from his bride to enjoy at least one night with his mates then there is something fucked up about that. On this occasion though, all I can think about is the fact that I get to see Liv if we crash the girls party.
“Let’s do it,” I say before I can think any further.
Then something else dawns on me.
“E, wait, I have an idea.”
He looks to me and laughs. “Oh, I can’t wait to hear it man.”
All us girls are dancing up a storm. Ava has always loved Firework by Katy Perry, so right now we’re all jumping about on the dance floor, singing, or rather screaming, the words at the top of our lungs. We’ve all had way too many cocktails, but that’s what a night like this is about.
A bead of sweat runs down between my shoulder blades. The air is humid.
In the middle of the chorus, the music stops and a drum beat starts up. A new song plays over the speakers, one that sounds authentic to Fiji. We all turn to the DJ to ask him why the change in music, when we spy a rowdy group of boys taking the stage. They’re dressed in grass skirts and coconut bras, with flower lays around their wrists and ankles.
What the Hell!
My eyes lock on the familiar pair of deep-green ones that have been haunting me, and I catch his wicked smile before he and his fellow dancers start to sway their hips in time to the music. Clearly the boys have had as much to drink as we have. Ethan, Gray, Josh, Grant and Dad are all up there, amongst others, swishing their grass skirts side-to-side trying to put on a show.
The laughter that takes over all of us is enough to wake everyone in the resort. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I also can’t seem to tear my eyes from Grayson. Despite how ridiculous he looks, I can still see those tatts on display, stretching across his amazing abs and flawless skin.
He hasn’t taken his eyes from mine the whole time he’s been moving on the stage. He smiles again, showcasing that dimple amongst the light stubble on his chin and crooks his finger for me to join him.
Oh, what the hell!
I jump up onto the stage, alcohol and desire coursing through my veins and making me brave. The girls start to cheer and call my name. I reach Grayson and place my hands over his coconut bra.
“I like your outfit.” I say.
“I like yours too,” he responds. “Although I must admit, that I’d like it a helluva lot more if it were lying in a heap on the floor of our bure.”
God, he can turn me on with just words. “Dance with me Liv.”
He pulls me in front of him and places his chest against my back. He puts his hands on the sides of my hips and starts to sway my body side-to-side, just like he had been doing earlier.
I feel his lips against my ear. “This dance is called a meke, we just had a group of lovely Fijian ladies perform it for us, but I can tell you Liv, none of them made me feel anything like what I’m feeling now with you swaying those hips in front of me.”
God, I can feel the blood rushing to my ears, adrenaline is coursing through my veins and all I want to do is turn in his arms and devour him.
But I can’t.
Not here in front of everyone.
Ava, Chelsea and Mum have all joined us on stage now, dancing with their significant others. Even my dad looks like he is three-sheets-to-the-wind dancing up on this stage with Mum. I don’t think I’ve had as much fun as this in a long time, and I realise that having Grayson so close to me is the reason.
I want him.
Desperately.
I’ve admitted it and I’m not fighting it.
I grab his hand and lace my fingers through his. I place my head back on his shoulder and turn my face towards him. “Let’s get out of here.”
He smiles and jumps off the back of the stage, grabbing me around the hips and pulling me down against him.
He places a swift kiss to my lips. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”
Out for the count
“Grayson stop.” Liv says as I pull her behind me.”
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I can’t keep up with you in my heels,” she says, bending down to pull them off.
I grab her behind the knees and carry her the rest of the way down the pier towards our bure. Even though I’m on wobbly legs and alcohol is raging a war with my head, I don’t want her to hurt her feet on the wooden boards. She burrows into my chest like a kitten and sighs as I cradle her in my arms.
Even in my drunken state I realise that Cooper is going to win the bet that the boys made. It’s our second night in Fiji.
I manage to get the door to the bure open without dropping Liv and I stalk to the bed, laying her gently against the white sheets. She is absolutely breathtaking, the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. She looks up at me with desire in her eyes and then starts to laugh uncontrollably.
“Gray, you’ve got to take off that ridiculous outfit, I can’t take you seriously in that.” I look down and take in my coconut bra and grass skirt. In my haste to be with Liv, I totally forgot what I was wearing.
“Anything you want Liv,” I state as I untie the bra and skirt and pull off the flowers that ring my wrists and feet. I stand before her in just my boxer briefs and the look of desire that passes over her face nearly makes me unload in my pants.
God I want her. I move towards the bed and she sits up.
“Let me freshen up first.”
She pulls herself off the bed and makes her way around the screen to the bathroom. My heart is pounding in my chest so I take this opportunity to calm my nerves and stretch out on the bed, letting my long limbs release the tension of the day.
That’s the last thing I remember doing before falling asleep.
I wake to an empty bed the next morning.
I have no idea where Liv has gone, but as realisation of what I missed out on doing last ni
ght hits me, I want to punch myself in the face.
What an idiot!
How could I have fallen asleep on her last night?
I take a quick inventory of my body. Aside from the bass drum pounding in my skull, my stomach feels surprisingly good. After all that I consumed, I’m surprised that I’m not hurling the contents of my stomach into the toilet right now.
I roll over onto my stomach and bury my face in my pillow, screaming at myself for being such a douchebag.
I guess Coop hasn’t won the bet after all.
A small knock on the door has me pulling the sheet over me and rolling onto my back. “Come in.”
The door cracks open and Ethan walks in with coffee.
His aviators are firmly in place over his eyes, and even though I can’t see them, I know he’s doing it tough this morning. Thank God we decided to have the Bachelor Party last night rather than tonight. It would never do for him to be like this on his wedding day.
“Mornin’ man,” he says as he extends the coffee to me. “How you feeling?”
“Better than I deserve to be.” I respond. “You?”
“I’m doing okay. I spent most of the night holding Ava’s hair out of the toilet as she vomited up everything she drank, so that sobered me up pretty damn fast.”
“Oooh. How’s she doin’ now?” I ask wincing from the pain in my head.
“Liv’s in there with her. She’s feeling pretty sorry for herself. It was a hell of night wasn’t it. Thanks for everything you did Gray.”
“It was a great night man, glad you enjoyed it.”
“So....” he says, “…where did you and Liv head off to last night? I looked around and you two were gone.”
“Don’t ask,” I say. “We came back here and this douchebag,” I say pointing to myself, “... fell the fuck asleep.”
Ethan laughs. “You what?”
“Fuck off, you heard me.”
“Gray, I’m never going to let you live that one down.”