She both wanted him to come to her and didn’t.
Emma bit her lip as she glanced back over at Pete. She had no idea what to do. She knew she and Antonio had had a moment on the beach, and for a second she wished she could take it back. It’d been much too intimate a look to share with a stranger, even though they hadn’t touched each other.
Emma was no fool when it came to men. She’d invited that interaction, and Antonio had accepted the challenge.
Now she felt cheap.
But also thrilled.
She didn’t know what to do. She was trapped with an empty beach behind her and a wide-open ocean in front of her.
For a brief moment she was pissed that Pete was ignoring her. He’d asked to join her, and she’d told him no, but if he’d really wanted to, he could’ve. But instead he was frolicking in the surf with a supermodel.
Antonio made it to her in a few more strokes. “Just making sure you’re okay,” he said, grinning as he stood. The water was chest-deep. “By the way, that was incredible back there.” He brought his nicely defined arms up and whipped the water away from his face.
He was undeniably gorgeous. He had the tall, dark, and handsome thing all going on.
Emma’s heart sped up. The fact that she had his attention was a little daunting.
This guy could have whoever he wanted.
“Yes, it was good.” She cleared her throat politely. “I love sex. I feel like I’m a bit of a broken record when it comes to talking about the art of the act, but there you have it. Pete and I don’t normally do impromptu gatherings like this with more than one couple, but I have to admit it was thrilling. But we don’t usually encourage feelings and—”
“Attachment from others,” he finished.
“Exactly.” They both eased themselves down into the water, bobbing in silence.
“Can I ask you something?” he asked after a while.
“Sure.”
“Are you happy with Pete? I mean, the life you’re living with Pete in Madison? Is that the life you envisioned for yourself?”
Emma had to take a moment to formulate her thoughts. “That’s a tough question with no easy answer. Before I met Pete, I had no idea what I wanted. I’d never been a girl who dreamt of fairy-tale weddings or had fantasies of picket fences with kids running through the yard. When I met Pete, things just clicked, and my life became our life.”
“If you could change it, would you? Like, if I handed you a million dollars today, would you choose to do something different? Go back to dancing? Travel the world? Move to Madagascar? Join the Peace Corps?”
Emma laughed. She had to. Antonio was a smooth operator. But she knew what he was doing. He was trying to get her to imagine a life that didn’t include her husband.
But, honestly, would she change anything if she could magically alter her path right this minute? “Wow, you don’t mess around,” she commented. “These are hard-hitting questions. Questions that I could only really answer if that cool million was actually put in my hand. But, you know, I’m pretty sure I’d stay where I am. I really love my life. I love teaching. I love my home. I love my friends. And, most of all, I love my husband. The life I have now is the one I created for myself, and I’m proud of it. I’d probably drive a nicer car, however.” She giggled. “And maybe travel more. But, ultimately, I’d stick with what I have. I’m content.”
“I’m impressed,” he said. “When I ask others that same question, the answers usually reflect their wish to drastically change something in their lives. If you polled the majority, you’d find them an unhappy lot, eager to get a do-over at any cost.”
“Well, I guess I’m in the happy minority.”
Antonio suddenly turned onto his stomach and swam closer to her. “You’re a total catch, Emma. I hope Pete understands what he’s got, because if he doesn’t, I can show you a whole world you never knew existed—”
They were interrupted by Mallory and Charlotte splashing their way over. “Hey, you guys, let’s play Marco Polo!” Mallory called. “Pete’s going to play Marco first. I used to love this game as a kid. But this one includes groping once you find your target. It’s more fun that way. The raunchier, the better. Like, total boob grabs are allowed.”
“Then let’s go eat lunch,” Charlotte added. “I’m starving. We all had a workout back there, and I burned off my morning granola in about seven minutes.”
“You guys go ahead and play, and I’ll go back and get lunch started,” Antonio said. “I’ll see you in a few.”
“Emma, you up for it?” Mallory asked.
“Sure,” Emma said. “I haven’t played in years.”
“Pete, are you ready?” Mallory called behind her.
“Yep!” he called.
“Be sure to close your eyes,” she ordered.
“They’re closed!”
Emma thought she heard a little grumble behind Pete’s words, and she smiled inwardly. Her husband didn’t love games unless they were played on a field with a ball. It was kind of cute to see him close his eyes and walk forward with his arms out.
“Marco!” he called.
“Polo!” all three girls yelled at once.
Pete immediately turned toward Emma as they all tried to move quietly away, which was impossible in the water.
“Marco!”
“Polo!” they all cried.
Pete made a beeline for her, and Emma shrieked as she tried to run, but of course she couldn’t get any traction, and her husband was much faster than she was.
A few splashes later, he scooped her up. She laughed, running her hands along his broad shoulders. “Okay, you got me!”
He opened his eyes. They were gleaming as he grinned. “Damn straight I do.”
17
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Pete wrapped a towel around his waist as he emerged from the shower. “You know, we don’t have to meet them for dinner.” It was a casual suggestion he hoped his wife would consider. “We can just order room service.”
“We did that last night,” Emma said from her spot by the closet. “Plus, I’m dying to see the formal dining room and watch the sunset. Hurry up, we only have twenty minutes at most to get there. We told them we’d meet for drinks on the patio first, and the sun is setting in less than a half hour.”
Pete wanted to grumble, but kept it to himself.
After they’d lunched on the yacht, Antonio had tried to persuade them all to go to another island to snorkel, but Pete had successfully swayed Emma to come back to the villa, with the promise that they’d meet them for dinner later.
Emma and Pete had taken a dip in their pool, and then had a long nap. They’d both been exhausted from traveling the day before and rising early. It had been a nice afternoon together, but they hadn’t talked once about their encounter with the group on the beach. Pete had been hesitant to bring it up after what Mallory and Charlotte had told him.
If Antonio was really after his wife, arguing with Emma wasn’t the answer. The guy had it all. He could build Emma the mansion of her dreams, take her on trips around the world, and shower her with gifts. Antonio had the means Pete did not. The girls had persuaded him to play it cool and go along with what Emma wanted for now. If he pushed back, they’d said, she could fall right into Antonio’s waiting arms.
He wasn’t sure he believed them.
His instinct was to stalk over, knock the guy out, and take Emma over his shoulder like a caveman.
When he’d seen Antonio swim up to his wife, he’d almost done it, too.
When the girls pushed the game of Marco Polo on him, he’d thought they’d been out of their minds. But it’d worked. Antonio left, and Pete had made his wife happy.
Once they returned to the yacht, Pete had made sure that Emma sat next to him. Mallory had helped in the galley with the food, and since it was so small, there was no room for anyone else.
Antonio putting the moves on Emma still rankled him, but he
was keeping it to himself. For now. If Pete insisted on breaking their dinner plans, he would look like a complete asshole.
“It’ll be fun,” Emma said. “You’ll see.” Pete balked as Emma closed the closet doors and turned toward him.
“Are you wearing that dress without a bra?”
The dress was a frothy peach color and completely see-through. It made her areolas stand out like they’d been painted with a rose-colored paintbrush.
“Yes, I am.” Emma set her hands on her hips. “Charlotte said people come to dinner dressed, but always very provocatively. Women routinely wear skimpy outfits with no panties or bra, so I’m just playing along. We are at a swinger resort, Pete, which you know better than anyone. And it was your idea to come here, not mine.”
“Emma, every guy in there is going to have a hard-on the moment you come in. Nobody is going to be able to eat their dinner. Turn around.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Your ass is visible. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it looks as good as it did in those bikini bottoms. The peach color makes it sort of…glow.”
Emma chuckled. “Now you’re just being silly. We’re having dinner with a supermodel. No one is going to notice me.”
“Emma, have you looked in the mirror lately?”
“Why are you being so complimentary all of a sudden? You see me every single day, and you never comment on how I look. Come on, let’s go.” She walked her amazing backside over to the sliding glass door. “I want to take the beach to get there.”
Pete had no choice but to follow her out.
Was she right? Did he never compliment her at home? That would have to change. His wife always looked fantastic, and he’d apparently been taking that for granted—assuming she always knew he thought she looked beautiful.
They walked along the water until they arrived at the beach bar. “Antonio said to walk up by the pool and take the path immediately across. That one leads to the formal dining room.”
Pete had studied the map after their nap, but as with anything, seeing it visually put it all in perspective. They made their way up to the bar, and as soon as they stepped on the first stair tread, they spotted Harry sitting on the exact same barstool he’d occupied yesterday, his wife next to him.
When he saw them, he waved and gave a big whoop of laughter. “They return to the scene of the crime!” he bellowed. “Did you guys have a good day today enjoying the sights? This place will wear you out if you let it.” Once again, he was wearing a skimpy Speedo, this one red, and his wife was topless.
“We had a very nice day, thanks for asking,” Emma answered politely. “The island is majestic.”
“Well, pull up a seat and join us! Drinks on me for the second time.” He grabbed the stool next to him and slid it forward.
“Thanks for your offer,” Pete said, “but we’re on our way to The Chalet to watch the sunset and have dinner.”
“Oh, the ol’ Chalet, huh?” Harry said. “That’s too fancy schmancy for us farmers.” He snorted. “We like it nice and simple, but come on by after, and we can have a little party of our own. Get my drift?” He winked.
Oh, Pete got his drift all right and that wasn’t happening.
“We’re going to see where the night takes us,” Pete replied noncommittally, placing his hand on Emma’s lower back and guiding her around the bar. “You guys have a nice night.” He waved as they walked past.
Once they were out of earshot, Emma leaned in. “I think that’s why very few people are at the bar. Those people suck the life out of the atmosphere around them.”
“Can you imagine being intimate with them?” Pete said. “He would be talking about God knows what the entire time.”
They looped around the pool. One couple was making use of a cabana, but other than that the pool was quiet.
“I think this is the right path.” Emma pointed to a break in the bushes.
Once they got closer, they saw a small sign that read The Chalet with an arrow. They took the path, and like all the other pathways that wound through the resort, this one had thick bushes and trees on either side. At times it felt like they were in a rain forest. The resort didn’t skimp on the greenery, that was for sure.
The walkway led to a beautiful white building with big double glass doors. Tables were set nicely inside, and the entire wall on the ocean side was glass. Pete opened one of the doors and ushered Emma in ahead of him. The place was elegant, with circular tables dressed to the nines with all-white settings, including the tablecloth, napkins, and dinner plates. There were generous wine goblets and tall, skinny water glasses.
“Wow,” Emma said. “Very nice.”
“Yes,” Pete agreed. “Like everything else around here.”
A greeter met them at the podium. “Welcome. Two this evening?” she asked. She was dressed in a long white gown, her hair done up in a coif.
“We’re actually meeting people here. They said they’d be out on the patio.”
“Of course, right this way.” She led them through the restaurant and slightly to the left to another set of large glass doors.
They followed her out onto the deck, and the first thing Pete spotted was Antonio, dressed all in white, holding two glasses of champagne, one of which he immediately held out to Emma as they arrived.
* * *
The sunset was beyond breathtaking. The entire patio of The Chalet was built right over the water, so nothing impeded the view as the sun hit the horizon. The seating areas were all dark wicker with white cushions, a lit hurricane candle in the middle of every table. Many of the tables had a standing ice bucket with a bottle of champagne, just like theirs.
Emma was on her second glass.
The five of them sat around the small table as the sky grew duskier, none of them wanting to head in too soon. The weather was perfect, just warm enough, but not sweltering.
“I think we need to find a single guy here who can join this party of five,” Mallory complained. “Or maybe a single girl? Either way. I can’t be the only single person who comes here. Right? Please tell me it’s not true.”
“What you need is a steady boyfriend,” Antonio said. “And I have a plan to set you up with one.”
“Oh, really?” Mallory arched an eyebrow at him. “How are you planning to do that? Snap your rocket-fueled fingers and one is going to appear in front of me? Okay, I’m in.” She grabbed her champagne glass from the table and took a swallow. She was wearing a beautiful white silk halter dress. It looked like it cost a fortune. No bra. The outlines of her nipples showed through every time she moved. Her hair was swept up in a loose knot, and her long chandelier earrings caught the candlelight perfectly. Honestly, the woman was ridiculously stunning. How could anyone look at anything, or anyone, but her? “Do you know how long I’ve been searching for Mr. Right? Since I was thirteen years old and I became my mom’s bankroll, that’s how long. I have big dreams of finding The Guy, and he will gallantly sweep me off my feet and whisk me away from all the bullshit. But I’m quickly coming to the conclusion, in my advanced age, that all guys are atrocious and only out for themselves. At least in my world, they are. I’m thinking of giving up the quest completely and just moving here permanently. Life would be abundantly easier.”
Antonio chuckled. “I’m not going to snap my fingers, but I’m going to do one better. I’m sending you on vacation.”
Mallory made a face. “I’m on vacation right now. What can be better than this?” She lifted her glass toward the ocean. “It’s perfect here.”
“How about a private Tahitian island? With one of those suites over the water?”
“I’m listening,” she said, setting down her glass.
They were all listening.
Antonio was totally relaxed, resting back in his chair, one ankle propped over the opposite knee.
Emma felt guilty every time she looked at him, but she couldn’t keep from doing it. She adjusted the top of her dress, feeling a little self-conscious that everyone could see
her nipples, but a little turned on as well.
“I just invested in a unique business venture,” he told the group. “One of the original backers dropped out at the last minute. It’s an out-of-the-box experience, but I think it has huge potential with the young, rich, single crowd. The resort will be ready to take on clients in less than six weeks. We’re booking the first week as a test. Each of the partners is gifting a stay to six lucky individuals, three women and three men, and I want to send you.”
“What kind of out-of-the-box experience are we talking about here?” Mallory asked. “I love sex, but I’m not into freaky.”
“Think Tinder meets Tahiti,” Antonio answered slyly. He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, his face animated. “The setup is a beautiful, private island, and everyone there is fuckable and single. Forty-five men and forty-five women. You all get your own villa and a private phone with our app downloaded when you arrive. It mimics Tinder up to a point, but it’s much sexier. We have real-time video embedded in the app for live sexting.”
“That sounds…interesting,” Mallory said, nodding once. “I accept.”
“Just like that?” Antonio laughed, sitting back in his chair. “You don’t want any more info or need to check dates?”
“Nope, surprise me. If I have something booked that week, I’ll reschedule.” She crossed her legs demurely, flattening out the folds of her dress. “It sounds too good to be true, and with you as my fairy godfather, I can’t lose.”
Emma was intrigued. “That sounds like a really interesting concept,” she said. “How much does a stay on the island cost?”
“Fifty thousand a week,” Antonio answered. “But it’s insanely upscale. There are spas, multiple pools and hot tubs, a nightclub, seven bars, three restaurants, it’s loaded. And the setting is beyond beautiful. They flew me out last month, and I signed on to be a partner the first day. It blew me away.”
Emma whistled. “That’s some serious cash. Your only clients will be the wealthiest one percent.”
“That’s the idea,” Antonio said. “Bringing together wealthy hipsters is what it’s all about. There are a lot of under-thirty millionaires these days.”
What Emma Craves Page 14