by L. P. Dover
Ryan points at the TV screen. “Let’s see another clip. This time it’s from your date at the private pool. I have to say it’s pretty hilarious.”
Uh-oh. Hudson’s brows furrow in confusion and I bite my lip. I’m curious to see what he’ll think about his new sunblock tattoo. The video shows us lounging in the sun with our drinks and then me getting in the pool. Fast forward a little bit, and there I am with my sunblock, tracing the word badonkasnonk on his back. Hudson moves closer to the screen and touches his shoulder. When he turns to me, he stares at me in awe. “Did you seriously do that?”
Ryan bursts out laughing and shuts off the screen. “Isn’t badonkasnonk what Hudson and his friends used to call you?” he asks me.
“Yes,” I reply, squeezing my eyes shut. “I thought it would be good payback.”
Hudson laughs so loud it echoes across the room. I jerk my eyes open and stare at him. He’s obviously not mad in the least. Ryan laughs along with him. “Guess this means you’ll be spending the rest of the vacation with a shirt on.”
Hudson shakes his head. “Not at all. It’s my payback and I’ll pay my dues. If this is what Allie wants, she’ll get it. I deserve it.”
Ryan focuses back on the camera. “Well, this should be an interesting couple of weeks. Stay tuned because I’ll be right back with Makayla and Jake.”
The cameras shut off and Ryan shakes Hudson’s hand. “Nice job, you two. I have a feeling you’re going to be the favorite couple.” He shakes my hand and Erin escorts us out.
“Want me to walk you to your room?” Hudson asks.
I nod but Erin holds up a hand. “I just need one minute with her first.”
Hudson steps away and Erin moves closer to me. “I pitched a new idea to the crew this morning. We’re going to switch things up tomorrow night.”
“What do you mean?” I whisper.
“I’m giving you the chance for an out. That is, if Hudson takes it. If not, you’ll be stuck with him.” She hugs me quickly. “I have to get the next couple. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She hurries off and I walk over to Hudson.
“The first thing I’m going to do is go to my room and take off my shirt. I need to see my new tattoo.” We walk down the hall to the elevator.
Giggling, I slap a hand over my face. “I thought for sure you’d wake up.”
He bumps me with his arm and when I look up at him, he has a big smile on his face. “I’m impressed. You sure you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with me?”
I shake my head. “Nope. You’re the one everyone will be laughing at.”
We take the elevator to our floor and he walks me to my door. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leans against the wall. “We still need to finish our conversation. We only got through two truths.”
“I’m sure we can continue it tomorrow,” I reply.
He smiles once more and backs up down the hall toward his room. “Goodnight, Allie. I had a good time tonight.”
So did I, but I keep the thought to myself. I didn’t want to have a good time with him, but it was hard not to. In a way, I look forward to more time with him, but Erin’s comment is in the back of my mind. What did she mean by switching things up? She’s giving me a chance for an out, but it’s up to Hudson to take it.
As I watch him walk away, I don’t know if I want him to.
Seven
Hudson
There is nothing like waking up with a smile on your face and knowing you’re about to spend the day with one of the most beautiful women in the world. I showered and dressed quickly, well as fast as I could after I spent a considerable amount of time admiring the handy artwork on my back courtesy of Allie. If it wasn’t such a stupid word, I’d think about getting her handwriting tattooed somewhere on my body. Maybe an outline of Aruba and her name. Sounds like a bad idea after a night of drinking but I’m clear headed. I want to remember this trip for the rest of my life. Sure, my future wife may not appreciate another woman’s name on my body unless that woman is Allie . . . whoa! Did I really just think Allie could be my wife?
Yeah, I really did.
As I walk toward her room, I look down at my left hand and imagine a ring there. Being a firefighter, I never really thought about wearing one. The hazards they pose while at work are great but when I’m at home or off duty, I’d want everyone to know I’m married.
Wait, what?
My thoughts are foggy, muddled with the romantic vibe of the island and the show. I’ve never thought about marriage before and after one full day with Allie, despite her being my high school crush, there is no way I’m at the level of commitment needed.
Thank God the camera can’t hear my thoughts.
I’m poised and ready to knock on Allie’s door when another cast member tells me she saw Allie head for the elevator. I thank her and hope the look on my face doesn’t show disappointment. I wanted to walk with her to breakfast and should’ve mentioned it last night, but I sort of figured she would wait for me. Although, I’m not sure why she would. We never discussed it and yesterday we met downstairs.
With my head held high, I go to the elevator and wait for the car to arrive. Jean, my camera guy doesn’t say much, which is fine. Or it’s not. I feel awkward standing here by myself even though Jean is behind me. Every so often, he moves from my right to my left, backs up and comes forward, and even drops the camera low. I’m sure he knows what he’s doing, probably trained by the best to know which angles to shoot every scene with. I’m tempted to stick my tongue out at him, but that’s childish and expected of me. I’m trying to turn over a new leaf or page, whatever the hell it is.
After the short ride down to the main floor, I retrace my path from yesterday and past the pool. From where I am, I can see Allie. She’s sitting at our table, with one leg crossed over the other and her hands are clasped in her lap. She’s wearing a yellow sundress which looks amazing against her tanned skin, and a big straw hat. I stand there for a second and watch her as the waiter approaches. She says something to him and shakes her head. When he leaves, she looks down at her watch. Is she waiting for me?
Allie looks up and scans the area. When her eyes land on mine, I swear she smiles but can’t be sure. I finally move toward her, walking briskly. When I reach her, my hand finds the back of her chair and I lean down to kiss her on the cheek, only once I’m this close to her, I inhale deeply and take in the sweet aroma of her suntan lotion. For whatever reason, the scent of coconut turns me the hell. I have stay bent over a bit longer than is deemed socially acceptable.
“You look beautiful,” I tell her as I place my lips to her cheek. The slight raise of her skin tells me she’s smiling, and I thank my lucky stars Stan, her camera guy and mine are chatting in the corner.
“Thank you,” she says quietly.
“So,” I say as I sit down and place my napkin in my lap. “After my shower this morning, I moisturized my new artwork.” Her mouth drops open, but it’s her eyes that tell me everything I need to know. They sparkle with delight. She’s happy with her masterpiece. I wink and reach for her hand as our waiter returns.
“Are you ready for your meal?” he asks.
Allie and I nod. I open my mouth to ask her how her night was, but Ryan approaches our table with the envelope that will tell us what our day will look like.
“Good morning, Allie and Hudson.”
“Morning,” I reply. The cameras are on, one on each side of us, so they can capture every angle.
“Good morning,” Allie says. She reaches for the envelope and holds it in her hand.
Ryan nods down at it. “As you know, the contents inside will tell you everything you need to know about your day. Have a great time you two.”
Ryan walks away, leaving me confused. “Am I missing something?”
“What do you mean?” Allie asks.
Shrugging, I say, “I’m not sure. Yesterday he was a chatty Cathy and today, he hands you the envelope and that’s it.”
Allie shrugs as well. “M
aybe he just expects us to know how things work now.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I’m probably overthinking everything. I can’t help it because I want everything to be perfect for Allie. It’s what she deserves. “Well, are you going to open it?”
Allie slides her finger under the flap and pulls the card out. She waits until the waiter puts our breakfast down before she reads today’s itinerary.
Allie & Hudson,
Enjoy your time at Arikok National Park. Out front, a Jeep Wrangler is waiting for you, fully stocked and ready for the day. At 1 p.m. a representative will meet you with your lunch.
Don’t forget your camera—the views are breathtaking.
Watch your step though—you never know what might slither by.
All the color drains from Allie’s face as she says the last word. She doesn’t need to worry though. I’ll protect her.
“Do you have sunscreen in your bag?” I ask.
She nods. “I do, why?”
“We’re going to need it with the top down on the Wrangler. We should probably stop by the gift store and buy me a hat.”
Allie nods. “And I should probably get some hair ties. You don’t want to see the kind of tangled mess my hair can become.”
I wink and run a hand through my hair. “I don’t know what that’s like.”
We finish breakfast and stop by the gift shop to buy a hat. She puts a few on my head and laughs. I have no doubt I look like an old fuddy-duddy but whatever protects my head from getting burnt. The sun in Aruba is no joke. It’s not like it is back home. One hour in Aruba is like four in the states.
Just like the card said, there’s a Jeep Wrangler waiting for us when we step outside. There is actually four of them, each one marked with a couple’s name. Stan and Jean climb in the back and I hold Allison’s hand to help her get into the front. Once she’s settled, I close the door and make my way to the driver’s side.
“I wonder,” I say as I push the start button. “If they’ve preloaded the GPS for us.” As soon as the console comes to life, the navigation unit lights up and the green go button is ready for me to press. I glance at Allie, with my finger hovering over the button. “Are you ready for our next adventure?”
“I am.”
“Off we go.”
We pull out of the resort onto the main road. The traffic is bumper to bumper but as soon as we get off the main stretch and onto the less popular roads, it eases up. The whole island isn’t that big, only 19 miles long and five miles wide. If we were to travel from one end to the next it would take us less than forty-five minutes. When we reach the entrance to Arikok National Park, Allie and I walk inside to the visitor’s center, followed by Jean and Stan.
Allie grabs my arm. “I’m running to the restroom. I don’t think there are any once we get in the park.”
I shrug. “I’m sure you could squat somewhere.”
My lips pull back and she rolls her eyes, smacking my arm playfully. “Yeah right. I can see it now on TV. A video of me taking a piss with my ass blipped out. That wouldn’t embarrass me at all.”
Envisioning it makes me laugh. “I think it’d be pretty hilarious.”
Shaking her head, she walks off to the bathroom and closes the door. The lady at the welcome desk smiles as if she’s been expecting us. She doesn’t seem to be surprised to see the camera guys following me around.
“Good morning,” I say to her.
She nods once. “Morning. I have something for you.” She hands me a map of the park along with the pass to enter. There’s also a note attached to the map.
Allie & Hudson,
Enjoy the scenery as you cruise over the rocky path to the natural pool. There you can take a dip and indulge in lunch under the sun. It’s the only place you’re allowed to swim. Afterwards, take a drive down the coast to Boca Prins and around the southern loop back up to the park entrance. Use plenty of sunscreen and stay safe!
“What’s that?” Allie asks, focusing on the note.
I hand it to her along with the map. “More of our itinerary. You ready? I’m counting on you not to get us lost.”
She snorts. “Please. How hard can it be?”
We walk back out to the Jeep and all of us climb in. I try my best to ignore Jean and Stan, but I’m still not used to them following us around. In a way, I can’t wait to get back home so I don’t have to worry about someone being up my ass all the time, but yet, I also don’t want to leave.
Allie opens up the map and points toward the gate. “All right, we have to go through there and turn toward the right. That road will take us to the natural pool.”
Once we’re through the gate, the road is smooth and narrow. There are rocky hills to both sides with hundreds of cactuses everywhere. The road winds up to the top of the hill and when we get there, the smooth path disappears. It’s nothing but various sizes of rocks, and not the typical gravel you’d see in the states. Our trip through the desert is going to be a bumpy one. The view, however, is stunning. The ocean doesn’t look that far away, but with the rough terrain it’s going to take a while to get there.
I put the Jeep into four-wheel drive. “Here we go.” Allie holds onto the dash as we start on our way. We’re all bouncing around and I know it has to be hell for the guys in the back. “Bet we’re going to make some of the viewers sea sick trying to watch this video,” I laugh.
Stan chuckles. “No kidding. I didn’t realize it’d be this crazy.”
Allie bursts out laughing. “I’m glad I don’t get car sick.”
I wink over at her. “Me too. If you throw up on me, I can’t promise I won’t do it back to you.”
We both laugh and it makes me realize how much I love hearing hers. It’s the same laugh she had in high school. I really want us to continue our talk from dinner the night before, but I don’t want the world knowing our private conversations. That’s between me and her. She’s the only person I’ve ever confided in about the reason why I wanted to be a firefighter. I’m dying to know more about her.
“I bet you do adventurous things all the time, don’t you?” Allie asks.
It’s in my blood. “Sometimes,” I reply, glancing over at her. “When I’m not working, I like to ride dirt bikes with my buddies every now and again. Why do you ask? Think I’m wild or something?”
She smiles and gives me a little shrug. “Maybe. You seem like a take risks kind of guy.”
That can either be a good or bad thing. “Does that scare you?”
I can see the seriousness on her face as she averts her gaze to the ocean. “It doesn’t scare me. On the contrary, it makes me envious. There was a time when I used to be a risk taker, but I like to play things safe now.”
Reaching over, I place a hand over hers. “Coming on this show isn’t taking the safe route.”
Her eyes turn to mine and she smiles. “Exactly. I’m actually shocked at how much fun I’m having.” She nods toward the terrain. “But if we get stuck out here with a flat tire, I’ll have to retract that statement.”
I squeeze her hand. “I’ll get you back safely. I promise.”
Further down the hill and toward the coast, the natural pool comes into view. It’s right by the ocean and surrounded by huge volcanic rocks. Allie gasps and points at it. “We’re almost there. It’ll feel good to get in the water. It’s so damn hot out here. Looks like no one is there.”
Stan clears his throat. “That’s because the producers paid a hefty donation to the park to make sure of that. Usually, the natural pool is packed with tourists. We didn’t think it’d make for great TV if you were waiting for hours just to get a chance to take a dip.”
“No shit,” I blurt out.
Allie snickers but I have no doubt the crew will bleep my response before they put it on TV. They’re going to have to do that a lot with me. “Yeah, that would suck,” she agrees. “Not my idea of a vacation.”
I park the Jeep by the entrance to the natural pool and there’s a guy waiting by the stairs that
leads down to it, dressed in a pair of white shorts and a navy-blue polo shirt with Arikok National Park embroidered onto it. His name is Esmar. He directs us down to the pool and gives us a few insights about how it formed. Now that we’re out of the moving Jeep, the heat is ten times worse. We only have one hour to enjoy the natural pool and eat our lunch before tourists are allowed back.
Once Esmar is done talking, I grab Allie’s hand and she squeals. “What are you doing?” Stopping at the rock’s edge, I take off my shirt. She giggles at the sight of my back and I know Stan and Jean are getting every angle of my sunburn tattoo. “I didn’t think you’d actually show it off,” she says, smiling wide.
I shrug. “Humiliation is good for the soul. I deserve it.” I nod toward the water. “Come on, let’s jump.”
I don’t have to tell her twice. Underneath her clothes is a teal bikini that looks sexy as hell on her. For a moment, I’m stunned at the sight of her, but then she grabs my hand. “On the count of three. One. Two…”
Before she can say three, I jump and pull her with me into the water. She screams and I laugh the entire time. The second we hit the water, it feels amazing. I let Allie’s hand go so she can surface. When I rise to the top, she’s already swimming toward the rocks. She climbs up on them and I do the same. She wrings out her hair and the water slides down her skin. I can't help but follow it as it drips down her breasts.
“I’m so glad there’s not a bunch of people here.”
I nod and turn my focus to the pool. “Me too.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the beach, but it’s not my preferred vacation.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, grinning over at her. “What is?” I’m curious to know more about her. It’s so hard getting to know someone with cameras in our faces. With Stan and Jean so far away from us, I know they can’t hear. Allie realizes that as well.