Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
No more friendships, though. Ariel and Sienna are enough. The others? I must keep my distance.
Once we’re all on the catamaran, I look around. The open deck features a small swimming pool and seating area with ten lounge chairs plus four tables with chairs. The décor is tropical, with teals and oranges and a bit of palm-tree green. Toward the back of the deck, long tables are set up—probably where our lunch will be served.
June grabs my arm. “I love your suit, Emily.”
“Thank you. It’s from my own line.” The suit is a tankini in sky blue, and it shows just a sliver of my belly. Not that it matters. They all saw my tits last night. Still, the style flatters me, and today I plan to keep the top on.
June, of course, has a perfect lingerie modeling body, and she wears a white bikini that barely covers her breasts and arse. If I look from behind, I might think she’s naked.
“You look nice too,” I add to June.
June gives me a radiant smile and then links arms with Heather, who’s wearing a black-and-royal-blue bikini. Her blue-tipped hair is piled on her head today, displaying a viper tattoo on her shoulder. I smile, thinking of Ariel’s Tweety Bird. So different, but both seem to fit the bodies they inhabit.
“Ladies, can I have your attention?” Evangeline stands by the tables at the back of the deck clad in a black one-piece with a black sarong around her waist. The woman loves black.
I turn to listen as the men surround her.
“The captain has informed me that we’re leaving soon. Once we’re out to sea, feel free to get comfortable. Keep the suits on or remove them. Your choice.”
Sebastian meets my gaze and winks.
And of course my damned nipples harden. I look away from him.
“Lunch will be served an hour and a half from now. We’ve got a delectable spread of sushi and sashimi planned. For those of you who don’t care for raw seafood, we’ll also have chicken breasts and poached mahi mahi, plus a cornucopia of succulent tropical fruit. The bar is open and fully stocked, but please remember to stay hydrated. We have plenty of water, still and sparkling. I’ll let the gentlemen take over now.”
“Thanks, Evie,” Brett says.
Evangeline lifts her eyebrows at “Evie.” I can’t blame her. A nickname doesn’t suit her. She’s Evangeline all the way.
“We’ve got some games planned,” Brett continues, his blond hair tousled from the soft breeze. “But first, Evie here has arranged for each of us to have a date this evening…and she’s randomly chosen who each of us will entertain. Those of you whose names weren’t drawn shouldn’t worry, though. There’s all the time in the world to get to know all of us and for us to get to know each of you. So…Evie… Who will we have the pleasure of seeing this evening?”
Evangeline pulls out her phone. “I’ve used an app to make the pairings random. First, River, you’ll be with…Misty!”
Misty, wearing a hot-pink bikini, clasps her hand to her mouth. “How wonderful!”
Yes, how wonderful. According to Sienna, she’s already got her sights on River. Convenient.
“Next,” Evangeline says. “Alex, you will have a lovely date with…Ariel!”
Ariel stiffens beside me. I give her a nudge.
She puts a smile on her face. “Thank you! I look forward to it.”
Alex glances her way, gives her a slight wink.
Again, I feel a sliver of attraction to him. I did not see that coming.
“All right.” Evangeline taps her phone. “Brett, you will be with…Sienna!”
Sienna waves her manicured hand, looking thrilled, whether she feels it or not. “Thank you! I look forward to it.”
Brett gives a dazzling smile.
I feel off somehow. Light-headed. Then I realize. It’s my heart. It’s beating rapid fire.
Sebastian is left.
And I want to be selected for him. I want it more than my next breath of air.
Time slows. I’m stuck in some kind of warp as I wait for Evangeline to make the last pairing. She glances at her phone, wrinkles her brow.
Finally, “Sebastian, you will be with— Oh!” She drops her phone as the catamaran jerks from the dock. “Sorry about that. Captain Joe usually moves much more smoothly. Now, let me see. Where was I?”
EPISODE 26
BLIND MAN’S BLUFF
Sebastian
The jerk of the catamaran leaving the dock smooths out just as quickly. Evangeline retrieves her phone. “Where was I?” she says again, tapping onto the screen. “Yes. Our pairings for this evening. We’ve got River and Misty, Alex and Ariel, and Brett and Sienna. That just leaves…”
Me. It leaves me. But Evangeline seems hesitant to look my way. She’s no doubt embarrassed about me overhearing her get sick last night. She claimed she was fine when she emerged from the bathroom, so I left. I hated invading Evangeline’s privacy, but weighed against Misty invading mine, Brett’s, Alex’s, and River’s? I had to do it.