He’d kept his word. He touched me only to dance, and kept our conversation mostly light and friendly. The few times where we’d veered, heat had shimmered between us.
We had chemistry. That much was clear. Too much chemistry. Somehow I trusted him not to take advantage of it. I don’t know why—I have such a terrible track record with guys, my instincts about them always wrong—but I don’t think I’m wrong about Christopher.
He’s a good man. Trustworthy.
We have no future, no possibility, but maybe if we can work through the desire, if I can scrub my mind clear of the night I’d spent with him, we could be friends.
The phone in my room rings and I lazily reach for it and mumble a sleepy hello.
“Are you still sleeping?” The sound of Christopher’s voice sends the equivalent of a shot of adrenaline through my blood.
I sit up. “Hi. I was just getting up.”
“Lucky girl.” His tone is amused.
I glance at the clock on the bedside table. Holy shit, it’s eleven thirty. I haven’t slept this late since college. I laugh. “Oh god, I had no idea.”
“Did you sleep well?” The question is slow, sliding over my skin like honey.
“I did. I slept fantastic actually.” I clear my throat. “Thank you so much for last night. I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun.”
He chuckles. “No? You can’t think of even one time where you’ve had that much fun?”
A flush crawls over my chest as I remember him, moving inside me, driving me crazy. I play it cool. “Are you looking for compliments?”
“I don’t need any. I know how many times you came.”
“So smug.” My nipples harden and my belly dips. “May I help you?”
“Yes. We decided to ditch the rest of the conference this afternoon and head up to Hol Chan Marine Reserve to snorkel. Are you in?”
Excited, my heartbeat kicks up. I don’t even hesitate. “I’m definitely in.”
“Any chance you can be ready in fifteen minutes? We were thinking of going to lunch at El Fogon first. Sorry for the short notice. We were trying to be good and stick it out and just decided to bail five minutes ago.”
Before, this would have horrified me, but this was the new me. The me that cared about fun and adventure more than perfect hair. “I’ll meet you in the lobby in fifteen.”
“Excellent. See you soon, Ash.”
He hangs up and I smile, liking the sound of a name reserved for my best friends, on his lips. Then I jump out of bed to get ready, anxious to begin another day of fun.
I’d thrown on my bathing suit, shorts, and a tank top before putting my hair into a messy top bun held together with an elastic band, and been out the door. Now, after lunch, Shelly and I are sitting on the beach, taking a rest before we go snorkeling.
The guys are grabbing us drinks and we’re alone for the first time.
I grin at the petite blonde who’d I’d taken such a liking to. She was one of those people I felt like I’d known my whole life, and maybe the lives beyond. We’re sitting next to each other on a blanket and I nudge her with my elbow. “So how’d it go last night?”
She laughs and glances over her shoulder back to where the guys are. “Awesome. He was in such a mood. It was fantastic. You wouldn’t know it to look at him, but he’s quite aggressive in the sack, and let me tell you he let me have it.” She shivers a little. “So much fun.”
She’s right, Ted is a good-looking guy, but very mild mannered and unassuming. There’s nothing dangerous about him, except for the way he looks at Shelly. I don’t know why they believe they are fooling anyone, I’d known the second I’d met them that they were together.
I giggle. “Glad to be of service.”
“I think he’d try and lure you into our bed but Christopher’s already claimed you, so that makes you off limits.” She winks at me. “I indulge him and let him think that’s the only reason he can’t have you.”
Full of affection, I roll my eyes and grin. She doesn’t fool me, they are having fun with each other, and I’m a tool neither of them has any real interest in. My only purpose in this game is to fuel the spark between them, which is intense and considerable from what I’ve seen so far. “So why are you keeping it a secret? You’re a smart woman, so you must know it’s totally obvious there’s something going on between you.”
She sighs and shrugs. “Yeah, I know. Christopher, Jace and Xavier all figured it out about five minutes after it happened. I don’t know how to explain why we keep up the charade. It’s not logical and I like logical.”