“His name is Beau Emerson.” I watch Meredith’s face for some type of recognition. Nothing. Good. “He’s from Buckhead. What are the odds of that?”
“I’m not really surprised. Atlanta and its surrounding areas have a big swingers population. Since this is the most luxurious resort, I’d expect to see the Buckhead hedonists population here rather than those mediocre places in The Bahamas.”
“Beau’s not a swinger; he’s poly.”
Mere’s eyes widen. “Then he’s here with his partners?”
“His trio broke up a month ago. It ended poorly, particularly for him.”
“Those kinds of relationships rarely end well, and it’s the reason we’ll never go that way. Odd numbers never work,” Grayson says.
“You know an awful lot about this guy to have only had dinner with him.” Meredith is fishing for info.
She’s half-right. And I can’t stop smiling about the part she has wrong.
Meredith reaches over and punches my upper arm. “You’re blushing. What did you do?”
I smile, remembering the fun night I had with Beau. “We talked. We drank. We may have skinny-dipped.”
Meredith’s mouth gapes. “You little harlot!”
I wish. Maybe. “It was all innocent. Nothing happened.”
“And you look totally bummed about it.”
Bummed isn’t the right word. I think jilted is a better choice. “We were talking and having a great time when the conversation steered toward our standards for sex partners. He said he’d rather show than tell me. I thought he was flirting.” I recall the way it made me feel––good for the first time in months. “But then he told me I could help him choose his first fuck. It felt like I’d been doused with a bucket of cold water. I was reminded of the kind of game he was here to play, and the type of man I was dealing with, so I left him to do his thing while I came back to my suite.”
It was easy to think of Beau as a normal guy while we were having a regular conversation that didn’t include sexual tastes, but I slipped. I allowed myself to enjoy his company a little too much. My mistake.
I have no right to be upset; Beau told me of his true colors. He never pretended to be anything he wasn’t.
“He’s a hot guy. I’m sure he found plenty of willing women to do whatever he wanted.” I’m a little surprised to be bothered by that prospect.
Our conversation is briefly interrupted as breakfast is placed in front of us but Meredith is quick to return to our previous conversation. “I’m certain he didn’t mean to offend you.”
“My bet is he was probably trying to warm you up to the idea of a threesome by having you choose the other woman.”
Grayson’s idea might hold water if I’d not been crystal clear about being non-hedonistic, non-swinging, and non-poly. “I don’t think so. He called me a vanilla girl after I told him I wasn’t into any of the things that go on here.”
“Maybe he likes a challenge.” Meredith is looking at Grayson instead of me. I suspect there’s an underlying conversation I’m not hearing.
I enjoyed talking to him, but I don’t plan on being anyone’s challenge to be conquered. “This is a big resort. I doubt I’ll see him again.”
“That would be a shame. You connected with this guy, despite your differences,” Meredith says.
“I enjoyed talking to him. I could see us being friends.” His lifestyle doesn’t bother me, just as Meredith and Grayson’s choices don’t change my feelings toward them.
“The resort isn’t that big. You could run into him again.” Meredith is always the optimist, and I know she wants me to move beyond Drake, but I’m confused about why she’d push this. She knows I’ll only consider a monogamous relationship.
I shrug my shoulders, trying to appear as though I don’t care. “Meh. If I do, okay, and if I don’t, okay.”
“Right.” As my best friend, she can see right through me. “Still planning to hang out at the beach today?”
“Yeah. The prude one. By the way, I hate that name.”
“It’s a great beach. You’ll enjoy it.” It looked nice from what I could tell last night.
“What’s on today’s agenda for the two of you?” I asked the question without considering the possible kinky answer I’ll get.
“Couples scuba diving.”
“That sounds like a ton of fun.” I’ve always wanted to try it.
“We should probably get a move on, Mere. Our lesson begins in twenty minutes.”
Meredith takes a last chug of orange juice. “Want to go to dinner with us tonight?”
I hate eating alone. Makes me feel like such a loser. “Sure, if you don’t mind me being a third wheel.”
“Shut up. You’re never a third wheel.”
* * *
I decide to wear the new bikini Meredith gifted me—a black push-up halter top with a white tie between my breasts and the matching black bikini bottom with white ties on each hip. It sits super low so I’m rather proud I allowed Meredith to talk me into doing the full bikini electrolysis a few months ago.
I quickly discover I’m not the only goody-goody around here when I arrive at the prude beach. It’s early but there are so many people that only a few empty loungers remain. I choose a lone chair on the end since I’m hoping unwelcome company won’t bug me.
I untie the strings of my top behind my neck and stretch out on the lounger to soak up some rays. I’m not there five minutes before a cute cabana boy stands over me asking what kind of drink I’d like. “Bay Breeze, please.”
My drink is delicious, but I’m sipping since I plan to be careful. Heat and alcohol can be a dangerous combination if you don’t have the good sense to drink responsibly. And it would suck to get drunk, pass out, and deep-fry my ass in the Jamaican sun.
I relax, close my eyes, and listen to the waves. The sound is soothing but the people around me are disrupting my serenity. Shut up, people.
I enjoyed this beach more last night. I’m not sure if that’s because it was void of all the current distractions or if Beau’s company simply made it more appealing.
I suspect both.
Damn. It’s hotter than a whorehouse on nickel night. Slurp! I finish my drink quicker than intended. I need a bottle of water next time hottie cabana boy comes around taking drink requests.
Is a gentle breeze too much to ask for?
My back needs sun so I roll to my stomach and stretch my arms overhead. I’m hopeful eliminating the direct exposure on my face will cool me down. It doesn’t.
Just when I think I can no longer take the heat, I’m abruptly shaded. “Peach. You could almost pass for the nude beach in that swimsuit. I can see your ass crack.”
There it is again. That deep, southern voice. There’s just something so warm and smooth about it, like a good whisky making its way down my throat.
I feel something in the pooling sweat at the dip of my lower back. It glides downward, moving into the waistband of my bikini bottom. I think it’s his finger. And it’s almost in the top of my butt cleft when I jolt straight up. “Hello? Boundaries! Do you have any?”
He’s laughing. “I do but they’re fairly limited.”
I definitely believe that.
My top is untied so I have to hold it in place. “No worries, Peach. I’ve already seen those.”
I haven’t forgotten. “Maybe but not in daylight.”
He taps my ankle with the back of his hand. “Scoot over.”
I wiggle across the lounger and secure my top behind my neck. He parks himself on the foot of my chair, turned so he’s facing me.
Shouldn’t he be sleeping in from his late night of whore hounding? “What are you doing out and about so early?”
“Been up since six. I’m an early riser.”
I know what he did after we parted ways. “Even when you stay out all night partying and chasing booty?”
“No one has to chase booty here. It’s pretty much available twenty-four-seven to anyone who wants it.”<
br />
“Yeah. You keep telling me that.” I’m certain plenty was thrown in his direction after he escorted me to my room last night.
“Only because it’s true.”
“I assume you were able to find your first fuck without my assistance.” It isn’t my intention but I come off sounding bitter.
“It was a bust. I couldn’t find anyone to suit my fancy.”
I’m surprised how much that pleases me. “Then your standards must be exceptionally high.”
“They are.”
I’m curious about his night. “What did you end up doing after walking me back?”
“Jerking off in the shower.”
I conjure an image of what that must look like. If my face wasn’t flaming before, it is now. “My God, Beau! You have no filter.”
“You’re blushing. You’re thinking about it, aren’t you? Me stroking my cock?”
He’s so damn inappropriate. But right. “No! Of course not. My face is red because I’m sitting in the sun.” Total lie.
“You’re welcome to come to my room and watch if you like. I wouldn’t mind.”
Oh, my. I wouldn’t mind either, in fact, I would love that visual. “No, thank you.”
“Anna James. Are you always such a polite, vanilla girl?”
I love the sound of my name on his lips. “Yes. You might try it sometime.”
“Try being polite and vanilla or try out a polite, vanilla girl?”
Am I wrong to hope for the latter? Definitely. “Doesn’t matter which. I’m guessing you’d not be happy with either.”
He leans back on his palms, looking as though he doesn’t plan to leave any time soon. “No. Probably not.”
He didn’t have to agree so quickly. “You’re a very rude boy.”
“I haven’t been a boy in quite some time.”
I didn’t think so. “How old are you?”
“Old enough to know better.”
I don’t understand what he means but I’d like to. “Know better than what?”
Those damn dimples make another appearance. They’re such a distraction. “Nothing. I’m thirty-five.”
I knew he was older than me but I wouldn’t have guessed that. He has a much younger face. “I was thinking late twenties or early thirties.”
“I’m guessing you’re mid twenties.”
“Twenty-four.”
He nods, looking completely unsurprised. “I’m eleven years older. You might not want to hang out with an old geezer.”
“There are old geezers here, but you’re definitely not one of them.”
“A lot of the women who come here are only interested in the twenty-somethings. They’re under the impression they have bigger, harder dicks.” He peers over the top of his sunglasses. “They’re wrong.”
“I can’t compare the two, but I’m guessing a thirty-five-year-old with more experience knows just how to . . .” I feel heat rising in my cheeks again so decide not to continue that thought.
Beau chuckles. I see a single brow lift behind his sunglasses. “Yeah. I know just how to . . .”
I bet he does.
“My ex was twenty-five, and he was always far more concerned with how he was going to get off than how it felt for me.” That was probably TMI.
“Guys are sexually selfish during their twenties. I don’t think we figure things out until we reach thirty, give or take.”
“Then that would explain all the mediocre sex I’ve had.” I can’t believe I just admitted to that.
“You should never settle for sex that doesn’t curl your toes.”
This conversation feels like it’s rapidly leaving the friend zone. I need to change that. “What are your plans for today?”
“There are not a lot of activities going on right now. Mind if I hang out here with you?”
Beau’s looking pretty cozy on the foot of my lounger. “Umm . . . I think you already are.”
“Rephrase. Do you mind if I continue to hang with you?”
“That’s fine but I’m burning up. I’ve gotta go into the water to cool off.”
He peels his shirt from his body and tosses it on top of my bag. “I’ll go in with you.”
Damn, I was right. Beau’s body is muscular. Very nicely chiseled.
His rounded pecs beg to be caressed. His nipples all but scream for me to lick them. But that isn’t the kicker. It’s that damn V peeking out above his waistband, taunting me. It needs the attention of my hands and mouth as well.
He’s almost completely slick. Not a bit of hair on his chest but he has that cherished trail below his belly button leading down to whatever treasure he has inside those trunks. I love that.
Not a bit of ink on his body. Surprising. I thought surely the cover of darkness last night had disguised a black tribal tattoo on his arms or chest.
The water is cool, refreshing. “I should have done this sooner.”
I bend at the knees and lower myself until my shoulders are submerged. My top soaks up the cool seawater, and my nipples become hard. Great. It’s something embarrassing for him to comment on so I go deeper to conceal them.
I’m keen to know more about this man, something besides his sexual tastes, but he’s already proven he can be closed off. I recall how I persuaded him to spill the beans about his fiancée and my confidence grows.
So far today, Beau has been charming and open. Flirty too, which has been nice for the self-esteem. I wonder if he would answer anything else about himself. “Tell me about your family.”
His head cocks as his brow creases beneath his sunglasses. “I’m the oldest of five. Three brothers and a baby sister.” I like the way he calls her a baby. Sounds like the protective older brother I always wanted but never had. “Judd’s thirty-three. Next is Hutch who’s thirty. Then there’s Wilder who’s twenty-eight. Caroline just turned nineteen.”
“Thirty-five to nineteen. That’s a big gap.”
“Yeah. She was a surprise for my parents.”
I bet she was. “A pleasant one, I’m sure. Any of your siblings married?”
“No, but Caroline has a baby. A ten-month-old girl named Ashlyn.”
I’m guessing that was another surprise. “Wow. That seems like such a young age to be responsible for a child.”
“It is, especially since Ashlyn has Down syndrome. Caroline’s been forced to grow up faster than most girls her age.”
“Does Ashlyn’s father help her?”
“No. He’s a total asshole.”
“That’s a typical teen father for ya.”
“Anderson’s twenty-two.” Beau looks heated. “As you can imagine, I was exceptionally pissed off about him messing around with my teenage sister. I wanted to kill him, especially after I found out he had knocked her up. I still consider it when times are rough. But I wouldn’t change anything in the world for Ashlyn. She’s the apple of my eye.”
Protective brother and uncle to a niece with special needs. He just stepped it up another notch on the hotness meter. “Sounds as though you help with her.”
“We all do. It’s what family does.” It’s odd to consider Beau a family man. “What about you? Any brothers or sisters?”
“One younger sister. Willa. She’s twenty-two.”
“Do you see her often?”
“Not as much as I’d like. She and my mom moved back to Mississippi a few years ago.”
I miss my mom and sister so much. I wish they didn’t live six hours away.
I’ve considered moving back to Mississippi to be near them but I have a good life in Georgia. No husband or family, granted, but many beloved friends. None as good as Meredith and Grayson by any means, but I can’t forget my co-workers and students. I adore them.
“I’m close with my family. I fish, hunt, and play golf with my brothers and dad all the time but football is what brings the whole family together. We’re diehard UGA fans.”
I’m no diehard fan but I am an alumna “I’m a bulldog too. Graduated from there two years
ago.”
I have Beau’s undivided attention now. “Hell yeah! Ever go back for football games?”
“I’ve been once since I graduated but only because a friend had an extra ticket.”
“We have seats in one of the suites. Never miss a game.”
“Champions Club?”
His eyes widen and he’s all smiles. Those damn dimples are killing me. “Yeah. You know it?”
I have no doubt his family is well off. A donation for just one of those seats is crazy high, far more than my teacher’s salary will afford. “I was invited into one of those with a friend once. It was a pretty spectacular experience. I had no idea you could watch the game like that. I think I was most impressed with the food.” No hot dogs and chips being served in that place. Catered food only. And a dessert bar to die for.
“It’s not bad.” Beau is unpretentious. I like that.
“Not bad, my ass. It’s awesome.”
“I’ll take you to a game this fall . . . if you’re interested. If not, no big deal.” And there it is. The invitation to extend this relationship, whatever it is, on the outside of this resort.
This feels like something different. Not a hedonist who practices polyamory inviting a vanilla girl to a Georgia Bulldogs football game.
I’m intrigued.
I don’t think it’s possible for me to decline his invitation. “Sure. Sounds fun.”
I move to lie on my back to float on the surface of the water. I close my eyes behind my sunglasses and my ears fill with the ocean. I hear nothing. See nothing. Think nothing. I’m weightless, floating like a particle in the air you can only see illuminated by sunlight.
I float for a while before a huge splash of water lands on my face, rushing straight up my nose. The saltwater immediately burns my sinuses. “What the hell, Beau?”
“Go dancing with me tonight.”
I don’t know what’s happening here. “Sure you want to waste precious time with me instead of working on those ninety-nine fucks?”
He shrugs. “I did the five-knuckle shuffle last night. If I’m being completely honest, I did it this morning too, so I’m good.”
Well, hell. That image is in my head again. I hope he doesn’t tease me again about coming to his room to watch. I might consider taking him up on the offer.