After gazing at the ocean for a time, Nicholas separated from us, saying he had to make the rounds. So Elva and I walked to where a couch was arranged on the deck. Julian and Veronica were already sitting on it. I sat on the open seat and Elva wedged in between me and Julian. One of the wait staff
“Oh, no! Piper, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed. She placed her empty glass down on a nearby table then held her hands out to me like she intended to do something. Yet she never actually touched me or my clothes. “What can we do? That will stain right away!” She was right. Red wine stains didn’t come
I looked at Nicholas and totally froze. Here I was, in such a revealing swimsuit, pressed up against the window, trying to get Julian’s attention. I could imagine what Nicholas might think, and none of it would do well to quell the jealous wolf within him that was seemingly ready to jump anytime J
“No,” he said. I snapped my mouth closed and looked up at him. “Nick?” Nicholas’s hands had curled even more, into fists now. Maybe I should go. Of course, I wanted him, especially with him looking at me like he was, like he wanted to eat me whole. But he was with Bridget now. It wouldn’t be
When our lovemaking was done, Nicholas held me in his arms under the covers of the bed. Despite the bliss running through my veins, now that the deed was done, I also felt a wave of… guilt. I didn’t know if Nicholas and Bridget were together. Maybe they were, maybe they weren’t. But I probably sho
He smiled down at me, then leaned down to press that smile against my lips. We kisses lightly, and he said, “I’d like that.” Of course, we still had to be careful around the others. If Nicholas and I were suddenly all lovey dovey around Bridget or Jessica, the two might spread rumors and have mo
When we finally made it downstairs, it was as the others were beginning to make their way toward the dining room for dinner. Julian spotted me first, standing at the bottom of the stair, and began laughing his head off. Veronica, beside him, noticed me a moment later, and gave me a hint of a smile
Watching the slump in Julian’s shoulders and slight barely-there drag of his feet as he left, had me immediately and overwhelmingly worried. I quickly asked Veronica and Jessica to keep an eye on Elva, and hurried to follow him. I came out into the hallway just to watch him slip back out onto the