Page 81 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“Music!” Her hands go to her slim hips. From the back, youcan’t even tell the girl is six months pregnant. “Gimme a beat.”

Laughing, I look through the playlist on my phone and pullup some Soca to dance to. Within ten minutes, the four of us are lined up ondeck in our bathing suits in various states of wine.

“It’s not twerking,” I tell them. “So put that out of yourmind. And I don’t wanna see no hula hoops.”

I bend my knees a little, roll my hips to demonstrate, andimmediately feel good. It’s like serotonin to my system, the mellifluous motionof my limbs, my torso and hips, and the beat that pounds through my blood.

Lotus actually is decent.She jokingly claims she learned from watching Rihanna.

At least, I think she’s joking.

Yari says she’s Dominican and can dance to any beat underthe sun. Also, decent.

That Billie, though.

If there’s a stage that is pre-beginner, that’s Billie.

But she’s trying, and we’re laughing, the spray from the seakissing our faces and the sun warming our bare skin.

“Now you pelting waist, gyal,” I shout over the music, nearly losing the flowbecause I’m laughing so hard at Billie trying.

My hips are still swimming in the balmy air, the delicatebody chain draped over my neck and around my stomach glinting in the sun, whentwo large hands bracket my waist from behind. I look up to see Naz toweringover me, an indulgent smile shaping his lips.

“You gonna teach me?”

The thought of this huge man—six feet, seven inches ofathletic grace, but dancing awkwardness—bubbles laughter out of me.

“Them hips weren’t made for wining,”I tell him, turning into his hug and tipping up to kiss his chin. “How wasvolleyball?”

“Intense. You’d think the ballers would be the mostcompetitive, but Jared’s a savage.”

“I can actually see that, but then, you hear him FaceTiming with Angela every night, reading to her inSpanish…major heart melt.”

“True. One of his clients, a soccer player, owns a villa inPositano. We’ll stay there for a couple of days when we dock for Kenan’sbirthday party.”

At the mention of Kenan’s party, my smile dims. After theparty, we fly home, and I’ll continue with Naz and hide it…or continue and tellCliff…or not continue at all. Each of those options holds a promise of someheartache.

“You okay?” Naz frowns and searches my face, my eyes.

I don’t want the cloud that’s hanging over me hanging over us,over the time we have left, so I set the worry aside.

“Yeah.” I slip my hands around his waist and smile up athim. “I’m fine.”

“Did I miss the lesson?” Banner asks, sidling up beside us.“The wine sesh?”

“You did.” I laugh. “But I can give you a private lessonlater.”

“Awesome,” she says, her eyes alight with excitement. “Maybeat the villa. We’ll be docking soon, so pack a bag!”

Chapter Sixteen

Naz

“Ready?” I ask, nodding to Takira’s overnight bag onthe floor. “That’s all you got?”

“It’s only two nights.” She lifts the Louis Vuittonweekender. “I’ve learned to be pretty streamlined when I travel, even if it’sjust ashore.”

“Let me get it,” I say, taking the bag from her. A buzzingsound makes me frown. “What’s that?”