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She arched her chest toward Zann, desperate for more contact, more friction as they licked at each other’s lips, panting into each other’s mouths as they let the anticipation crackling between them build and build and build until, with a shared groan of surrender, the distance between them disappeared. She moaned against Zann’s tongue as it delved into her mouth, taking everything she was oh-so-eagerly giving, and then moaned louder when the hand on her thigh ventured higher to grab her ass.

Fuck, she loved being handled.

Zann’s lips curved into a smile beneath hers as the hand on her ass squeezed once, twice, before retreating to its previous position on her thigh so that it was still indecently high, but not scandalously so.

It was probably the smart move, considering they were very much not alone, but knowing that did nothing to stifle the weak whine of protest that caught in Lydia’s throat.

Zann chuckled and pecked her lips. “I swear, you’re gonna be the death of me.”

Lydia smiled. “But what a way to go?”

“God, yes,” Zann said, tightening her hold on Lydia’s waist as the boat’s momentum slowed, throwing them both forward.

Lydia shifted so that she was once again snuggled innocently on Zann’s lap instead of basically mounting her. She drew slow, measured breaths to try to steady her pulse as Zann’s hold on her thigh relaxed, and hummed contentedly when Zann didn’t pull away. The touch that had been driving her insane was now gentle and grounding, intimate, but simultaneously protective. Lydia closed her eyes as she touched her forehead to Zann’s temple, and her throat tightened at how Zann seemed to know exactly what she needed to feel not just desired, but safe.

The hand on her thigh began sliding lightly up and down in a gentle caress, and she used the backs of her fingers to stroke the line of Zann’s jaw as she returned that tenderness, that care she was being shown.

You are going to absolutely ruin me, aren’t you? she thought as a pleasant warmth bloomed in her chest.

“So, um…” She was pulled from her thoughts as Zann’s voice trailed into a wry puff of amusement. “Should we be worried about that?”

If Zann was asking, Lydia had a feeling the answer was probably yes, and she sighed as she blinked her eyes open to see what had grabbed her attention.

“Oh…” She rolled her eyes at Jack and Michael—both of whom were, thankfully, dressed in slacks and shirts instead of doing their best Ginger or Mary Ann impressions—who were standing off against the side railing with Trevor, the blond, twenty-something crewman who had been tending to the group all night. She arched a brow as she watched Trevor place a hand on Jack’s arm as he leaned into Michael with a smile that could only be described as sultry. “I think the kid knows what he’s doing.”

“Sure looks like it,” Zann chuckled as Trevor left the guys with a cheeky wink before leaving to help dock the boat.

Lydia shook her head at the way both guys very obviously checked out Trevor’s ass as he sauntered off, and pursed her lips against a smile at the way they both grinned unabashedly when they realized they were being watched. “Twenty bucks says they don’t get back to the hotel until the morning,” she posited as they wandered off toward the dining area at the rear of the boat.

“But do they make it back in time?” Zann asked as the boat’s engines revved for the briefest of moments to bring it to a stop.

“Shit, they better,” Lydia muttered as she slipped off Zann’s lap. She shivered against the chill that wrapped around her legs the moment they were bared, and quickly folded the blanket to leave on the bench for the crew to take care of. “I had to put non-refundable deposits down at the wineries to secure our reservations, so we actually are on a schedule tomorrow.”

Zann’s cheeks puffed out adorably with her loud exhale as she glanced toward the back of the boat, where the rest of their group was beginning to queue to disembark. “We should probably remind them of that.”

“Yeah,” Lydia agreed as she watched Kit lean in to whisper something in Shannon’s ear that made the brunette blush. “Should probably remind everyone, just in case.”

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Zann agreed wryly. She held out a hand. “Come on, beautiful.”

After thanking the captain and crew who’d assembled on the stern deck and dock to see them off safely, they fell to the back of the group that was boisterously making its way along the wooden dock to the marina’s entrance.

“So, who’s doing what?” Aspen asked as they all stopped at the doors of the gleaming black shuttle bus that would take anyone looking to call it a night back to the resort. “Eve and I are thinking we’re just going to call it a night.”

“Boo!” Jack called laughingly. He hooked a thumb at Michael. “We’re going to hang out here for a bit.”

Lydia shared a look with Zann and muttered, “Shocker.”

“We were talking about hitting up a couple of the bars on State Street,” Kit said, gesturing between herself and Shannon. “You boys want to join us?” When Jack and Michael both shrugged and nodded, she grinned and turned to the rest of the group. “Sweet. Who else wants in?”

Lydia held up a hand when Kit’s expectant grin turned to her and Zann. “Not us.”

Kit smirked. “Losers.”

“Shut up,” Lydia sassed as she leaned into Zann’s side. “Besides, why do you care?” She gestured at Kit’s crimson red button-down and black slacks. “It’s not like you didn’t wimp out on the whole Gilligan thing, so you’re buying your own drinks, anyway.”

“Dude, if I could’ve found white pants in the couple of hours we had, I would have. But fear not, the week is still young.”

“That was a tonight-only offer,” Lydia told her.