AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s beautiful. But I’m not sure what I’m doing here anymore. My stomach clenches with unease or just boredom. I can’t tell anymore. Boats really aren’t my thing.
“Maybe we should go?”
“Nonsense! You need to dance and loosen up a little. And drink!” Vannah signals for a man who looks like he belongs in the Hamptons rather than the Florida Keys. “My friend wants to dance with you.”
Of all the insufferable...ugh. This is Karma having a good laugh for me defying my father’s order. I just know it. Thirty minutes of two dances, boring small talk, a cocktail, and asorry you’re just not my typelater I peel away from my dance partner just as Vannah shoves a plate of buttery lobster into my hands.
“So, you hooking up with your new dance partner or what?”
Before I can answer, Simon calls out to us as he moves our way through the swaying crowd of partiers. A white Zorro-style mask drapes over his eyes, but the smile gives his identity away. The second he’s by our side, he loops an arm through Vannah’s. He has changed out of his waiter uniform and into loose-fitting linen pants and a button-down that makes every muscle look divine. And so has his partner who is right behind him, wearing an equally irresistible smile.
Each puts a hand on my friend. “We thought maybe you’d like to dance? Get a few drinks? Maybe see the stars on the top deck? With the two of us.”
“Did you now?” My friend answers, melting into Simon.
My eyes widen. Vannah’s not even trying to object to the open invitation and I have to say, I can’t blame her.
Simon’s partner moves in on Vannah’s other side, removing me and I gladly give her to him.
“Game, baby?” He purrs loud enough for anyone to overhear. I look on as the hunky man plants a fiery kiss on my friend’s lips and if that’s not alet’s fuckinvite, I don’t know what is. And she returns it with equal heat from the looks of it.
“Serenity, will you be okay by yourself?”
“Don’t mind me, party animal. Go forth. Have fun. I’m going to find something else to eat and maybe do a little star gazing myself.” I take a step toward the side doors to my right and spy a free spot by the railing as if to prove a point.
Vannah leans in and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I have my phone okay. Call me if anything.”
“Go. I’ll be fine.” I push her into their arms and laugh at the nervous but happy look on her face. For all her brave talk she sure has an array of reds staining her cheeks.
As she walks away, Vannah turns over her shoulder and looks at me with a wicked smile mouthing, “I told you so.”
I smile, waving her off, but now what? I'm standing on the sidelines at a party I don’t fit into and feel like a fifth wheel. Maybe I can find someone to taxi me back to the island. I step through the sliding doors and welcome the ocean breeze on my heated face. I pull my phone out and find the hookup app still open with the last line I punched in.
I throw my gaze around the large cabin again and sigh. Still no mystery man in sight.
“Why the hell not. Nothing to lose.” With only two days before we retreat to the concrete maze of Chicago, I’m growing desperate. I hit submit and quickly thumb through my missed calls only to see about a dozen or so from my father.
Not wanting to stick around, I turn on my heel aiming for the stairs to the lower decks, and run straight into a brick wall.
Three
Serenity
Strong arms wrap around me. Had they not I would be over the railing and in the dark, swirling waters below.
“Oh, God, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to. Are you okay?” I ask stupidly. As if anyone my size could hurt a brick wall.
My gaze travels from the opened buttons of a white shirt revealing a hint of chest hair to a set of black eyes peering back at me from behind a mask equally as dark.
With his arms still around me, I take a deep breath.
“Oh.” A familiar scent caresses over my senses and my heart quivers deep within my chest.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” I ask breathlessly.
My mystery man doesn’t say anything, only stares down at me as if he’s trying to decide something important.
But his hands on my back are doing a whole lot of talking. They’ve found the small cut-outs crisscrossing my back. Roughened fingers tease the edges of the soft material, barely brushing over flesh, causing my back to bow into him slightly.
