Page 13 of It Happened Again

Brooks was everything I could want if I were older and ready to settle down—but I’m not. And this trip, I planned to have a chat about that.

He didn’t know it yet, but I got accepted to work a year for the Scientific Fleet of Oceanic Enterprises starting in June, a plum assignment cruising in the Southern Hemisphere. As the research assistant to one of my professors, I’d be working in my chosen career field.

This could open up so many doors for me when I returned to New York. Finding a new job should be a breeze and I’d have plenty of research to use in my graduate thesis. Then I might be open to settling down. Would he still be available then?

I hoped Brooks would understand once I finally got the nerve to talk to him about it at some point before we left the island.

We started up the sand and I walked ahead of him and adjusted my cheeky bikini bottoms. He whistled. “Damn, baby, it’s only the second day of our travels and I can already tell you this red one is my favorite.”

I spun around, walking backwards in the sand. “Nope. You can’t vote yet. Seven days, seven hot bikinis. You vote on our flight back. Besides, yesterday, when we embarked on the cruise, you said the strappy white one was your favorite.”

“No, I said the three tiny white triangles held together by skimpy strings would bebestworn in bed with me, but no matter. I’m pretty sure every single one of your bikinis will satisfy my hungry eyes.”

I waited for him to catch up to me, got behind him and hopped on his back, hugging his neck from behind. He never faltered, his steps carrying our bags plus me. “My sturdy man.”

“I’ll have something sturdy for you in our room.”

“My mouth is already watering.” I blew into his ear.

“Don’t do that, or else I’ll have a hard on in front of Rex and Chelsea.”

“You’ve already had that problem today.”

“Don’t remind me. My balls are a permanent shade of blue.”

“Then we’d better hurry, get to our room, and get settled so I can take care of you.” I twirled my tongue around his earlobe.

“Fuck, you know how much I love what you do with your mouth and tongue. Now stop being a bad girl while I check with Rex about where we’re sleeping. Last I heard, Chelsea told him we’d need two rooms. I swear your sister doesn’t want us sleeping together.”

He set me down, and we walked through the double front doors into a white, airy beach house with windows instead of walls and 360 views of the ocean. He put the bags down at my feet. “Stay here. I’ll ask Rex about the rooms.”

I joined Chelsea nearby in gaping at our surroundings. “This is what Rex called his family’s littlehut?”

Chelsea shook her head. “When Rex said hut, I thought we’d be camping on the beach. It’s more like a mansion on a tropical island, complete with staff to serve our every whim. ”

I reached into my bag and pulled out a white linen swimsuit cover up, suddenly conscientious of running around this rich man’s hut in nothing but a skimpy suit.

“You are definitely marrying into a whole new world, Chels. It’s one thing for us to be small town girls who adapted well to living in New York City, but you have the extra challenge of adapting to life with a billionaire.”

“Don’t I know it? I really needed this vacation. The wedding planning with his mother has been overwhelming, what with all her high society expectations. She’s given me a blank check and expects me to spend a small fortune. I told Rex we’re not to talk about the wedding at all while we’re here.”

Brooks headed back to us, holding up one key card and sending me a wink with his sexy, smoldering smile.

“Sharing one room, huh? I take it you haven’t broken the news to him yet?” Chelsea whispered. I couldn’t miss my sister’s worried expression.

“No, we just got here. I want to have some fun first before I let him down easy.” She didn’t need to know I already had a plan to make my departure for a year easier on Brooks. I’d give him the one thing he desired most before I left on the ship this summer.

This could be my last spring break as a virgin.

6

WINE AND WHINE

MAISY

I joltedwhen the driver cleared his throat.

“Uh, Miss? Did you hear me? We’re here,” he said.

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