Page 28 of Not that Sea-Rious
“Do you come here often?”he asked as his gaze skimmed up and down her body appreciatively.
Swallowing her drink, Marissa grinned.Popping her hip slightly, she couldn’t help but pose.This dress made her feel fabulously sexy, and his once-over confirmed just how good she looked.Somehow, it hid every ounce of her problem areas.She swore the garment was spelled with some sort of sorcery to be this fabulous onherbody.
Licking the sugar from her lips, she waved a finger at him.“Don’t I know you from somewhere?”she teased.
“Am Ithatforgettable?”
Hell no, but she would never admit he’d been on her mind all day.No good came from feeding a guy’s ego that much.She playfully shrugged as she rested her straw to her lips to sample more of her beverage and batted her lashes exaggeratedly.
He covered his chest with both of his hands, feigned injury, and stumbled slightly.“Shots fired,” he teased.“Allow me to get your next drink, and maybe I can improve upon my first impression.”
Theimpressionhe made last night was extraordinary, but she was intrigued by the idea that he could improve.“Don’t write checks you can’t cash.”
He chuckled.“So youdoremember me?”
Swaying her shoulders to the beat instead of answering, Marissa took the last sip of her drink.
Shaking his head and wearing the most adorable smile, Beau dipped his chin in resignation.“So, what are we drinking?”
Since her glass was empty, she took the cherry stabbed by the tiny decorative umbrella and popped it between her lips.The maraschino sweetness exploded on her tongue as she chewed.After she swallowed, she placed her cup on the bar scattered with other empties.“It was a Bahama Mama, but I think I’m in the mood for a rum punch.”
He produced his card between two fingers and gave a nod.“As you wish.”Turning his body slightly, he wedged himself into the smallest of openings at the bar.
With the goofiest of grins, Marissa self-consciously patted at her tightly wound updo.The amount of hairspray used to keep her hair a helmet most likely caused a hole in the ozone layer.Satisfied not a strand was out of place, she fiddled with the dangly bit of one of her earrings as she moved slightly along with the music.
“There you are!”Carolyn squealed.
No.No.No.No.Marissa squeezed her eyes shut as her friends swarmed.
When she wanted them, they were nowhere to be found, but the moment Beau showed up, they appeared to embarrass her.
“We have been searching everywhere for you,” Joyce added.
“I knew you would get lost on your way back from the bathroom,” Tina commented.
“To be fair, we sort of moved by accident,” Carolyn offered as she sipped at her drink.
Joyce bopped her head.“I feel like the granny in the room.”
Tina bent her elbows and shuffled back and forth slightly in her spot.“Nah.Ethel from the pool is definitely older.”
All four of them turned and spotted the silver-haired great-grandmother of four they’d met on the Lido Deck hours before shaking what her mama gave her.
Joyce frowned.“Fine.Second most elderly lady.”
Marissa waved when the older woman made eye contact.
“Doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time.Who cares about our age?”Tina suggested, drawing Marissa’s attention back to her friend group.
Carolyn draped an arm around Marissa’s shoulders.“Any sign of the carrottop hottie?”
“Ladies,” Beau greeted everyone with two hurricane glasses in his hand adorned with pineapples, cherries, and little plastic neon swords.
Marissa closed her eyes as embarrassment heated her cheeks.She prayed to every deity she knew Beau hadn’t heard Carolyn’s nickname for him.Opening a single lid, she peered at him, but he showed no signs of having picked up on it.
“For me?”Carolyn asked, making grabby hands toward one glass in his hands.
Casting a glance in Marissa’s direction, he extended it toward Carolyn.“Absolutely.I would never allow the bride-to-be to go without an adult beverage.”
