Page 22 of Blue Hawaiian
“Gives us more time, am I right?” He nibbled on her earlobe.
She downed the last of her drink. With two mai tais under her belt, she was tipsy but not wasted enough to contemplate sex with Lance. Not that drunken hookups had ever been her thing.
Maybe it’s time you switched things up.
All through college, she’d plunged headfirst into angst-filled relationships, only to end up getting dumped. Why couldn’t she treat sex the way guys did, like a mindless diversion? She might have more fun if she let go of her inhibitions and succumbed to a night of no-strings sex.
But she wasn’t quite there yet. She’d gotten more aroused flirting with Connor on the beach than she’d been at any time during the cruise.
“I’m not sure if we’re heading back to the hotel yet. Gabi might have more stuff planned.” She whipped out her phone, grateful she’d installed her sister’s calendar app. “Yep, after the cruise ends, we’re going to a bar in Lahaina called the Blue Lagoon.”
Lance leaned in again to whisper in her ear. “Wouldn’t you rather go back to your room and get the party started?”
She fumbled for a response. “I…I’d love to, but I’m the maid of honor. I’m not supposed to skip any of my sister’s activities.”
“All right. Later, then.”
She exhaled in relief. Maybe after another drink, Lance would seem like a palatable companion for the night. He was easy on the eyes, and anyone who boasted a workout regimen like his must have a good body.
Why, then, was she so reluctant to seize the moment? And why did she keep checking out Connor?
Shehadto get over him.
At the Blue Lagoon, their group commandeered a large table at the back. The place had a funky vibe, decked out with brightly colored surf boards, hanging nets with blue glass floats, and a bamboo dance floor.
Jess pulled up a chair and grabbed one of the laminated menus, which felt sticky to the touch. The vibrantly colored pictures highlighted tropical drinks with names like Blue Hawaiian, Planter’s Punch, and Samoan Typhoon. All of them looked like a one-way ticket to Drunk Town, so she played it safe and ordered a mojito.
She took a few sips and willed herself to relax. As the tension eased from her shoulders, she favored Lance with a flirty smile. Only to have him reciprocate by sliding his hand under her dress to caress her bare thigh. His bold gesture should have excited her; instead, it made her shudder with revulsion. She wanted to squirm away, but not with Connor watching. Catching his eye, she held up her glass in a salute and slammed half her cocktail in one gulp. The rum hit her like a freight train, but she kept going until she’d finished the entire drink.
“Can I have another?” she asked.
Lance laughed but extricated his hand from beneath her dress. He got up and headed toward the bar.
She licked her lips, tasting mint and lime. It might be her imagination, but the room was swaying, ever so slightly.
A catchy dance tune came on, and Gabi leapt up from her seat. She tugged on Marc’s arm, roused the other couples from the table, and led them onto the dance floor.
Luisa grabbed Connor’s arm. “Let’s go dance.”
“In a sec,” he said. “You start without me.”
Luisa frowned but got up to join the others. As Lance was returning from the bar, she snagged him. “Come dance with us.”
Lance set Jess’s drink in front of her. “You up for it?”
She waved him away. “I’m good. I’ll watch.” Considering she could barely walk in Victoria’s heels, dancing was out of the question. She took a sip of her mojito.Mmm. It went down just as easy as the first one.
Connor leaned across the table. “Slow down. That’s your fourth drink.”
“You’re counting?”
“I’m watching out for you. Ease up, okay? Do you really want Lance taking advantage of you when you’re drunk?”
“I wantsomeonetaking advantage of me. Why is that so hard for you to understand?”
He grabbed her wrist. “Because Lance is just trying to get laid. He doesn’t give a shit about you.”
“And you do? Don’t be such a fucking hypocrite.” She wrenched her wrist out of his grasp and lurched away from him. But when she stood, her head spun. She braced herself on the table until the dizziness faded.
