* * *

Emma didn’t know whether to be angry or sad when she saw Pete cozied up to Mallory and that he’d chosen to go sit with her rather than wait to see what she’d wanted to do.

What she did know was that she wasn’t going to let it ruin her day.

She walked down the stairs by the stern and onto a platform made up of thin wood planks stained a dark red. There was a partially covered area at the very end of the boat with a large table and another amazing couch to relax on.

She heard a splash and headed around the table to find Antonio already in the water. Charlotte sat on the edge, her feet dangling in the water. She was completely naked and very comfortable with herself.

“Come on in,” Antonio called. He had a snorkel and mask on his head. “I always dive down and check the anchor. There’s no way I’m leaving my boat unless I know it’s secure.”

Emma was pretty sure Antonio was naked as well.

When in Rome.

Emma took off her hat and set it on a bench. Then, in one motion, she lifted her sundress, this one a marigold color, over her head.

“Holy shit,” Antonio sputtered from the water.

“Damn, girl, you have a kickin’ body,” Charlotte said, appraising her. “Is that a six-pack? Do you actually have a freakin’ six-pack?”

Emma blushed. She wasn’t totally naked. She wore the skimpy white bikini bottoms Piper had given her—the ones with the tiny buckles on the sides and a small scrap of fabric in front and almost nothing else. She chose to wear them, not because she was embarrassed about being naked in front of others, but because she knew they accentuated everything she had.

Piper was a genius.

“I got lucky with my body type,” Emma said.

“Bullshit,” Charlotte said. “Turn around. We need to get a good look at the back.”

“I don’t think I need to—”

“Zip it!” Charlotte snapped her hand in front of her mouth. “Everyone here wants to enjoy your body, now give us a little show. I’m certain Antonio is already hard”—she gave him a knowing look—“but let’s not make it easy on him. We want him to ache a little bit before he gets his release.”

“You don’t have to—” Antonio stopped mid-sentence when she turned, and shouted, “Fucking A!”

Emma was embarrassed, but pleased she’d made that kind of impact.

Without waiting to hear any more, she jumped feet first off the platform, shrieking as she went. The water was the perfect temperature. It felt wonderful. Her head bobbed up, and she gasped for a breath. The first thing she heard was Antonio’s laugher.

“Char, throw us a foam mattress.”

“On it, Master,” Charlotte chirped, and headed to a bench, lifting up the lid.

Emma cleared the water out of her eyes as Antonio swam closer.

“How do you like the Bahamas now?” he asked. “Pretty spectacular, huh?”

“It is.” Emma began to tread water. “I’ve been to a lot of places, but this is one of the best. I get lost in the color of the water every time I look. But I don’t see any fish.” She glanced down into the water.

Antonio pulled his snorkel and mask off and handed them to her. “Here, take a look using these. There aren’t many fish, since there are no big rocks or coral around, but you’ll see a few and maybe even a sea turtle. I’ll keep you steady.” Emma took the proffered items while Antonio grasped on to her waist. His body was so close, she could feel his warmth. She was incredibly aware she was topless, with very little separating their bodies. She began to slip the mask over her head, as he leaned over and said in her ear, “It’s not going to fit you because it’s adjusted to me, but push it up to your face and press on it with both hands. I’ve got you. Then dunk your head under the water.”

She did what he said, her hands shaking lightly. She was acutely aware of him. As she bent her head into the water, her backside came in contact with his abs. She heard him let out a slow breath. She knew he was hard, but was trying to keep her mind off of it while she glanced under water.

There were several fish, but none close. The sandy bottom wasn’t very far down, about ten feet. She would have loved to dive, but the mask was already leaking seawater.

As she turned, she caught a glimpse of Antonio’s cock.

She had to brace herself so she didn’t gulp in any water. It was huge and very erect. She flushed as she brought her head up and took the mask off. She tried to act like nothing was amiss, but she was incredibly turned on.

“So pretty down there.” She coughed politely, handing the equipment back to him. “I’m going to have to get some snorkeling gear that works. I’d love to explore down there.”

“I have more snorkels on the boat.” He had let go of her once she’d emerged, but was staring intently at her as they both tread water. His gaze was smoldering. Heat filtered through her body. This man wanted her.

Really wanted her.

It felt like forever since a man had been that predatory toward her.

A loud splash jolted her out of her mini-reverie. Emma glanced over to see Pete surface five feet from them. Mallory stood on the platform of the boat, holding a thin foam air mattress. She was laughing and nodding at Charlotte, who had two air mattresses under her arms. Charlotte tossed one out into the water, and then jumped in with the other.

Then Pete was next to her, his arms encircling her waist.

Emma had inadvertently kicked away from Antonio when Pete had entered the water, so they weren’t as close as they’d been before. Guilt began to creep in. She had been totally turned on that another man wanted her, and it had nothing to do with the lifestyle.

“What’re you guys doing?” Pete asked.

“Antonio lent me his mask so I could see the fish. There aren’t many, but it’s gorgeous down there. Do you want to swim to the beach? It’s not too far.”

Antonio grabbed the air mattress Charlotte had thrown. He leaned over the middle and kicked toward them. The other two ladies were already in the water on theirs.

“We’ll paddle after you!” Mallory called. “Don’t worry about us.”

“Come on,” Pete said in her ear. “I’ll race you.”

Emma chuckled. “That’s not going to work. You have the supreme body of an athlete,” she told her husband. “There’s no way I’m beating you.”

“I’ll give you a head start,” he said playfully. “That way I get to watch your ass in the water. It’s a win-win.”

Emma glanced at Antonio for a split second. His eyes were full of mischief. Emma wondered what he had up his sleeve.

She turned back to Pete. “You’re on. I’ll see you there.” She darted under the water and began to swim. But all she could think about as she stroked toward the shoreline were those brief few moments she’d just had with Antonio and that knowing look in his eyes.

She couldn’t stop.

That look was what it meant to be wanted more than anything in the world.

That’s what Emma craved.

15

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Pete was right behind Emma. He’d let her take a big lead. He’d been unnerved to find her so close to Antonio in the water. He hadn’t wanted to admit that what Mallory alluded to on the boat could be true, but by the looks of it, she was right. Antonio had been too close for comfort.

He knew his wife, and just like him spending time with Mallory, it was innocent. But seeing them together in the water had caused a pang of jealousy so fierce it had ripped through his abdomen. It still plagued him as he swam.

It was a feeling he wasn’t used to having. In fact, he couldn’t ever remember a time he’d been this jealous.

He was overreacting. Mallory’s I-told-you-so laughter as he’d dived into the water had made him edgy, and he couldn’t do anything about it now anyway. He wasn’t going to be confrontational. That would ruin his wife’s vacation. Emma reached the beach ahead of him and walked out of the surf. Pete almost swallowed a mouthful of salt water.