But for now it was time to put all of her cares away. Ava hoped the guys Gina had hired were as hot as she’d claimed. She could use a night of no-strings-attached passion with a nameless hunk.

Hush, Ava. Joseph is the only man you’ve ever been with. You probably wouldn’t know what to do with a sexy young man.

Ava ignored the voice in her head. Joseph could rot in hell for all she cared. It was time to banish the memory of him as much as she could. And an illicit weekend with a younger gentleman who was hopefully more skilled in the bedroom than her dear departed husband should go a long way to expelling Joseph’s unfaithful memory for good.

Chapter Ten

Ava sat inside the limousine. All around her women were chatting in hushed whispers. She remained silent. She knew what she was getting into when she agreed to this but she hadn’t expected to be so uncomfortable.

Ava had never been one to have many female friends. Women of all ages and races tended to be very petty. She didn’t have time for the small talk that followed with having a group of female friends. When it came to small talk with women, Ava was a novice.

Taking a sip of the Chardonnay in her glass, she surveyed the women sitting across from her. Blonde hair. Huge bosom. Clearly implants. Botoxed lips. A tiny, blue Robin-like mask covered her face.

The woman to Ava’s right was a Latina with a tall willowy frame. A yellow, feathered mask covered her face. Ava had her pegged as a model or trophy wife. Maybe both. Either way, she and the model were the only people of color in this limo. Ava hoped there were more minorities in one of the other two limousines. She wanted to blend in. She didn’t need anyone guessing at her identity.

The limo stopped and a few moments later, the doors of the car opened. White gloved hands reached inside to help the women out of the car. Ava watched the women exit one by one until she was the only one left.

Holding onto her purse, she took the gloved hand and exited the limo. In front of her women in all manner of dresses and masks stood chatting excitedly. Docked directly in front of them was a yacht almost the same size as a cruise ship.

More and more women milled around the dock. Ava noticed a tall, dark-skinned, voluptuous African American woman and two more Latin women.

Okay, there’s a few of us. But I’m the only light-skinned African American with blonde hair. Way to go, Ava. You stick out like a sore thumb.

She should’ve listened to her instinct and bought a wig. Oh well, there was no turning back now. Ava stood holding her purse and then a “whirring” sound drew her attention. A set of stairs was being slowly unfurled from the ship. The women stopped talking and waited for the stairs to come all the way down.

“Ladies, are you ready to have a good time?”

Standing at the top of the stairs was a vibrant redhead, wearing an elaborate silver beaded and feathered mask and matching silk off-the-shoulder gown. Ava knew it was no one but her best friend, Gina. There was no mistaking that particular shade of red hair.

An excited chatter rose among the women.

“Welcome aboard The Pleasure Cruise and follow me to the ballroom. There you can make your selection.”

Like a herd of wildebeests, the women rushed the stairs leading up to the yacht. They were acting like they had never seen men before.

Ava stood, watching. No way was she running up the stairs like some horny virgin trying to get laid. As the last woman started up the stairs, Ava finally followed. When she reached the top of the stairs and entered the yacht, Ava saw hardwood floors that lead down a long hallway. On either side of the hall were mirrors of varying shapes and sizes. Walking slowly, Ava noted her reflection in the mirrors.

Instead of her customary bob, tonight her hair was a cloud of honey-colored curls. A blue mask with silver sequins and blue feathers covered much of her face, hiding her identity, except for her cat-like green eyes and full lips. Adorned in a blue Valentino dress fitted like a bustier at the top with silver sequins outlining her breasts, from her waist down the material was sheer and ended midway down her thighs. Matching four-inch heels and a small clutch completed her outfit. No little black cocktail dress for her. Tonight she was going all out.

Ava increased her strides and followed the hallway to the open doors. Inside were large crystal chandeliers. The floor appeared to be made of marble. Her heels clicked against it as she walked farther into the room. Situated off to the side of the large room were white clothed tables and silver chairs. Strategically placed around the room were small buffets. Standing behind each of the stations was a man or woman attired in a traditional black butler suit. Each table had a large sign standing up stating what kind of food was being served.

The food looked delicious, but what now captured her attention was the large platform in the middle of the room that Gina stood on. The stage was packed with men wearing masks. Clad in black suits that matched their masks, she could see that underneath the suits they had on white button-up shirts. Only the shirts were unbuttoned and bared their amazing physiques. Ava had never seen so many men with sculpted bodies in one place. Large pecs. Taut stomachs. Involuntarily, Ava fanned herself.

From what she could see Gina had made some terrific selections. The men were from all races so in a sense it was like choosing which flavor of ice cream you wanted from an endless selection. As Ava’s eyes ran up and down the stage, she couldn’t decide which man was more attractive. Being able to look at their faces might have made the selection a little easier but, secrecy was supposed to be the theme of this little weekend together.

“Ladies. May I have your attention?”

Ava surfaced from her private thoughts as Gina tried to get everyone’s attention. The rest of the women came to stand in front of the stage. Many of them were already pointing and whispering. She hoped these guys knew what they had themselves in for with these horny housewives.

“Thank you. Now first of all I want to say thank you so much for coming. You all are well aware who I am so let’s skip all the formalities and get down to business. Before you ladies is a selection of the finest men that Miami has to offer. They are yours to do with as you will. Their sole mission is to satisfy each and every one of your desires,” Gina said.

“Can I have all of them?” A petite blonde shouted from the crowd.

Gina smiled. “Unfortunately no. I want all the ladies to have a good time. So if you prefer, your handsome gentleman can remain masked for the duration of your time together or they can unmask. If at any time you would like some time to yourself, all the men here have their own quarters they can retire to. Remember, whatever you desire is yours. Now have at it.”

Gina exited the stage, but not before grabbing a long-haired hunky blonde and leaving with him. Ava watched as the women rushed the stage. Through it all the men stood still. Stoic. The men were probably used to being grabbed like the last pair of designer jeans on a shelf, but Ava wasn’t going to participate in the foolery. She wasn’t that desperate. Ava turned her back on the stage and took a few steps when she felt a hand touch the small of her back.

“Excuse me?” A man’s voice said close to her ear.

Ava stopped, suddenly well aware of the hand resting familiarly in that delicious place where her bottom started to curve. She turned around slowly, hesitant to break the contact. Standing in front of her was one of the deliciously appealing men on the menu.

His skin was a beautiful lightly bronzed color. His hair dark and spiky as if he’d just had a fresh cut. Even his chin looked pretty hot. Square and strong, with no stubble. Not to mention his lips. Thick enough to let you know kissing him would be a dream, but not so full that you’d think you were kissing another girl.