Sin at Sea by Emma Nichols Page A

was, too.
    We played some in the water, splashing around, trying to chase each other. It didn’t last long. “Water and sun are making me tired,” he complained. “Let’s settle in on some of the blankets and eat. What do you think?”
    “I think that sounds wonderful. I didn’t realize that I was starving until you brought up food,” I commented before I walked back into the bungalow and brought out the blankets. “It’ll be like a beach picnic. Great idea.”
    I meant it, too. There was something special and memorable about every moment. Once I had the blankets laid out and the food set up on it, we settled in to relax. “You really do look tired,” I mentioned. “Eat.” Then I fed him some grapes.
    “What are you going to eat?” He asked.
    “A little of everything,” I said, reaching for a pickle, then sliding it in and out of my mouth intentionally.
    Smirking, he said, “Nice.”
    Though I had intended for our conversation to stay light and playful, it soon turned. “What are you doing after the cruise?” He asked. “When the boat docks in Charleston, what does your future hold?”
    Looking at him for a moment, I considered not answering. “I thought we were keeping this fun. That sounds like a serious question.” Biting into a strawberry, I watched for a reaction.
    Nodding, he said, “I could see how it would be perceived that way.” Then he smiled. “You can’t fault a guy for being curious. I mean…all I know about you is that you attract losers, yet have excellent taste in men when you don’t overthink it.” He winked. “I know that you are incredibly sexy, but have an equally intelligent mind. Do you blame me for wanting to get to know you better?”
    Smiling carefully, I responded. “I guess not. I just thought we were following these rules.”
    “As I recall, the rules say nothing about not talking about our lives, just not contacting each other, or making it possible for us to contact each other, right?” He raised an eyebrow as he finished speaking.
    The eyes did it. It was always his eyes that spoke volumes and broke down my defenses. It was going to be hard enough leaving this man behind. The more I knew about him, the more dangerous it became. With this conversation, I was truly biting the bullet…or maybe dodging bullets.
    Sighing, I said, “We haven’t planned that far. We’re talking about moving to Vegas. It’s a good time for us to go and live it up for a while, especially since it isn’t the kind of place I would want to live forever.”
    Smirking, he shook his head. “Of course not. That’s why the housing market crashed like it did there.” He laughed. “So, you and Jolie.”
    “We always move together. We always have our own place, our own space, but when one of us requests a move, the other goes along. It’s been like that since high school. We are living our dreams.” I lay back, but turned my head to look at him still. “We have rules. Our life works for us.”
    “Have you ever considered settling down?” He asked, seemingly enthralled with the conversation.
    “Hmmm, not yet. That’s actually one of our rules: never settle and never settle down.” I shrugged.
    Lying on his back next to me so that we were shoulder to shoulder, he finally asked the one question I hoped to never have to consider. “What if you weren’t settling?”
    There it was. Sitting there, out in the open, like the white elephant on the beach. There had been times that thought had crossed my mind this trip. What if Mr. BE was actually who I was supposed to be with? What if the move was to wherever he lived? What if it was time to settle down? I mean…I was closing in on thirty…in a few years.
    “What if I wasn’t settling?” I repeated. “Well, first I’d have to find someone I was wildly compatible with inside and outside of the bedroom. I’d have to find someone who could put up with my crazy. Wherever would I find such a prize?”
    That was one way to sidestep a