confidence.”
“Come on,” she coaxed. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“So was my appendectomy.”
Of course, he went in the end. And while he didn’t get sick, he did snore for most of the way after liberally dosing himself with Dramamine. Bron stuck with a ginger pill, since she had a strong stomach anyway. And oh, wasn’t it worth every minute on the open ocean to share that experience with him. The boat docked to a metal platform that floated in what appeared to be the middle of the ocean. There was no land visible anywhere, only a chop of waves at the reef.
Once she had Mark awake, he seemed quite eager so they suited up with face masks, snorkels, and flippers, and from the first moment they dipped their faces in, it was as though they’d been transported to another world. Giant clams, their gaping mouths proudly displaying vivid red, green, and purple centers, giant sea turtles, quietly going about their business, mostly oblivious to those watching them, and fish of every color and description. They held hands as they darted here and there pointing sights out to each other, pulling in this direction then that.
After hours of snorkeling, they took a break for the lunch the crew put together on the pontooned raft, and then reboarded the launch back to their island resort. Mark, she couldn’t help but note, was too busy reliving their adventure to remember his Dramamine pill, and since the return ride was fairly smooth, he made it home fine.
“Snorkeling makes me horny,” he told her as he pushed her into the room on their return.
Since she’d been thinking more of a hot shower and dinner, she rolled her gaze. “Everything makes you horny.”
“Only when you’re around.”
“I can’t believe it’s our last day,” she said.
Her wail was supposed to be theatrical, but underneath it was the knowledge that when this holiday was over, so was the best affair she’d ever had. Mark would be going back across the world to San Francisco. Sure, she consoled herself, she’d see him the odd time. He’d still consult for Crane. Maybe she could convince Cam to send her over on a research mission. They could snatch a few weekends together. But it wouldn’t be the same.
Refusing to hurt, or at least to let him see how much she hurt, she said brightly, “What do you want to do for our last day?”
“Make love to you.”
She giggled, but it had a wistful sound. “That’s what we did yesterday.”
“And the day before.”
“And the day before that.”
“Is there something you’d rather do?” he asked politely.
She gazed across at him, with a dab of shaving cream still sticking to his chin, a towel wrapped around his tropically tanned shoulders, and a pair of plaid boxer shorts. The whole package made her liquid. She grabbed the hem of her cotton sundress and stripped. It was all the answer he needed.
“We’ve only got an hour until the boat leaves,” she said sometime later.
“Mmmm.” And he nuzzled her belly and nibbled his way to her hipbone.
“Mark,” she said later, waking from a deep and comforting sleep.
“Mark!”
“What?” he mumbled.
“That’s the boat whistle. We aren’t even packed.” She began pushing at limbs that seemed to twine about her like enormous choking vines.
“Coming in or going out?” he said with maddening calm.
“I don’t know. Wake up.”
“We’re probably too late,” he said, using precious remaining seconds to kiss her breast. “I love your breasts,” he murmured.
“Do you have sunstroke or something? The boat is going to go without us.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “It is.” The man was beyond sunstroke. He was certifiably insane.
“Don’t you even care?”
“Not particularly. I like it here.” She felt his forehead for fever, but he pulled it away and kissed her palm.
“You can come here again,” she assured him, wondering if maybe it was something he’d eaten.
“I want to spend my honeymoon here,” he
“Come on,” she coaxed. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“So was my appendectomy.”
Of course, he went in the end. And while he didn’t get sick, he did snore for most of the way after liberally dosing himself with Dramamine. Bron stuck with a ginger pill, since she had a strong stomach anyway. And oh, wasn’t it worth every minute on the open ocean to share that experience with him. The boat docked to a metal platform that floated in what appeared to be the middle of the ocean. There was no land visible anywhere, only a chop of waves at the reef.
Once she had Mark awake, he seemed quite eager so they suited up with face masks, snorkels, and flippers, and from the first moment they dipped their faces in, it was as though they’d been transported to another world. Giant clams, their gaping mouths proudly displaying vivid red, green, and purple centers, giant sea turtles, quietly going about their business, mostly oblivious to those watching them, and fish of every color and description. They held hands as they darted here and there pointing sights out to each other, pulling in this direction then that.
After hours of snorkeling, they took a break for the lunch the crew put together on the pontooned raft, and then reboarded the launch back to their island resort. Mark, she couldn’t help but note, was too busy reliving their adventure to remember his Dramamine pill, and since the return ride was fairly smooth, he made it home fine.
“Snorkeling makes me horny,” he told her as he pushed her into the room on their return.
Since she’d been thinking more of a hot shower and dinner, she rolled her gaze. “Everything makes you horny.”
“Only when you’re around.”
“I can’t believe it’s our last day,” she said.
Her wail was supposed to be theatrical, but underneath it was the knowledge that when this holiday was over, so was the best affair she’d ever had. Mark would be going back across the world to San Francisco. Sure, she consoled herself, she’d see him the odd time. He’d still consult for Crane. Maybe she could convince Cam to send her over on a research mission. They could snatch a few weekends together. But it wouldn’t be the same.
Refusing to hurt, or at least to let him see how much she hurt, she said brightly, “What do you want to do for our last day?”
“Make love to you.”
She giggled, but it had a wistful sound. “That’s what we did yesterday.”
“And the day before.”
“And the day before that.”
“Is there something you’d rather do?” he asked politely.
She gazed across at him, with a dab of shaving cream still sticking to his chin, a towel wrapped around his tropically tanned shoulders, and a pair of plaid boxer shorts. The whole package made her liquid. She grabbed the hem of her cotton sundress and stripped. It was all the answer he needed.
“We’ve only got an hour until the boat leaves,” she said sometime later.
“Mmmm.” And he nuzzled her belly and nibbled his way to her hipbone.
“Mark,” she said later, waking from a deep and comforting sleep.
“Mark!”
“What?” he mumbled.
“That’s the boat whistle. We aren’t even packed.” She began pushing at limbs that seemed to twine about her like enormous choking vines.
“Coming in or going out?” he said with maddening calm.
“I don’t know. Wake up.”
“We’re probably too late,” he said, using precious remaining seconds to kiss her breast. “I love your breasts,” he murmured.
“Do you have sunstroke or something? The boat is going to go without us.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “It is.” The man was beyond sunstroke. He was certifiably insane.
“Don’t you even care?”
“Not particularly. I like it here.” She felt his forehead for fever, but he pulled it away and kissed her palm.
“You can come here again,” she assured him, wondering if maybe it was something he’d eaten.
“I want to spend my honeymoon here,” he
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