“Yes, ma’am,” I said, mock-saluting her as I turned and went into my room.
I pulled out my phone and typed a text message to Briggs. He’d given me his number yesterday when he dropped me off at the hotel after lunch, but I hadn’t used it yet. I felt a nervous fluttering in my stomach as I hit send, as if I was asking him out on a real date, instead of suggesting that he join us on a family outing as a part of our ruse.
I went into the bathroom and applied a little makeup before putting on a white visor that matched my pristine skirt. I was also wearing a baby blue polo shirt. We were going to a country club near the center of the island with a massive golf course. When I was looking into Pompeo Island, I learned that this golf course was what the place was known for. It was considered a luxury course and some of the world’s wealthiest people came here to play.
Going back down to the lobby, I saw that Briggs was already waiting for me along with the growing group of family members. He was talking to my dad, and I couldn’t help smiling. I could tell that Dad liked him. I had been learning about Briggs right alongside my parents yesterday and so far, I liked him too. Briggs spotted me, and this time, there was no mistaking the warm smile he sent my way as he waved me over. Dad broke away, going to my mom’s side, and it looked like we were only waiting for Michael and Faith.
“So, that’s your golfing outfit, huh?” Briggs asked, his eyes lingering on my bare legs.
“Yeah, why? Is there something wrong with it?” I glanced down. The skirt was pretty short, but I thought I looked cute.
“Uh, no,” Briggs said, swallowing hard. “Nothing wrong at all.”
I felt a surge of confidence as I noticed the slight huskiness in his voice. His eyes were sweeping over me in a way that I felt everywhere.
“Have you ever played golf before?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah. My step dad loved the game. He was an older man, and we didn’t connect on many levels, but I let him teach me to play and that helped bridge the gap.”
“So, you’re saying that you can help me play?” I asked hopefully, and with some amusement. “I’ve never even held a golf club before.”
“Not a problem.”
Faith and Michael came downstairs then, and we all left the hotel. Briggs and I were in his rental car, following the SUV that Michael rented. There was a long procession of vehicles making their way through a residential area of the island. I rolled down the window and let my arm hang out, feeling the cool air blow across my skin. Briggs turned on a playlist on his phone that was synced to the car’s speakers. A song by Kanye West played and I grinned as Briggs sang along under his breath, his thumbs tapping to the beat against the steering wheel.
When we reached the club, Faith had already arranged for golf club rental for those of us that didn’t have our own, so it didn’t take long before we were out on the course. Briggs and I lingered at the back of the group because I seemed to be the only person that had no idea what I was doing.
When we were the last two, Briggs came up close behind me, his hard chest pressed against my back and his hips even with mine as he brought his arms around me. I could feel his warm breath on my neck and it made me shiver. I had to force the distraction out of my head to concentrate on Brigg’s instructions.
“Okay, you want to make sure you’re aligned correctly. Your shoulders and feet should be pointed directly at the ball. And bend your knees slightly.”
I did what he said, even though the positioning felt awkward. Briggs directed me to pull the golf club back and then I swung it forward in one continuous motion, miraculously hitting the ball and sending it flying in the general direction of the hole...kind of.
It didn’t go nearly as far as everyone else’s balls did, and it did veer slightly off to the right, but I was still thrilled to see it go anywhere at all. I knew that without his help, my chances of actually hitting the thing at all were slim to none.
I was able to actually get the ball in the hole with a couple more strokes. My dad was keeping track of the scores and was quick to let me know that I was in last place because of how many strokes I used on the first hole, but I didn’t really care. I was having fun.
A big part of that was being with Briggs and how easily we got along. He was quick to help me, and his hands on my body kept things interesting. Even just casual touches, like his hand on the small of my back, stirred my desire. I was starting to ache for him.
We’d made it to the fourth hole when my swing was a little off and the ball went flying wildly, landing just to the left of the hole I was aiming for, near a patch of trees. Faith and Michael were just ahead of us, waiting. I waved them on. It was going to be a while before we caught up.
“I’m sorry,” I said as we started to walk toward my ball. “I know I’m kind of holding you back and this can’t be much fun for you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Briggs said, slipping an arm around my waist. There was no one around to see us, so he wasn’t just putting on a show. “There’s nowhere on this island that I’d rather be.”
When we reached the hole, Brigg’s didn’t come up behind me this time. He talked me through how to swing the club, and I forced myself to relax. I took a deep breath and made sure to shift my weight from my back foot to the lead one and follow through. I watched the ball fly toward the hole, my heart leaping as it landed and rolled closer...closer…
“Oh my God! It went in the hole!” I turned to Briggs with a huge grin and threw my arms around him. “Did you see that? I did it all by myself!”
Briggs’s hands went to my hips and he pulled me closer until I was flush against him. Suddenly, the mood shifted. Sexual tension crackled in the air, and we were kissing before I knew it. My hands went to the back of his head, feeling the short, soft hair there. His long, strong fingers gripped my hips and I could feel his rock-hard erection against my stomach as his tongue slipped into my mouth, tangling with my own.
I moaned, and he swallowed the sound. Desire was pouring off him in waves, and it matched the way I felt inside. God, I wanted him so much.
Briggs pulled away, when we heard voices nearby. I looked around, but didn’t see anyone. There was a small hill behind us, so I assumed there were people on the other side. It sounded like they were heading our way. I turned to look at Briggs again and we reached an unspoken agreement. He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the grove of trees before we were spotted. He even grabbed our golf clubs.
I suppressed a giggle as we went further into the thicket, where we couldn’t be seen. The thick canopy of leaves overhead blocked out the sun, and when we finally stopped, he pushed me up against the tree.
“I can’t stand another moment without exploring your body,” he said, and I could barely catch my breath as his hands ran down my sides, tracing the curve of my hip.