What had he just said?Shit. If only I could rewind.
But if he’d said what I thought, I was pretty sure he was flirting. With me.
Or not. Just making the guests feel special, most likely. They probably hired hot guys just for that purpose, to flirt with the female guests and get them all hot and bothered. I supposed it kept them coming back.
But it was still sweet to hear it, whether the flirting was sincere or not. Chalk it up to the vacation experience. Five days of living like a high roller. Might as well feel like a movie star at the same time.
“May I ask you something,mademoiselle?” he asked when my drink arrived.
I took a sip of it, and the taste embodied everything that was perfect about the day. And the night before.
“Sure, Jean-Pierre. Ask me anything,” I said, licking the end of the straw that had come in my drink.
Shit. Was the alcohol already going to my head?
“And you can call me Tana, Jean-Pierre.”
The sound of his name on my tongue was lovely. I suspected something else of his on my tongue would be even more delicious.
“Okay, Tana,” he said, with a shy smile. “What brought you alone to Thailand? If that is not too um… how do you say?Noisy?”
“I think you meannosy.But Thailand has always been a bucket list trip for me, ever since I was a kid and some friends of my parents came back from their vacation with a really cool slide show. It just looked like the most beautiful place in the world. And, until recently, I was engaged to be married. This was supposed to be our honeymoon place.”
He winced, his eyes closing for a moment as he silently whispered something I couldn’t quite catch. “I apologize if I bring up bad feelings, Tana. I am so very sorry.”
Was he kidding? In this freaking paradise my problems back home felt like they’d never even existed. “It’s okay, Jean-Pierre. Seriously. We broke up nearly six months ago. He just couldn’t handle some… changes that had come up. I mean, I was sad and then angry and drowned my sorrows in more than my share of cheap wine, but I’m a lot better off now. I know I am.”
“You are?” he asked.
I leaned my head back on my lounger, gazing out on the sparkling ocean, which the sun was hitting at a perfect angle. “I decided I’m not going to waste my life any longer and chose to come here in spite of the breakup. I didn’t have to wait to be married to have my dream trip.”
Seriously. Why had I limited myself that way? Why did any of us do that? So silly.
“I booked my flight and the villa, and so far, I’m happy to report it’s been about sixteen hours of pure paradise.”
Jean-Pierre beamed, looking like he was about to say something, when a commotion in the water caught his eye. He stood, his buff, tan body stretching to its full height, and he shaded his eyes. “Excusez moi,ma belle.Duty calls.”
He jogged off for the water, leaving me to not only enjoy the incredible beach and ocean but also that fabulous ass of his in action. He was graceful and strong as he approached the waterline, where he clearly took charge of a couple of laughing tourists who’d overturned their kayak.
When he was done, he went back to his lookout, giving me another glance, and totally busting me staring. I quickly looked down at my drink, which had only a couple drops left, and sneaked another glance to see him adjusting an umbrella over his head.
There he stayed for the rest of my time on the beach, even when I decided to go for a swim. My white bikini turned out to be pretty sheer when wet, but for some reason I couldn’t put into words, I liked it. I know I appreciated the looks I got when returning to my lounge chair with the thin fabric clinging to my nipples and bare pussy lips.
What was it about this place? It was like they’d put some sort of aphrodisiac in the water, for cripe’s sake.
But as I used my villa’s jacuzzi jets to tease and please my body to another trio of deep, intense climaxes after a little afternoon nap, the air was full a golden sunset while my thoughts were of Jean-Pierre… and the appreciable bulge that his lifeguard trunks did a not so good job of obscuring.
* * *
6
Chay
That nightI was treated to a show at the resort, true to Chay’s word, of a Muay Thai kickboxing demonstration. I saw the announcement in the lobby as I came out for dinner and, figuring it would be more fun than playing around on the internet or drinking alone at the resort’s nightclub, I decided to check it out. Boxing was so not my thing, but I was on vacation and had promised myself to keep an open mind.
The demonstration was held on a mobile ‘boxing ring’ set up over the resort’s infinity pool. While there were no ropes, the padded platform provided a great view as I took a seat at one of the poolside tables.
I was pleasantly surprised when Rob, my American friend from the van, took the mic. I hadn’t seen him all day except at a distance, where he was setting people set up on the boats they’d rented.