Chapter 8

8

Focusing on my e-reader is just about impossible. Not with Virginia in the lounger right next to me, in that sexy little red bikini. When she'd pulled it out this morning and asked if I wanted to go to the pool with her, my answer had been quick and resounding, and delayed our departure from the suite for about two hours.

She was relaxed, laying almost flat on her back, eyes closed behind her big sunglasses, as she enjoyed the warm sun heating her skin, and I enjoyed finding all of the red marks from my beard in tiny hickeys I had left on her skin with my eyes, and then touching them with the tips of my fingers.

Every time I moved my hand from her thigh to the side of her breast, where it nearly spilled out of her top, to her hip and belly. She would smile, but she never opened her eyes, completely at ease with the way I touched her, or the fact that I couldn't stop. If I'd thought I was obsessed with Virginia before, it was nothing compared to now. All I thought about was the way she tasted, and felt, and the soft sounds of pleasure she made, and how loud she got when she orgasmed. My swim trunks were about to become obscene, but I didn't stop thinking about getting back inside her slick heat though. I took a deep studying breath and refocused on trying to read my book, but I left my hand high up on her thigh. It took a little more concentration than it should have, but I finally was able to get into the story, a new release from one of my favorite political authors.

When Virginia's phone goes off, she flips over onto her front, cushioning her head on her arms. It draws my attention, completely out of the story and onto her big, round ass. I slip my fingers just beneath the back of her bikini bottoms, touching the sensitive skin on the bottom curve of her cheek. Goosebumps erupt on the back of her thighs, and she gives him a mock glare. "You're supposed to be reading." "I am," I say, waving my e-reader at her. She raises her brows and then looks over her shoulder at the way he's fondling her ass.

"You do know we're in public, right?" I don't even bother glancing around us. It's an adult's only cruise. I'm positive I'm not the only man groping his woman. And if I am, they're all suckers. "Are you getting too warm? Maybe we should go back to the room. Cool off." She laughs, bright and loud, stretching on her lounger and giving me a quick shake of her head like she's completely exasperated with me. "The last thing we would do is cool down." I grin, "You've got me there, though that isn't an answer." She pushes up onto her elbows, staring at me over her shoulder, wetting her lips as her gaze runs over my shoulders and biceps.

"Cooling off might be nice." I grin, two seconds away from grabbing her and running across the deck. When a shadow falls over us, expecting someone from the ship's staff to be checking to see if we need a drink or anything, I'm prepared to wave them away. When I glance up, I find my brother scowling at us. "What do you want?" I ask more annoyed at being interrupted than anything else. "I need to talk to Ginny alone," he says, looking down his nose at me. I cocked my head, considering whether it would be worth the commotion to break it.

"It's fine," Virginia says softly, turning over and sitting up. She reaches over and gives my arm a quick squeeze, and reassurance. I know he's not going to win her back. And yet there's a tiny part of me that keeps helpfully reminding me that she had chosen him first, that they had a history, albeit a short one, that he could play on and try and get her to forgive him.

Ginny rose to her feet, and I'm distracted temporarily by the jiggle of her steps, as they move a few feet away. Chad keeps going, but she stops, crossing her arms over her chest. And I can't help but grin. Standing that close to me, I'd be able to overhear pretty much everything they say to each other. "Sure enough," and Chad sulks back to her. I hear him loud and clear as he asks if she's done pouting, so that they can enjoy their last couple of days together on the cruise. "It's not happening," she says clearly. "We're done. There is no us anymore. I'm with Trick now." I can't see her face, but I can see him, and the way he rolls his eyes at her claim.

"Are you seriously sticking with that story?" "It's not a story, Chad," she said, exasperating. And I can't help but be a little proud of her. The other night she hadn't even wanted to go to dinner, and now she was boldly standing up to him. "Trick and I are together, which means we're going to be in each other's lives," not if I had anything to say about it. "So we should learn to get along. At least be cordial." Chad's face started to flush, and I swung my legs around, sitting upright, prepared to step in if need be. "Did you seriously go from my bed to his without a pause in between? What kind of slut?" I push to my feet, but I don't even make it a step before Virginia's loud laughter cuts him off, and cuts him off at the knees.

It's the opposite of the reaction he was hoping for. And I can see in his face that he doesn't like it. But getting laughed at is the worst thing she could have done to him. "God, you're ridiculous," she says, still chuckling lightly. "I can't believe I ever saw anything charming in you, but it's okay, because finding you in bed with another woman turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to me, because now I'm with a real man, and he actually respects me. Goodbye, Chad." She turns, seeming unsurprised to find me standing, and walks right up to me, clasping the sides of my face, and drawing me down for a quick kiss. "Now, where were we?" She asked, like Chad had been nothing more than a brief annoying insect buzzing around their heads.

Fuck, I'm marrying this woman just as soon as possible.