Devlin looked out of the window as the plane approached its destination. The water surrounding the island was so clear that Devlin was sure that he could see the bottom. This would be his first time in the Bahamas. It had been a place he had always wanted to visit.
Devlin didn’t know how many chances he would get to see the sights, though. This trip was all business. After three years of research, two years of deal making, and after spending all the money he had, he was close to closing the deal that would make him one of the richest man in the world. There was only one thing standing in his way. His name was Sergio Ortega and Devlin would be spending the weekend with Sergio and his wife in Nassau on an estate called Nygard Cay.
“Please prepare for landing,” the captain announced over the PA.
Devlin returned his seat to an upright position and stared out as the island got closer. He went over his talking points once again. Sergio was the largest shareholder in the biotech company that wanted to acquire the two companies Devlin had nurtured for seven years. He wasn’t sure why the board of Sergio’s company approved the merger while Sergio didn’t, but if he wasn’t going to end up on the streets, he was going to have to find out and change Sergio’s mind.
After the plane landed, Devlin collected his stuff and exit the plane. Descending the stairs and entering the blistering sun, he was shocked to find out how hot it was. As he crossed the tarmac to the airport, he realized it wasn’t the heat, but the humidity. There was certainly humidity in New York, but what he experienced now was the equivalent of walking through soup.
Loosening two buttons on his tailored dress shirt, he was relieved to enter the air-conditioned building. Snaking through the hallways and passing through the lines, he didn’t look forward to reentering the heat again. But knowing that there was a car outside waiting for him, he collected his luggage, loosens another button, and ventured forward.
Scanning the faces outside of the railing, he spotted a man with the sign.
“I’m Devlin,” he said approaching him.
“Right this way, sir,” the man said in a singsong accent.
Ushered into an SUV, Devlin was again relieved to feel the air-conditioning. The temperature truly was a shock to his system. It made him wonder how English soldiers could stand to wear their uniforms in the1800s. That time in history had always fascinated Devlin, and so much of the most interesting parts took place in Bahamian waters.
“Is it always this warm?” Devlin said leaning forward.
“This is nothing, sir. You came while it was still cool.”
The slight smile on the driver’s face told Devlin he was joking. The driver was having a little fun with him. Devlin decided to play along.
“Yeah, I’ve read stories that the birds here sometimes just burst into flame,” Devlin joked.
“You read that too?” The driver said delighted that Devlin was playing along. “I’ve seen it. It happens all the time.”
Devlin smiled and leaned back. The driver’s humor had helped. Sure, it was hot, but it really wasn’t that hot. He was going to have to loosen up. Everything he had learned about Sergio told him that Sergio wouldn’t respond well to uptight New York types.
“Have you ever been to Nygard Cay before?” The driver asked him.
“No. This is my first time in the Bahamas. Is it nice?”
“I think you’ll like it. Do you remember that show ‘Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous?’”
“Kind of,” Devlin offered.
“It was on that show a couple of times. They shot a few other TV shows there too. It’s one of the great estates in the world.”
Devlin considered what he had heard and then turned his attention outside the window. The vegetation was distinct from anything he had seen in the United States. There were skinny pine trees and an abundance of flowers. Devlin wasn’t sure if he had ever seen so many flowers.
Everything about the place relaxed him. He was beginning to feel ready for the most important business meeting of his life. And entering the gated neighborhood where Nygard Cay was located, he knew he was almost there.
“That’s where Sean Connery lives,” the driver said pointing to a modest two-story house.
“It’s not very impressive,” Devlin said teasingly.
“That’s because you don’t know the price tag. That little house costs millions and millions of dollars.”
Devlin looked at it again. That house would be the type he dreamed of having. Devlin didn’t come from money. He had worked his way up. The fact that he was on the verge of closing a billion-dollar deal was a testament to his tenacity. Although he had turned himself into a millionaire a few years ago, Devlin burned to take that final step to become one of the most successful people on the planet.
Devlin looked ahead at the gate at the end of the street. Above it was a sprawling sign telling them that they had arrived. Allowed in with a nod from the guard, they were immediately surrounded by a grove of coconut trees. Further down the street were what looked like resort bungalows. Shaped like Tahitian huts, all of the buildings were reminiscent of Mayan architecture.
The estate was apparently designed by its eccentric billionaire owner. Devlin had been told that Nygard was a friend of Sergio’s. And considering some of Sergio’s rumored eccentricities, Sergio and Nygard he seemed the perfect combination.
Parked, a man dressed in a uniform escorted Delvin to a bungalow. Depositing his luggage, the man next led him to what looked like an outdoor living room. As Devlin approached, he readied himself to give the business pitch of his life. He had prepared an elaborate oral presentation and all of it was designed to begin at the first moment he saw Sergio.
Seeing someone on the high-backed couch in front of him, Devlin took a deep nervous inhale. He felt himself shaking. This was it. His future depended on this moment. Gathering all of his courage he rounded the couch and stared at the person seated before him. He couldn’t breathe.
It wasn’t Sergio seated before him, though. It was a woman with sultry green eyes and a curvy voluptuous body. She was breathtakingly beautiful.
“I assume you are my husband guest?” The woman said sensually.
“Is Sergio your husband?”
“What? Your exhaustive research didn’t reveal who Sergio was married to?” The woman asked with a smile.
“It didn’t. And now I see that it was to my detriment,” Devlin said unable to stop himself from flirting with Sergio’s wife.
The woman smiled and stood. “Perhaps it was,” she said taking Devlin’s hand and flirting back. “Sergio is getting dressed but he should be heading out in a moment. Until then, why don’t you entertain me by telling me something about yourself?”
The woman led Devlin to the rounded couches that faced each other. Instructing him to sit on one end, she let go his hand and sat an arm’s length away. Devlin didn’t know what to make of her but he couldn’t deny that he found her incredibly seductive.
“You want me to entertain you?” Devlin asked amused.
“Isn’t that why you’re here? To put on some type of dog and pony show for me and my husband?” She said with disguised venom.
“Am I? That’s news to me. I thought I was here to make your husband a very rich man.”
“My husband is already a rich man.”
“No. I mean a very rich man,” Devlin said with a confident smile.
The woman looked at him intrigued. By any definition, Devlin was a good looking man. His broad, strong shoulders and chiseled cheekbones made that fact inescapable. “And how do you plan to do that?”
“I don’t think that’s something I can tell you without at least getting your name.”
“I’m Ava.”
“Nice to meet you, Ava. I’m Devlin.”
“Yes. Now tell me, how are you going to make my husband richer?”
Devlin sized up the woman in front of him. “Tell me, do you have kids?”
The woman stood up, untied her beach coverall and allowed it to drop onto the couch beside her. Underneath it, she wore a bikini that clung to her for dear life. “Does it look like I have had kids?” Ava asked seductively.
Devlin, knowing she had given him permission, allowed his eyes to wander across her body. Her curves were perfect. By no means was she a skinny girl and Devlin liked that. Looking at her, he felt himself becoming hard. Wondering where this was going, he didn’t hide his appreciation.
“It doesn’t look like you have.”
Ava returned to the couch in her new state of undress. “With that mystery solved, how are you going to help my husband?”
“Well, I have a couple of companies that will allow you to ensure that your children have those beautiful green eyes of yours.”
Devlin knew that he shouldn’t be flirting with the wife of the man he was going to have to convince, but she started it. Besides, he couldn’t help it. Devlin had a hard time controlling himself around beautiful women. And when they responded to him the way Ava had, he couldn’t be held responsible for his actions.
“Genetic manipulation?”
“Yes,” Devlin said surprised.
“And you want my husband to invest?”
“Actually, no. The board of your husband’s company wants to buy it and the only one standing in the way of the acquisition is your husband. By the way, would you know why that is?”
Ava stared at Devlin evaluating him. She stared for so long that Devlin was about to retract his question. Before he did, she spoke. “It’s because he doesn’t know if he can trust you?”
“He doesn’t know if he can trust ‘me,’ specifically?”
“Yes,” she said as she was handed a drink by a circling bartender. “Would you like one?” She said pointing to the champagne flute filled with something orange.
“What is it?”
“They call it a sunrise. It wakes you up,” she said with a smile.
“Devlin took the glass and returned his attention to Ava. “Why wouldn’t your husband trust me? He hasn’t even met me.”
“My husband doesn’t trust anyone. But if you’d like to know a secret,” she said leaning forward intimately. “It’s not that he doesn’t trust others, it’s that he doesn’t trust himself.”
Devlin looked at Ava intrigued. “Why wouldn’t he trust himself?”
Ava smiled like a Cheshire cat and took another sip of her drink. It was then that Sergio stepped onto the concrete platform behind the two.
“Devlin, you made it,” Sergio said drawing Devlin’s attention.
Devlin looked around and then got up. He had seen Sergio on various video conference calls but none of them had prepared him for who stood before him.
To Devlin’s surprise, Sergio was tanned and extremely good looking. Wearing only trunks and an open robe, his sculpted body was evident. Sergio was way too attractive for how wealthy he was and he was also way too young.
“I just got in a few minutes ago,” Devlin told him. “Your wife, here, was just keeping me entertained.”
Sergio looked at Ava. “Yes, she is good for that. So, tell me, why have you made the trek here from New York?”
Devlin searched his mind for the beginning of his presentation. Everything Ava had said had thrown him. Suddenly at a loss for words, Devlin make the decision to just be direct.
“Frankly, I came to see if I can convince you to do what the rest of your board has already recommended,” Devlin stated honestly.
“And I guess you’re wondering why I voted against them on the acquisition.”
“I have wondered,” Devlin admitted.
“I work off of gut feelings.”
“So, you’re willing to ignore all of your board’s research and our financial reports based on what you feel in your gut?” Devlin asked.
Sergio looked at Devlin impressed. He knew that most people wouldn’t have said something so challenging no matter how obvious the statement was. They would have been too focused on kissing his ass and saying the right thing. That impressed Sergio.
“I think you have it right. Now, is there anything I might have missed that would make me feel another way?” Sergio asked.
This was the opportunity that Devlin had flown 1000 miles to have.
For the next few hours, Devlin laid out a series of facts and figures that showed why Sergio’s company should purchase his own. To Devlin the evidence was overwhelming. The arguments barely swayed Sergio, however. And since they had both been drinking throughout, Devlin was having a hard time hiding his frustration.
“I’m beginning to think that there’s nothing I can say that will convince you to vote for the acquisition,” Devlin said bluntly.
“When I have a gut feeling, I listened to it. It has made me a very rich man.”
“And this is your opportunity to become a lot richer,” Devlin enticed.
“All of you sales types always say that. You’re all talk, all of you. You can never trust anything any of you say.”
Devlin was taken aback. “So now you’re saying that I can’t be trusted?”
“None of your type can,” Sergio said not backing down.
“So if there’s nothing I can say to convince you because I’m “a sales type”, then what am I doing here?”
“Greed, perhaps. Perhaps there is a ladder here that you’re looking to climb. I made my decision clear a week ago so I couldn’t tell you why you’ve come. Perhaps it was to take advantage of the private beach,” Sergio said smugly.
That was the final straw. Devlin had had enough. It was one thing for Sergio to have a closed mind, but he wasn’t about to be insulted for no reason. He hadn’t simply invested in his two companies for the money. He had invested because he saw the potential in the people who ran them.
Devlin invested in people. It gave him a warm feeling to see those who deserved to succeed reach their goal. Devlin was a good man no matter what Sergio said and it pissed him off to hear Sergio imply otherwise.
It took everything in Devlin not to curse out Sergio and walk away. He did walk away, though. He couldn’t take anymore. It was like Sergio was trying to push his buttons. And if he was, he had succeeded.
Devlin looked around once he got clear of Sergio. The shadows from the coconut tree canopies were different. Although it had felt like minutes, hours had passed. Looking towards the beach he found an orange sky and a setting sun.
Filling up on the circulating snacks as they talked, he wasn’t hungry. But every moment that passed told Devlin how drunk he was. And sitting on the rocks next to the beach, he wasn’t sobering up, he was getting drunker.
Watching the sun set, Devlin made a decision. Considering that the deal was clearly never going to go through, he was going to tell Sergio what was on his mind. Sergio was an asshole. No one had probably ever told him that and it was time someone had.
Walking back to the outdoor living room, Devlin felt himself sway. He hadn’t remembered drinking so much. He was definitely very drunk, but he was going to use it. His intoxication was going to make it a lot easier for him to express himself.
When Devlin arrived back, Sergio wasn’t there, though. What he found instead was a table set for one. On it was a meal. Devlin looked around for any sign of his two hosts and didn’t find any. So instead of giving Sergio piece of his mind, he sat, ate dinner, and continued to drink.
Wandering around the estate after dinner, Devlin only got more upset. Why did Sergio even invite him there if he wasn’t going to listen to anything that Devlin had to say? The whole thing pissed Devlin off.
Reconsidering whether he should stay as long as he had planned, Devlin headed to his room. Getting undressed and into bed, Devlin thought about Sergio. The man was so arrogant. He was the type of person who needed to be taught a lesson. But in the bubble that Sergio lived, Devlin knew that he was untouchable.
At least, that was what Devlin thought because as Devlin begun to drift off to sleep, a noise woke him. The cabana main entrance was a sliding glass door and it was opening.
Devlin realized how drunk he was as he sat up. Forcing himself to focus, he tried to figure out who it was. He could see their outline. Was it a butler? Was it an intruder?
To Devlin’s surprise, it was neither of them. It was Ava. She stood in the open doorway dressed in a flowing beach coverall. It was hanging open. And although Devlin couldn’t be sure with the lights behind her, from where he sat it looked like she was no longer wearing her bikini.
Her curvy body called to him. He couldn’t deny how beautiful she was. What was she doing there? When Ava dropped her coverall and stood before him naked, he got his answer.
Devlin was too turned on to think. He could feel his thick cock growing hard beneath the sheets. When his hand slid to it above the covers, Ava took it as a signal. As she approached, Devlin had one thing on his mind. He couldn’t stop himself from fucking her if he tried.
Ava climbed on top of him immediately finding his lips with her own. Devlin’s mind swam in the sensation. Feeling her bare breasts against his naked chest he opened his mouth. Clasping the side of her head in his palm he pushed his tongue in search of hers. When he found it, the two swirled around one another. Devlin’s heart thumped in reply.
Kissing Ava harder, Devlin wrapped his arm around her back and rolled her over. On top of her, his naked ass tingled in the cool beach air. He was completely hard and he wanted Ava to know that. If she had come simply to tease him, she had made a mistake. There was going to be nothing that would stop him from making love to her once he started. If she didn’t want this, she was going to have to get out now.
She didn’t. Instead of fleeing, she pulled Devlin closer. Grabbing his ass she thrust her groin against his cock. Separated by the sheet, it frustrated both of them. And the minute that Devlin lifted his hips, Ava pulled out the sheet.
As their naked bodies pressed against each other’s, Devlin nearly lost his breath. Slipping one knee between her legs, he rubbed his cock against her thigh. He loved the feeling of his dick against her.
Craving more of her, he inserted his second knee and spread her legs apart. A rush of heat washed through his body. She was going to let him fuck her. Moving the tip of his cock closer to her pussy, he released her lips and slid his body up hers.
As the tip of his cock found her pussy, Devlin could barely contain himself. This was the last thing he expected when he made plans to come to the Bahamas. Devlin loved this. Feeling her warm glove consume his cock, Devlin grabbed her ample breasts and pinched her nipple.
“Ahhh,” Ava moaned overcome with pleasure.
Devlin slid his thick cock into Ava pulling her apart. Ava’s mouth dropped open in surprise of how long he was. Her body tingled taking all of him, and Devlin’s cock throbbed pleasurably as it was strangled by her vagina.
When Devlin couldn’t push in any further, he pulled his hips back until her pussy lips kissed his head. Almost withdrawn, he thrust his long cock back in. His bow strummed the inside of Ava making her bellow. Devlin crackled with pleasure. Squeezing her breasts, he fucked her forcefully. He lost himself in the sensation.
Nearing orgasm, Devlin lifted Ava into his strong arms and flipped her over. Setting her on her knees, he slid his hand down her back grabbing her hair. Gripping enough to let her know that he was there, he held his cock and directed it back towards her pussy. Tugging at her curls he pushed himself into her. She shimmied under Devlin’s forceful hand. And when he knew that she had completely submitted to him, he put both of his hands around her waist and fucked her hard.
With the base of his large cock stroking her G-spot, Ava couldn’t hold out for very long. Shrieking with pleasure, Ava ushered Devlin to release. The orgasmic sensation rushed up the inside of his leg and rattled his balls. Clutching her waist tighter, he slammed his groin against her ass drawn into a powerful orgasm.
Devlin’s mind swam and the pleasure ripped through him. He hadn’t had an orgasm like that in years. It was Ava’s beautifully round body that had done it. He loved holding onto her. It made him feel like he was making love with a real woman.
Exhausted and drunk, Devlin slumped forward onto Ava’s back. Unprepared for his weight, Ava collapsed. Wrapping his arm around the woman, Devlin couldn’t think of anywhere else he would want to be. The feeling was seductive. And within a few moments, the pleasure and the alcohol lured Devlin to sleep.
When Devlin woke up the next morning, it took him a moment to remember where he was. As it came to him, he realized that he was on an estate in the Bahamas and he had come there for something important. It was then that he remembered his meeting with Sergio. What followed was a memory of having sex with Sergio’s wife.
Devlin’s eyes popped and looked around. His bed was empty. As much as he would have preferred that the sex hadn’t happened and that it had all been a dream, he knew that it had. He had had sex with the wife of the man he was trying to convince to buy his companies. How could he have done that? How could he have been so stupid?
Devlin propped himself up trying to figure out what he should do. The deal was definitely dead if Ava mentioned what had gone on. Not only that, he was in a foreign country where he didn’t know the laws. It was possible that Sergio could have Devlin shot or something for sleeping with his wife. Devlin didn’t know, and he didn’t know what he should do.
Deciding that it was probably best for him to leave the estate as quickly as quickly as possible, he threw on some clothes and looked for a bathroom. To Devlin surprise, there wasn’t a bathroom in his room. How could that be? They were staying on what had to be a multimillion dollar estate. How could his cabana lack a bathroom?
The question seemed less consequential the longer he needed to pee. He would consider the practicality of the estate’s design when he was safely on a flight back to New York.
Crossing the surprisingly cold sand barefoot, he spotted what had to be a communal bathroom. Entering, he was right. The interior was both modern and luxurious, though, at that moment, he would have settled for a hole in the ground. Relieving himself and turning his mind towards his escape, he left the bathroom and headed back to his room.
“Devlin!” He heard someone yell from behind.
Turning, he spotted Sergio. Heat pulsed through his body. He searched Sergio’s face for anger. He found none. Perhaps his wife hadn’t told him about their indiscretion.
“Listen, Devlin, I wanted to apologize about last night,” he began as he approached.
“Apologize? For what?” Devlin asked sincerely.
“I might have been a bit of an asshole when we spoke. I know that you came down here to convince me to purchase your companies. I wasn’t respectful of that. Your companies have value. That’s why I instructed my board to do the research they had.
“I’m simply a little apprehensive about the structure of the deal. You are requesting a lot of stock in my company in exchange. With each part of my company that I give away, I retain less control. I’m not willing to give up something so dear to me to just anybody.” Sergio paused and smiled. “My wife tells me that I have trust issues.”
Staring at Sergio, Devlin was starting to see a way of resetting things. “That’s okay. How about if we say that whatever happened before right now, is the past? From this moment we create a new future?”
Sergio smiled. “I would like that. A new beginning.” Sergio offered Devlin his hand and Devlin gripped it firmly. “Now, how about you get dressed and join me for breakfast. I was going to head out on the boat today. If you want to come with me, you’re going to need to fill up.”
“Will do,” Devlin said before heading back to his room.
‘What was going on?’ Devlin asked himself confused. Ava couldn’t have mentioned what had gone on between the two, and it didn’t seem that Sergio had figured it out. How long could he get away with this? Would it be long enough for Devlin to close the deal? Devlin decided that there was only one way to find out.
When Devlin arrived at breakfast he saw someone he wasn’t expecting. Ava was there. Wearing her beach coverall and bikini, she sat at Sergio’s side watching Devlin as he approached. Devlin wavered under the prickly heat of her gaze. But unwilling to be deterred, Devlin took a seat opposite the two and waited for the server to bring him his meal.
It was practically a feast. Devlin walked away stuffed. Instructed to change into something a little more yacht worthy, Devlin left and then met the two at the familiar SUV. The couple was seated in the backseat so Devlin joined the driver in the front. They were being driven by the man who had picked him up from the airport.
“How are you all doing on this fine day?” the driver asked.
“We’re doing fine, Alfred. We’re heading to the yacht club,” Sergio said.
Devlin remained quiet during the short trip there. Occasionally he would peer into the rearview mirror. The moment he did, Ava’s eyes would bounce up and lock with his. He would then immediately look away. He wasn’t sure what type of game she was playing, but he had no time for it with a billion dollars on the line.
Walking down the dock to the yacht, Devlin was impressed. “What type of boat is it?” He asked.
Sergio looked at him with a smirk. “The kind that sails,” he said sarcastically. “I like to rent it whenever I’m down. There is no more beautiful water than the ones around these islands. It’s no wonder that this island became the first center of trade in the new world.”
Devlin’s attention piqued when he heard mention of the “new world”. This was his favorite topic. He had always been fascinated with that time in history. It was practically a dream come true for him to now be sailing the same seas that Blackbeard and Calico Jack did. To Devlin, these were legends.
“Good morning,” the man dressed in a captain’s uniform said as the three boarded the seventy-foot sailing yacht.
“Good morning,” Devlin and the others replied.
“If it is okay with you, we’ll cast off in ten minutes,” the captain said to Sergio.
“That would be fine,” Sergio agreed.
Devlin left the couple and explored the upper deck. The boat was beautiful. Not having come from money, Devlin had taken up sailing at University. He had always imagined himself making billion-dollar deals while sailing on a yacht. Now it was a reality. And looking out at the perfect blue water that curved into the horizon, his reality was even better than his fantasy.
When the boat set sail, Devlin imagined what it would be like if this was his yacht. He imagined himself instructing the captain or even better manning the wheel himself. He was sure that he could learn how to sail a ship like this. He considered how amazing it would be if he did.
“So, do you want to tell me about your deal again?” Sergio asked approaching him from behind.
Devlin turned staring into Sergio’s eyes. His first impression had been correct. Sergio was a very good looking man.
“I would like that. But, of course, how could I not? After all, I am one of those “sales types”,” Devlin said with a smile.
Sergio laughed. “We both know you are,” he said jokingly.
Devlin dove into his presentation again. This time Sergio seemed more receptive. Although he liked Sergio’s new attitude, Devlin wondered why it had changed.
The conversation continued unforced until one of the deck hands handed them drinks. After that, they retreated to the couch. The conversation picked up again until Ava arrived and sat next to Sergio. Feeling her staring at him, Devlin stammered to a stop ending their conversation. An awkward silence followed.
Seeming to enjoy the awkwardness she had caused, Ava leaned over and touched her husband’s shoulder. “Do you know where we should take him, Dear? We should take him to Blackbeard’s tower.”
As uncomfortable as Devlin was feeling, it all suddenly disappeared as his ears perked up. “What’s that?” He asked eagerly.
“It’s somewhere we like to go sometimes,” Sergio explained. “Ava knows that I have a bit of an obsession with all things pirate related.” Sergio turned to Ava. “We wouldn’t want to bore our guest. He wouldn’t be interested in anything like that,” Sergio told her.
“I’m sorry, what’s Blackbeard’s tower?” Devlin asked with building anticipation.
Sergio’s eyes locked on Devlin’s trying to figure him out. “Are you familiar with the pirate Blackbeard?”
“Absolutely. I am a bit of a pirate fanatic myself. Nassau was his mainstay,” Devlin explained.
Sergio’s eyes widened. “Exactly. And it turns out that he built a tower so that his men could keep watch of the harbor. It still exists. The locals call it Blackbeard’s tower and as amazing of a spot as it is, it’s buried deep in the bush. Hardly anyone knows about it.”
“It’s on Nassau?” Devlin asked surprised. “It’s on the opposite end of the island. We can stop there if you want,” Sergio offered.
Devlin could barely contain himself. He knew he had to remain cool but this was beyond a dream come true. He had spent half of his childhood either pretending to be a pirate or reading about them.
“You don’t know how much I would like that,” Devlin explained.
Sergio looked at Devlin with the enthusiasm of a twelve-year-old. “Then we’ll have to go.”
The two men got along incredibly well after that. As they sailed around the island, they tested each other on their knowledge of pirate trivia. Sergio knew quite a bit, but he was no match for Devlin. What Sergio did win, though, was their comparison of pirate memorabilia. With all of Devlin’s money wrapped up in his two companies, the only thing Devlin could afford was an authentic pirate sword from 1789. Sergio, on the other hand, described a room full of artifacts. Just hearing about it made Devlin sexually aroused.
“That’s amazing!” Devlin said looking at Sergio in a new light.
“I’ll have to show you some time.”
“I would like that,” Devlin said realizing that he had become lost in Sergio’s eyes. “Are we, here?” Devlin asked trying to not to look like a teenage girl with a crush.
Sergio looked around. They had docked. “We’re close. It’s about a half mile away. We’ll walk from here.”
The path to Blackbeard’s tower was more treacherous than Devlin had imagined. It wasn’t the jungle that made it treacherous, it was the street that lacked sidewalks. As he walked, Devlin chuckled thinking that if they were hit by a car, a fraction of the world’s wealth would be wiped out in an instant. It was a completely unnecessary risk, but how could he not take the risk considering that he would get to see Blackbeard’s tower?
“It’s down there,” Sergio said as they approached a small path between two bush-lined yards.
Standing on the outside, Devlin looked down the path. It wasn’t much of a path, but it looked like that at one point it had been covered in asphalt. That was many years ago, though. Now it was just a hollowed out space with vines hanging down like snakes. It creeped Devlin out but there was no way he wasn’t going in.
Sergio took the lead with his wife right behind him. Heading up the rear, Devlin kept looking back to ensure that the trees wouldn’t swallow him. The vines seemed to hiss and reach for him, but that was it. After two hundred feet and more foliage than Devlin had walked through in decades, they poured out onto a clearing with a stone tower rising up from the ground below.
“Welcome to Blackbeard’s tower,” Sergio said as he turned around and smiled.
Devlin wasn’t sure if he had ever been this excited. He felt like a kid again. “Can we go inside?” He asked as if he were asking his dad.
“No one has stopped us yet,” Sergio replied with the same childlike innocence.
Devlin circled the round structure. It was a little less than twenty feet wide and on the backside was an entrance. Inside there were wooden stairs, but over a hundred and fifty years old, the wood looked rotted.
“Is it safe?” Devlin asked.
“The stairs? No. But that hasn’t stopped me yet,” Sergio admitted.
Devlin stepped forward and tested the first step. After it held, he stepped up testing the next. Each passing the test, Devlin ascended higher. Eventually stepping onto the stone upper platform, Devlin walked around imagining the infamous Captain Blackbeard standing where he stood. His heart thumped with excitement. He barely knew what to do with himself.
When Sergio joined him at his side, Devlin looked at him and considered kissing him. He wasn’t sure where that impulse had come from but it was strong. He could kiss Sergio on Blackbeard’s tower. How epic would that be?
Devlin felt his cock grow hard thinking about it. What made Devlin harder still was the way Sergio looked back at him. The billionaire who had spent the night before telling him how horrible he was for being a “sales type,” was now looking at him like he wanted to be kissed. What was going on? Devlin had no explanation. But at the same time, he wasn’t complaining about it either.
“What are you two doing up there?” Ava asked from below.
“Why don’t you come up and find out?” Sergio suggested.
“You know I’m not going to,” she said bitterly.
Sergio turned to Devlin. “She’s afraid of heights.”
“Then she definitely doesn’t want to be up here,” Devlin confirmed.
“We’ll be down in the second,” Sergio replied.
Sergio looked at Devlin again with a devilish smile. He really did look like he wanted to be kissed. Pulling away, though, he ran his fingers across the carved initials in stone walls.
“It’s amazing isn’t it?” Sergio asked.
“I think it will be the most amazing thing I do all year. I think I could die right now and be happy.”
“Hold that thought. We still have to get down,” Sergio joked.
In spite of Sergio’s warning, both men descended the stairs without issue. While Devlin continued to admire the structure, Sergio retreated to his wife wrapping his arm around her. The tower had aroused Sergio as much as it had Devlin. Kissing his wife’s cheek, the two looked like they needed to get a room.
“Should we go?” Devlin asked the two.
Sergio looked over at Devlin and smiled. “Let’s.”
Devlin followed the two back down the dense path and then onto the street. Feeling the wind of the passing cars as they walked, it was a miracle they arrived at the dock safely. Crossing the dock and re-boarding the ship, the excitement of everything had put Devlin into an amorous mood.
Casting off, the captain redirected the ship to their original destination, Rose Island. An hour later they had arrived. Lacking a dock, the three took a dinghy to shore. And more relaxed than he had been, Sergio scooped his wife into his arms and jumped into the water still clothed. Not wanting to be left out, Devlin whipped off his shirt and dove in after them.
Although the two were very involved with each other, when they got the chance, each would glance back at Devlin giving him a look. Ava’s seemed to make reference to their night together, while Sergio’s seemed flirtatious. Devlin didn’t know which he enjoyed more. Ava was gorgeous, but Devlin had to admit that Sergio was extremely hot as well.
Devlin certainly wasn’t gay, but he had always thought that some men were just hot. Their hard bodies and chiseled faces were beautiful by any measure. And the thought of holding one of those hot guys in his arms and slowly sliding his cock into them had been something that Devlin had often fantasized about. He wasn’t sure if that was what Sergio was suggesting with his glances, but everything about the day had planted that thought in Devlin’s mind.
The three splashed around in the water and talked. As they did, Devlin realized that there was quite a bit more to Sergio than just being a businessman. Like Devlin, he was practically a fanboy for all things pirates. But past that, he could also relate to Sergio’s mistrust of people. The more they talked, the more Devlin realized that Sergio had secrets. It wasn’t something that Sergio mentioned directly, but Devlin’s guess was that the secrets had to do with his feelings towards men.
“Do you ever feel that there’s something about you that you can’t tell anyone else?” Sergio asked Devlin when Ava took a swim down the beach.
Devlin stared at Sergio wondering what exactly he was referring to. “Sometimes. What about you?”
Sergio looked away pretending to search the sea floor. “I do. Sometimes there are things that I want to scream to the heavens. There are things I want the whole world to know. But men like you and I are in positions where we can’t show weakness. It’s easy to be trapped by your own success.”
Sergio looked up and stared at Devlin. When their eyes met, Devlin’s heart fluttered. He was sure he knew what Sergio was talking about. Wading just a few feet from him, Devlin desperately wanted to step over, grabbed him and lock his lips on Sergio’s. It took everything in him not to.
“Yeah. It can be hard,” Devlin agreed. “There are so many things that men like us have to push away even when it’s standing in front of us,” Devlin said as his heart raced.
The two men stared at each other bobbing forward as if fighting for the courage to do what they so desperately wanted to do. And just when it seemed that Devlin had found his nerve, the spell was broken by the approaching splashes of Sergio’s wife, the woman he had made love to the night before.
With guilt and confusion now stirred into his feelings, Devlin backed off. Why had he had sex with Sergio’s wife? It had made everything a mine field. Devlin had to pull himself together. He had to remember why he was there. This was a business trip and a billion dollars were on the line.
This time it was Devlin’s turn to swim away. A hundred feet down the beach he stood. Looking back, he caught Sergio looking at him. It made his heart race.
When Sergio quickly looked away, Devlin wondered what Sergio was thinking. His cock grew hard considering the possibilities but Devlin knew that he had to pull himself together. The rest of his life depended on what he would do next. He had to fight off whatever it was that he felt and remain focused.
Devlin left the water and spent the next hour exploring the island. Not only was the water crystal clear but the sand was a perfect shade of cream. Along with the endless groove of palms and coconut trees, this was as close to an island paradise as anyone could get.
Returning to the beach, Devlin spotted his two hosts sitting in the dinghy. Knowing that it was time to go, Devlin headed to it and got in.
The three were silent as they motored back to the yacht. The mood had changed. Devlin couldn’t quite put his finger on how, but something had shifted and now Devlin was scared to speak.
Getting back on board without a word, Devlin headed to the bar.
“Gin and vodka,” Devlin told the bartender.
Taking the drink and laying on the cushions at the bow of the ship, he stared up at the cloudless sky wondering what the hell he was going to do next. Every so often he would scan the deck looking for the others. He always caught Sergio’s gaze when he did.
The brief exchanges made Devlin want to drink more. What was going on? How was he supposed to respond to this? Would acting on his feelings destroy any chance he would have of making a deal? Or had following his lustful impulses the night before already made achieving his dreams impossible?
Devlin kept his distance from the two until their boat was again docked where they had begun. Following the couple off, the three got into the waiting SUV and headed back to the estate.
“How was it?” Alfred asked the trio.
When Devlin didn’t hear a response coming from the backseat, he spoke up. “It was incredible. We went to see Blackbeard’s tower. Have you ever been?”
“I’ve heard of it. Where is it again?”
“On the other end of the island, I think.”
“No, I’ve never been there.”
“It’s amazing. I don’t think I’ll forget the trip for as long as I live.”
Devlin wanted desperately to look back to see if Sergio had heard him. His shoulder tingled like there was someone staring at him, but he couldn’t be sure. In spite of however the mood had changed, Devlin wanted Sergio to know that they had given him something incredible. They had given him a memory that he would cherish forever. And, no matter what happened with their deal, this day would always hold a special place in his heart.
“Dinner will be served at 7:30,” Sergio told Devlin as the two got out of the car. “If you’d like to join us, we’ll be eating where we ate breakfast.”
“Thank you. I will certainly be there,” Devlin agreed.
“Then I’ll see you then,” Sergio said before leading his wife away.
Devlin returned to his room, plopped himself onto the bed, and laid trying to figure out what the hell he was doing. Yes, Sergio was hot and the energy between the two was unmistakable. But there was no way that he could let a few lustful feelings for another man derailed his life’s work. He would join the two for dinner, but for the rest of his time there, it would be all business. He had made enough mistakes as it was.
“Good evening,” Devlin greeted the two already seated at the table. The two replied back in kind.
“So, you enjoyed the trip?” Ava asked to Devlin’s surprise.
As much as he had promised himself that he would keep things professional, he was suddenly filled with a rush of warmth as he remembered the tower and the picturesque island they had visited.
“It was all phenomenal. I can’t express to you how much I enjoyed it. It will be a trip that I remember forever.”
“Good,” Ava said. “Sergio was worried that you hadn’t enjoyed yourself.”
Devlin’s heart sank at the thought. “Oh, no. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Standing where my idols had stood a hundred and fifty years ago made me think things that…,” Devlin didn’t know how to explain what he was feeling. “It awoke something in me.” Devlin shook his head unable to explain himself further.
“I’m glad,” Sergio said before locking his gaze on Devlin.
As the two stared at each other, the fire between the two ignited. Devlin wasn’t going to be able to fight off his feelings. He knew that now. The rumbling within him was getting stronger. He needed to touch the man who sat an arm’s length away. He needed to kiss him.
Devlin tore into his lobster dinner like an animal. The food was fantastic. Dripping in butter and seasoned to perfection, Devlin couldn’t imagine anything tasting better. In fact, everything around him looked brighter. It was like all of his senses were turned up a notch. The colors were more vivid and the smell of the salty night air was inescapable. Devlin felt alive and aggressive. And every time he looked up at the gorgeous man and found him looking back, his cock jump with excitement.
With dinner done and the table being cleared for dessert, Devlin could barely stand to look at Sergio anymore. He wanted him so badly. It was like he could smell his musk no matter where he turned. Each breath was intoxicating and mixed with the alcohol, it took everything in him to not launch across the table and fuck him in front of his wife.
“Could you grab me a jacket, Dear?” Ava asked Sergio drawing Devlin’s attention. “You know which one I like.”
“Of course,” Sergio said pushing out his chair and getting up.
Devlin’s heart raced as he watched what was going on in front of him. He knew that this was his opportunity though he wasn’t sure for what. When Sergio rounded the corner out of sight, Devlin felt restless. He couldn’t just sit there. He had to do something. But what?
“If you will excuse me for a moment, I have to wash my hands,” he told Ava before getting up and heading towards the bathroom.
Heading in the same direction as Sergio, Devlin watched him enter his cabana. Devlin had full intentions to go to the bathroom, but as he got closer, without thinking, he suddenly changed direction. His heart raced as he followed Sergio to his cabana. Why was he going there? What would he do once he arrived?
Without thinking, Devlin opened Sergio’s door and stepped in. Sergio, who stood in front of the closet, stopped and looked at Devlin surprised. Devlin’s heart felt like it would explode. Racing across the room, Devlin grabbed Sergio’s neck and kissed him. The feeling was an explosion. The heat generated made Devlin sweat. And wanting to climb into the man, Devlin teased open Sergio’s mouth and pushed in his tongue.
Their two tongues swirled around the other. They began pulling at each other. Devlin, whose free hand clutched Sergio’s back, pulled their bodies together pressing his hard cock onto Sergio.
Feeling Devlin’s cock, Sergio moaned. The sound sent Devlin into a fury. Separating their bodies and grabbing at his shirt, Devlin undressed Sergio pushing him back onto the bed.
Landing on his back, Devlin straddled him. Reaching up and grabbing his shirt, Sergio pulled at the cloth. Soon both men were shirtless.
Tossing the shirt aside, Sergio next reached for his lover’s face. Pulling Devlin to him, their naked chests touched. Below, both men’s clothed cocks were hard. Once they touched, neither man could stand to be away from the other a second longer.
Knowing what would happen next, Devlin reached down and grabbed Sergio’s cock. It was the first time he’d ever touched another man dick. He loved the sensation. He felt so powerful doing it. He stroked the thick man. Then, unable to delay it a moment more, he unsnapped his lover’s pants and pushing them down.
Feeling Sergio’s naked cock on his fingertips for the first time, he couldn’t kiss his lips anymore. Kissing his neck and then his ear, he trailed down his body to his waist. When his head was at Sergio’s cock, he pressed his lover’s flesh against his cheek. The sensation was magnificent. Taking a deep breath he could smell his salty pre-cum. And when the warmth of Sergio’s cock burned into Devlin’s soul, Devlin traced his lips along his lover’s dick and allowed Sergio’s head into his mouth.
About to do something he had fantasized about for so long, Devlin couldn’t breathe. Parting his lips, he stuck out his tongue. Tracing its tip along the ridge of Sergio’s head, Devlin’s lover gasped. Bewitched by the sight, sounds, and smells, Devlin consumed Sergio’s cock pushing it onto the back of his throat. Sergio groaned with pleasure as Devlin completely gave in to his desires.
Using his strength, Devlin suddenly flipped over the smaller man. Lifting him onto his knees, he stared at his ass. Sliding his fingers between his cheeks, Devlin found his asshole. Positioning on it, he pushed. Sergio exhaled. Devlin pressed harder liking his reaction. And when his finger entered the Spaniard with a pop, Sergio spoke.
“Wait,” the smaller man said.
Devlin paused surprised. He watched as Sergio pulled away and slid up to the nightstand on the side of the bed. Collecting something from the drawer, he returned and handed it to Devlin. Devlin stared at the bottle. It was lube. Sergio was telling Devlin that he wanted him to fuck him. Devlin’s clothed cock twitched with excitement.
Quickly pulling off his pants, Devlin kneeled behind Sergio and lubed up his fingers. Lathering his cock and then slipping it between Sergio’s cheeks, Devlin could barely contain himself. Slipping one finger inside of his lover and then another, Sergio bucked. But clutching his toned waist, Devlin restrained him, removed his fingers and then placed the head of his cock on the ridge of his opening.
Gripping Sergio’s waist with both hands, Devlin closed his eyes about to do something he had thought about for so long. Thrusting his hips forward he felt Sergio’s tight hole swallow his cock. Devlin felt it around every inch of him.
It felt miraculous. The feeling took his breath away and made his chest tingle. Leaning forward, he laid his chest on Sergio’s back and wrapped his arms around him. Then with Sergio locked in his arms, he tilted his hips back and then thrust again.
With the two men laying skin on skin, Devlin slowly fucked the good looking man like he had always dreamed. Devlin’s mind spun frenetically. Releasing his chest and straightening up, Devlin touched Sergio’s thigh and increased his pace. Now pounding his ass, Sergio groaned wantonly. Devlin had never felt such pleasure. He could have cum right there if he didn’t next hear the bedroom door open.
Still fucking his lover, Devlin turned around. Into the room walked Ava. His thrusts slowed as his mouth dropped open. What was she doing here and what was he supposed to do? Would she be angry? Would she be jealous?
She wasn’t. She was delighted. She looked like this was what she had always wanted. Seeing that, Devlin smiled and nodded her over.
Devlin didn’t have to invite her twice. Quickly joined Devlin, Ava kneeled on the bed facing him. Still fucking her husband, Devlin took hold of the back of Ava’s neck. Kissing her, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. He kissed her like he had kissed her husband moments before.
Moving his hand to her breasts, he slipped it under her bikini. Reaching behind her freeing her tits, Devlin bent down and took her nipple in his mouth. As Devlin sucked, Ava slipped her fingers between her legs and rubbed. She moaned with pleasure.
Devlin, sliding his hand down her back, next grabbed her ass. As he did, he slid his other hand under Sergio and grabbed his cock. Continuing to fuck Sergio, he sucked Ava’s tit, and stroked Sergio’s cock. It was then that he had an idea.
“Get beneath him,” Devlin ordered Ava.
She was only too happy to comply.
First slipping off her bikini bottom, she pushed her way beneath her husband. Devlin watched the couple as she did. She moved like they had never done this before. They looked delighted and intensely excited. So when Sergio took hold of the back of Ava’s legs and pulled her pussy to his cock, she didn’t need any more foreplay to allow her husband’s cock to slide in.
With Devlin’s cock still in his ass, Sergio’s cock filled Ava’s pussy. The two men fucked like an accordion. It was by far the most pleasurable thing that Devlin had ever experienced. Leaning over and pinching each of their nipples, he felt the tingling rush up his inner thighs as Ava groaned and Sergio’s breaths became stilted. Devlin’s balls tingled ready to explode.
Ava was the first to burst. Tearing at the sheets and tightening her pussy, Sergio was next. “Ahhh,” he bellowed. And knowing that he had brought the gorgeous man so much pleasure, Devlin relaxed his cock and allowed his juices to blast Sergio’s insides.
“Ahhh yeeeaaaahhh!” Devlin screamed as he exploded into orgasm.
The three froze awash in pleasure until Devlin’s wobbling legs gave out and he collapsed. Landing on Sergio’s back, the three became a pile of naked flesh. The heat from their panting breaths washed over them. And Devlin wrapped his arms around the other two never wanting to let them go.
It was not until minutes later when Devlin’s cock shrunk out of Sergio’s ass that he did let them go. It was because Sergio was pulling away, not to leave the bed, but to give Devlin space to lay between the two.
Happily accepting the invitation, Devlin laid on his back and spread out his arms. Sergio and Ava, accepted his invitation climbing onto either side of him. Resting their head on his shoulder and wrapping their legs around one of his, they closed their eyes and breathed in his manly scent.
Content, Devlin wrapped his arms around them and pulled their naked bodies closer. He couldn’t imagine a better feeling than to have a gorgeous man on one arm and a beautiful woman on the other. He opened his eyes to see how it looked. The sight made his cock twitch. He was going to have to fuck one of them again. As he considered which, he slowly looked around the room.
The walls were designed to look like bamboo. The pitched ceiling was made of exposed wood and the walls were lined with art. Glancing at all of the paintings, there was one in particular that caught his eye. It was an abstract piece that screamed with emotion.
The pale oranges, the tangerines, the clouds of black, they spoke of pain. Yet, the way the colors were layered it also gave Devlin a sense of hope. The painting was beautiful. It was the perfect work of art for this moment.
As Devlin further stared at the painting, a new feeling overtook him, regret. It wasn’t for what had just happened, but for what had happened the night before. He had fucked Sergio’s wife. Now here they were lying together as if everything between them was innocent and perfect.
As much as he wanted to pretend like the night before hadn’t happened, it had. Devlin had to tell Sergio. It might ruin everything, but there was something about the painting that told him he did. It told Devlin that he had to be honest even if it meant destroying the moment and his billion dollar deal.
“Sergio, I have to tell you something,” he said breaking the silence.
“What’s that?” Sergio replied in a relaxed tone.
Devlin paused and looked over at Ava for a reaction. When she didn’t even knowledge him, he turned back towards Sergio.
“Something happened between Ava and me last night. I’m sure that it was my fault. You can’t blame your wife. With all of the alcohol that was flowing, I didn’t realize how much I had drunk. I made a decision that I regret making. I’m sorry.”
Sergio lifted his head and stared into Devlin’s eyes. Devlin stared back wondering if Sergio was about to punch him.
“Why did you tell me this?” Sergio questioned.
“I don’t know what else is going to happen between us, but I wanted it to start with us being honest with each other. Men like you and me have to hide a lot of things from the world. But with you lying in my arms, I didn’t want there to be any secrets between us. I wanted there to be at least one man with which I could truly be myself.”
Sergio stared at Devlin for a moment longer. Devlin’s heart pounded not knowing what the cuckolded man would do. Devlin was about to pull away and leave the bed when Sergio returned his head to Devlin’s shoulder.
“I know what you two did,” Sergio finally said. “Ava told me that she was attracted to you and I gave her permission to approach you. I decided that it would also be a test. First, would you be able to resist Ava? You were not. Second, would you tell me you had if something happened? You did.”
Devlin sat in the silence that followed processing what he had just heard. “So, you two sleeping with me was some type of test?”
“No, that was just bonus. I don’t know if you know this, but you are a hard man to resist,” Sergio explained.
“Then what was the test for?”
“To see if I could trust you with a portion of my company.”
“And?” Devlin asked, his heart thundering.
“I am going to instruct my board of directors to sign the deal. We are going to acquire your companies.”
Devlin was stunned hearing the words. He could never have seen it coming. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do next.
“On behalf of my companies, we accept your offer,” Devlin said knowing that those words had just made him a billionaire.
“I’m pleased,” Sergio said casually.
Sergio wasn’t the only one. With Devlin’s cock brick hard with excitement, he squeezed Sergio’s ass and reached his finger between Ava’s legs. Finding her swollen pussy lips, Devlin knew how he was going to celebrate the completion of a lifetime of goals. He was going to fuck the both of them again, and he was going to really enjoy it.
Devlin’s, Sergio’s and Ava’s night continued through to the next day. Devlin fucked them time and again and when he couldn’t fuck them anymore, they ate a meal and then started up again.
On the second day, Sergio announced that he and Ava would have to leave for a business conference in Switzerland. Announcing that his company’s lawyers would get him the paperwork by the end of the week, Sergio invited Devlin to stay in his bungalow for as long as he wanted. Having to get back to work himself, he decided to stay only another day. But wanting to do something a little different with the rest of his time, he decided to spend the day checking out the rest of the island.
Venturing past the airport and downtown, Devlin crossed the tall bridge entering Paradise Island. He had heard a lot about this place before arriving. There was a hotel on it called Atlantis and he saw its advertisements everywhere.
Strolling the harbor and the boardwalks he stumbled across a small art gallery. Entering and browsing the works, he gasped suddenly seeing something that took his breath away.
In front of Devlin were three paintings. Each was more stunning than the next. He didn’t know the name of the artist, but he was sure he knew who had painted them. It was the same artist who had painted the painting in Sergio’s bedroom.
Devlin stared at the pieces. They were incredible. Like the one in the bedroom, they spoke to him in a way that no other art ever had. Staring at them he almost cried.
“Do you like the paintings? They’re mine,” a voice said from behind him.
Snapped back to reality, Devlin pulled himself together and turned around. He wasn’t prepared for who he found. Standing in front of him was a young man who took his breath away. He wasn’t sure if he had ever seen someone so good looking.
Dumbfounded but fighting to speak, he asked, “What’s your name?”
“I’m Paulo. Paulo Lunn.”
As Devlin stared at the gorgeous man in front of him, his heart raced. Something inside of Devlin told him that his life was about to change. Devlin was right. His life was about to change forever. But, with Devlin’s new gained fortune, the question was, ‘how?’
*****
Chapter 1
(Joanna)
Joanna reached forward grabbing her foot as she was told. With it in hand, she pulled it towards her body. Martina, the instructor, had put her foot behind her head. Joanna didn’t see that happening. She didn’t see that ever happening. Joanna had a lot more body than Martina did between her thigh and her stubbornly resistant leg.
‘Yoga is not a sport for the chubby,’ Joanna thought to herself.
As Joanna held her foot stretching it slowly towards her face, she took a second to look around. Everyone else was thin and almost malnourished. They moved with a flexibility that Joanna both envied and hated. It was clear that no one around her had the proper respect for a double-glazed exceptionally prepared cronut. And that was more than just a shame, in her book that was criminal.
“Now let’s stand for a few sun salutations,” Martina informed everyone.
Joanna let go her foot and then rolled over onto her well-padded derrière. Pulling herself to a standing position, she debated how much of a mistake she had made by coming here. When something bad happened, most people talked about moving to Canada. Joanna was way too smart for that. Canada was really cold. She instead moved to the Bahamas.
Since she didn’t know anyone or anything about the country, after quitting her job and giving up her lease, she booked a two-week stay at the yoga retreat on Paradise Island. She didn’t know anything about yoga or Paradise Island either, but how bad could either of them be. Turns out, pretty bad.
It wasn’t that the island wasn’t beautiful. My God, it was the most beautiful place that Joanna had ever seen. What she didn’t take into consideration, though, was how little everyone would appreciate her need to satisfy her sweet tooth. Not only did this place not serve meat, but everything was raw and natural. And since Joanna had never seen a cronut growing in the wild, she imagined that her vacation would be spent eating nothing but salads.
‘I have got to get out of here,’ she thought again.
As everyone bent over laying their palms on the floor like crazy people, Joanna looked around, gathered her mat, and eased herself towards the door. She was just about there when her eyes skipped across someone she hadn’t seen from her position in the center of the class. It was a guy who didn’t look like all of the other vacationing yogis. He was clearly a native.
Slowing down and reconsidering her impulse to leave, she got a better look at him. Stretching in front of her shirtless, Joanna couldn’t help but reflect on the rippling motion of his pecs and six-pack. He was built like some sort of island God. His rich, dark tan and sun-bleached hair were only a part of it. His blue-gray eyes and the soulful look on his face was really what completed the package.
Although she had only been on the island for a few days it had been a long time since she had felt the strong touch of someone so drool worthy. She could’ve licked him dry like a lollipop. He was almost enough to make her spread out her mat and rejoin the class. Almost.
Moving closer to the door, she decided she was right the first time. Yoga was not a sport for the chubby. She needed to get out of there.
Leaving the small wood-slatted room she stepped onto the wooden walkway that snaked through the sand. As she did the sound of the ocean overtook her. If nothing else this place was definitely a dream. The entire campus was covered in soft white sand and canopied by swaying coconut palms. It truly was an island paradise. And if it wasn’t for all of the yoga, this would’ve made for an incredible vacation spot.
Joanna continued along the wooden walkway until eventually, she approached the door of her small room. The one thing she had been happy about was her choice for a single. She couldn’t imagine spending her two weeks there with one of those overly enthusiastic yoga people. They were nice enough and all, but, come on, take it down a notch.
Entering, she had a plan for what the rest of her day was going to entail. Slipping out of her loose-fitting yoga pants and top, she reached for her all too tiny bikini and put it on. Sure, some might say that a girl her size shouldn’t wear something so revealing. But screw them. She was on vacation at a place called Paradise Island. If she couldn’t let it all hang out here, where in the world could she?
Getting everything on and taking a second and third look in the mirror, Joanna was set. Wrapping a sarong around her midsection, she grabbed a towel, and book, and headed out. She really wasn’t planning on reading the book. It was more like a garnish.
Really, her plan was to lay in the sun and take a dip in the crystal clear water. But in case there were any hot guys walking by, she wanted to make the right impression. Her choice of fine literature? ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ Joanna figured that it would communicate correct impression.
Did Joanna need to get her groove back? The real question was, did Joanna have her groove in the first place? Did anyone have their groove at 23-years-old? Joanna couldn’t be sure. But Joanna knew what she liked, and she didn’t mind getting a little more of that.
Ascending past the mound that protected the campus from the constant sea breeze, Joanna exited the canopy of trees and stepped out onto the beach. Though it was winter, it was 80° outside and perfectly sunny. This truly was a magical place touched by the Gods. Finding a spot only a few feet from the splashing shoreline, she laid out her towel, set her book on the side and stretched out beside it.
Allowing the warmth to seduce her, she gave a thought to what she should really be doing. This wasn’t supposed to be a vacation no matter how much she needed one. She really should have been looking for a job and a place to live. She only had a couple hundred dollars and that was supposed to last her a few weeks. After she paid first and last month’s rent, she would barely have enough for food.
But that was all stuff that future Joanna had to worry about. This was present Joanna, and present Joanna needed her time in the sun. When five minutes passed, she turned over. 10 minutes after that, she got up unwrapped her sarong and then headed to the water.
As calm and placid as the beach usually was, it wasn’t quite that today. Certainly, it wasn’t anything that Joanna would have to worry about. It was still quite pleasant. But she would have to stand on guard that nothing surprised her from behind. Bobbing up and down she could stay in rhythm with the waves. And as long as she stayed away from where the waves crested, there was no risk of embarrassment.
Wading into the waist deep water, she looked down at her feet. They were both visible. In fact, the water was so clear that she could spot small fish swimming past her leg. She wondered if she should be nervous about that, but she decided that she could take them in a fight if she had to. She was a lot tougher than many people would have guessed. And certainly, a palm-sized fish would rue the day it messed with her.
As Joanna considered all of the fish that she could fight if she had to, her attention was drawn to the yoga center as the gong indicated the end of class. This was her chance to see if the gorgeous guy was staying at the yoga center or if he was from the mainland. The only way into the yoga center with luggage was by boat. But if you wanted to get there on foot, you had to enter via the beach. That path was steps away from where Joanna laid her towel.
Keeping her eyes locked on the path, Joanna bounced in the water. Not noticing the waves getting higher on her body, she suddenly spotted him. Still without his shirt on, he stepped onto the beach about to turn right towards Paradise Island’s main resort.
Joanna wondered if she should try to get his attention. It wasn’t just that he was gorgeous, though he definitely was incredibly hot. He could be a good contact for her. Who better to ask about the local real estate and job market than someone from the island?
Finding her courage, Joanna raised her hand and waved. He was passing her quickly and didn’t see.
‘Should I try to call to him?’ She asked herself. ‘Why the hell not?’
“Excuse me!” Joanna beckoned hoping that she hadn’t yelled too loudly.
It worked. The gorgeous man stopped and looked at her. Even at this distance, Joanna was mesmerized by his gaze. He had to be the most beautiful man she had ever seen. A smile crept across her face and she took a step forward out of the water just as, out of nowhere, a wave crested over her head and whipped her off of her feet.
In one moment she had been successfully flirting with a gorgeous guy, in the next, she was breathing in water and tumbling unaware of which way was up. ‘This had to be what it felt like to be in a washing machine,’ she decided. And not sure if she would ever find the surface again, one of her hands touched the sand. Moments later she was deposited six feet up the beach near the spot that her towel once laid.
Coughing up water, Joanna opened her eyes.
“Are you all right?” The man asked kneeling over her.
Still coughing, it took a moment for her to get her bearings. When she did, she recognized who it was. It was the gorgeous man. He had just watched her nose dive into a wave and get deposited onto the beach like a whale. That could have been the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to Joanna. That could have been, but it wasn’t.
“Miss, are you all right?” The man asked again.
Catching her breath, Joanna looked up into his face. His eyes really were mesmerizing. She laid staring at him wondering whether he might give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. When he didn’t make a move towards her lips, she instead decided to answer his question.
‘Was she alright?’ she wondered.
Checking in with her feet and then her legs, she felt fine. Moving up, she felt as though her tummy had been scratched but it hadn’t been enough to break the skin. Realizing that she hadn’t lost a finger or hand, she was about to declare herself fit for duty when she noticed something missing. Where the hell was her bikini top, because it sure as hell wasn’t covering her breasts?
With a gasp, Joanna whipped her hands onto her breasts. Humiliation washed across her face. She squeaked in terror looking into the gorgeous man’s eyes. When the man blushed, she realized that he had probably already gotten an eye full.
“Oh my God, where’s my top?” Joanna shrieked.
Apparently, whatever concern the gorgeous man had was gone because instead of concern, he was now holding back laughter.
“It isn’t funny,” Joanna demanded.
“You’re right. It’s not funny,” he said before giving into the hilarity of the moment.
She could see that he wasn’t being mean, but still, this was humiliating for her. He shouldn’t be laughing.
“You’re still laughing,” she pointed out.
“You’re right. I’ll stop. I just need to get that picture out of my mind.”
As he closed his eyes and then chuckled again, Joanna decided she couldn’t take anymore. With her hand still tightly pressed against her breasts, she got up and looked around for her missing everything. She spotted her bikini top thirty feet down the shore tumbling in the waves, and her towel and book thirty feet in the other direction. This was the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to her. There was no doubt.
Trying to decide which she should go after first, the gorgeous man spoke up.
“Let me get that for you,” he said trying to make amends.
Still too humiliated to move, Joanna stood there as she watched the man’s rippling body chase her too-tiny bikini top down the coastline. It was such like a man to go after that one first. The towel would have been able to cover her completely. The bikini top would do less than what her hands were already doing.
“I got it,” he said lifting the cloth above his head in victory.
Jogging back, he handed it to her and then gallantly chased her towel and book in the opposite direction. Wrestling the waves for possession of both, he collected them and her sarong and then brought them back to her.
“Here they are,” the man said cheerfully. “I don’t know how much use you’re going to get out of any of them.”
Joanna snatched all of it from the man holding it like a wet ball in front of her. She opened her mouth to say something and then again noticed the broad smile on his face. She probably should’ve thanked him. She even opened her mouth to do it. But when nothing came out, she blamed it on his way too telling grin.
Without a word, Joanna turned away from him and marched back towards her room.
“Look, I’m sorry,” he insisted. “I shouldn’t have laughed.”
“No you shouldn’t have,” she said finding her voice.
“You’re right. Let me make it up to you.”
Joanna slowed her march. Whipping back around, she faced him weighing her humiliation against everything else she wanted. Not sure whether she could accept his offer after what he had seen and done, she spoke apprehensively.
“And how are you going to do that?”
“Have you gotten a chance to see the island yet” he offered temptingly.
“Not yet,” she admitted suddenly holding her breath.
“Then let me make it up to you by showing you around,” he said with a puckish smile.
Joanna stared at him hesitantly. This was what she had wanted. In every other case this would have made it up to her, but he was hot and he had witnessed the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to her. How was she supposed to get over that? When he reached out his hand and touched her forearm saying “please,” she began to understand how.
“You’ll show me the mainland?”
“If that’s what you want, then sure.”
Joanna didn’t want to seem too excited about this. After all, she still had to show him that he had made a mistake by laughing at her. She wanted him to know that it was going to take more than just a tour around the island for her to forget that. But with his hand still on her arm, she admitted to herself that it wasn’t going to take much more.
“Fine. I’ll let you make it up to me.”
“Perfect.”
“But I don’t want you showing me around just because you feel sorry for me, or anything,” Joanna said suddenly feeling self-conscious about their arrangement.
“No, don’t worry about that. You just gave me an excuse. You were in the last yoga class, right? You’re the one who left?”
Joanna felt her cheeks warm. “Yeah, that was me. I don’t think I’m much of a yogi,” she admitted.
“I thought that was you. As soon as I saw you I was trying to come up with an excuse to offer to show you around. You just made it easy for me,” he said with another smile.
Joanna couldn’t kid herself, she liked his answer. As unfortunately as their relationship had started, she sensed it taking a wonderful new turn. With a smile, she continued towards the wooden path feeling him enter her wake. Was he planning on following her to her room? That was a little presumptuous of him, but feeling a bit of a thrill by the idea, Joanna didn’t stop him.
“What’s your name?” The man asked from behind her.
Joanna again felt a little embarrassed realizing that she had just agreed to be shown around the island by someone whose name she didn’t even know.
“Joanna.”
“Nice to meet you, Joanna. I’m Paulo. Is this your first time in the Bahamas?”
Joanna wanted to keep up her show of resistance, but she couldn’t. He was too hot and way too nice.
“This is my first time.”
“How long are you here for?”
That was a good question. Joanna wanted to be there for the rest of her life, but she did have a ticket for a return flight in ten days. Purchasing a round trip ticket was mandatory.
“Two weeks, maybe longer.”
“Cool. Where you from?” Paulo asked.
“North Carolina,” Joanna stated.
“That’s so cool,” Paulo exclaimed.
“It’s okay. I think I might like it better here.”
“It’s nice here. You should definitively stick around.”
As Joanna approached her door, she wondered whether or not she should invite him in. Would it be rude to have him stand outside while she changed? Maybe. But he had already seen her topless. What was the worst that could happen?
Joanna opened the door and allowed him to follow her inside. The room wasn’t large but there was somewhere for him to sit. He immediately moved to the plastic seat and got comfortable.
“I’m going to need to change into something else, so I’ll need you to look away,” Joanna said trying to hide how titillating the whole thing began to feel.
Without resistance, Paulo turned his head. “How have you liked it here so far?”
“Do you mean at the yoga retreat?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s okay. It wasn’t quite what I expected. I don’t think I’m a yoga girl.”