I haven’t stopped thinking about her since the plane; how she felt against me, those pale blue eyes and soft skin, the sweet citrus smell of her hair. I’d tried so hard to get to her before she walked off the plane, but as soon as we landed, everyone immediately stood up from their seats and I lost her in the crowd. Part of me thought she may have been a figment of my imagination, an hallucination brought on by my lust after watching her for hours on the flight. I’d thought a girl like that only existed in my dreams. Now that she’s real, and only yards away from me, I’m not sure what to do with myself. Running into her like this seems like fate. This is my second chance with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, and I don’t plan to blow it—though, getting her to believe I’m not some perverted psycho might be a challenge in and of itself.
I listen as one of the girls calls the host and threatens him, demanding a refund. I feel a smile come to my face when it becomes clear that won’t happen. They debate whether or not to go to a hotel and agree that it’s far too expensive after they’ve already paid in full for the house. Looks like I’ve put a pretty big kink in their all-girls vacation. But Channa has put a kink in my plans, too. I came here to focus on work and make as much money as I possibly can for the month that I’m here. The last thing I wanted was this kind of distraction. A girl like Channa brings so many temptations. I can already see my imagination running away while I’m working on the docks, daydreaming of that soft skin, what she’d taste like. And sleeping next door to her at night. Knowing she’s just feet away, maybe naked under the sheets. I’ll be hard for the next month. This doesn’t go well with operating heavy equipment on the harbor.
I step outside into the hallway and make my way into the sitting room where they’re huddled together, debating what to do. They don’t notice me, so I stand in the doorway observing, amused as they bicker back and forth.
“James will be furious if he finds out,” the redhead says. I’m guessing James is the boyfriend. I’m suddenly struck with the thought that maybe Channa has a boyfriend, too, and that’s why she’s so freaked out I’ll be staying here.
“Who cares?” says the blonde dismissively. “It’s not like you’re going to sleep with the guy. That’s Channa’s job.” She laughs at her own joke and Channa shoots her an angry look. “Maybe she’ll finally get laid and lose her virginity. Can you imagine losing your virginity to that sexy piece of ass in there?”
Channa, a virgin? I don’t believe that for a second. Girls like that don’t stay virgins that long.
“Lillian!” the redhead screeches.
I laugh, waiting for Channa’s reaction. She whips around when hearing my laughter, her face bright red.
“No. There’s no way I’m staying here,” she says, avoiding eye contact with me. “I don’t care how much it costs. I’m getting a hotel.
“Why?” I ask smugly. “Are you afraid your girlfriend’s predication will come true? That I’d be too hard to resist?”
Her eyes snap back up to meet mine, fresh anger colors her cheeks. Despite the fact that those eyes are shooting me a look to kill, they’re so beautiful, like bright blue oceans full of life. I could get lost in those eyes. I revel in the shocked expression, feeding off it. I could get addicted to this girl.
Channa sputters, and I can tell she wants to argue, but I stop her by saying, “Come on, you know it’s true. Why else would you try so hard to get away from me if you’re not afraid of what might happen sleeping under the same roof as me? It’s because you liked what happened on the plane, isn’t it?”
Her friends give her forceful, inquisitive looks. “What happened on the plane?” the blonde asks, everything about her curious expression demanding answers.
Channa ignores her and turns her glare on me. “You’re just a pervert.”
“That doesn’t sound like a denial.” I laugh and point to her. “You’re calling me a pervert, yet you’re the one walking around here, flaunting those.” She looks down at the exposed swell of her generous breasts practically spilling out of her robe, jiggling slightly each time she moves, then covers them quickly.
“I have no clean clothes. My bag is missing—never mind.”
The blonde holds her hands up. “Time out guys. Look, we can stand here and bicker and waste time, or we can get this vacation started.” Clearly this girl was a cheerleader at some point in her life. Her over-the-top enthusiasm seems to be too much for everyone else in the room suffering from jetlag. But none of us complain because she’s not wrong. “What’s your name?” she asks me.
“Kain.”
“You said you’re here for work. What do you do?”
“I work in shipping yards with heavy equipment.”
The redhead points at my arms. “Well I guess that explains the size of those guns.”
Channa slaps her on the shoulder. The redhead scowls.
“Hi Kain, nice to meet you. I’m Lillian, that’s Deb, and it seems you’ve already met Channa,” she says with a smirk.
I stare at Channa, but she refuses to make eye contact.
“Nice to meet you too,” I say.
I go back to my room to unpack. I can still hear them talking, especially Channa in her low, furious tone. I’m fascinated by her despite the fact that she seems to hate me. I
