Suddenly, out of nowhere, music blasted through speakers and we jumped apart, the moment gone.
“Last one in the pool is a rotten egg!” Pierce yelled and off he went. I shook my head and laughed.
Damn him and his infectious ways.
I was in trouble.
Trouble I welcomed happily.
CHAPTER SIX
Pierce
Dinnerwith my family wasn’t great. The majority of the time, they shot questions at me about Zariah and if I planned on spending any time with them instead of running off.
“I like her. Is that such a bad thing?”
“No, of course not. But any type of relationship with her on this cruise isn’t real. You do understand that, right?” my mom asked as she squeezed my hand.
“It doesn’t have to be.”
Annie sighed. “How old is she, anyway?”
The one question I dreaded. “Thirty-five.”
My mother blanched and looked at my father like I confessed to a murder or something.
“What does a thirty-five-year-old woman want with a twenty-five-year-old? Nothing good, I bet,” Leah stated as she speared a piece of broccoli with her fork. “Annie, you’re the same age. Would you date a twenty-five-year-old?”
“Hell no. Don’t get me started on the immaturity levels.”
“Hey now,” I said. “That’s not fair. I’m mature for my age.”
“Yeah, you are. But most aren’t. And the more important question is, what does she want with a twenty-five-year-old?” My parents nodded along with Annie’s statements as did Leah. Tracy didn’t say much besides a few glances my way.
“Alright, I get it. You all made your points. But we aren’t dating. We’re having fun. I’m old enough to choose who I want to spend my time with. I promise to spend more time with you guys, too.”
We finished our meal over good conversation, but I couldn’t ignore the bad taste I was left with. My sisters insisted on ordering dessert, which took forever.
But finally, I broke away after telling them I wanted to check out the theater and caught Zariah before she left.
My parents and sisters could down talk Zariah all they wanted because of her age but it didn’t change the way she made me feel.
They couldn’t possibly understand, they weren’t inside me.
Tonight, I was going to do what I’ve been waiting to do since I laid my eyes on her yesterday.
Kiss my girl.
“I don’t knowhow much longer I can stare at you in that bikini and not rip it off.” My hands gripped Zariah’s waist as I pulled her flush against me in the pool. “This is crazy. I’ve known you for less than two days and…” I trailed off. I was getting ahead of myself.
“And what?” she whispered as she slid her arms around my neck.
I was tired of talking. I wanted action and lots more of it.
I dipped my head lower. I wasn’t waiting any longer.
When our mouths connected and I tasted her sweet, plump lips, it was like sampling the sweetest dessert imaginable, and I couldn’t get enough. We kissed and kissed under the glowing lights of the infinity pool, as people swam around us, drank cocktails at the pool bar, and loud music filled our ears.