Page 41 of Cocky Cruiser

The man poured vinegar on my leg, and the stinging sensation eased. He eyed the area and observed, “Well, doesn’t look like any of the tentacles got stuck, so that’s good.” Handing me the packet, he stated, “When you get back to the ship, soak the area in hot water for twenty to thirty minutes, then put this hydrocortisone cream on it.”

I shook the man’s hand. “Thanks, brother.”

Adele and I returned our gear, then went back to our spots on the netting and laid out in the sun. “See, I told you I was fine,” I teased, turning my head to look at her.

She did the same, meeting my gaze. “Yeah, but I wanted to be sure you were okay. People do die from jellyfish stings, you know. Haven’t you seen that Will Smith movie?”

I smiled softly. Her concern for me made my heart warm. “Thank you for caring.”

We continued to stare at each other for a few seconds, and my heart rate sped up. My chest tightened, and my stomach clenched as number ten on Cara’s list flashed in my mind.

Fall in love.

Clearing my throat, I turned away to face the sky. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

I could still see Adele looking at me out of the corner of my eye. “Yeah, it is. Pretty perfect weather if you ask me.”

The crew called the rest of the snorkelers back to the boat after another ten minutes or so. They served us some kind of alcoholic fruit punch before setting sail.

The drink was pretty strong, and the crew kept the refills flowing. By the time we got back to the dock where the shuttle was, Adele was tipsy. She was giggling and throwing herself all over me, which I didn’t mind at all, but it was hard to keep my dick down with her pressing that fine body of hers against me.

I helped her walk down the dock toward the shuttle. “Thank you so much for bringing me on this cruise,” she slurred with a squeal of delight. “You are the best!”

I chuckled. She was adorable, especially when she was drunk. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” she said, lifting my hand in the air and doing a twirl under our joined hands.

I felt like the luckiest guy in the world. Adele was one of the most real, honest people I’d ever met. In Vegas and in the restaurant world, there was an excess of shallowness and cutthroat assholes. Adele was like a breath of fresh air in the smog of my routine, everyday life.

I wished I could be the man she deserved. I knew she would bring happiness to my life if I let her. But I couldn’t love her, and if anyone was deserving of love, it was Adele.

I wouldn’t hold her back from a full, happy love life. I’d live out the fantasy until the cruise was over, then let her go, no matter how much I didn’t want to.

Once we got back to our suite, Adele clumsily stripped me out of my clothes, then got down on her knees. “I know how to make you feel all better,” she said, looking up at me through lust-filled eyes.

“You don’t have to do that.” She took my cock in her mouth, ignoring my protest. “Fuck.”

And when she sucked me so damn good and swallowed my cum, I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to let her go as I’d planned.

Chapter Thirteen

Bora Bora was our last port in French Polynesia and the last stop before we had five sea days, so I really wanted to make the most of our day. I wasn’t looking forward to the cabin fever from being stuck on the ship for that long.

Even though Cohen kept me preoccupied with enough sex to last a lifetime.

Out of all the French Polynesian islands, Bora Bora was my favorite. All the islands were breathtaking, but Bora Bora had the most tropical island oasis feel. There was more water than land, and a beautiful volcano sat on the opposite end of the lagoon.

“I wish I could just stay here forever,” I commented as we walked around the port. Our excursion wasn’t until later in the afternoon, so we decided to explore a little bit.

“I don’t think I could do it. I’m so used to the fast-paced life in Vegas. I think I would get bored here,” Cohen stated.

My jaw dropped. “How could you get bored in paradise? Even though it’s not the same lifestyle, there’s still plenty to do and see. Think of all the adventures you could have.”

Cohen chuckled. “I definitely wouldn’t get bored with you around.”

I felt my face flush and butterflies filled my stomach as a giddy smile curved my lips. Hearing Cohen make statements like that gave me hope we could have something beyond the cruise.

We planned to go to a local craft market at the port to browse for souvenirs. As we walked, we passed a post office, a few cafes, the souvenir stores, and a gelato shop. “Can we get some gelato on our way back?” I asked.

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