Page 4 of Three for Me? (Ménage and More 1)

A loud screech, followed by several splashes from the nearby pool caused Charli to jerk her hand back. “Thanks, Simon.” Her laugh sounded forced, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She took his T-shirt and finished wiping herself off before handing it back to him. “I think I’ve had a little too much to drink myself. Connie and Lori Ann are a bad influence.”

Simon stood, his expression affable as ever, unless she looked in his eyes. They were telling a different story. “Well, that’s why this floating party boat was such a good idea. No need to worry about having too much fun, Chuck. This time you won’t have to be the designated driver. Even though, you know me, I’d rather be camping.”

“I hear ya.” Thank heavens they were back on familiar ground. “Hey, make sure you tell the boys not to have too much fun tonight. I need all of you at your best tomorrow.”

“That’s right. The shore excursion in Cozumel.”

Charli nodded, rubbing her hands together. The Race Fantastique. Apart from the wedding, it was what had convinced her to hand the business over to the supervisors and come on this cruise. It was just like the television show, a scavenger hunt on speed. It would take brains and charm and stamina. And she had the perfect men for the job. “We’re going to win that race. We’re an unbeatable team.”

“Yes. We are. I’ll fill them in.”

Simon turned to walk away, his shirt balled up in his fists, and Charli groaned. What the hell was that? Other than one of the sexiest things that had ever happened to her. And how sad and pathetic was that truth? Very. Maybe when she got home from this vacation, she would rethink running a man through the friend gauntlet. She needed something, and it damn sure wasn’t a friendly peck on the cheek. Or finger sucking. Though that was nice.

Charli needed a man. One man. If she said that to herself enough times, she might start to believe it.

Chapter Two

The itinerary was changed.

We’ll meet our guides at the shore end of the pier

near the Three Amigos bar at four thirty. Fitting, eh?

—Eric and those other two losers

Four thirty? They were docking at two in the afternoon. Why had the schedule changed?

She wasn’t given time to think about it. Connie and Aunt Kelly showed up to whisk her away for a full day of spa treatments. She’d never even had a manicure before, sure it would be akin to torture but, it actually felt good.

After a facial, a body wrap, a deep-tissue massage and a mani-pedi, Charli felt like Jell-O. Happy, girly Jell-O. By the time she got back to her room and hopped in the shower, it was three fifty-five. She threw on shorts and a tank top, slipping her long brown hair into a ponytail as she ran down the pier toward the brightly colored shopping huts that made up Porta Maya, in Cozumel.

She walked inside the bar, looking for a familiar face. They weren’t here? Was she too late? She was about to ask someone the time when she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Ms. Rindel? Charli Rindel?”

“Yes?”

Charli turned around and looked up. And up some more. A beautiful dirty blond—he had to be barely legal—was smiling down at her. “Oh good. I’m Florenz, and I’ll be your guide and chief clue giver this evening. The cab with your teammates and the two other couples playing today just left. Shelly, my partner in crime, is keeping an eye on them while I waited for you and one other couple. And here they are now.”

Oh he had an accent. German by the sound of it. Gorgeous German jailbait. Speaking of hunks, why hadn’t they waited for her? That didn’t sound like them. “They told me four thirty.”

“It’s okay, ma’am. We won’t be but a moment behind them.” He led her into the waiting cab. “I promised Simon and the others that I would keep you safe.”

He turned to introduce himself to an adorable-looking couple. Honeymooners. And young too. When had it happened? When did people start calling her ma’am? She was only thirty-four. When had she suddenly become…older?

The couple joined her in the cab, and she introduced herself. The wife blushed and looked down shyly, but the man held out his hand to shake hers. “I’m Tim, and this is my wife, Dawn.”

Tim looked over his shoulder to the front of the cab, where Florenz was speaking in low tones to the cab driver. “So, Florenz. How did you get involved in this, um, game? It’s a little wild, isn’t it?”

Florenz flashed a bright smile in their direction. “I came to Cozumel on vacation, just like you. I signed up for the race and met Shelly. The rest is, as you say, history.”

Charli saw the momentary heat glimmering in his eyes. So he and his fellow tour guide were an item. How sweet. Tim turned back to her. “You seem very nice, Charli. But you should know that you and your boyfriend are going to lose. My Dawn and I have been practicing.”

Charli crossed her arms across her chest, her smile growing at his smug expression. “Don’t count on it, buddy. Me and my guys are pretty competitive.”

Her words drew Dawn’s large doe-eyed gaze up in surprise. “Your…guys? As in more than one?”

She nodded, and Tim pulled Dawn closer. “Well that’s very, um, modern of you, Ms. Charli. But I’m still confident. So confident I think we should make a wager. Two hundred says my Dawn and I come out the winners. Or at least, beat your time.”

Uh-oh. The poor guy didn’t know who he was dealing with. If she told the boys about the bet, and she would, they would move heaven and Earth to win it. That’s just how they were. “Make it two fifty, and you’re on.” They shook hands just as the cab came to a stop.

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