Page 47 of A Mutually Beneficial Proposal

“No clue, but looks like more are coming,” I say. The water is rising and we’re in its way. I reach a hand to Ella, but she’s frozen.

“What’s wrong? Did something bite you? I’ll pee on you if I have to.” I’m only half-joking, but she doesn’t even crack a smile.

I look down in the water, but I don’t see anything. “Ella?”

“My bottoms are gone,” she whisper-yells.

“What?” At first, I have no clue what she’s talking about, but then I realize she means her swimsuit bottoms. I duck under the surface and begin swimming around her, but there is nothing floating in the water except some of the fish who dared to return.

“I don’t see them,” I say when I come back up.

Her voice rises in pitch. “I only have my sheer cover-up, Owen. I can’t go back to the hotel without my bottoms.”

She’s losing it, but I have an idea. “Come on. I’ll fix this.”

When I’m out of the water, I realize she hasn’t followed me. I go over to the bushes and yank on the big palm leaves. “We’ll cover you with these.”

“You’re out of your damn mind,” she snaps, narrowing her eyes.

I’m totally kidding, but it’s too good of a moment to pass on messing with her.

“Oh, I know. I can tie my shirt around you like a diaper. That should work perfectly,” I add.

“Owen,” she warns.

Her cheeks are growing redder by the second, so I decide to put her out of her misery. I take my jogging shorts off and my black boxer briefs with them. I put the shorts back on and dangle my briefs in front of me.

“You can wear these. Just roll them at the waist and put your cover-up back on. No one will be the wiser as long as we go right back to the room.”

Her glare lessens, and she exits the water. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Hey, I just saved you from wearing leaves back to the resort. I should be sexy as hell.”

She shrugs and tries to snatch the briefs from my hand. I hold on tighter and draw her toward me. “You know, since you’re already half-naked and we’re alone…”

She barks out a laugh. “Not a chance in fucking hell. I’m not getting sand anywhere near my vagina.”

I release the briefs. “What if you could make a pearl from said sand?”

Ella flips me off and takes a few steps away from me.

I shrug. “Hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying when he gets his eyes on that delectable pussy of yours.”

She’s fighting a grin while she yanks on the underwear. Instead of continuing to harass her, I grab her cover-up and slip it over her head once she’s standing straight. “All better?”

“Thank you for being my knight in shining armor,” she deadpans.

“You joke, but Prince Charming is my middle name,” I tease.

“Uh huh, and my full name is Cinderella. Come on, Prince. Let’s get back before I lose any more of my clothes.”

I grab my shirt and slip my shoes on, then follow her back up the trail, enjoying the sway of her ass in my briefs while she hikes ahead.

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