Page 36 of Revenge Honeymoon

What poor timing. They were on a roll doing stupid stuff, which made her nerves melt away and turned Max into the most approachable hot guy she’d ever fantasized about.

“Got it.” Max backed toward the stairs. “See you at noon. Drinks, music, sun. What could be better?”

She waved then booked it for the little mall in the main atrium where she’d seen a few boutiques with clothing in the window. With Ruby awake, she wouldn’t have much time to be choosy. Grab some undies, pick out a decent one-piece—because curvy Emily only felt comfortable in a one-piece—and head for the cabin. Maybe she could grab a Bloody Mary for Ruby on the way back? Hair of the dog and all.

She entered the atrium and gaped at the height of the ceiling: at least three decks, maybe four decks, high. Chandeliers hung over a glistening, marble-floored space that echoed with conversation and footsteps as a multitude of couples wandered from fore to aft. It was here that a passenger could shop or pick up a cup of coffee and a pastry at the snack bar—a small café open from morning until night serving drinks, pizza, sandwiches, cookies, and pastries of every variety.

Heading straight for a store that had windows filled with sexy lingerie, she prayed they had sensible undies. Everything in the window appeared to be thong-oriented or made of scratchy-yet-dainty lace.

When she entered, a helpful male clerk with short, bleached blond hair headed her way. He had been unboxing push-up bras in the back, and his eyes lit up at her appearance. “Good morning! How may I help you?” he asked with a lilt in his voice and the flutter of his hands.

“I need some basics.” Her face heated at the admission. Why? She’d bought underwear before at lingerie stores. It wasn’t as if everything in her unmentionables drawer was purchased at Target or Walmart. Perhaps it was the fact she kept envisioning a boudoir photo shoot with Max—the photo shoot would never happen and would only be in her fantasies. But buying plain, cotton undies made her heart sink. Why couldn’t she buy something fun and adventurous?

“Basics. Got it.” The clerk set an elbow on his hand, touched his chin for a few seconds, and scanned her figure. “We’ve got some sensible stuff near the register that would be your size.”

Sensible.

It sounded as if she were buying underwear for her eighty-two-year-old grandmother or a nun.

Sensible equaled boring. Sensible equaled forever single. Sensible is the last thing Emily wanted to be.

She followed the clerk, passing by see-through panties and silk thongs and underwear that young, beautiful women wore. “Stop!” She ground to a halt in front of a rainbow display. “I’ll take these.” She plucked a bright pink thong off the rack. “And these.” Zebra striped and shiny. “And these.” Lacy barely-there teeny tiny things.

Why not?

Her vacation. Her money to spend. Her fun to have.

“Oh, I see.” The clerk stared at the pile. “And the basics?”

“Forget about the basics.” She grabbed five more pairs. Enough to carry her through the ten days of her cruise.

“Wonderful.” The clerk gathered up her selections and rang them up at the register.

“Do they carry large bust-size bikinis next door?” If she was going to be bold about her underwear choices, why not do the same for swimwear? The last time she’d wanted to wear a bikini, she’d been twelve years old and as flat as a pancake.

He handed her back her credit card. “I think they go all the way up to a G cup. They expanded their offerings in the last year or so. More demand. You should be able to find something that works.” With a grin, he handed her a bag with her purchases. “Hope you and your husband have a wonderful cruise.”

Her mind flashed to an afternoon poolside with Max and Ruby. “Oh, I’m sure we will.”

* * *

At the door to their cabin, Emily held up her key card. Two bags weighed her down at the elbow, and in her other hand she held a Bloody Mary. She’d already dribbled some on the carpet and was hoping she could push the handle with her ass to get inside. She hadn’t planned this out very well.

Luckily, when the door lock clicked Ruby opened it.

“Where have you been?” Ruby had circles under her eyes, a green pallor to her usually flawless skin, and a tangle of auburn hair on one side of her head. “Is that for me?” She plucked the Bloody Mary out of Emily’s hands.

Emily trailed behind her best friend, closed the door, and set her bags on the vanity space next to their phone chargers. “Breakfast, then shopping. If you recall I didn’t pack for a ten-day cruise. I was supposed to be back in Roanoke already.”

Besides the underwear and a bikini, she’d grabbed a few T-shirts on sale, an extra pair of shorts, and a halter sundress that looked easy to wear.

“Oh, right, I forgot.” Ruby plunked down on the bed and covered her bare thighs with the sheets. The sliding door to their balcony stood wide open. “I needed some fresh air. But I’m sure this will make me feel even better.” She took a deep drink of her beverage. “You are a lifesaver.”

Emily surveyed her friend. “Are you sure you don’t want me to order some dry toast?” She picked up the cabin phone to call room service.

The former bride crunched on a piece of celery. “I’ll be all right.”

Emily set the receiver down. “Guess we should be glad we’re at sea today. Tomorrow is our first port call. Plenty of time for you to recover from last night and rest up.”

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