Page 38 of Revenge Honeymoon

“When we’re at the pool later, we should ask Max’s opinion,” Ruby suggested.

“His opinion?” Emily finished the list, ripped it off the paper pad, and tossed it at her friend.

“Yeah, maybe we should get a man’s opinion on my list. He might have some suggestions.” Ruby scooped up the list and reviewed it. “You know, a guy’s perspective. What else should I be thinking about?”

“Sure, why not?” Emily shrugged.

“Show me what you bought.” Ruby trotted over to her shopping bags. “Anything cute?” She dumped out the swimsuit first.

Emily’s stomach tightened.

“Oh wow.” Ruby held up the shiny green metallic two-piece with gold braiding that weaved in and out of eyelets all around the edges of the top and bottom. “This is stunning.”

“I know it’s not really me—” She knew her face was probably as red at the remnants of the Bloody Mary in the glass on the nightstand.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t wear bikinis.”

“You don’t? Since when?” Ruby held up the top, which had a solid underwire and plenty of support.

“Since the seventh grade.”

Ruby stared at her. “You’re kidding me.”

“Um, no I’m not.” She snatched the suit away from her friend. “When you’ve got my boobs—”

“You show them off!”

* * *

The two best friends dumped their tote bags next to three empty deck chairs beside the pool and within easy walking distance of the tiki bar. The overcast skies had kept a crowd away, but the warm tropical air made lounging poolside as inviting as if the sun shone full force. Relaxed reggae music poured from hidden speakers, perhaps as an homage to their first port of call: Jamaica.

“Where’s Max?” Ruby scanned the half-empty pool deck. “I don’t see him.”

Emily wasn’t about to confess she’d been scrutinizing every male body within her view and analyzing him for Max characteristics. “I don’t either.” Did her voice sound whiny only to her own ears?

Ruby shrugged. “Maybe something came up.” Without another worry in her pretty little head, she slipped out of her gauzy floral cover up.

Did choirs of angels break out into song? Possibly.

It was as if Emily could hear the gaze of every man in the vicinity turn their way—bald men, short men, old men, young men, men in the pool, men by the bar, men walking by, men reading books. They all looked.

Ruby in a swimsuit had that affect. The suit wasn’t even her sexiest one. Just a plain blue bikini top paired with some floral board shorts. But she had legs for days and a toned midsection. Plus, something about Ruby in a pair of high fashion sunglasses with her auburn hair rippling down her back...so chic.

“Get some sun, girlfriend.” Ruby pushed at Emily’s leg with her foot as she rested against the propped up back of the lounge chair, oblivious to the male stares and female frowns.

Okay, maybe back in their cabin, two-piece swimsuit in hand, Emily had been bold. Had been confident. Had been sure about her choice to buy this riot of a green bikini. Had resolved to wear it in public, in view of her cruise crush, Max.

Now?

Now she wasn’t so sure.

Max had been her inspiration. Buoyed by his statement that she was cute, she’d had the distant hope he might find her body appealing in such a thing. But without Max? Confidence bubble burst.

Without a cover-up in her arsenal, she’d hidden her suit under a pair of shorts and a loose white T-shirt with ‘Cruise Crazy’ screen printed on the front in a rainbow of colors. Her heart thudded at the idea of removing the shirt to reveal the barely-there bikini.

What had she been thinking? Nobody wanted to see her in a suit like this. Especially next to bombshell Ruby. She’d only look as if she was trying to compete with her best friend. Or, to the cruisers, her wife. That would be weird.

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