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It sounds lame, even to my ears.
“Just in case doesn’t sound definitive.”
“I’ll probably go.”
“But first we drink.” She puts two bottles and an ice bucket down on one of the tables. Then she fills my glass from one of the elegant, stoppered carafes. She drops a few ice cubes into my drink. Then she fills her glass from the other bottle. Hers is orange compared to my palest yellow drink from the sea salt and white grapefruit.
“I needed a change,” she says. “Vodka and OJ.”
“Do you think I’m a child?” I don’t know why it matters. I’ll probably never see her again after today, but something makes me ask.
“For wanting to go?” She raises her glass, then takes a sip. “You gotta do you, Dakota. But… hang on again.”
This time she’s gone a few seconds as she wheels in a brass clothes rack.
“These are beautiful,” I whisper, rifling through the stunning collection of dresses.
“Yours to wear. Choose one for tonight.”
“I really think I might go.” I bite my lip. “I’m sorry.”
“What about that hot tall number you were eye fucking?”
My cheeks heat again.
“He… I don’t know… disturbs me.” I’m about to tell her what happened, but I change my mind before the words can tumble from my lips. It feels too intimate to tell someone I don’t know that well.
I touch the soft, silky material of one of the dresses.
“Hot men do that, Dakota.” She pulls the dress from the rack. It’s a deep, dark purple, not my normal color choice, but it’s so chic, I immediately fall in love with it. “Try it on.”
“If—”
“You can still go, if you want. You’ve got time.” She pushes me to the bathroom.
I slip the dress on over my bikini and walk back into the room with her. Amelia grins and fingers the low back and neckline. “Definitely not an underwear dress. Tell you what, rest up now. I’ll come for you when the boat’s heading back to Miami. You can go or we can party! Ever played poker?”
I shake my head.
“The deck right above this one is the party deck. Room sixty-nine is where they’re having a game tonight. If you stay, we can go together.”
“Sixty-nine?”
“The owner’s joke. There aren’t that many rooms on here. Relax, have a drink, read the fat-ass book you have, and maybe you’ll feel better. I just…” She shrugs with what looks like a genuine smile. “I don’t want you to miss paradise.”
She tops off my drink. “But if you want to go… I get it and I’ll make sure you don’t miss your chance.”
Amelia waves and heads out, pulling my door shut.
Maybe I should go out there, mingle. Be ready for the boat. But I’m not sure I want to run into that man again. And mingle with who?
With a sigh, I start to take off the dress, then stop when I see myself in the mirror. I move the bikini top so it’s covered. Then with a shaking breath, I slide off the bottoms and pull the dress back into place.
I stare at my reflection.
Wow, I look… great. The dark purple of the dress makes my blue eyes darker, and my dark-blond hair almost shines where it sits just below my shoulders with a natural wave I’m not the biggest fan of.
I do a half spin. But in this dress, it gives me an air of femme fatale.
