AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughs affectionately. "Is that a rule now? Nobody told me. Food first, kissing after, huh?"
"It's not a rule. I'm famished, that's all." I must be rustier at dating than I realized. I hadn't needed to remember how to do this for a long, long time.
Zach and I cross the bridge to the other side of the ravine, where there's a nice little spot for picnicking. We engage in more mundane conversation that somehow manages to be fun too, while we enjoy the delicious meal the resort staff made for us.
We've just closed up our picnic basket when it starts to rain. I remember the welcome packet mentioned frequent afternoon showers that occasionally include some thunder. Zach takes my hand, guiding me toward the trunk of a palm tree where the long, wide fronds shelter us from the rain. The patter of the drops on the leaves makes me slightly aroused, and my nipples tighten. Zach takes that as an invitation, leaning in, aiming for my lips.
But he stops inches away from my mouth. "May I kiss you, Vanessa? It's all right if you don't want me to."
I appreciate his politeness, but I'm from a different generation. My first kiss with Craig hadn't involved a request. I looked at him just as he looked at me, and then our lips met. If hadn't wanted the kiss, I would have told him so. But Zach seems to think I need to be reminded that I can say no. It's kind of sweet, but also a stark reminder that we come from very different worlds.
Do I want to kiss him? What the hell. Might as well find out what it feels like to make out with a twenty-something. "I'd like it if you kissed me, Zach."
"Awesome." He leans in a little more. "Still time to change your mind."
Oh, for pity's sake. I said yes already, but he thinks I need more time to consider the horrific consequences of letting him kiss me. "Don't want to change my mind, promise."
Finally, he touches his lips to mine.
And I feel...nothing. He has soft lips, but I don't experience any kind of desire for him despite his hot body and sweet personality. I'm just not attracted to him.
I lay a hand on Zach's chest and gently push him away. "Sorry, sweetie, this isn't working for me."
"Yeah, I figured." He sighs. "Worth a shot, though, right?"
"Uh-huh." Movement beyond his shoulder spurs me to peer around his body, where someone has just stepped onto the bridge. "Oh, shit. My ex is here."
Chapter Four
Craig
My ex-wife's boy toy whirls around and smiles at me like we're best buds, and I brought a twelve-pack of beer. "Craig? Hey, bro, what's up? Me and Vanessa were having a picnic, but that rainstorm popped up and we had to find shelter. Isn't it weird that this island has rain almost every day?"
"It's the South Pacific," I point out. "What did you expect? A desert?"
"We already had dessert. If we'd known you were coming, we would've saved some for you."
This guy can't be as dumb as he sounds right now. He thinks "dessert" and "desert" are the same thing? Despite the fact he was kissing my ex-wife, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's nervous because I caught him making out with Vanessa.
My underhanded grand plan hasn't worked out quite the way I'd hoped. Not yet.
Zach clears his throat and winces. "Uh, I think I should go find my friends. The picnic was fun, Vanessa. Hope I'll see you around the resort."
He hustles away, leaving me alone with Vanessa. I walk across the bridge to the spot where lover boy had kissed her. "Are you planning to screw that kid?"
"That is none of your business."
"At least give me the chance to prove middle-aged men can do it better."
She rolls her eyes. "No games, Craig. We're too old for that shit."
"Maybe we are." I move closer, forcing her to back up to the tree, and set my arm on the trunk beside her head. "Just let me kiss you once, to see if there's still any spark between us."
"Zach asks permission for everything."
"He's young and inexperienced. I'm not." I move even closer, penning her with both my arms now. "It's a yes or no question. Do you want me to kiss you?"
"Youaredoing exactly what Zach did---asking permission. Either do it or don't. Getting wishy-washy doesn't impress me."
