Faking Forever (First Wives #4)(34)

Avery wrapped herself in a hotel issue bathrobe and disappeared into the room. Shannon lingered outside. She toweled off outside and turned around. Victor was sure that would be the end of it.

She surprised him.

Shannon dropped the towel on one of the many chairs on the deck and walked straight to the edge of her balcony. Anyone walking on the beach would have seen her . . . all of her. He glanced down at the sand and felt some relief to see it deserted.

She, too, scanned the space before leaning her elbows on the balcony to display her curves against the silhouette of the sky.

Victor squirmed in his chair, the soft erection of knowing she was naked in the pool now pressed firmly against his cotton pants.

Light went on inside their room, and Victor saw Avery pacing with a phone to her ear. Shannon seemed to notice, too, and instead of going inside, she pulled a chair closer to the railing, sat, and perched her legs so she could lounge in the moonlight.

No wonder sailors wrote stories and songs of mermaids and sirens on the shore, calling their name.

Shannon was a goddess stretched out, nude, with her head tilted back. He imagined the smile on her face and strands of her hair falling above the curve of her breasts.

Much as he wanted to free his dick, he refrained and just enjoyed her image. He had no doubt he’d recall this moment in the not too distant future when his body needed release, but doing so now, with her right there, didn’t feel right.

Yeah, and making a sport out of watching her walk around naked when she didn’t know it was anything but right.

This was his little secret. One he planned to keep to his grave.

Victor stretched out, ignored his teenage dick, and committed Shannon’s moonlit curves to memory.



If Shannon hadn’t heard Avery in the bathroom first thing in the morning, regretting the drinking from the night before, she would have thought the woman was faking illness to push Victor into her day.

“I didn’t think I drank that much,” Avery said, crawling back into bed.

“We did have wine with dinner and martinis at the bar, after.”

“Mixing is always a bad idea.”

Shannon did the mom thing and placed the back of her hand on Avery’s forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”

“I’d rather be hungover than sick.”

She pushed off the side of the bed. “I’ll go get some toast from the restaurant.”

“Yeah, that might help. If you see Victor, give him my seat for the tour today.”

They had planned a private tour that included kayaking, snorkeling, and a dip in the cenotes.

“We can skip the sightseeing.”

“No, go. I’ll feel bad with you sitting around here all morning. I’m sure this will blow off by the afternoon.”

She wasn’t sure about inviting Victor out for the day.

“I’ll be able to rest if I don’t think I’m ruining your vacation.”

Shannon imagined she’d feel the same if it were her. “I’ll see what I can do.”

The waiter at the hotel restaurant smiled when he saw her and asked if she wanted the same table as the previous day. Seemed her routine of dining alone first thing in the morning was being noticed. She accepted the table and ordered coffee, fruit, and yogurt and watched for a familiar face.

If Victor didn’t show up, she’d take it as a sign to skip the tour.

On her second cup of coffee, after her breakfast was finished and she was waiting on the toast for Avery, Victor snuck up behind her as she was checking her e-mail.

“Working on vacation?” he said close to her ear.

She jumped.

“I swear, Victor. You’re going to get hit doing that.”

He grinned, unfazed. “Violence . . . that will be new for us.”

“Us? There is no us.”

He sat opposite her. “Was that breakfast?” he asked, looking at the remainder of the fruit platter.

“After last night, I’m surprised I could eat at all.”

He glanced around. “Where’s Avery?”

“Not feeling well. I think she’s coming down with something.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He looked sincere.

“Me too. We scheduled a tour today at nine thirty.” Shannon looked at her phone, checked the time.

“Where are you going?”

She told him where they’d planned on spending their day.

“You can always go without her.”

If she was going to ask him, now was the time. “I wouldn’t want to go alone. There are still single-female travel advisories for the area.”

He didn’t buy it. “You traveled here alone to begin with.”

“But that was work. I didn’t plan on leaving the hotel where people knew me until Avery arrived. I can try and reschedule for tomorrow . . . unless Avery is still under the weather.”

Victor sat back, a smirk on his lips. “If you want me to go with you, just ask.”

She opened her mouth, pretending surprise. “The thought never crossed my mind.”

“Really?”

She didn’t meet his eyes. “No. You probably have plans.”

“My plans slipped out the back door on Saturday, freeing up my life’s schedule.” He leaned forward, grabbed her bill, signed his name and room number, and stood. “Go get your bathing suit on. I’ll meet you out front in thirty minutes.”