Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(112)
Strengthening his grip around me, he moans. “What are you doing?”
“I was hot.”
“Yes, you are,” he erotically states.
I poke him in his side in opposition to his meaning. Joe flinches and his lips meet my neck and my body goes instantly rigid.
“What’s wrong?” he notices.
“No kissing there,” I direct.
I don’t really want him to stop, but my neck is one of my Achilles’ heels when it comes to physical intimacy, especially if it’s done just the way I like it. One or two more kisses and we will be naked.
“Why?”
“Because I said so,” I inform.
He nibbles my neck this time, causing me to emphatically moan and salivate between my legs. “I will get out of the bed,” I weakly threaten.
Chuckling, Joe captures my face, seducing me into an amorous kiss and embrace. I uncontrollably give in, but I haven’t completely lost my wits enough to allow the breaking of my rules. As our lips stay locked, our desires heighten. His lust for me is obvious with each moan that escapes his throat. Joe breaks contact first, panting like he’s trying to maintain control. Looks like I’m not the only one severely affected by all of this.
Sadie sees an opportunity and moves in for attention. She plops her head on the dip of my waist, and using her nose, prompts Joe’s arm to pet her. Getting the response she wants, Sadie wedges her body between Joe’s and mine. The three of us snuggle until I can no longer wait to pee. I head to the patio door to make sure no one is outside before I head to my room to use the restroom. Joe quietly makes his disappointment known.
After feeding Sadie, Joe and I take her for a walk on the beach and then have some breakfast. Our appointment for the spa is at eight, which gives us an hour and a half to eat and shower. Knowing that I’ll be naked at the spa, I slip on a lace thong and go braless under my cute floral halter sundress.
The spa staff greet us warmly as we enter. Once I get undressed in a private room, a woman leads me into another room where my three companions are waiting. When I question them about why we’re all in the same room, Jimmy informs me that he arranged for the four of us to have the entire spa to ourselves and any of the items I chose, they planned on doing too. Overall, I wouldn’t care except for the fact that Joe is here and I’m completely naked under my robe.
Settling into the first treatment on four massage tables lined up in a row, we start off with a fifty-minute deep tissue massage. I’m delightfully pleased when I get the masseur. Hiwalani, meaning the attractive one, which fits him perfectly, effortlessly kneads the tension out of each region of my body including my rear. My boisterous moaning gets Jimmy, Allen and the other masseuses giggling. More laughter erupts from Jimmy and Allen when Joe’s masseuse comments on how stiff his body becomes, making her job impossible.
“You’ll have to excuse Joe,” Jimmy shares loud enough for everyone to hear. “I think it’s been a while since he’s heard a woman moan like that, if at all.”
Embarrassed, I nervously giggle, realizing that I may be the cause of Joe’s tension.
Hiwalani and the other masseuses leave the room when they are finished with the treatment, allowing us to clothe ourselves. Jimmy and Allen get up first. Joe remains lying on his stomach with his face in the table cutout offering for me to get up before him. Once my robe is tied, I keep my back to Joe and let him know that it’s safe to get up and put on his robe.
We’re lead into another peaceful room where our E Ola Hou, the Hawaiian healing wrap, will take place. We each have our own lounge chairs that are divided by sheer curtains. As our bodies are exfoliated with ground coconut polish and noni gel, we also receive the third treatment which is a facial that cleanses, exfoliates, extracts, relaxes and massages our pores. I find the sight of three grown men and their bodies wrapped through the sheer curtains is hysterical when I look to my left.
After our body wraps and facials, we’re offered some light refreshments before heading to our final treatment. I had only planned on the three services, but Joe added a fourth as a final treatment. Taken into my own private room, the specialist begins an interesting and interactive session called tapping. It focuses on meridian points throughout the body where you tap on certain locations to relieve stress. I found myself crying uncontrollably several times which at first increased my stress level. I never cry in front of people I don’t know, let alone the fact that I rarely cry. The woman explains that it is a natural response the body uses to release not only the stress, but the emotional blockages that build up. Apparently other responses like burping, yawning, laughter, scratching and even flatulence can also occur. She shows me a variety of techniques to use and recommends that I continue with other treatments either with another practitioner back home or by myself, repeating the techniques she shows me.
Once we finish our spa morning, Jimmy, Allen, Joe and I meet up with the rest of my friends for lunch in the hotel. We swap stories about what we had done the day before and this morning since we haven’t seen each other since the dinner the day of our hike. I note a distinct difference with myself being around Maggie and Henry. I’m more relaxed when everyone discusses planning their wedding. The day and a half away from them, plus my exquisitely calming morning most likely had something to do with it.
After an early lunch, Jimmy, Allen, Joe, Sadie and I head out on an excursion for fine, local Hawaiian art for a few hours. Thanks to the people at the hotel and others Jimmy and Allen have spoken to the past few days, we head directly to a couple of artists’ studios. Jimmy and Allen schedule a wide variety of artwork from two out of the four artists’ work whom we meet to be purchased and shipped back to the East Coast. They are planning to do a show in New York before the end of the year and purchase a few of the pieces to put on display ahead of time in the gallery as well as in their own home.