Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(113)



Back at the hotel by three, we all opt to hang around the hotel pool for the rest of the day. Feeling overwhelmed with sudden fatigue, I head back to the suite to take a nap instead of using the cabana. Too tired to change, I flop on the bed and pass out into a deep sleep.

I wake to Joe gingerly caressing his fingers along the side of my face.

“It’s time to get up, beautiful,” he instructs.

Rolling over, I groggily protest, “No.”

The bed shifts from his movement. “Time to get ready for dinner,” he whispers.

I drag my heavy body into a seated position. ‘What time is it?” My eyes flutter unable to fully open

“Almost five-thirty.”

“Wow. Really?” I check the clock, not that I don’t believe him, but I want to see it for myself. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Getting ready. I just fed Sadie, so you’re good to go.” Giving me a soft peck, Joe stands and heads for the door.

I’ll admit that I’m disgruntled with only one kiss.

Forcing my body up, I shower and masturbate before getting dressed. With just a little bit of makeup, I twist my hair up and put on a cute aquamarine blue cocktail dress along with a pair of open-toed, sparkling Valentino heels. For jewelry, I put on a vanilla moonstone triangle necklace with a fourteen karat gold, twenty-four inch chain and matching bracelet.

Everyone from the upstairs suite comes down to pick the rest of us up for dinner. We follow our exclusive server to our breathtaking, private, oceanfront table that overlooks the Wailea Beach. The sun slowly begins to set on the horizon, splashing beautiful blues and golds across the sky as we savor the multi-course feast that has been prepared for us and several bottles of wine.

With it being our second to last evening in Maui, we all head out to one of the popular local clubs for a night of dancing. I keep my alcohol intake to a very small minimum as does Joe and Henry. Maggie, Jared, Nathan, and Jimmy cut loose. I see Allen have a few sips of Jimmy’s drinks, but doesn’t order any for himself.

Taking a quick break from dancing for another drink, Maggie and Jared, in their light, intoxicated stupor, decide to single me out. “It’s Emma’s song!”

“This is not my song,” I flatly oppose, recognizing Rihanna’s Where Have You Been blaring over the speakers.

“Yes it is,” Maggie insists. “You have yet to find a man who can satisfy you.”

My eyes widen with horror. I don’t like too many people knowing that much about me and my friends’ openness around Henry and Joe, and now Jimmy and Allen, is starting to bug me. I get it. They’re becoming friends too, but I don’t need everyone we hang out with to know so much about me.


“Yep,” Jared supports and proceeds to sing loudly.

Nathan and Maggie quickly chime in as I silently disagree.

“B.O.B. satisfies me just fine,” I contend.

“B.O.B. does not count,” Maggie opposes.

“Who’s Bob?” Jimmy searches. “I thought Emma doesn’t date.”

Nathan fails to see my pressing look not to share. “Battery operated boyfriend,” he delivers without hesitation and a huge smile on his face.

I get smug looks from Jimmy and Allen as they whisper to each other. Joe’s expression I can’t quite figure out. Crap. I just opened up that door.

For most of the night, Maggie and I are the ones dancing from our group. Jared and Nathan pop in from time to time, but are primarily chatting with the guys at the bar. Maggie ends up drinking a little more than usual, causing her to get more playful in public.

“Not here,” I direct, gently pushing her away from me.

We dance for another song or two until she announces, “I need to pee.”

In the restroom, we both enter the same stall. It’s become a regular habit over the years when there’s a long line or one of us has had too much to drink. We take turns with Maggie going first. As I finish fixing my dress, Maggie kisses me. We embrace each other and kiss more passionately. When Maggie dips her hand under my dress, I push her against the stall wall, pinning her.

“Not here,” I command.

I’m tempted to continue, but I know that this is not the place nor the time.

“But I want it,” she whines, leaning forward to catch my lips.

“Henry’s right out there,” I suggest.

“I want you,” she begs.

“This trip is for you and Henry,” I rationalize.

“I know you need it,” she pokes. “I need it too.”

“That’s beside the point,” I challenge. “You know how I am about doing things in public and having too many people know. I like my privacy.”

“Back at the hotel,” she entices.

I want her too. We’ve only interacted three times the past two month since she started having sex with Henry. The physical interactions with Joe are escalating faster than I have anticipated. If I don’t sleep with Maggie, I just might end up sleeping with Joe.

“No.” I object. “When we get home.”

She pouts, but then has the look in her eye of a lightbulb moment. “Remember our first time?”

“Of course I do,” I agree. There’s no way I could ever forget it.

Maggie and I were eighteen and still virgins. Sophie, one of Jared’s lesbian friends, worked at an adult shop in WeHo and helped us pick out our first sex toys. We weren’t uncomfortable with Sophie, just the subject matter. I still remember the giddy, nervous feeling I had when we were in the store just looking at all of our options. The feeling heightened when Sophie was handling them and instructing us on which ones she preferred and why, as well as some great position. Sophie inquired to our sudden interest since we had always seemed embarrassed when the topic of sex came up when hanging out prior to our visit. We hesitated at first to give her our reason, but I’m pretty sure she was able to deduce our intentions from some of the questions we asked. Sophie was very thorough and informative, she even offered some insight on what to expect, but ultimately, she said, it’s different for each person with regards to the level of pain in the beginning.

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