Page 11 of Love Off Course

Sheridan

“ Y ou’re doing it again.”

“Mmm?”

Damian cackles. “Well, at least tell me if it’s good. Is he hung? Does he taste delicious?”

Snapping out of my fantasy, I jerk my head to glower at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“And I don’t know every shade of pleather pants ever made.” He snorts. “You can’t fool me. We’re besties now, Sherrie, so spill.”

“Sheridan,” I grumble, which only makes him laugh. “And I wasn’t thinking of sucking his dick.”

His grin grows wide and wolfish. “Bet you are now...”

Ugh. Damn him.

“I know I am,” Lawton complains. “I have to work with him. It’s best if I don’t have to actively think about his yummy dick.”

Oh, God. These two are insane.

“On a scale of average Joe to holy-shit-it’s-the-king-of-cocks, what do you think he is?” Damian taps at his ruby red painted lips with a rainbow fingernail. “I felt it and he’s totally packing a monster. But the king of all cocks? I’d need to inspect it closer.”

When he licks his lips, I roll my eyes at him. “You’re such a spaz.”

“Do you need someone to help take a look because I’ll volunteer if his girlfriend says no?” Lawton asks Damian, sending them both into a fit of laughter.

“I’m not his girlfriend,” I grumble, but neither of them listens.

The lights flicker and Kyle groans from the booth he’s sitting in with Estefania.

“Don’t take that tone with me, mister,” Damian calls to him. “You know the rules. I don’t make them, I just abide by them.”

“Damian, you totally made the rules. Like literally an hour ago.” I shake my head in exasperation when he waves me off.

“That was forever ago, honey, and I’ve had way too many shots to remember something so ancient.” He prances around pouring another shot of the cheap tequila that sort of grows on you into the five of our shot glasses. “Now drink. Every time the lights flicker, we drink.”

I suck down the third shot I’ve consumed this hour. Camilo has been making his rounds with Carson, talking to everyone while we slowly drink ourselves into a stupor. I’m thankful I have the alcohol because the hurricane is barreling our way and it stresses me out.

“Okay, girlfriends, I don’t know about you two, but I need to fix my makeup. Come on, girls.” Damian stands, clapping his hands at me. “Chop-chop.”

I laugh at his antics. Lawton just shakes his head as he slides from his chair and walks over to where Carson and Camilo are now standing.

All three men absently pick food off a plate on the table as they talk.

As Damian begs Estefania to go with us, I get caught staring at Eduardo.

I don’t think he’s sat down the entire day.

Just worked his ass off in the kitchen to feed everyone and fuss over them.

My heart does a little squeeze in my chest. I’m not used to these squeezes. It’s uncomfortable.

Eduardo nods at me and I flash him a warm smile that’s probably fueled by the tequila. He straightens and beams at me, pride shining from him. Camilo arches a brow and smirks. I roll my eyes at him, trying not to think about how good he tasted when we kissed and follow after Damian and Estefania.

That kiss was incredible.

Hot and passionate and intense.

And wrong.

As soon as we’d pried ourselves apart, all I could think about was how I was ruining things with David. Had the hurricane never happened, I might very well have been in his hotel room at this exact minute.

I think back to when we had sex months ago. I’d been so sure it was the beginning of our future. Sure, it’d been lacking, but it was more than he’d ever offered me before. If I were in his room right now, would it have evolved into more? Could I have finally gotten his undivided attention?

I’m trying hard to recall his kisses. I know he tasted familiar, though I can’t recall the exact flavor. All I know is it felt safe and warm.

Camilo’s kisses are terrifying and hot.

“Get in here,” Damian urges, tugging me into the tiny bathroom.

It’s a tight squeeze with the three of us. Estefania starts to giggle at the ridiculousness of it all, which is contagious. Soon, the three of us are laughing until we’re crying.

“Lord, the things I would do to this bathroom,” Damian says, once his laughter has faded. He pokes his finger into a hole in the sheetrock.

“What? Ew. New low, bro,” I tell him, nudging his shoulder.

“I’m not a bro, honey, I’m a glowworm. And I wasn’t going to put my glittery cock in it. I was talking about a revamp.”

“A revamp?” I ask as Estefania says, “Glittery cock!”

He snorts and fingers the hole. “Keep up, drunk divas. I would work my Damian Birch magic on this bathroom. Turn it from blah to ooh-la-la!”

We all giggle.

“I have never seen a glittery cock,” Estefania tells him. “In fact, I have never seen a cock at all.” She gasps and slaps her hand over her mouth.

“Oh, Lordie in the sky above us,” Damian screeches, jumping up and down in his heels. “You did not just tell us your goddess self is a freaking virgin. Hellllo, your pussy is as magical as my glitter stick!”

“I think it’s sweet.” I smile at her. “You’re sweet.”

“Ew, Sugar Tits and Sherrie Berry, I am gay, but I’m not into watching two girls make out.” He pouts and then digs around in his bag for something. Lipstick. He leans in to reapply. “Now if I were in here with the two sexy-as-sin pilots…” He makes a little squealing sound. “Yum. So much yum.”

I want to tell him Camilo is my yum, but then decide I’m not drunk enough for that declaration. The lights flicker overhead. Perhaps I soon will be.

“You two owe me a drink,” Damian says and then pokes at the hole in the wall again. “Seriously. How hard do you think it would be for me to convince Eduardo to let me redo this bathroom?”

“I don’t think it’s Eduardo you have to convince. It’s not his hotel.” I stiffen just thinking about Camilo’s stern mother. “But Rosita totally should take you up on it. I’ve never seen your show before, but anything would be an upgrade around here.”

“I would paint it yellow,” Estefania tells me. “With big, red flowers.”

“No, flower child,” Damian huffs. “Too busy for this small space. I could do yellow, though. More of a muted yellow than a buttery one. Changing the light fixtures will help brighten it up so the color doesn’t need to do it for us.

” He grabs the edge of the sink and wobbles it.

“I’d put in something small but ornate here. In this tiny space, you need the room.”

“Well, don’t stop here. What would you do about that horrible office?” I ask, feeling bolder with the tequila running through my veins.

“Burn it?” Estefania offers.

We all laugh.

“I’d definitely have those muscular boys out there empty it for me. Half of those things are from the seventies and that era died when their style did. Most of those things need to go, starting with that horrible desk.”

“You should redo this whole restaurant,” I tell him. “Do it for your boat show.”

His lip curls up. “It’s not a boat show. It’s a?—”

“Freak show?” I offer with a laugh.

He shoves me playfully and I land in Estefania’s lap. She hugs me. Maybe this bestie thing isn’t so bad after all.

“Yachts, my love. I rehab yachts.” He shakes his head in exasperation. “Understand?”

“But you could do a restaurant,” I tell him with confidence, “you could do anything.”

His lashes beat against his pink cheeks several times and his eyes water. Oh, shit. What did I say? Guilt swims up inside me. I’m not good at this whole friendship thing.

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Damian chokes out, fanning his face with his hand. “Come here. Get in the Damian Dungeon.”

The Damian what?—

I’m jerked out of Estefania’s lap and into his arms where he hugs me tight. It’s not a terrible place to be. The Damian Dungeon smells like cotton candy and tequila. I might just stay awhile. I’m just hugging him back when someone beats on the door.

“If you’re done insulting my darling Eduardo’s bathroom, perhaps you could let some of us others use it.”

Damian and I jerk apart, both of us wearing matching stares of horror. It’s Camilo’s mom, Rosita. Crap.

“Um, sorry, ma’am,” Damian chirps in his friendliest voice as he opens the door. “Bad habit of my job. I see the potential in everything and want to make it as wonderful as it can be.”

It would be a nice save if it weren’t for her glaring holes into us. Feeling shamed, Estefania and I loop our arms together and try to escape unscathed. And then I hear it.

“Bitch.”

All the fun and playfulness bleeds away as the tequila straps on war boots.

“Excuse me?” My voice is quiet as I tug my arm free of Estefania’s. “Were you talking to us?”

“Not her,” Rosita says, her eyes narrowing as she waves at Estefania.

The barb stings, but it’s one I hear often, even at my own company. I am a bitch. This isn’t news. I’d kind of forgotten I was one while in Mexico. All it takes is hearing the nasty word to light a fire inside me.

Before I can tell this woman off, she storms inside the bathroom and slams the door. So much for hotel hospitality. She can guarantee I’m going to write up a terrible review once I have Internet access again.

“Just ignore her,” Damian urges. “Come on. You two beautiful babes owe me a drink.” The lights flicker again. “Two!”

I’m so warm.

Too warm.

So warm, I’m seconds from pulling off this dumb sweater and hanging out in my black bra. That would get his attention. Camilo. I ignore the fiery jealousy raging through me as he talks to the pretty brunette again. I have no right. We kissed. It was nice. But he is not mine.

I have David.

That bathroom kiss was a silly mistake.

What feels like a mistake, though, is watching Camilo laugh with the brunette and his cousin Araceli who joins them. Araceli is clearly uncomfortable, being hugely pregnant and all, but she cracks up at everything he says as she devours orange slices.

“Where’s her man?” I ask Mateo, also Camilo’s cousin.

Mateo and Nicolás joined our table a while ago and are actually quite funny. They’re both giants and brutish, but they joke around a lot, though I don’t understand a word they are saying when they do it in Spanish.

“Marco?” Mateo asks with a snort. “He works in the next town over. My sister can do better than that pendejo .”

I’ve learned more about the people who live and work at this hotel in the past two hours than I have in the past two days.

“What about that one?” My tone is light and casual, but Damian doesn’t miss it.

“Yeah, big boys, what about the floozy? Is she gonna try and steal my girl’s man or what?” Damian arches his eyebrow up. “Give us the dirt on the skank in the tight red dress.”

Marco and Nicolás howl in laughter, earning the stares of everyone over at Camilo’s table. I can tell Camilo is curious about what we’re talking about and only half listening to what the skank is saying.

“Ramona is in love,” Mateo mocks. “She loves everyone?—”

“Especially their cocks!” Nicolás finishes. “Right, Toro?”

The damn stinky dog barks on command. Okay, so maybe I do like that beast a little.

“She thinks she’s going to be the one to catch la estrella and keep him.” Mateo shrugs. “Her best friend is our sister, though we don’t know why. Araceli is a bitch to everyone, including Ramona.”

“Doesn’t seem to be too bitchy to Camilo,” I muse.

Mateo snorts. “That’s because she wants something. You’ll see.”

We all watch as Araceli finishes the oranges in her bowl and then gives Camilo a sweet smile.

He rises and absently takes the bowl from her.

As soon as he’s gone, her smile falls and she starts bitching out Ramona.

I’m no longer interested in them, though.

My gaze follows Camilo as he walks over to the fruit bowl on the table and grabs another orange.

His head is bowed as he peels it effortlessly.

Would he be that way for his pregnant wife one day?

The thought warms me in places I didn’t even know were cold. I hate the fluttery feeling in my stomach. One day, I’ll be married to David and he’ll do sweet things like peel me oranges when I’m big and pregnant.

I sigh.

If I could erase Camilo from my mind, I’d like to think about the image of David doing just that. Only I can’t even remember what David looks like right now. All I can do is appreciate the view in front of me.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Scruffy jaw.

Beautifully sculpted biceps.

I sigh because he’s too damn pretty to look at.

Maybe I need a little fling to get these crazy thoughts out of my system. A little vacation fucking with an incredibly cocky, yet super sexy pilot. That would definitely help me prepare to settle down with David.

What could go wrong?

I’m used to evaluating risks and analyzing the best way to move forward. It’s what I’m good at. Yet, right now, I can’t make my brain work. The only thing that works is my body and it’s on fire.

The lights flicker, go out for a couple of seconds, and then come back on.

All heat is chased away as cold dread settles in my bones.

If this hurricane is a bad one, I may not be around to even have a vacation fling or a future with David.

I wish Daddy were here.