Page 84 of Stains of Desire

"Hot, like always." I kiss her quickly. "But not as easy to spot." I turn the ATV back on. "There was a jet ski rental place down the street." I drive to the storefront, and when I park, I tell her, "Don't speak inside the store. Your sexy accent is another dead giveaway."

"You like my accent?"

"Yeah. All the time, but especially when I'm making your eyes roll and you're calling out my name."

She bites on her lip.

"Let's go, green eyes. It's jet ski time." I sling my backpack on my shoulder and hold her hand as we walk into the store.

A petite woman with bleached-blonde hair is standing outside the back door. She appears to be in her fifties. She's half inside and half outside, smoking a cigarette. Her yellow, spaghetti-strap sundress is tight across her chest, displaying sun-wrinkled skin and a tattoo of a string of hearts. When she sees us, she takes another drag, blows the smoke outside, and puts the cigarette out with her shoe.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?" Her smoker's voice crackles, and her smile is friendly.

"Yes. My wife and I want to rent a jet ski."

Penelope shifts next to me, and I hold her hand tighter.

"How long?"

"The rest of the day."

"Have you driven one before?"

"Yep. Quite often."

"So, I don't need to give you a lesson?"

"Nope."

"Good. Carl usually does that, and he didn't show up today. I'm sure he had a little too much at the bar last night."

"We've all had those nights. No worries though. I know what I'm doing."

"I need your driver's license and credit card."

"Yeah. That's going to be the problem. My wife had her purse stolen, and both our IDs and credit cards were in there. But I have cash."

"Sorry. It's the owner's rules."

"I see." I open my bag and pull out my billfold with cash. Years ago, Interpol gave us five thousand dollars to keep for emergency money. It always stays in my bag. I've never used it. I count out five hundred dollars. I lean closer and lower my voice. "Would five hundred dollars be enough for you to wave your rule? My wife is from Poland and doesn't speak English. She's never been on a jet ski, and I promised her. We're here on our vacation, and it's been hard for her since no one speaks her language. Can you do me a favor and get me out of the doghouse so my honeymoon isn't a total flop? I'd kind of like to have at least one good memory."

She glances nervously at the cash.

I take her hand and wrap it around the cash. "I won't tell if you won't. I give her my flirtatious wink I've perfected over the years.

She blushes then takes the cash and puts it in her cleavage. "How long did you say you wanted it for?"

"The entire day. I need to give my wife a good experience, or I'm going to be divorced before we leave."

She glances at Penelope, who is standing next to me, pursing her lips.

The store clerk turns back to me and says, "She does look unhappy."

Penelope digs her fingernails into my hand.

"Yes. Why don't you throw me a bottle of your sunscreen behind you and tell me the total for the day?"

The woman does as I tell her, and I pay. She goes into another room and comes back out with two life vests and the key. "You sure I don't need to give you a lesson?"