Top Dog

The sun beat down on my body all day as I fell in and out of sleep. I moved to the shade to cool my skin down as people splashed in the pool and relaxed in the hot tub. This was the type of cruise I needed, the kind where no one bothered me, no one talked to me, and no one expected anything of me. I didn’t have to listen to explanations or dredge up my past. I didn’t have to fight between wanting Rhett and keeping him at arm’s length. The only thing I had to worry about was making sure my tit didn’t flop out of my bikini top as I shifted to tan my back.

But then, a familiar voice rumbled at my side.

“Well, if it isn’t Chanel Mathews.”

My eyes fluttered open, and I saw him sitting there. Luke Thomas, the king of all nerds from our grade. I’d had several classes with him back in high school, Chemistry and Calculus, plus the physical education courses I’d taken. He’d even joined the swim team once, and we swam together for an entire year, taking our team to nationals and kicking ass in the relay races.

“Luke?” I asked. “Is that you?”

“It is,” he said as he knelt beside me. “At first, I didn’t think it was you. Until I saw your beautiful face peeking out from underneath your hat.”

“How have you been?” I asked.

I moved to sit up, but he placed his hand on my back. He eased me back down on the lounger I was lying on, but his hand lingered much longer than I thought it would. He sat down by my face and rubbed my back, smoothing more oil into my skin. “You missed a spot with the oil,” he said before quickly removing his hand.

“Thanks.”

“Anyway, life’s been much kinder than high school,” Luke said. “But you have seen a great deal of success. I loved your articles in The New York Times.”

“You read those?” I

asked.

“Every single one,” he said.

He was still goofy and awkward after all these years, but I couldn’t be mean to him and tell him to get lost or something. We had established a sort-of friendship in high school.

It didn’t occur to me that he would’ve been someone who would’ve cared to know what I was doing after the fact.

“Will you be at the dinner tonight?” Luke asked.

“I think Ana and I are going, yes. We stopped by the brunch this morning, but not many people were there,” I said.

“Oh. Ana’s here?” he asked.

“She’s lying right next to me,” I said with a giggle.

“I don’t see anyone,” he said.

I looked over to where Ana was supposed to be tanning but found the lounger empty. I lifted myself up and looked around and then reached for my body wrap. Where the hell had this woman gone now? I stood and picked up my camera to go find her, but I felt a pressure come down on my arm.

“Where you headed to?” Luke asked.

“Sorry. I’ve got to go find Ana. I told her I would be her buddy for the cruise, and now she’s gone,” I said.

“Oh, I’m sure she’s having fun. Relax. I’ll get you a drink,” he said.

“You’ll be at the dinner tonight, right?”

“I will be.”

“Then I’ll see you tonight. We’ll talk then, okay? I’m sorry, but I’ve really got to find Ana.”

I pulled away from his grasp, and I could feel his eyes on me as I left. I had no intentions of tracking her down. She had probably found someone else to sleep with for the afternoon. I went back to my room and took a shower, settling in on the balcony with a snack until dinner. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all, especially after my encounter with Rhett. I was trying so hard not to get sucked back into him, but I just couldn’t seem to help myself.

Ana came stumbling in as I was getting ready for the dinner. She smelled like sex and was giggling like a schoolgirl. She patted my shoulder as I snickered at her, stifling my chuckles. I was glad she was having fun, even though her definition of fun was very different from mine.

“We going to this dinner?” Ana asked.