Two Weeks of Sin

We reached the bungalow and Nico opened the door, holding it open for me. The moment I stepped inside, my eyes grew wide. I turned in circles in the middle of the living room staring at the place I'd be calling home for the next few days. It was nicer than any apartment I had ever lived in, or even dreamed of visiting.

We had walked right into a living area with a couch and love seat, both clean and white. A very large flat panel TV was mounted on the wall, but that wasn't where my gaze fell. No, my eyes immediately went to the wall-to-wall window that opened up to a patio where all you could see was water. Nothing but crystal blue ocean as far as the eye could see.

Who needed a TV when you could watch the gentle waves swelling and rolling beneath your bungalow all day? Out on the patio, I noticed there was a hot tub and a massive hammock that could easily fit two or more people.

A kitchen was set off to one side of the main room. It was a small kitchen, but was furnished with high-end appliances – all stainless steel. There was a wine fridge, because of course you'd want wine in your own tropical paradise, along with a mini bar stocked with rows of fancy liquors whose names I couldn't even pronounce. Off to the side of the kitchen was a dining area with a small wooden table and bench seats. It had sliding glass doors that also opened to a small deck that overlooked the sea beyond.

“Nice, isn't it?” Nico said, following me through as I took the tour.

“Very nice,” I said. “Amazing, actually.”

There were two small, but nicely decorated bedrooms, both with views of the ocean through giant floor-to-ceiling windows. My room opened up to the patio, so I could slip outside whenever I'd like or open up the sliding glass doors and let the waves sing me to sleep. Nico was clearly giving me the nicer of the two rooms.

We each had a bathroom, and mine was fitting for the master suite. It

had a large jacuzzi style tub and large shower with seating. I was most definitely in the lap of luxury.

“I have no words,” I said. “This is nicer than anything I've ever seen before. Anything I've ever imagined before, quite honestly.”

Nico laughed and kissed the back of my hand again. “I'm just glad you like it, Sophia. You deserve to be happy and enjoy the finer things in life.”

I deserve to be happy? No one – and I mean no one, not even my father – had ever uttered such a phrase to me before. It was such a foreign concept that I'd honestly never even thought about it. Happiness was a luxury that I couldn't afford, so I'd always been content to just do what needed to be done and take the small pleasures in life where I found them.

But happy? Did I really deserve this? What had I done to deserve all of this? After all, if it hadn't been for my father's gambling debt, I wouldn't even be there. So, to think that I deserved it was something of a stretch.

“So, tell me, Sophia,” Nico said. “What would you like to do first? The island is yours to explore.”

What did I want to do? In that moment, I wanted to kiss Nico for everything he'd done, and for being so sweet to me. But I bit my lip and held onto that thought. We were just friends. He wasn't expecting anything – and I didn't think he even wanted anything like that from me, anyway. He seemed content to just enjoy a little companionship, and I was perfectly fine with that.

So, I remarked, “I'd love to go for a swim, if that's okay?”

“That's more than okay,” he said with a chuckle. “It sounds like an amazing idea.”

CHAPTER FOUR

I quickly changed out of my regular clothes and into my one-piece swimsuit. Even though it was fairly modest, I still felt incredibly self-conscious as I looked in the mirror. My dark brown hair was pulled back from my face and I wasn't wearing any makeup.

I was plain, ordinary. I looked like a girl who worked at a diner – not someone who should be hanging out on a nearly private island with a handsome billionaire. My one-piece hugged my body, showcasing my curves – something I'd only begun to accept about myself.

I wasn't some glamorous bikini model or super gorgeous A-list actress, the type of woman somebody like Nico would be expected to be with. I wasn’t unattractive, but I wasn’t stunning either. I had to admit though, that even though I’d been afraid that Nico would demand sex for his favor, I was a little disappointed that he only thought of us as friends. It was completely ridiculous on my part; I couldn’t have it both ways.

I found myself wondering what it might be like to be in Nico’s arms or his bed. Would he be a gentle lover, or would he take what he wanted and not care if I enjoyed myself? The thought of it all left me flushed.

I felt bad the moment I thought about it though. He was married, and he still loved her. She was gone, but I didn't want to replace her. It was a tough spot to be in, and perhaps Nico wasn't quite ready to move on anyway. Maybe that’s why he chose me instead of some model-type. I was someone who wouldn’t tempt him.

Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walked out of my private bathroom and through the sliding glass doors in my room, out onto the back deck. Nico was already out there, lounging on the hammock in nothing but swim trunks. My eyes fell on his perfect six-pack abs. I moved my gaze up his body and admired his toned chest and strong arms as well. He obviously worked out, and there I was with a slightly rounded belly and thighs thicker than I liked them to be.

Working at the diner didn't give me much time, or energy, to work out, so I was a little chunkier than I would have preferred being.

But as my gaze traveled up his body, finally falling on his face, I flushed when I saw that he was smiling back at me. His eyes weren't on my chest or my hips – they were staring deep into my eyes. I couldn't help but smile back at him. If he'd noticed me checking him out, he didn't give it away. Still, my face felt warm all the same.

“Ready to go for a swim?” he asked, sitting up.

I swear it was like he was moving in slow motion as I watched his abs move when he stood up from the hammock and walked over to me. So dreamy, like something out of a magazine, or a cheesy romance movie.

“Yes,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush as my mind filled with very improper thoughts. “All ready.”

“Wanna jump in with me?” he asked.