I had a feeling that if we spent anymore alone time with the newlyweds, Ella and I would forget what we were there for. What made it harder was the fact that we needed to be around them in order to do our jobs. How the hell were we supposed to balance that out when the two of them were like rabbits in mating season? They hadn’t full-on done it in the car, but it had gotten hot and heavy. When I pulled Ella out, Allyson had swung her leg over Alex’s lap to straddle him. We’d made a break for it just in the nick of time.

I wasn’t a prude by any means, but there were just some things that were meant to be private.

The small restaurant we found was tucked around the corner from where we’d made our fast escape from the cab. At first, I’d thought it was some sort of lean-to shed until the breeze shifted and I was hit with the scent of frying meat. I’d tugged Ella along, letting my nose guide me like a bloodhound.

I’d groaned with the first bite as each flavor exploded against my tongue. Mango salsa and spiced chicken with all sorts of other things I would have never thought belonged on a taco danced on my taste buds. It was almost a religious experience that had me wanting to raise my hands in praise to the food gods.

“I had three and I’m stuffed. Aren’t you full yet?” Ella asked, watching me from across the table.

I gave her a cross look and said, “I’m eating my feelings. Leave me alone.”

She made a face at me. “What are you talking about?”

“Were you not in the same car as me?” I huffed, inhaling another taco. “Besides, these are like mini tacos, so technically, I’ve only had like ten.”

She snorted. “More like twenty. Where the hell do you put it all? Do you have a hollow leg or something?”

“Let’s not talk about my appendages right now. They’re overly sensitive, okay?” I wiggled my eyebrows.

She toyed with the napkin in front of her, shredding it into small pieces until there was nothing left of it, and then picked up another one, starting the process all over again.

She seemed tense. Like maybe there was something she wanted to say but didn’t know how to say it. Or, maybe she was working through something personal she didn’t want to share. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for our own personal shit. We had a wedding party to get back to and us shutting ourselves away, even for the briefest of moments, wasn’t a very smart idea. Anything could happen, and if it did, it would be our fault for slipping up on the job.

“How old are you, Josh?” Ella asked.

The question caught me off guard, and I found myself saying, “Old enough to know better, but young enough not to care. Why?”

Her face fell flat. “Typical guy. I’m serious. How old are you?” she asked again.

“Don’t worry. If you plan on taking advantage of me, you won’t go to jail,” I answered, enjoying the banter, but more so enjoying the blush to her cheeks.

“And here I thought it was women who were weird about telling their age.”

“I’m not weird about it.” I bit into another taco, chewing slowly as I watched her. I’d hit my stuffed point about two tacos ago, but they were too damn good to waste.

“Says the guy who’s avoiding answering me,” she said.

“I’ll tell you how old I am, if you tell me how old you are,” I answered, adding, “You first.”

“Twenty-four. One hundred and twenty-two point two pounds. Five foot six and three quarters. Your turn.”

I gaped at her. “I’m not telling you how much I weigh. This date is over.” I grabbed the tray and marched off to dump it. Let her stew on that for a minute, I thought.

When I turned, she was right behind me, eyes twinkling. “I bet you don’t put out on the first date either.”

I gasped, hand fluttering to my chest. “What kind of guy do you take me for?”

She busted out laughing. “All right, you made your damn point.”

“Twenty-three,” I answered. “It’s funny. You don’t look twenty-four, you look a lot younger, but then watching you in action, I’d swear you were a lot older.”

She shook her head, grumbling, “How old did you think I was? Geez.”

“Hadn’t really thought about it to be honest. Knowing your age wasn’t something that ever crossed my mind. I am curious, though… what made you ask me how old I am?”

She didn’t answer until we made it around the corner and back on to the main road. She looked up and down the street as if getting her bearings, and then maneuvered us in behind a group of tourists chatting away. “Keep your eyes open for Allyson and Alex. We need to catch back up with them. They can’t have gone too far. This island is only so big.”

As we wandered down the sidewalk, Ella ducked inside each shop, making a quick circuit looking for Allyson while I flipped through the guidebook she’d purchased at the first store. When she came back out of the last one, she said, “I was just curious.”

I didn’t have to ask what she was talking about since the conversation was so fresh in my mind. In fact, I’d turned it over a few times, trying to make sense of what would prompt her to ask me. Honest curiosity was one answer I’d come up with, but usually that sort of question went hand in hand with other questions people would ask if they were truly interested in someone.

“How old were you when you started?” I asked.

Her head whipped around. “Excuse me?”

“What?”

She looked a little flustered, and I couldn’t understand why.

“That’s personal.”

“But you asking my age isn’t?” What was she getting so touchy for? “You act like you’ve been doing this for a long time. I just wondered for how long.”

“Oh,” she said. The word echoed a hint of understanding.

“Ella…” I pulled her to a stop, uncaring that people had to walk around us. “What did you think I meant?”

She blushed, not looking at me but over my shoulder as she said, “It’s not important. I was nineteen. Found ‘em.”

Her answers ran together, making no sense, but then again, when did girls ever make sense?

“Over by the ice cream stand. Let’s go,” she said, leaving me to catch up with her.

Allyson and Alex were sitting underneath a striped umbrella, feeding each other bites from an enormous bowl of ice cream that appeared to be turning into soup with every ticking second.

“There you are!” Allyson said, beaming in our direction.

“Yeah, had to feed Josh before he chewed off my arm,” Ella replied, adding “I would have told you, but…”

Instead of blushing, Allyson smirked. “Yeah, sorry about that. We tend to get a little carried away sometimes. Summer gives me hell about it all the time.”

Ella didn’t miss a beat. “I can understand why. You gave that cab driver one hell of a show.”

“Oh, please, we were only kissing,” Allyson said, digging the cherry from the melted mess and popping it into her mouth.

“Believe it or not, Ally, most people don’t do heavy make-out sessions in public,” Ella added.

Alex laughed. “I gave up trying. You’re better off going with the flow because this one right here?” he said, reaching over to tap the end of her nose. “She’s very passionate, and she doesn’t care where we are. But don’t worry, she’s not a complete exhibitionist.”

“Hey, I have an idea. Let’s go snorkeling,” I said, hoping to shift the conversation since it looked like Ella was seconds away from telling them off for their public display in the car.

It had made her uncomfortable. Hell, it had made me uncomfortable. There was a time and place for everything. Slight touches here and there, a whispered word that set a mood, all the things two people shared throughout the day was one thing. When it moved on to public groping and heavy make-out sessions out in the open? That was a whole other level.

Allyson put her hand on Ella’s shoulder and then winked. “We’re good for at least another hour or so.”

Ella’s mouth opened, but Allyson spoke, “Kidding, Izzy.”

“Snorkeling sounds good, but we didn’t bring our swimsuits,” Alex said, steering the conversation back to safer ground.

“So, we’ll just go buy some.” Allyson popped up from her seat. “Come on, Izzy. There’s a shop right over there.” 

Words failed me. In fact, my brain may have even shut down, using only the necessary function of moving my limbs so I could at least walk. The newly purchased bathing suit Allyson insisted Ella should wear was more than my wildest imagination could have dreamed up as far as clothing and what I found sexy. There were no words for Ella’s bathing suit. None. Grunts of complete appreciation, but that was about it. And it wasn’t even on her yet. I couldn’t wait to get out on the water. At least I couldn’t until she held out what looked like a very small pair of woman’s underwear and dangled them in front of my nose.

“What the hell is that?” I asked, unwilling to take the offering from her.

“That would be your—”

“I am not wearing a banana hammock. No way.” I snatched it from her finger and walked right back over to the store.

“I’d like to exchange this please,” I said, setting it down on the counter. Turning away, I grabbed the first pair of trunks in my size and then paid the difference.

“Told ya,” Ella said to Allyson.

“What’s on those?” Ella asked, lifting the corner of the shorts in my hand. “Are those bananas?”

“What?” I looked down. Sure enough. Damn bananas. And not just one… It was a whole jungle full of them.

“Don’t say it,” I warned Ella.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she answered, clamping her lips together.  

The deck of the boat bobbed under our feet. Our captain had anchored us off, waved over his shoulder, and disappeared below deck of the small vessel.

“Alex paid him to stay below,” Allyson said, watching as Ella and Alex worked together to get the ladder over the side of the boat. “Gives us at least the feeling of being alone.”

“You don’t get that very often, do you?” I asked, hearing what she wasn’t saying.

“You’re quick. I’ll give you that. No, the only time Alex and I get to be alone is when we’ve locked ourselves away. And I don’t care who you are, that gets old. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for, being able to be around other people and not feel like you have someone watching your every move all the time. That’s probably why I get so carried away sometimes.”

“If you make them uncomfortable enough, they’ll give you a moment’s peace?” I asked.

She smirked. “Something like that. I’ve learned how to handle people and situations. I know what my limits are, but I push them anyway.”

“Was that what you were doing in the car?” I asked.

“No. Believe it or not, I just kind of lost myself in the moment. You know how it can be,” she said.

I wanted to tell her that no, I’d never been in one of those moments where everyone else didn’t exist, but couldn’t without blowing our cover, so I just nodded along.

“The one thing you can be with us, Josh, is yourself. You won’t get a single bit of judgment… well, unless you’re an asshole to my best friend, but you know what I mean,” she said.

“Found the goggles!” Ella called out as she hoisted a pair out of a compartment under the seat and held them up.

“Do you love her?” Allyson put her hand on my arm. Bringing my attention back to her. Waiting for me to answer.

“I worship the ground she walks on,” I said, omitting the words of love.

“That’s not what I asked you,” Allyson replied.

“Words of love are meant to be spoken between lovers,” I answered, moving away before she kept digging.

Before Ella had a second to prepare herself, I had her in my arms and we went over the side of the boat with a huge splash.

She about beat me half to death when we came up for air. As she was ready to rip into me by the look in her eyes, the only thing I could do was kiss her to keep her from giving me hell.