22. Striptease me, please

Charlize barely had time to catch her breath before sultry music filled the air—Diamante’s doing. She realized he wasn’t there to play around with her as he gave her this wicked grin. In a heartbeat, he began to move slowly and salaciously, deliberate, a tease bordering on reckless. He started to undress, and her heart hammered, nerves ricocheting into excitement. She couldn’t look away. Tonight, nothing would stay hidden.

Diamante froze—a first for him. Dancing came easy, but tonight he was off-balance, undone by the way she watched him. Still, he flashed a cocky smile and started unbuttoning his shirt, slow enough for her to whisper, “Hurry, baby.” Every move was a dare. He watched her body react, the air between them charged with wild hunger. It hit him: they both wanted the same thing.

Her gaze locked on the way his hips rolled, every movement both loose, sensual, and filled with hunger. Diamante’s lean, muscled frame was on full display. Once he got going, he was impossible to look away from—and he knew it.

Diamante’s dance was pure temptation—smooth, controlled, a slow-burn performance just for her. The clincher: his fingers hooked in his belt loop, his chest thrust forward, and that wicked, come-hither look that promised trouble.

His scent—clean, wild—wrapped around her. Charlize tracked every line of his body, every muscle flex. He inched closer, not breaking eye contact, daring her to look away. Her attention drifted from his chest to his lips, to the glint in his eyes. When their gazes locked, the world shrank to just the two of them.

The music slowed, thickening the air between them. Diamante’s body adapted, moving with lazy sensuality. Without thinking, Charlize’s hand found his waist. Electricity zipped through him at her touch. He fought for control, but when he met her gaze, he nearly lost it.

Her heated gaze made him dizzy, reckless—he wanted to lose himself in her, consequences be damned.

He moved with careful confidence, doing just enough to keep her close, to keep her wanting more. Her flushed cheeks were his captive audience, and he loved it.

Diamante peeled off his shirt, muscles flexing. Then, with a wicked grin, he unzipped his pants just enough to tease, flashing a line of skin and dark hair. He gave her a look that dared her to follow, then turned and walked away, leaving her breathless and desperate: “Diamante, please—don’t go.”

When he got into it, he closed his eyes, mortified at how far he was taking it. He didn’t want her to think he was a slut. He hadn’t meant to go so far—but the way she looked at him, he lost all sense. Desperate to cool down, he dove into the cold water, trying to regain control.

“What is wrong with me? I’m auditioning to be her man, her husband. Not a one-night stand,” he muttered, fighting the urge to go back and finish what he’d started.

Then Charlize surprised them both. She stripped down to a yellow bikini and strode toward the water, tossing shyness aside. Tonight, she wanted to live without regret. As she slipped into the pool, her gaze met his—daring, hungry. Diamante’s breath caught as she moved closer, the invitation clear.

Her swimsuit clung to her curves, revealing just enough to drive him wild. Diamante traced kisses up her body—from her collarbone to her throat, to her lips, where he paused, breath mingling with hers.

Charlize had never been this bold. Diamante’s kiss was fire, his hands exploring, igniting every nerve. She arched into him, wordless, urging him on. His touch grew rougher—her gasp echoing over the water—as longing threatened to consume them both.

“Have mercy, Diamante,” she breathed, not sure if she wanted him to stop or never to stop at all.

“Would you like me to stop?”  

She managed a shaky smile, dazed by desire. Diamante winked, leaning his forehead against her shoulder, both of them fighting for control as their bodies hummed with electricity.

Charlize pulled away, breathless. “Thank you,” she whispered, nerves frayed. If she turned, their lips would meet again—and she wasn’t sure she could stop herself next time.

“How did we end up here?” Diamante murmured, voice low and ragged.

She stayed still, heart pounding. “I have no idea,” she whispered.

“What does this mean for us?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Like what? This?” Diamante teased her body once more, making her gasp. She slipped away, out of the water, desperate for air.

“Yes, like that.”

“What’s wrong?? We are not breaking the rules. Do you want to stop?”

“Maybe we should stop,” she said, though her body ached for more.

“Yeah. If I’m going to be fair to the others, we should stop.” Diamante’s voice was reluctant, hoping she’d protest. She didn’t.

“I don’t want to be thirsty, or is it greedy?”

“Uhm...I don’t think it’s either. I hope my striptease helped relieve some tension.”

Her words gave her away—he could tell she was still thinking about his striptease. Diamante played it cool, but when he reached for her hair, letting the silken strands slide through his fingers, it was all he could do not to pull her close again.

“You’re incredible,” Diamante whispered, voice thick. “Thank you for tonight. I’ll never forget it.”

~~~~

When they arrived that evening, Charlize was quiet as they returned to the bungalow.  

Diamante blocked her path, eyes urgent. “Will I see you again? Tell me I’ll get another chance.”

Charlize’s nerves were shot. “It’s late. I should go,” she murmured, but she lingered, heart pounding.

She wanted to be brave, just this once. Charlize pressed her hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat. She leaned in, lips brushing his ear.

“Maybe. I don’t know.”

He kissed her—hot, hungry, final—then vanished into the night, leaving her breathless against the door, desperate for more. Watching him disappear across the pier, Charlize realized she’d never done anything like this before. And she hoped it wouldn’t be the last time.

Charlize blew a deep breath and tried to find her scattered senses as she went inside. She wondered if it was normal to feel curious about all three men. She decided she’d keep all these interludes as her little secret. If one or more of her friends got to come to the island, it would be stupid to share what’d happened with each of these men with them. It made her smile that she got a little taste of each one of them before passing them along.

She’d hate for them to think she was loose or easy, which she wasn’t. Well, she never had been until coming here, having to select one man as her soon-to-be mate. Anyway, she didn’t want them to think she was that kind of girl and didn’t want to be that…

Girl. Woman. Whatever. She’d never been loose with guys and had no intention of starting now. After her date with Blaze, she’d make her selection. If anyone had told her that this day would unfold the way it had, she would’ve called them crazy. She showered and used only cold water, hoping to numb the sensory nerves in her body. She got dressed in a long, flowy maxi dress. Shecouldn’tt conceive of life without air conditioning. And for the most part, she was fine without it at the bungalow.

Charlize poured her a cold glass of wine and sat on the deck to enjoy the cool ocean night breeze.

These men are H-O-T!

I hope not to get cooked and fried on my next date with Blaze. She giggled. “A man with a name like that- what am I in store for tomorrow?