Secret Rulebook of Cheating

Rule #13: The Naked Truth Is That You Want It

“What’s so funny?” Rob’s voice startled me. I looked up to see him hovering above my head.

“Nothing,” I hurried to respond before Jason could say something that will make me want to sink in the sand. “Did we wake you?” I turned to look at the others. They were slowly livening up.

“Not you. Nadia kicked me in her sleep. She’s like a wild mare, that one.”

“I heard that!” Nadia’s grumbling voice flew from under the neighbouring umbrella.

“I meant for you to,” Rob stepped toward her. “Get your limbs under control, woman! If you continue like that, I’d have to start wearing a protective gear around my precious parts while you’re in my bed.”

“That will certainly make some activities difficult,” Nadia retorted, a mischievous smile on her lips.

“Well, I’m not wearing one now.” By the end of that sentence Rob was already lying beside her, kissing her as if there was no one else around them.

“Gross!” I cried teasingly.

“Oh, get a room!” Dan urged from their other side, completing my comment.

“Do you kick in your sleep?” Jason asked and brought my attention back to him. “I hope not, because if I go home covered in bruises, I’ll have some explaining to do.”

There it was. The reminder that he wasn’t available. Not that it made any difference anyway. It wasn’t like anything was ever going to happen between us.

“I’m not sleeping in the bed, remember?”

He smiled roguishly. “We’ll see about that.”

I was distracted by Rob’s voice once again before I could mull over his latest insinuation.

“Hey, you want to play volleyball?” He was already up, reaching for the ball that was nestled at the base of their umbrella.

“What did you do to him, Nadia?” Dan called out. “Got some surplus energy there, bro?”

“Shut up!” Rob cut him off, the closest to embarrassed he ever got. He took the ball and started playing with it, passing it from one hand to the other. “Who’s in?”

“I am,” Jason hollered from beside me and went to stand up.

“Me too,” agreed Nadia and in a second Dan joined too. Sylvia decided to stay, offering to watch over our stuff for us, but judging by her puffed look, she just wanted to get some more sleep.

“Are you coming?” Jason was on his feet, one arm stretched to help me stand. Knowing the effect of his touch, I considered not taking it, but we had just gotten the closest to truce we could get and I didn’t want him to start on me again. I took it, let the sensation find its way through my insides, and let go the second I was up.

We played volleyball – well, they played, I just messed their game up - for an hour or so and when we got tired of it, we went to get some drinks at the day bar on the beach.

“Now that’s a real beach bar!” Rob exclaimed, content, when he settled in one of the hammocks there. It was rather early in the day so when he ordered a Cuba Libre cocktail, he gave the waitress the ‘it’s five o’clock somewhere’ excuse and we all laughed.

The usual joking and teasing started flowing around the table. Sylvia joined half an hour later, still a little puffed, and ordered a large cup of coffee. We nearly fell out of our chairs, convulsing with laughter, when she took a sip and made the bitterest face ever. She had asked Rob to pass her some sugar packets but he had given her salt instead.